3 underrated Cubs non-roster invitees to watch at Spring Training

Mesa, Arizona is calling once again for the Chicago Cubs and this year, they're bringing a staggering haul of non-roster invitees to big league camp to show off their skills and potentially compete for a roster spot. Of the 32 players coming in, there are plenty of much-hyped names like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Mervis that are going to be worth watching as fans contemplate their future. Fans will also see a few other familiar faces like David Bote and Sergio Alcantara trying their luck for a bench spot on this year's team.

If you look underneath the big names, however, the Cubs have some intriguing players coming that, while not as likely to make the Opening Day roster, are candidates to show up at Wrigley by year's end. Moreover, some of them are coming off scorching hot performances in outside competitions like the Dominican Winter League.

These players could be key to the Cubs' depth as the year drags on and injuries crop up over time. Here are three names to watch for that could make a statement in Mesa this year.

#3 Nick Burdi

The fact that Nick Burdi received an invitation at all is encouraging for his prospects in Spring Training. Burdi was selected in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft from the Padres to give the team a potential power arm among their ranks. Fans might remember Burdi as an old enemy back with Pirates where he could dial it up into the triple digits. The rub, of course, is that Burdi hasn't pitched since joining the Padres system due to injuries.

Seeing him invited to Spring Training provides extra hope about his health. The Cubs seem to have confidence in him being well enough to throw which is intriguing considering that arm. His time in the majors has been sporadic, but there was still enough there with that velocity to dream of what he could be as a bullpen piece. If he's finally healthy, it will be intriguing to see what he can do and if any of the arsenal changes he's worked on bear fruit.

#1: Ben Leeper

The Cubs have had a number of under-the-radar pitchers that are starting to show a lot of promise. Max Bain, Ben Leeper, and Danis Correa all represent the pitching depth the team is building at every level of the minors. While Correa and other pitchers of this ilk are among the invitees, I want to focus on Leeper in part because of how close he is to the majors.

Correa brings some eye-popping velocity and is sure to be a blast to watch in the World Baseball Classic, but Leeper is almost a lock to reach the majors this year. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020, he's leaped through the minors with little effort thus far and he got his first full shot at Triple-A last year. A 4.50 ERA and 5.57 FIP in 46 innings may not seem all that inspiring, but, as Cubs prospect aficionado Greg Huss pointed out, that's not the full story. That ERA is inflated by two particularly awful outings, including one where he recorded no outs. Without those outings, his performance looks more like a 2.58 ERA with an impressive 31.8% strikeout rate. Oh yeah, and he has a fastball in the mid to upper 90s with a ton of movement.

Leeper should be at the top of the list of potential future bullpen pieces for the Cubs. His Spring Training could even determine whether or not he starts the year in the minors. An injury or underperformance could open the door for him. Even if he doesn't got a shot in Chicago off the bat, it should be fun to watch him show his disgusting stuff in Arizona.