Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Where Have You Gone, Ozzie Timmons?

Ozzie Timmons smacked a two-out game-winning walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th to give the Cubs the victory in the last game played at HoHoKam Park before the stadium was to be demolished... 

in 1996.

But it's now 2013, and in the last Cactus League Spring Training game played by the Cubs (as the home team) at HoHoKam Park before moving to their new facility at Mesa Riverview next season, Nate Tenbrink ripped a two-out two-strike two-run single and Kelly Shoppach followed with an RBI double into the LF corner, as the Seattle Mariners rallied for three runs in the 8th to defeat the Cubs 6-4.    

box score

Carlos Villanueva got the start for the Cubs and threw five strong inings (90 pitches - 59 strikes), allowing three runs (only one earned) on four hits and two walks in five inings (plus one batter in the 6th). He struck out three.  

Michael Morse put the Mariners on the board in the top of the 2nd with a solo HR over the fence in right-centerfield, but the Cubs came back to score three off SEA starter Hisashi Iwakuma in the bottom of the 3rd. Arismendy Alacantara (up from Minor League Camp) led-off the inning with a triple off the right-centerfield fence, and scored on a line-drive PH RBI single to right by Zeke DeVoss (also up from Ninor League Camp). Then with two outs, Alfonso Soriano clubbed a two-run home run (his team-leading 5th Cactus League HR) over the LF fence.

Villanueva was crusing slong with a 3-1 lead going into the 5th, but a throwing error by 2B Tim Saunders (another player up from Minor League Camp) on what should have been the start of a 4-6-3 DP put Villanueva behind the 8-ball, and the M's made him pay when Kyle Seager stroked a two-out two run double to left that tied the game at 3-3.

But the Cubs took the lead again in the bottom of the 6th, as Brett Jackson did his Jackie Robinson impression. 

Jackson drew a lead-off walk, advanced to 2nd base on a fly out to CF (the first instance of aggressive baserunning by B-Jax), and then scored on another bit of fancy baserunning. Dioner Navarro chopped a bouncer that was fielded by the third-baseman, who eye-checked Jackson back to 2nd before throwing Navarro out at 1st for the second out of the inning. But Jackson only pretended to go back to 2nd base, instead racing for 3rd once the third-baseman began his throwing motion to 1st, and he was able to slide safely into 3rd as 1st baseman Tenbrink's throw sailed past third-base and into LF foul territory, which allowed Jackson to jog home with the go-ahead run. 

LHP Hisnori Takahashi (who apparently has claimed the 12th spot on the pitching staff) relieved Villanueva in the 6th and retired seven of the first eight men he faced, before running into trouble in the top of the 8th. With one out, Jesus Sucre and Jason Bay singled, and then with two outs, Nate Tenbrink (a LH hitter facing LHP Takahashi) pulled a two-strike pitch into RF for a two-run single, and then Kelly Shoppach followed with an RBI double.

It is fairly obvious that while he has the ability to throw multiple innings and probably make a spot start when needed, Takahashi is not particularly effective against LH hitters, and so he's not the type of lefty you bring into a game to try and neutralize Joey Votto at a critical point. James Russell (who is basically a 7th inning guy who happens to throw LH) isn't especially tough on lefties, either, so the Cubs might want to keep their eyes open for a true LOOGY, should one become available.

Shawn Camp pitched out of a runner at 3rd & one out jam in the top of the 9th, striking out the last two men he faced to leave the runner stranded. (Camp struck out the side in a 1-2-3 inning vs SF on Monday).

Welington Castillo singled to lead-off the bottom of the 9th and bring the potential tying run to the plate three times, but the next three hitters went down 1-2-3.

No sign of Ozzie Timmons anywhere. 

So the Cubs spent their last day as the home team at HoHoKam Park. The stadium will remain open until December, with the AZL Cubs (June-August) and Mesa Solar Sox (October-November) playing their home games there later this season. The facility will then be closed for about a year while it undergoes a renovation (seating capacity will be rduced as grandstand seats will be removed and patio-picnic areas will be constructed), and then the Oakland A's will relocate to HoHoKam Park (and Fitch Park) in 2015. 

The Cubs have a lengthy history in Nesa. They moved their Spring Training HQ to Rendevous Park (southeast corner of University & Center) from Santa Catalina Island in 1953, thanks to the efforts of Mesa businessman Dwight (Pat) Patterson (the first Big Ho) and the rest of the HoHoKams (Mesa businessmen & boosters). The Cubs Spring Training home remained at Rendevous Park through the 1965 season, before being moved to Long Beach, CA for a year (Leo Durocher's first season as Cubs manager). Meanwhile, the Kansas City Athletics (later the Oakland A's) noved to Meaa and replaced the Cubs at Rendevous. The Cubs moved back to Arizona from Long Beach in 1967, but this time they were based at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, and this is where I first experienced Cubs Spring Training in the 1970's.

The Cubs moved back to Mesa from Scottsdale in 1979, but by this time a new Spring Training ballpark was in service (located at HoHoKam Park on Center Street north of Brown Road). The Cubs played in this stadium for 18 years (through Spring Training 1996), after which a new stadium (Dwight Patterson Field) was constructed on the same site. 

 

Comments

<rumor> is jose valverde a cub yet? </rumor> i wonder who he's throwing for...he's supposedly hitting 95mph in the dominican showcasing himself for a variety of teams.

Jason McCloud said yesterday during the Cubs game that they were having meetings to determine the minor league rosters later in the day. Let the speculation begin and hope AZ Phil will be on top of the movement.

AZ Phil: Considering the entire minor league system, who would most likely would develop into the Cubs future "true" LOOGY by 2014-5. For 2013, Could the D-Train serve as a LOOGY or will control always be his issue? Any other near term candidates from the minors for LOOGY this year? I was expecting Beliveau to fill that role last year until they lost him to roster mismanagement

peering into Anthony Rizzo's future... per Roto...
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Diamondbacks and Paul Goldschmidt have agreed to a five-year, $32 million contract extension with a club option for 2019. ESPN/XM's Jim Bowden first broke the story, and Rosenthal provided the contract terms.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

also... "Tigers signed RHP Justin Verlander to a five-year, $140 million extension with a vesting option for 2020." and "Giants signed C Buster Posey to an eight-year, $159 million extension with a $21.4 million club option for 2022."

at the going rate of extensions, there may never be a premium free agent again...

"Cubs sent RHP Guillermo Moscoso outright to Triple-A Iowa." take that goldschmidt, verlander, and posey news...

Kinda hits at the point that Hendry and McPhail were complete ass hats when it came to scouting and development..... Theo Epstein has also taken steps toward increasing the size of what had been one of the smallest front offices in the game. The moves that have gotten the most attention have involved an embrace of analytics, with the Cubs signing a big deal with Bloomberg Sports to provide them with data. Less heralded but perhaps more significant, the Cubs have hired a bevy of new scouts in all aspects of the game—amateur, pro, international, and major league. Creating scouting depth is a critical part of any plan that involves significant investment in building through player development. In a few short years Theo has done light years better work with our minors than 15+ years of failure from Hendry and McPhail.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).