2018 MLB Spring Training Umpire Roster

Announcing the first sign of baseball season, it's the 2018 Spring Training Umpire roster. Comprised of 91 umpires, including 76 full-time MLB + 15 minor league call-ups and invitees, this preseason's officiating list for Arizona's Cactus and Florida's Grapefruit Leagues contains 11 less umpires than the 2017 Spring Training list (102 umpires). This decrease is due in large part to the absence of a World Baseball Classic tournament this spring; the 2016 Spring Training roster, a year which similarly did feature a World Baseball Classic, consisted of 95 umpires.

The following roster includes sleeve numbers for all applicable umpires; Minor League Baseball umpires with numbers are deemed Call-Ups and may fill in during the regular season at the Major League level, while MiLB umpires without numbers are the Spring Training invitees and are not yet on MLB's fill-in list. The MiLB umpire in bold is new to the Spring Training list.

MLB Spring Training Umpires' Roster - 2018 Pre-Season

MLB Staff	MLB Staff	MiLB Invitees & Call-Ups
Baker, Jordan 71 Barksdale, Lance 23 Barrett, Lance 94 Barrett, Ted 65 Barry, Scott 87 Bellino, Dan 2 Blaser, Cory 89 Bucknor, CB 54 Carapazza, Vic 19 Carlson, Mark 6 Cederstrom, Gary 38 Conroy, Chris 98 Cooper, Eric 56 Culbreth, Fieldin 25 Cuzzi, Phil 10 Danley, Kerwin 44 Davis, Gerry 12 DeMuth, Dana 32 Diaz, Laz 63 DiMuro, Mike 16 Drake, Rob 30 Dreckman, Bruce 1 Eddings, Doug 88 Emmel, Paul 50 Estabrook, Mike 83 Everitt, Mike 57 Fairchild, Chad 4 Fletcher, Andy 49 Foster, Marty 60 Gibson, Greg 53 Gibson, Tripp 73 Gonzalez, Manny 79 Gorman, Brian 9 Guccione, Chris 68 Hallion, Tom 20 Hamari, Adam 78 Hernandez, Angel 5 Hickox, Ed 15	Hoberg, Pat 31 Holbrook, Sam 34 Hoye, James 92 Hudson, Marvin 51 Iassogna, Dan 58 Johnson, Adrian 80 Kellogg, Jeff 8 Knight, Brian 91 Kulpa, Ron 46 Layne, Jerry 24 Little, Will 93 Marquez, Alfonso 72 Meals, Jerry 41 Miller, Bill 26 Morales, Gabe 47 Muchlinski, Mike 76 Nauert, Paul 39 Nelson, Jeff 45 O'Nora, Brian 7 Porter, Alan 64 Rackley, David 86 Randazzo, Tony 11 Reyburn, D.J. 17 Reynolds Jim 77 Ripperger, Mark 90 Scheurwater, Stu 85 Tichenor, Todd 13 Timmons, Tim 95 Torres, Carlos 37 Tumpane, John 74 Vanover, Larry 27 Wegner, Mark 14 Welke, Bill 3 Wendelstedt, Hunter 21 West, Joe 22 Winters, Mike 33 Wolcott, Quinn 81 Wolf, Jim 28	Additon, Ryan 67 Barber, Sean 29 Blakney, Ryan 36 De Jesus, Ramon 18 January, Javerro "JJ" - Lentz, Nic 59 Libka, John 84 Livensparger, Shane 43 Nick Mahrley 48 May, Ben 97 Ortiz, Roberto 40 Rehak, Jeremie - Segal, Chris 96 Whitson, Chad 62 Woodring, Tom 75 (15 MiLB Umpires) (76 MLB Umpires) (91 Total Umpires) Information obtained by UEFL on 2/15/2018. www.closecallsports.com

Some observations, year-over-year:

• > MiLB invites decreased by 11 (from 2017, which featured a March World Baseball Classic).
• > 2018's roster of 15 MiLBU is comprised of 2 invitees and 13 regular-season call-up umps.
• > JJ January is the only new invitee; Jeremie Rehak is the only returning, non-call-up invitee. 
• > Umpires who appeared on the 2017 Spring Training MiLB invitee list, but who have been cut from the 2018 preseason are: John Bacon (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Toby Basner (2012-17 MLB Call-Up), John Bostwick (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Mike Cascioppo (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Travis Eggert (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Clint Fagan (2011-17 MLB Call-Up), Dan Merzel (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Garrett Patterson (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Ron Teague (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Alex Tosi (2017 MLB Spring Training Invitee), Junior Valentine (2017 Spring Training Invitee).
• > Toby Basner and Clint Fagan are the only two 2017 call-ups not to appear on 2018's roster.
• > Dale Scott retired from the MLB staff, and Stu Scheurwater was hired to fill his spot.
• > Angel Hernandez appears to have switched from #55 to #5, formerly worn by Dale Scott.

The 2018 Crew Chief promotion announcement will follow this update in the coming days.