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

Junior Lake Back in Action at Fitch Park

James Sneed roped a two-run single and Ryan Dalton followed with an RBI single to highlight a two-out three-run rally in the top of the 3rd inning, and Tyler DeLoach tossed 3.2 IP of one-hit shutout relief with seven strikeouts, helping the Angels defeat the Cubs 4-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #4 in Mesa, AZ.  

Junior Lake (fractured rib cage rehab) saw his first game action since March 6th, playing 3rd base for five innings and getting five AB.

Lake batted once in each of the first five innings, going 1-3 with a single and two walks. He also was retired on a 1-3 comebacker to the mound and was called out on strikes. In addition, he was caught stealing after reaching base on the single. 
    
Ex-Minnesota Twins switch-hitting C-1B-3B-PH Jose Morales also returned to action today after missing almost six weeks with a strained hamstring. He went 0-3, and knocked-in the Cubs lone run with a F-7 sacrifice fly.

The 30-year old Morales was signed as a minor league free-agent last month and reported to Extended Spring Training to get into playing shape, but promptly pulled a hammy in his very first EXST game on April 19th. He has been restricted to limited activity (essentially just BP and "sim" games) ever since. Once he is deemed ready to move up, he will likely be assigned to AAA Iowa. 

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):  



CUBS LINEUP:
X. Junior Lake, 3B: 1-3 (BB, 1B, K, BB, 1-3, CS)
NOTE: Lake batted five times, hitting third in the bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings
1. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 1-4 (4-3, 3-U, K, 2B)
2a. Justin Marra, DH #1: 0-2 (K, K) 
2b. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-2 (K, K)
3a. Erick Castillo, C: 0-2 (3-U, K)
3b. Rony Rodriguez, C: 0-2 (F-7, F-7)
4a. Dong-Yub Kim, LF: 1-2 (3B, BB, 1-3, R)
4b. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FOURTH TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
5. Jose Morales, DH #2: 0-3 (F-7 SF, F-8, K, K, RBI)
6. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 1-3 (2B, F-9, K)
7. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 0-2 (BB, F-7, 6-3)
8. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-3 (P-3, L-4, K)
9. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 0-1 (BB, BB, K, SB)

CUBS PITCHERS
1. Paul Blackburn: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HBP, 1 PO, 67 pitches (41 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO
2. Erick Leal: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 1 PO, 47 pitches (29 strikes), 2/5 GO/FO  
NOTE: Top of 7th inning was stopped with two outs when Leal reached his pre-planned max pitch limit for the game
3. Carlos Martinez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 28 pitches (20 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO

CUBS ERRORS: NONE

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Erick Castillo; 0-1 CS
Rony Rodriguez: 1-1 CS

ATTENDANCE: 13

WEATHER: Sunny and breezy with temperarures in the 90's  
 

 

Comments

i.stewart 0-4, 3K...sigh. ...and b.jackson keeps slipping, himself, with a 0-3, 3K (1bb) night.

RHP Michael Bowden has cleared waivers and has been assigned outright to AAA Iewa. However, because he has been outrighted previously in his career, Bowden is an Article XX-D player and has the right to elect free-agency if outrighted. He can elect free-agency immediately, or he can defer free-agency until the close of the MLB regular season (and then he can file anytime beginning on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season up through October 15th).   

Note that if Bowden elects free-agency immediately, his contract is voided and he receives no termination pay. If he accepts the Outright Assignment and defers free-agency, his contract would remain in force, but he would not be eligible to be a Article XX-D minor lerague free-agent if he is added back to an MLB  40-man roster prior to the conclusion of the 2013 MLB regular season.  

Because Bowden was not eligible for salary arbitration post-2012, he almost certainly has a split contract, meaning he receives one salary if he is on an MLB roster, and another lesser salary if he is on a minor league roster. So if he were to decline the Outright Assignment and elect free-ageny, he would be giving up what's left of his minor league split salary, probably about $150K. (Bowden's 2013 minor league split salary would be greater than the $80K minimum minor league split salary, because he spent about 2/3 of the 2012 season on an MLB 25-man roster, and a minor league split salary must be at least 60% of what the player was actually paid in salary the previoius season).

Because he was a college senior with no eligibility left, RHP Austin Pentecost (Cubs 2012 29th round draft pick) was the one player selected by the Cubs in last June's First Year Player Draft (Rule 4 Draft) who remained on the Cubs Negotiation List beyond last July's signing deadline. The Cubs had until midnight to sign Pentecost.  

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

HAGSAG: I was just mentioning that the Cubs had until midnight last night to sign Pentecost. He was the only 2012 Cubs draft pick the Cubs could have signed after the July 2012 signing deadline. As far as I know he isn't pitching in independent ball, so he may have just decided to pursue another career.   

Last July, six "Competitive Balance" Rule 4 Draft picks were awarded by lottery between the 1st and 2nd round, and six more were awarded by lottery between the 2nd and 3rd round. The lottery took place on the Monday following the Rule 4 Draft signing deadline. Only MLB clubs that receive revenue sharing and clubs from the ten smallest markets were be eligible to participate in the lottery for Competitive Balance picks.

Once awarded, these draft picks can be traded, but only during the MLB regular season, and the pick cannot be traded for cash unless it is a financial adjustment made to offset the salary of one or more of the players involved in the trade. Also, a Competitive Balance draft pick can be traded only once (only by the club that was awarded the pick), and a Competitive Balance Rule 4 Draft pick can be used only in the next Rule 4 Draft. There is no compensation if a player selected with a Competitive Balance draft pick does not sign.

Of the 12 Competitive Balance Draft Picks awarded last July, three have been traded (the Tigers and Marlins exchanged their picks as part of the Anibal Sanchez trade last July, and the Pirates traded their pick to the Marlins for 1B Gaby Sanchez last July), and one was forfeited (by Cleveland as the result of the Indians signing Article XX-B MLB FA OF Michael Bourn, who had received a Qualifying Offer from his previous club, the Braves).

That leaves eight Competitive Balance picks available to be traded (KC, AZ, BAL and CIN between the 1st & 2nd rounds, and SD, COL, OAK, and MIL between the 2nd & 3rd rounds):

BETWEEN ROUND ONE & ROUND TWO:
34. KC
35. MIA (from PIT) - cannot be traded again
36. AZ
37. BAL
38. CIN
39. DET (from MIA) - cannot be traded again 

BETWEEN ROUND TWO & ROUND THREE:
69. SD
70. COL
71. OAK
72. MIL
73. MIA (from DET) - cannot be traded again
NOTE CLE pick was forfeited, and all picks below were moved up one slot

I doubt there is much of a trade market for either Scott Hairston or Cody Ransom, but I suspect Jae-Hoon Ha and Donnie Murphy respectively could replace those guys today and the Cubs would not be any worse off. If you can even get a couple deep prospects for those guys, it's worth setting them out during the yard sale.

Sweet Jesus, please, no more 2003 reminiscences. 1969: Broke my teenage heart. (Sabermatricians say Adolfo Phillips not so bad...} 1984: Garvey, damn you. 1989: First basemen... 1998: Maybe... Then came 2003, with the long-term, home-grown, starting rotation...I will never forget the Lazy-Boy I sat in to watch that game... Sammy floats a single to right...five outs away...oh my God...I am a Cub fan. "Hi, Cub Fan," say the other folks in the group at the Alano Club...

how much longer can they keep z.rosscup down in AA? he turns 25 in less than 2 weeks, so he's already "too old" for AA as it is. 1.2ip 0h 0bb 2k tonight 22.2ip 11h 8bb 35k - 1.19era i.stewart didn't play tonight... b.jackson went 0-3, 1k in AAA.

almost 2am central and KC/STL is still in a rain delay rather...unreal. (multiple edits follow) the grounds crew keeps coming out to clean/dump the tarp into the drainage in LF. tarp is off and it looks like they might be getting ready to start it back up sometime soon. ...cards GM is out on the field with the umps...looks like he might be trying a power play. if the game gets called, the score reverts back to the inning before (where STL was leading) and therefore they would win. this might be interesting. "Any suspended game not completed prior to the last scheduled game between the two teams during the championship season shall become a called game, as follows: If such game has progressed far enough to become a regulation game, and one team is ahead, the team that is ahead shall be declared the winner (unless the game is called while an inning is in progress and before the inning is completed, and the visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead, and the home team has not retaken the lead, in which case the score upon the completion of the last full inning shall stand for purposes of this Rule 4.12(b)(4));" lulz...KC players are helping the STL grounds crew apply diamond dry on the field...carry bags out, dumping them, raking...they are determined to make this game happen. fan pic - http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLk5t2HCAAEdnK9.jpg the crowd is so thin now that KC players are on the field hurling baseballs into the stands at every KC fan they see. they're handing out autographs, seeds, and gum, too. this whole scene is kinda lulz. ...and it's raining again...almost all of the KC team is standing on the field...STL dugout is 1/2 empty...both managers are going back/forth with the umps (and each other). matheny is not a happy camper over all of this. royals announcers are calling out the STL grounds crew on the air, implying they were stalling. STL players out on the field playing catch...seems like they know this is "gonna happen" even though the GM of the cards is on the phone (on the side of the field) bitching to someone about something (most likely field conditions). there is more diamond dry on that field than i have ever seen in my life on a playing field. matheny is visibly not wanting this game to continue, hitting the umps up again. ...and here comes molina in gear behind home plate and joe kelly is warming up...time to get this game back on. 4hr 32m hour rain delay. there's so few fans left that everyone in the place has been moved to the first couple of rows behind the dugouts so the cleaning crew can do their work. there's literally about 40-60 fans left. ...and after all of that it takes less than 15 minutes for KC to win it. btw, this umpire crew works the cubs game 10 hours from now @wrigley.

Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet: No. 9 Pierce Johnson, rhp, Cubs Team: low Class A Kane County (Midwest) Age: 22 Why He’s Here: 1-1, 1.46, 2 GS, 12 1/3 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 15 SO The Scoop: If you’re looking for a strong candidate for a midseason promotion, Johnson fits the bill. The 43rd overall pick in last year’s draft, he has allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his 10 starts in low Class A. The 22-year-old has the advanced stuff and could’ve started the year in high Class A, and now he’s surged into second in the Midwest League strikeout race with 60 in 53 innings. Not so hot sheet: Jeimer Candelario, 3b, Cubs: The 19-year-old hitting machine ranks second in the Midwest League with 17 doubles, though he endured a rough week with low Class A Kane County, going 2-for-23 (.087) at the dish with two walks (one intentional) and four strikeouts. http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot-sheet-may-31-wil-mye…

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

I saw Pierce Johnson pitch last Wednesday night at the Quad Cities. He had dominating stuff, though I couldn't give you any velocity readings, as the stadium radar gun wasn't working that evening. Only gave up one run, a home run in the bottom of the 6th. He looked real good and really in control.

Rays call up Chris Archer N Jeff Beliveau in time for the Stanley Cup semi finals. Archer starts Saturday vs Tribe

While I still support the rebuilding plans, winning teams are more fun to watch.

Ryan Acosta was suspended 50 games for violating the minor league baseball drug policy. Acosta tested positive for an amphetamine. The 24-year-old right-hander owns a 4.75 ERA over parts of seven seasons in the minors, mostly in a relief role. He was given his release by the Dodgers earlier this week. Rotoworld bit.

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.