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

Marlins @ Cubs: Conley vs Hendricks (Game 105)

Unless Maddon decides to pluck someone from the bleachers, Hendricks gets the start. MIA (57-48): LHP Adam Conley (7-5, 3.38) CHC (63-41): RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-7, 2.39) First pitch: 7:05pmCST Hendricks had his first loss since June 13 on the Southside on Wednesday (5.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 K, 2 BB). He went 3-1 with a 1.07 in July. In his last 35 innings, he has 29 Ks. He’s 7-1 with a 1.36 at Wrigley this year. In three career games against the Marlins, Hendricks is 1-1 with a 1.96. Overall, they are 12-61 (.197) against him in those games. Gordon, who’s just back from his susPEDsion, is 1-8. Conley beat the Phills his last time out (6.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 K, 3 BB). He finished 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA. None of the Cubs have faced the 24yo Washingtonian. Ichiro is two hits shy of 3,000 for his career. That would be cool to see—in a game where it didn’t matter. Let’s win it in 8.5 and keep Lester from having to bat, winning RBI or no. The trade deadline is today a 3pmCST, so that'll be fun. The word yesterday was that the Cubs were up to nothing, except Buster Olney's ridiculous notion that we were showcasing Matusz to someone other than his family. If he's not DFA'd today, we might have to send crunch and a delegation to have a chat with Theo. Fernandez (12-5, 2.79) versus Hammel (10-5, 3.23) tomorrow at 7:05pmCST. Go Cubs!

Comments

PHIL: Wondering what the hell happened to Pierce Johnson? He showed quite a bit of promise when drafted. Then - pfffft. Maybe he was taking advice from Brian Matusz too much in Iowa?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

E-MAN: Like Carl Edwards Jr, I think Pierce Johnson's future is in the bullpen. He just doesn't have the durability to be a starting pitcher, but he could be a decent reliever. Working out of the pen could be a way to get his fastball velocity more consistently into the 94-96 MPH range (which he has touched occasionally as a starter). So I wouldn't discount Pierce Johnson as an MLB prospect, but you probably need to start thinking of him aa a reliever, not as a starter.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Just by the numbers: Johnson has more strikeouts than innings-pitched this season, 46 to 45. Apart from a 24-year-old sometime starter at Iowa named Michael Wagner, Johnson and Trevor Clifton (Myrtle Beach) are the only starters at A+ or higher with more strikeouts than innings. This is the Cubs' minor-league pitching problem in a nutshell. How do you get outs in the majors if you don't miss bats lower down? Johnson's problem is control, 31 walks in 45 innings, and a 4.0 BB9 over 5 seasons.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

If I was the Angels, I'd want LHP Jose Paulino back in the deal.

The Angels are actually very familiar with the lower part of the Cubs minor league system, because the Cubs and Angels play each other a lot in Minor League Camp, Extended Spring Training, and the AZL, and the Cubs & Angels operated an Advanced Instructs "co-op" team together last year.

There are several former Cubs in the Angels Player Development system (Bobby Scales, Ryan O'Malley, and Buck Coats to name three). 

thinking Cahill is going to get stretched out now and be ready for rotation at least until playoffs.

[ ]

In reply to by johann

One-time spot starts don't meaningfully reduce innings over the course of the season. A single spot start probably shaves 1 or 2 innings off of the workload for each of the 5 guys. (Plus, the last 2 guys to spot-start got immediately moved out of the organization, so who even wants that job?). To significantly reduce innings, the Cubs either need to use the spot starts to skip certain guys on certain trips through the rotation, or else just go to a 6-man rotation.

This is an odd move. Joe Smith has a higher FIP than all our active relievers except Travis and a higher ERA than all of them including Travis. His FB is averaging 88.6 with his change up at 78.6. (And a negative value pitch according to fangraphs). Lefties have a .738 OPS against him and righties have a .661 OPS against him so he seems to be a against righty only pitcher. Just puzzling what he brings to the team we didn't already have. I guess this means Grimm is staying down?

[ ]

In reply to by johann

I don't like making numerous trades for relief pitchers. Relief pitchers are too unpredictable both in their quality and in their value to the franchise and a guy like Joe Smith seems likely to hover around replacement level--worth a waiver claim but not worth a prospect. That said, I'm glad it wasn't Paulino sent off for him.

[ ]

In reply to by johann

The other day, Bosio was talking on the radio about the value of a side armer or "knuckle dragger" to give hitters a different look. In that conversation, he mentioned how the team didn't really have one. I wonder if that's an organizational emphasis, and thus Joe Smith.

[ ]

In reply to by Stevens

STEVENS: Sidearm-submariner Chad Bradford was in Joe Maddon's bullpen in Tampa Bay, and the Cubs drafted sidearm-submariner David Berg (6th round - UCLA) last year and he is presently at AA Tennessee and RHRP Corbin Hoffner was converted to sidearm-submarine last year at Extended Spring Training (although he was released this year), so Joe Maddon and the Cubs are not averse to "knuckle-draggers."

This type of pitcher usually is an extreme ground ball pitcher, and Smith is no exception, and they usually have splits that make them a LOOGY (if the pltcher is a LHP) or a ROOGY (if the pitcher is a RHP), although Smith's splits this year have been reversed (which is different from all previous seasons, when he was much better versus RH hitters).

Extreme sidearm pitchers do provide a different look than do other types of pitchers, and Maddon does seem to prefer variety. 

"FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that Yasiel Puig ditched the Dodgers before the team's flight to Denver on Monday. Oh boy. According to Rosenthal, Puig "stormed off" after he arrived at Dodger Stadium on Monday and was informed that he would either be traded or demoted." ...sigh...or lulz...i dunno.

I would have thought La Stella would have gotten all the at bats he could at Iowa but for the 4th night in a row he is not in the lineup. Has he quit the team?

For anyone not watching Contreras had a great throw to get Dee Gorden stealing. However what made it extra awesome was he had tried to get Gordon on a pickoff throw at 1st just before and Gordon gave him a Dikembe Mutumbo finger wag after he dove back safe. So that made throwing him out at at 2nd that much greater and more hilarious. So nice to have a catcher who can throw the ball.

So, should the Cubs make the playoffs and hold home field advantage, which game does Hendricks start: one or two? Complete game shutout on the heels of the pen being maxed out the night before - not too shabby

Adam Warren with 2 shutout innings and the win for the Yanks over the Mets tonight.

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.