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

Cubs @ Pirates: Lester vs Kuhl (Game 87)

The Cubs Cavalcade of Shitty continues.CHC (52-34): LHP Jon Lester (9-4, 2.67)
PIT (44-42): RHP Chad Kuhl (1-0, 4.09)
First pitch: 6:15pmCST

Lester (and the rest of the bullpen) completely ruined my Goose Island seasonal on Sunday in New York (1.1 IP, 8 ER, 2 K, 1 BB). In his three starts against the Pirates this year, he's 2-1 with a 1.96. For their careers, these Pirates are 47-190 (.247) against him. Mercer is 4-11 with a HR.

With Ross on the shelf, Contreras will catch the Delicate Genius. The chance of it being anything other than a disaster is pretty remote, especially on a team that is 13-19 over its last 32 games.

Kuhl, the 23y/o Delawarian and 13th-round draft pick in 2013, had a no-decision in Oakland his last time out (6 IP, 2 ER, 2 K, 0 BB). It was his second career game, after beating Kershaw and the Dodgers in his debut (5 IP, 3 ER, 5 K, 4 BB). Great kid--don't get cocky.

Lackey (7-5, 3.50) versus Niese (7-6, 4.87) tomorrow at 12:35pmCST to end the unofficial first half of the season and give us all a chance to stop cutting ourselves.

Go Cubs!

Comments

Joe Maddon is the best manager the Cubs have had, in my opinion at least, since I've been a fan. But what's nice about a losing streak is it gives me an opportunity to second guess the manager and not feel like such a schmuck. My first order of business is Kris Bryant. I do understand the benefits of having a guy with his capabilities playing multiple positions, but I also think when you move a guy around a lot it increases the chance of injury because he has to keep adapting. I'd like Bryant, who has become a very decent fielder, to just stick at third for the most part. Just mix and match Baez, Russell, and Zobrist in the rest of the infield based on the computer models. The one thing this team can't afford now is a catastrophic injury to Bryant. I'm also not crazy about Contreras as a cleanup hitter. He's fun, gonna be, I think, a really good player, but that's one helluva a spot to put a kid. I think Joe sometimes likes to be unusual just to be unusual, but for once, go with convention and do Rizzo/Bryant 3/4. Bryant is emerging as a monster threat in the middle of the order. Which leads me to one other issue. Doesn't all the lineup shuffling mean that pitchers will pitch differently to guys all the time, based on where they are in the lineup? It seems like it would be nice to see some of these guys in the same place every day to give them a chance to get their groove on again. I'm probably reaching a little with all of this, but just some thoughts as we suffer through this tailspin. If Arrietta doesn't get straightened out, none of this really matters anyway. Having that sure thing at the top of the rotation was pretty devastating for the losing streak gremlins. Jose Paulino and Bryan Hudson. Bring 'em up!!!

Red Sox traded for reliever Brad Ziegler from AZ for prospects. Kimberly is having knee pain issues. I wonder if Theo/Jed were considering a move in that direction. I always have had a soft spot for submariners ever since the Cubs had Ted Abernathy in the late 60's. Any comments on the prospect equivalents (probably from South Bend) from the Cub organization compared to what Boston gave up (2 low-A prospects. Pitcher and hitter, Jose Almonte and Luis Alejandro Basabe).

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

 "Cubs comps" for the minor leaguers the D'backs got back from the Red Sox for Brad Ziegler would be Adbert Alzolay and either Yeiler Peguero or Andruw Monasterio. Even though Ziegler is a FA post-2016, he is a proven MLB closer, and so it was not a particularly significant return for Arizona. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Sounds close to what I was thinking. The Cubs best 'young' arm in South bend is Carson Sands. Monasterio might be similar to the infielder. I'm not sure which pool the Snakes would have preferred, but I doubt the Cubs toss off Sands and Monasterio for Ziegler. Yet another case where a DH-league team, who can load up on any talent, regardless of defensive abilities, has a marked trade edge over a team that has no point in having one-tool offensive players above the A-Level. The infielder is a versatile type with SS abilities. So, no, he isn't a DH type. However, a team like Boston is encouraged to add any type of offensive talent possible. Whereas, the Cubs have to settle for the "best trade value possible" for Vogelbach. The development edge for AL teams is so strong, none of them should vote to allow the NL to use the DH.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

I'm confident the discussions had already started. The Kimbrel injury pushed the urgency some, but the return was probably in that range anyway. Likely, it had been one of those two, plus a lesser piece before Friday night. With it being toggled up to the announced deal once the severity became known.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

I know nothing about their prospects but I imagine the Cubs could have matched that easily enough. Although I think Theo is in a bid of bind on low level prospects because he is trying to stock up pitchers and there are a few interesting ones developing that he almost can't afford to let go, guys like Paulino for example.

Joel Peralta cleared waivers and goes back to Iowa. Guess no other team thinks he has any value either.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Per Article XIX-A of the CBA, any player on an MLB 40-man roster who has accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time (like Joel Peralta this week, and Edwin Jackson a couple of years ago) has the right to either:

1. Refuse an Outright Assignment or Optional Assignment to the minors, or
2. Elect to be a free-agent immediately upon being outrighted or optioned, or
3. Accept the Outright Assignment or Optional Assignmernt and defer his option to elect free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. 
 

If a player with Article XIX-A rights refuses an Outright Assignment or Optional Assignment but does not elect free-agency, the club must either retain the player on the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), trade the player, or give the player his unconditional release. 

If a player with Article XIX-A rights is outrighted or optioned and elects to be a free-agent immediately, his contract is terminated and he receives no termination pay. But if the player accepts the Outright Assignment or Optional Assignment and defers his right to be a free-agent until the conclusion of the MLB regular season, the player continues to get paid, receiving the balance of his salary through to the end of the season. And then if the outrighted player is not subsequently added back to an MLB 40-man roster prior to the conclusion of the MLB regular season, the player can elect free-agency anytime beginning on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season through October 15th.


A player with Article XIX-A rights can waive his right (in advance) to refuse an Outright Assignment or Optional Assignment or elect free-agency if outrighted or optioned, but the waiver cannot be signed more than ten days prior to MLB Opening Day, the player has the right to designate in advance which minor league team to which he can be assigned, and the waiver automatically expires if the player is not outrighted or optioned to the minors within 45 days or by the 45th day of the MLB regular season (whichever is later).

These are slightly different rights than those of Article XX-D players (that is, any player on an MLB 40-man roster who has accrued less than five years of MLB Service Time, like Tim Federowicz or Ryan Kalish for example). 

Per Article XX-D of the CBA, a player on an MLB 40-man roster who has been outrighted previously in his career and/or who has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time can elect to be a free-agent if he is sent outright to the minors, but he canniot refuse an Optional Assignment to the minors. An outrighted Article XX-D player can elect to be a free-agent immediately upon being outrighted, or he can accept the Outright Assignment and defer his option to elect free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. However, a player eligible to be a free-agent if outrighted who accepts an Outright Assignment and defers his option to elect free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season forfeits his right to elect free-agency if he is added back to an MLB 40-man roster prior to the conclusion of the MLB regular season.

So the difference between Article XIX-A rights (which apply to players on an MLB 40-man roster who have accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time, like Joel Peralta and Edwin Jackson) and Article XX-D rights (which apply to players on an MLB 40-man roster who have not yet accrued five years of MLB Servive Time, but who have accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time (like Justin Grimm) and/or who have been outrighted to the minors previously in their career (like Tim Federowicz and Ryan Kalish) is that an Article XIX-A player can refuse an Optional Assignment or Outright Assignment to the minors without having his contract terminated with no termination pay, forcing the club to release him where the club is responsible for the balance of the player's contract & salary (minus the pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum salary if the player signs a major league contract with another club).   

So (for example), the Cubs cannot outright or option Chris Coghlan (who has accrued five-plus yeras of MLB Service Time) to the minors without his consent. The Cubs cannot outright or option him to the minors and force him to either accept the assignment or lose his salary. They can release him, but then the Cubs are on the hook for what remains of his 2016 salary (minus the pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum salary should he sign a major league contract with another MLB club). 

In the case of Justin Grimm (for example), the Cubs can option him to the minors with no restriction (after Optional Assignment Waivers are secured) because he has not yet accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time, but because he has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time he can elect to be a free-agent immediately if he is outrighted, or he can accept the Outright Assignment and defer his right to elect free-agency until the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season (as long as he is not added back to an MLB 40-man roster in the meantime).. 

One other item of note regarding the right of an Article XX-D player on an MLB 40-man roster to elect free-agency if outrighted: : 

A player who has not previously been outrighted to the minors or who has not yet accrued three years of MLB Service Time but who qualified as a "Super Two" player after the conclusion of the previous MLB regular season can elect free-agency if he is outrighted to the minors, but an outrighted "Super Two" player cannot defer free-agency until the conclusion of the MLB regular season. To become a free-agent, the outrighted "Super Two" player must elect free-agency immediately.(This applied to Justin Griimm at the start of the 2016 MLB regular season, until he reached three years of MLB Service Time, and it will apply to Tommy LaStella post-2016 if he qualifies as a "Super Two" player). 

The club must advise an Article XIX-A or Article XX-D player in writing when it has decided to outright the player to the minors. (The club can notify the player up to eight days in advance of the assignment during the off-season or if the player is out of minor league options, and up to four days in advance if the assignment is contemplated during Spring Training or during the MLB regular season). Once notified, the player must make his decision whether to accept or decline the assignment within eight days if he is outrighted during the off-season, or within three days if he is outrighted during Spring Training or during the MLB regular season. So Joel Peralta has until Monday to decide whether to accept the Outright Assignment. 

Also note that once secured, Outright Assignment Waivers are in effect ("good") for the entire waiver period in which they are secured, so (for example) Tim Federowicz could be added back to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster (and 25-man roster() and then outrighted back to Iowa (he is out of minor league options) without the Cubs having to place him on Outright Assignment Waivers again, as long as they outright him back to Iowa prior to the conclusion of the current waiver period (which ends on August 1st). However, although the Cubs would be able to send Federowicz back & forth to Iowa as many times as they wish through the end of July withiout having to expose him to waivers each time, Federowicz would have the right to elect free-agency each time he is outrighted. 

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat #Cubs Fowler will not play for @SBCubs tonight Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat Fowler will resume rehab after All-Star break. Gives him more time to be ready for 2nd half. #Cubs Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat Again, no setback for #Cubs Fowler, just needs time. He said: "I think my health is more important. ... You want to be smart about it" ------ Please, someone explain to me how this is not a "setback".

Maybe Soler and Fowler can swap legs so that we can get at least one pair of healthy hamstrings out of this.

LaStella (2B), Bryant (LF), Rizzo, Zobrist (RF), Contreras (C), Heyward (CF), Russell (SS), Baez (3B), Lester

wow lester...sigh. loads the bases and HBP a run in...still 0 outs.

kuhl is done after 2.1ip leaving conteras (who tied the game with a single) and heyward on. woo. heyward 2/2...3rd 2-hit game in a row.

bryant/rizzo with back to back doubles to tie this sucker back up again. this game is awesome and awful.

Regardless of the outcome of this game, probably a good thing Joe pulled Lester after three innings - he looked like he had nothing left in the tank.

Dear Cubs Pitching Staff: Why do you suck balls now? Please just forfeit tomorrow's game and get an extra day rest for your pampered, overpaid asses. Thank you, E-Man

Coming off the DL, LaStella was supposed to be a shot in the arm for the Cubs offense. He's been more like a shot to the nuts. Got a single in his first at bat off the DL, 0-11 since with 5 K's and no walks. He's the perfect lead off hitter for these July Cubs.

Worst team in baseball over the last 20 games. Glad to see that extra day of rest really helped Jake and Lester. Damn. I really thought Lester and Lackey would "cowboy up" and show some balls. This team has none.

Assuming the Cubs complete this epic collapse and miss the playoffs, I wonder how bad the scars will be for the kids. This is going to be a brutal 2 1/2 months for them, with the national media throwing 1969 in their face every day, reminding them that no team that ever started 25-6 ever missed the playoffs, etc. The battle-tested veterans have shown no guts and no leadership, other than to talk brave after yet another pitiful performance. They scored 4 with Arrieta pitching and 6 with Lester pitching. Those are supposed to be wins.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

I don't imagine a lot of scar tissue. These are kids living their dream no matter what, and it's just another lesson for them. The league has exposed weaknesses on this team, per baseball. And the kids are smart enough to know that if the starting pitching front 3 of Arrietta, Lester, and Lackey are no good after one half a season, then it's not on them to fix that.

PIT wins, STL wins...PIT 6.5 back, STL 7 back. 6.5 games isn't anything to panic about...it's a great lead...but it's getting near the point where you actually start caring how many games behind the 2nd place team is. boo.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

The problem is there's no real hope in sight. When I'm not watching games, EVERY time I look at the box score there are men on base for the other team. Then when I look a few minutes later, most of them have scored. Theo can't fix that in July. I guess there's a wee chance that the pitchers are tired and the all star break may help a bit, but if they're tired in June, what's October going to be like for them? Unless ballplayers get a second wind. Maybe that's what June swoons really are about. Teams that get their second wind go on to great things, and teams that don't have Cubs logos.

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).