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Dodgers’ young pitching star Julio Urias one of 17 non-roster invitees

Dodgers minor leaguer Julio Urias pitches for the World Team in the Futures Game last summer at Target Field in Minneapolis.
(Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)
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What were you doing when you were 18 years old? Graduating from high school, playing video games, worried about acne?

Probably not going to a major league camp.

But that’s where Julio Urias is headed this spring. The 18-year-old pitching phenom from Mexico was one of 17 non-roster invitees announced by the Dodgers on Friday.

Among those joining Urias will be fellow phenom Corey Seager (no surprise), infielder Erisbel Arruebarrena (who cleared waivers) and 2013 first-round pick, right-hander Chris Anderson.

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Urias went 2-2 with a 2.36 earned-run average in 25 games for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga last season, striking out 109 and holding opponents to a .194 average in 87 2/3 innings. It was just his second pro season.

He seems headed to the same fast track fellow Mexican left-hander Fernando Valenzuela once journeyed. Valenzuela made his major league debut at age 19.

Also included in the 17 players is veteran left-hander David Huff. Huff, 30, appeared in 46 games last season (3.36 ERA, 1.42 walks plus hits per inning pitched). After struggling with the Giants, he was purchased by the Yankees and went 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA in 30 appearances with New York.

The full list of the non-roster invitees:

Pitchers Anderson, left-hander Ryan Buchter, left-hander Robert Carson, Huff, right-hander Josh Ravin, right-hander Sergio Santos, Urias; position players Arruebarrena, infielder Buck Britton, outfielder Matt Carson, infielder O’Koyea Dickson, outfielder Kyle Jensen, catcher Chris O’Brien, Seager, catcher Ali Soli, infielder Darnell Sweeney and catcher Shawn Zarraga.

The non-roster list did not include Chin-hui Tsao, the reliever accused of trying to fix games in Taiwan. He is expected to be in the minor league camp.

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