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

Will Cubs Target Rule 4 Draft Lottery Slots?

Up until last year, MLB First-Year Player Draft (Rule 4 Draft) slots could not be traded.

A club could lose a draft slot for signing a Type "A" Article XX-B free-agent (and it still can, although now they are called "Qualified Players"), or could gain a pick or picks if the club offered salary arbitration to one of its own Type "A" or Type "B" Article XX-B MLB free-agents and then the player signed with another club (and it still can receive one "compensation pick" between the 1st and 2nd rounds for losing a player to free-agency, as long as the player spent the entire previous season with that club AND the club offers the Article XX-B free-agent a one-year contract with a salary at least as much as the average salary of the top 125 salaries in MLB the previous season AND then the player subsequently signs with another club prior to the Rule 4 Draft).

But Rule 4 Draft slots could not be traded under any circumstances.  

However, the MLB Rule 4 Draft Competitive Balance Lottery (CBL) was established per the 2012-16 CBA, and these draft slots CAN BE TRADED.

The Rule 4 Draft Competitive Balance Lottery (CBL) is held on the Monday following the Rule 4 Draft signing deadline in July. Only MLB clubs that receive revenue sharing and clubs from the ten smallest markets are eligible to participate in the lottery for the CBL draft slots.

Six Competitive Balance Rule 4 Draft slots between the 1st and 2nd rounds and six more between the 2nd and 3rd rounds are awarded to eligible clubs by the lottery. An eligible club can receive no more than one CBL draft slot per draft. Once awarded, a CBL draft slot can be traded, but only during the MLB regular season. Also, the slot 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. And a CBL draft slot can be traded only once (only by the club that was awarded the pick). Once traded, the slot cannot be "flipped" to a third club.

If a player selected with a CBL draft pick does not sign, the club receives a compensation selection in the next Rule 4 Draft, one slot lower than where the club selected the previous season. (The Miami Marlins received a CBL compensation pick in this year's draft after failing to sign their CBL pick last year). There is no further compensation if a player selected with a Competitive Balance compensation draft pick does not sign.

So far, three of the twelve 2014 Rule 4 Draft CBL slots have been traded, and because they cannot be flipped to a third team, the three traded CBL slots cannot be traded again. But the other nine CBL slots are available and can be traded up until the start of the draft. 

#35 (COL)
#38 (CLE)
#40 (KC)
#41 (MIL)
#69 (AZ)
#71 (STL)
#72 (TB)
#73 (PIT)
#74 (SEA)

Cubs GM Jed Hoyer stated in an interview this past week that he believes MLB clubs should be allowed to trade draft slots (like in the NFL and NBA), so don't be surprised if the Cubs offer some of their players (both players on their MLB 25-man roster as well as minor leaguers) to the clubs holding the nine tradeable CBL draft slots, not just to try and get more 1st & 2nd round draft picks (which would be nice), but also to increase the Cubs 2014 Rule 4 Draft spending limit (which is based upon the aggregate assigned value of a club's draft slots in the first ten rounds of the draft).

To get an idea of how club's value the CBL slots, here are the three trades made so far involving 2014 CBL draft slots:  

7-31-2013: BAL acquired RHP Bud Norris from HOU for OF L. J. Hoes, LHP Josh Hader, and CBL slot #37.
7-31-2013: SD acquired RHP Ian Kenndy from AZ for LHP Joe Thatcher, RHP Matt Stites, and CBL slot #70.  
5-31-2014: MIA acquired RHP Bryan Morris from PIT for CBL slot #39.  

The 2015 Rule 4 Draft Competitive Balance Lottery will be held on July 21st, and once those slots are awarded they can be traded, but again, CBL draft slots cannot be traded during the off-season and cannot be used to replace a PTBNL, so the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline, the August 31st post-season roster eligibility deadline, and the days leading up to the Rule 4 Draft (June Draft) are when the CBL slots are most-likely to be traded.  

In addition, the Cubs will probably trade one or more of their four 2014-15 International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) Signing Bonus Values (SBV) in July. Such a move could be part of a larger trade (the Cubs SBV being a "sweetener"), or the SBV could be used just to acquire a player from another club (like when the Cubs traded 2B Ronald Torreyes to Houston last year for one of the Astros SBV).

Cubs 2014-15 ISBP SBV #1: $2,288,700
Cubs 2014-15 ISBP SBV #2: $458,000
Cubs 2014-15 ISBP SBV #3: $309,300
Cubs 2014-15 ISBP SBV #4: $206,700

NOTE: Cubs 2014-15 ISBP SBV #1 (the one worth $2,288,700) can ONLY be traded to HOU or MIA if the entire SBV is to be used, because for all other clubs a $2,288,700 SBV would exceed their pre-assigned 2014-15 ISBP by more than 50%, and a club cannot acquire an SBV that is more than 50% of the club's orginally-assigned ISBP for that International Signing Period. However, a club other than HOU or MIA could acquire Cubs SBV #1 and then subtract as much of it as is necessary so that the final total of Cubs SBV #1 is no more than 50% of the new club's originally-assigned 2014-15 ISBP (and then the balance of Cubs SBV #1 would just be forfeited).

All clubs receive an additional $700,000 in their ISBP that cannot be traded, so the Cubs 2014-15 ISBP is just under $4M.

Because they went WAY over their assigned International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) in 2013-14, the Cubs will not be able to sign any first-year international player for more than a $250,000 bonus during the 2014-15 International Signing Period (7-2-2014 through 6-15-2015), so having a $3.9M+ 2014-15 ISBP won't do them much good. They will almost certainly try and trade one or two of their higher SBV (probably as soon as they can, like on July 2nd) to one of the major players in signing international players (like maybe Toronto or Texas). So the Cubs would have to wait until at least July 2nd to make a deal where a Cub 2014-15 ISBP SBV is an integral part of the trade.

NOTE: A signing bonus paid to a first-year international player age 23 or older who has spent all or part of at least five seasons playing in an MLB-recognized foreign professional or "major" league does not count against the club’s ISBP. (A signing bonus paid to a first-year Cuban international player age 23 or older who has spent all or part of at least three seasons playing in Serie Nacional does not count against the club’s 2013-14 ISBP, then beginning with the 2014-15 ISP, a signing bonus paid to a first-year Cuban international player age 23 or older who has spent all or part of at least five seasons playing in Serie Nacional does not count against the club’s ISBP).

2014 MLB RULE 4 DRAFT (AKA "FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT")

FIRST ROUND:
1. HOU
2. MIA
3. CHW
4. CUBS
5. MIN
6. SEA
7. PHI
8. COL
9. TOR
10. NYM
11. TOR (compensation pick received for failing to sign 2013 1st Round pick - #10 overall)
12. MIL
13. SD
14. SF
15. LAA
16. AZ
17. KC
18. WAS
19. CIN
20. TB
21. CLE  
22. LAD
23. DET
24. PIT
25. OAK
26. BOS
27. STL
NOTE: BAL, NYY, TEX, and ATL forfeited their 2014 1st Round draft slots after signing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified Player (Ubaldo Jimenez by BAL, Brian McCann by NYY, Shin-Soo Choo by TEX, and Ervin Santana by ATL).

SUPPLEMENTAL FIRST ROUND:
28. KC (compensationn pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA RHP Ervin Santana)
29. CIN (compensation pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA OF Shin-Soo Choo)
30. TEX (compensation pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA OF Nelson Cruz)
31. CLE (compensation pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA RHP Ubaldo Jimenez)
32. ATL (compensation pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA C Brian McCann) 
33. BOS (compensation pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA OF Jacoby Ellsbury)
34. STL (compensation pick for losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified FA OF Carlos Beltran)
35. COL - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
36. MIA (compensation pick received for failing to sign 2013 Competitive Balance Lottery pick - #35 overall)
37. HOU (COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK ACQUIRED IN TRADE (cannot be traded again)
38. CLE - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
39. PIT - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK ACQUIRED FROM MIA IN TRADE (cannot be traded again)
40. KC - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
41. MIL - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)  
NOTE: NYY forfeited the two Supplemental 1st Round compensation draft slots they received after losing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified Players Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson when they signed post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified Players Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran.

SECOND ROUND:
42. HOU
43. MIA
44. CHW
45. CUBS
46. MIN
47. PHI
48. COL
49. TOR
50. MIL
51. SD
52. SF
53. LAA
54. AZ
55. NYY
56. KC
57. WAS
58. CIN
59. TEX
60. TB
61. CLE
62. LAD
63. DET
64. PIT
65. OAK
66. ATL
67. BOS
68. STL
NOTE: SEA, NYM, and BAL forfeited their 2014 2nd Round draft slots after signing post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified Player (Robinson Cano by SEA, Curtis Granderson by NYM, and Nelson Cruz by BAL). However, SEA will get their 2nd round pick back if another club signs post-2013 Article XX-B Qualified Player Kendrys Morales (who played for the Mariners in 2013) prior to the Rule 4 Draft. 

SUPPLEMENTAL SECOND ROUND
69. AZ - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
70. AZ - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK ACQUIRED FROM SD IN TRADE (cannot be traded again)
71. STL - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
72. TB - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
73. PIT - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)
74. SEA - COMPETITIVE BALANCE LOTTERY PICK (can be traded)

THIRD ROUND:
75. HOU 
76. MIA
77. CHW
78. CUBS
79. MIN
80. SEA
81. PHI
82. COL 
83. TOR 
84. NYM
85. MIL
86. SD
87. SF
88. LAA
89. AZ
90. BAL
91. NYY
92. KC
93. WAS
94. CIN
95. TEX
96. TB
97. CLE
98. LAD
99. DET
100. PIT
101. OAK
102. ATL
103. BOS
104. STL

SUPPLEMENTAL THIRD ROUND:
105. MIA (compensation pick received for failing to sign 2013 3rd round pick)

NOTE: There are no compensation picks awarded for failing to sign players selected in the 4th round or lower.

FOURTH ROUND (same order each round from this point onward)
106. HOU 
107. MIA
108. CHW
109. CUBS
110. MIN
111. SEA
112. PHI
113. COL 
114. TOR 
115. NYM
116. MIL
117. SD
118. SF
119. LAA
120. AZ
121. BAL
122. NYY
123. KC
124. WAS
125. CIN
126. TEX
127. TB
128. CLE
129. LAD
130. DET
131. PIT
132. OAK
133. ATL
134. BOS
135. STL

REMAINING CUBS DRAFT SLOTS:
139. (5th round) 
169. (6th round)
199. (7th round)
229. (8th round)
259. (9th round)
289. (10th round)
319. (11th round)
349. (12th round)
379. (13th round)
409. (14th round)
439. (15th rounsd) 
469. (16th round)
499. (17th round)
529. (18th round)
559. (19th round)
589. (20th round)
619. (21st round)
649. (22nd round)
679. (23rd round)
709. (24th round)
739. (25th round)
769. (26th round)
799. (27th round)
829. (28th round)
859. (29th round)
889. (30st round)
919. (31st round)
949. (32nd round)
979. (33rd round)
1009. (34th round)
1039. (35th round)  
1069. (36th round)
1099. (37th round)
1129. (38th round)
1159. (39th round)
1189. (40th round)

Comments

I don't think I will ever understand StL getting rule 4 competitive balance draft picks. I can understand the others (PIT, MILW, KC, CLE, SEA, COL, TB) Competitive balance means balancing the teams competing against the ones that aren't. How they are measuring a small market must be sucking eggs. The Cardinals based on radio/TV coverage and distances between competing geography are not in the same category as the others in that list. Maybe they should shrink the list to 5-6 teams?

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, the Cubs have "inquired about receiving a competitive-balance draft pick and the accompanying bonus-pool money" as part of a return package for right-hander Jeff Samardzija.

 

Callis has his latest mock draft out. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article//mock-draft-brady-aiken-remains-no-1-ch… Aiken, Rodon, Kolek, 4. Cubs: Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State Chicago wants pitching and covets Rodon, who could land here if Jackson goes to Houston or Miami. But if Rodon goes in the top three, the Cubs may not like any of the arms enough to take them this high. Hoffman would have been an obvious target before he blew out his elbow, and the Cubs could pass on Kolek or Nola. There's a growing sense that they'll save money to go after pitching later by cutting a deal with Conforto or Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost. Chicago could take Gordon, but it doesn't appear to be in on Jackson.

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).