Du Preez, Jones make Scotland cut
Among the group is 37-times capped Gloucester centre Matt Scott who – after missing out on selection in November – has earned a recall thanks to a number of impressive performances for the Kingsholm team, scoring 12 tries in 18 games this season.
Cotter has also named uncapped Edinburgh forwards Simon Berghan (prop) and Cornell Du Preez (back row).
Du Preez (25) is a popular figure in the capital, scoring 14 tries in 71 appearances. He became eligible to represent Scotland last year after completing three years of residency in the country.
Berghan (26) joined Edinburgh in 2013 and is eligible to represent Scotland through his grandfather, Andrew Davidson, from Stirling. The prop has made 24 appearances for the capital side.
Berghan and returning Newcastle Falcons' tighthead Jon Welsh are among the seven props named in the squad, with the national team awaiting the results of a scan on Wednesday that will confirm the availability of Edinburgh's Willem Nel, who injured his neck in the team's European Challenge Cup win over Harlequins on Saturday (January 14).
Stormers centre Huw Jones also keeps his place in the squad after shining on the international stage in 2016.
"It's a well-balanced and exciting group that have played a lot of rugby together, know each other well and are ambitious to do well in a Scotland jersey.
"I think if we get our mind-set right we can be competitive and push for wins in every game in this campaign."
He added: "When you look down the list of names from Greig Laidlaw as captain, a solid locking group that's been together for a while, a familiar group of loose forwards who have played consistently well for their clubs, with John Hardie expected to return to fitness shortly.
"The backline gives us a little versatility with Huw Jones able to play several positions, as can Duncan Taylor, Duncan Weir returns alongside Finn [Russell] who'll be working to run games, with settled back-three options available to us once again."
Elsewhere in the pack the squad has a very familiar feel, with hookers Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Ford and Stuart McInally (both Edinburgh) named for the third campaign in succession.
Edinburgh's in-form lock, Ben Toolis, has been added to the second-row stable, while the addition of Du Preez is the only new face in the back row.
In the backs, captain Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Ali Price and Henry Pyrgos (both Glasgow Warriors) have all been reselected, while Edinburgh flyhalf Duncan Weir joins Glasgow Warriors' Finn Russell as the flyhalf options.
Matt Scott is the only addition named to the centres although, while named, injury prevented Saracens' Duncan Taylor from featuring in the autumn.
The back-three group of Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) and Tim Visser (Harlequins) is unchanged.
"We now prepare to enter the Six Nations and face our first opposition, Ireland, at home next month who are now ranked highly in the world, and deservedly so, after wins over New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, so it's a tough start," Cotter added.
"I think the addition of bonus-points will probably open up the games a little more and I think that's a good thing. I think we'll see a little more play and perhaps a few more risks in the game, which is exciting."
The squad will convene in Edinburgh on Monday (January 23) for a three-day camp at Oriam – Scotland's sports performance centre – ahead of the national team's opener against Ireland at Murrayfield on February 4.
Not currently considered through injury: David Denton (hamstring, Bath), Alasdair Dickinson (foot, Edinburgh), Pete Horne (ankle, Glasgow Warriors), Rory Hughes (knee, Glasgow Warriors), Rory Sutherland (groin, Edinburgh).
Scotland squad:
Forwards: Alex Allan, Simon Berghan, Allan Dell, Zander Fagerson, Willem Nel, Gordon Reid, Jon Welsh, Fraser Brown, Ross Ford, Stuart McInally, Jonny Gray, Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist, Tim Swinson, Ben Toolis, John Barclay, Cornell Du Preez, John Hardie, Rob Harley, Josh Strauss, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson.
Backs: Greig Laidlaw (captain), Ali Price, Henry Pyrgos, Finn Russell, Duncan Weir, Mark Bennett, Alex Dunbar, Huw Jones, Matt Scott, Duncan Taylor, Stuart Hogg, Damien Hoyland, Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour, Tim Visser.
