Joe Ryan, Rays’ top minor-league pitcher, among camp invitees

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays have added two pitchers with big-league time, right-handers Dylan Covey and John Curtiss, plus 15 of their own minor-leaguers, including top pitcher Joe Ryan, to their spring training camp roster.

With camp set to open next week, the Rays currently have 62 players listed with, as always, the chance to add more.

Covey, 28, split the last three seasons between the White Sox and Triple-A Charlotte. He opened the season in the majors, one of four stints with the Sox, and was on the injured list twice for right shoulder inflammation. In 63 big-league appearances (45 starts) he is 6-29 with a 6.24 ERA, and a ground ball rate of 50.5 percent that ranks 10th in the AL.

Curtiss, 26, spent most of 2019 at Triple-A in the Angels and Phillies organizations, pitching just once in the majors. He made 18 appearances for the Twins, all in relief, over 2017-18 with an 0-1, 6.75 ERA record.

Ryan was named the Rays minor-league pitcher of the year after a stellar first full pro season, advancing from Class A Bowling Green to advanced Class A Charlotte to Double-A Montgomery, going 9-4 with a 1.96 ERA in 24 games (22 starts) and, more impressively, 183 strikeouts in 123⅔ innings. He ranked second in the minors in strikeouts in 2019, and third all-time for a Rays minor leaguer behind Matt Moore in 2011 (210) and 2010 (208).

Also invited to camp are:

Pitchers: Paul Campbell, Josh Fleming, Shane McClanahan, Sam McWilliams, Joe Ryan, Phoenix Sanders, Ryan Sherriff, Ryan Thompson, Tyler Zombro

Infielders: Tristan Gray, Taylor Walls

Catcher/outfielder: Brett Sullivan

Outfielder: Dylan Cozens

Infielder/outfielders: Dalton Kelly, Miles Mastrobuoni

The Rays also resigned outfielder Johnny Davis, the speedster called up at the end of last season, to a minor-league deal without an invite to big-league camp.