HOUSTON – In just over a week, the Houston Astros will put the 2019 baseball season into full swing with the opening of spring training in Florida. Astros pitchers and catchers will officially report to FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Wednesday, Feb. 13, with their first workout coming the next day on Thursday, Feb. 14.Â
This will be the Astros' third season to hold spring training at their new facility in West Palm Beach that they share with the Washington Nationals.
Astros position players will report on Sunday, Feb. 17, with the first full-squad workout taking place on Monday, Feb. 18.
The team’s first exhibition game will be Feb. 23 against the Nationals at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Their home opener will be the following day against the Braves.
The team currently has 61 players on the spring training roster. That list includes 22 non-roster invites scheduled to attend camp and 39 players on the Astros 40-man roster.
The 39 players on the 40-man roster includes 21 pitchers: Bryan Abreu, Â Rogelio Armenteros, Gerrit Cole, Dean Deetz, Chris Devenski, Reymin Guduan, Will Harris, Josh James, Francis Martes, Lance McCullers, Collin McHugh, Wade Miley, Roberto Osuna, Brad Peacock, Ryan Pressly, Brady Rodgers, Hector Rondon, Joe Smith, Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander.
The list of position players includes three catchers (Robinson Chirinos, Max Stassi and Garrett Stubbs), seven infielders (Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Aledmys Diaz, Yuli Gurriel, A.J. Reed and Tyler White) and eight outfielders (Michael Brantley, Derek Fisher, Tony Kemp, Jake Marisnick, Josh Reddick, George Springer, Myles Straw and Kyle Tucker).
The 22 non-roster invites include to major league camp includes 11 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders and two outfielders. The pitchers are Brandon Bielak, Akeem Bostick, J.B. Bukauskas, Kent Emanuel, Ryan Hartman, Jose Luis Hernandez, Corbin Martin, Brendan McCurry, Erasmo Pinales, Cy Sneed, Forrest Whitley. All but Emanuel are right-handed hurlers.
The group of non-roster position player invites are outfielders Yordan Alvarez and Ronnie Dawson, infielders Alex De Goti, Taylor Jones, Jack Mayfield, Josh Rojas, Nick Tanielu and Abraham Toro, along with catchers Lorenzo Quintana, Jamie Ritchie and Chuckie Robinson.
Houston won a franchise-record 103 games last season and swept the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series, before losing to the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship series.
Here are the key dates of Spring Training:
Wednesday, Feb. 13: Pitchers and catchers report
Thursday, Feb. 14: First day of workouts for pitchers, catchers
Sunday, Feb. 17: Position players report
Monday, Feb. 18: First full squad workout
Saturday, Feb. 23: First exhibition game at Nationals
Sunday, Feb. 24: First home exhibition game vs. Braves
Monday-Tuesday, March 25-26: Two exhibition games vs Pirates at Minute Maid Park
Thursday, March 28: Astros open the regular season in Tampa Bay
Friday, April 5: Astros home opener vs. Oakland Athletics
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