Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Reds: Arrieta vs Reed (Game 17)

CHC (9-7): RHP Jake Arrieta (2-0, 2.89)
CIN (9-8): LHP Cody Reed (1-0, 0.00)
First pitch: 12:10pmCST

Don't look now, but the Cubs have resumed their rightful place at the top of the division. The team is so bored with regular baseball, they have taken to spotting the opposition a few runs before starting to play for real.

Arrieta gave up 3 ER over 5.2 and came away with a no-decision against the Pirates on Saturday. He went 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 2016 against the Reds, with both games in their park. Overall, they are 21-101 (.208) against him. Gennett is 8-29.

Reed, who has been pitching out of the bullpen, gets his first start of the season. He went 0-7 with a 7.36 in 10 starts as a rookie last year. He was equally shitty at home and on the road. In his two games against the Cubs last year, he was 0-2 with a 12.38 ERA. The Cubs are 14-36 (.389) against him. Bryant is 3-4 with a HR. Almora, Contreras, and Russell have also homered off of him. 

Needless to say, I like our chances.

Lackey and Arroyo (yes, that Arroyo) for the finale tomorrow at 12:10pmCST.

Go Cubs!
 

Comments

LaStella activated from bereavement list, optioned to Iowa. (per twitter feed, Mark Gonzalez) Similar lineup as yesterday, outside of the pitcher and Contreras/JHey flip: Schwarber, KB, Rizzo, Russell, Contreras, JHey, Baez, Arrieta, Almora Zobrist still with neck stiffness (was an issue during spring training too)

Historically, Arroyo has pitched very well against the Cubs in his career. In a season's worth of starts and IP (30/197), he's held the Cubs to a 3.06 ERA and a .237/.286/.389/.675 slash line. But I believe the only batters he's ever faced are Rizzo, Montero, Heyward, and Jay, so this is a very different team he will be facing tomorrow. Either way, let's take care of Reed like we should today and win the series... then we can think about a sweep tomorrow, and remindi the Reds who they really are.

How did Brian Duncehead make the 25 out of camp over Rob Z? He has nothing. He's like a bad Glendon Rusch. EDIT: Rob Z not doing so well in Iowa...so there's that. Can he still be optioned?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

I don't believe Duensing has any options, and they're paying him $2M. I really was pulling for Caleb Smith to make that last bullpen spot. He could've filled Duensing's spot, and probably wouldn't have done any worse. And he's actually potential for the future, not just a one year bottom depth bullpen guy.

[ ]

In reply to by Lester's rattl…

LRB: Brian Duensing does have two minor league options left, but they're not really relevant because he must give his consent before he can be optioned and there is no reason for him to do that. Also, beccause he was an Article XX-B MLB free-agent post-2016 and signed a 2017 major league contract, he has an automatic "no trade" right through June 15th. So the Cubs will just release him and eat the $2M (minus the pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum salary if he is subsequently added to another MLB club's 40-man roster) if they come to the conclusion that they do not want him on their 25-man roster. . 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Thanks Phil... I just assumed he didn't have options since he's been a major leaguer for a while, at at that point new there would be some barrier to just sending him down if they needed someone else in his place. I really only remember him being effective in one outing so far this year, maybe two, but hopefully he turns it around soon!

That David Rollins guy has pitched well so far though in Iowa, but just like Spencer Patton last year, his career ERA in the majors is atrocious. And Duensing can refuse optional assignment, so theoretically yes, but he can refuse it and become a free agent instead. It's still early though, so ERA's are very inflated. If May comes and it's still bad, then maybe something could happen.

The billybucks mojo continues its roll -- now up to 4 straight wins. Drive for 5 tomorrow. Keep swinging those hot bats -- Schwarber and KB seem due for some Cincy bombs tomorrow. CJ has now pitched 7.0 innings of one-hit ball in 2017. Nice.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Yes, but... You have the utterly ephemeral and supremely conditional thanks and support of dozens (well, maybe a full dozen) of posters and readers of the best Cubs blog in the history of the world. As long as history starts in 2001. So you got that goin' for you.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...