Chandler among invitees

This is a 2024 photo of Bubba Chandler of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. This image reflects the Pirates active roster as of Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
From Mirror, wire reports
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates released their list of 14 non-roster invitees who will show up for spring training camp beginning next week on Wednesday, Feb. 12, and Friday, Feb. 14.
The list includes pitchers Hunter Barco, Ryan Borucki, Jack Brannigan, Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington, Ryder Ryan, Anthony Solometo and Sean Sullivan. According to Baseball America, Chandler is the No. 1 prospect in the Pirates’ farm system. Harrington is third while Barco is No.10.
Others include Omar Alfonzo (catcher), Jack Brannigan (inf.), Matt Gorski (of), Konnor Griffin (inf)., Termarr Johnson (inf.), Aaron McKeithan (catcher) and DJ Stewart (of).
Griffin is the No. 2 prospect in the Pirates’ system while Johnson is No. 5.
Voter anonymous
NEW YORK — The Hall of Fame voter who declined to select Ichiro Suzuki remains a mystery.
All 321 voters who allowed their ballots to be made public Tuesday by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America selected the Japanese star. Suzuki appeared on 393 of 394 ballots when voting was announced on Jan. 21.
“There’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from,” he said through a translator later that week. “I would like to invite him over to my house, and we’ll have a drink together, and we’ll have a good chat.”
The Hall’s rules allow each voter the choice whether to make a ballot public. The BBWAA voted 80-19 at its December 2016 meeting to propose making all ballots public, but the Hall of Fame’s board of directors decided to leave the decision up to each voter.
Mariano Rivera remains the only player to get 100% of the vote from the BBWAA, appearing on all 425 ballots in 2019. Derek Jeter was chosen on 395 of 396 in 2020.
Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected by the BBWAA this year and will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in by the classic era committee in December.
Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle (2001-12, 2018-19), the New York Yankees (2012-14) and Miami (2015-17).
Elsewhere:
n Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and the Toronto Blue Jays finalized a $15.5 million, one-year contract on Tuesday. The 40-year-old was limited to nine starts with Texas last year, going 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA. He opened the season on the injured list while recovering from lower back surgery and was on the IL from Aug. 2 to Sept. 13 because of shoulder fatigue. He didn’t pitch after Sept. 14 because of a left hamstring strain.
n Outfielder Randal Grichuk is returning to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a second season, agreeing Tuesday to a one-year contract guaranteeing $5 million.
n Tim Hill is staying with the New York Yankees, agreeing to a $2.85 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Tuesday.