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

2008 Ex-Cub Factor Update

Here is this year's Ex-Cub Factor update:

 

Philadelphia Phillies: 3 -- Scott Eyre, Jamie Moyer, Matt Stairs
Milwaukee Brewers: 1 -- Jason Kendall

Chicago Cubs: None
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 -- Nomar Garciaparra, Greg Maddux, Juan Pierre

Chicago White Sox: None
Tampa Bay Rays: 1 -- Cliff Floyd

Boston Red Sox: None
Los Angeles Angels Etc.: 2 -- Gary Matthews Jr., Justin Speier

A quick reminder: the Ex-Cub Factor, as coined by Ron Berler, popularized by Mike Royko, and brought to the Web by yours truly, says that no team with three or more ex-Cubs can win the World Series. Based on the numbers, then, only the Phillies and Dodgers are out of luck this year.

But I've been thinking abut the Factor recently and I wonder if it is as strong (and unfailing) as it used to be. The factor was originally born out of the idea that there is an ineffable "Cubness" (these days some might call it "Cubbery"), a stink of loserdom that works its way into the psyche of any player who toils on the North Side. Even after they leave the Friendly Confines, the theory goes, those players carry this Cubbie essence with them, and if you get a critical mass of ex-Cubs on one team, their combined futility is enough to deny their team the ultimate prize.

The Factor has been pretty strong; only twice (in 1960 and 2001) has it been defeated, and in each case it took walk-off hits in the bottom of the 9th of the 7th game (both times against the Yankees, no less) to overcome it.

The thing is, though, that I wonder if what it means to be a Cub hasn't changed over the last few years. After decades of management that ranged from boneheaded to non-existent, the team's corporate overlords seemed to wake up and realize they owned a baseball team in a major media market. They started increasing payroll to attract free agent talent; they hired some smart people to work on drafting and in the minor leagues; and they started bringing in proven talent at manager: first Dusty (a disaster, but still) and now Uncle Lou.

The net result has been three playoff appearances in the last six years. A casual fan might not think that's a big deal, but any Cub fan knows that's equal to the number of playoffs appearances the team had made in the previous 57 years.

It's more than just the playoff appearances, though. There has been a change in the feeling that surrounds the team. It's not like we're all suddenly, automatically, expecting the Cubs to be winners; it's hard to shake a hundred years of futility. But I think most Cub fans feel differently about the team's general prospects now than they did even a decade ago -- while we still acknowledge the problems of the past, and worry about them out of proportion with reality, we (or at least I) no longer default to the worst possible outcome when I start thinking about what's ahead.

As far as I know, Ron Berler never talked about what it would take to end the reign of the Ex-Cub Factor. I think a World Championship this year would probably do it; a pennant might be even be enough. But even if neither of those things happen, I feel like the Factor is on its way out. Being traded to the Cubs no longer means years of toiling for a second-division team, playing meaningless games in the best park in baseball and hoping for a ticket out of purgatory; I don't think it's a stretch to think that players can leave the employ of the Chicago National League Base Ball Club and no longer be branded losers from there on out.

Maybe the factor will come into play this year (although I hope it doesn't, because that would mean the Cubs aren't in the Series). If it does, it's possible that the Dodgers or Phillies will lose the Series, and the Factor will be said to have claimed another victim. But whether or not that happens, I have a feeling that, as time goes by, we'll hear less and less about the Lovable Losers and the effect playing for them has on the rest of players' careers.

Go Cubs!

Comments

I have to say that I am not sure that I buy the ex-Cub factor at all. There is only one World Series champion every year, each with a 25-man roster. A lot of the players on the roster are probably not ex-anyteam, but home grown. This would particularly be the case in the pre-Free Agency era. And as players started switching teams more we also had more teams. So I wonder how many teams that won the World Series had 3 or more ex-players of any team? Probably not that many. Also, have their been cases of World Series Champions with 3 or more ex-players from all other 29 teams? If that is the case and it has never happened for ex-Cubs I might buy it. But I am guessing this ex-factor holds true for almost all of the 30 MLB teams.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

Players changed teams just as often in the pre-free agency period as they have since free agency, btw. It might be that the same thing holds true for other teams. I invite you to do the research. I and many others have done the research for the Cubs, and the facts are unavoidable. Whether or not you buy it, it exists...

[ ]

In reply to by ruz

Do you have proof that players switched teams just as often pre-free agency as after? I'd like to see it, because that seems counter intuitive to me. Also, "it" is what is in dispute I think. I think "it" is a meaningless correlation that likely exists for many other teams and thus actually predicts nor means anything. So I don't buy that "it" is something causal or meaningful. A quirky correlation sure, I'll give you that. Anything more, I'm not buying it.

Am I the only person (other than my wife) who thinks Frank Calliendo is the worst impressionist in the history of 'comedy'? This dude is terrible. It takes have of the joke for me to even realize who he's impersonating. Stop putting this fucker in commercials! Also, I use more hyperbole than anyone in the world.

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

I actually think some of his impressions are quite good. For my money, his George W Bush is the best I've heard. My problem with him is that he is not the slightest bit funny. More to the point, his writers aren't the slightest bit funny. It's a problem with every mimic I can think of, from Rich Little to that asshole on SNL who does Trump and McCain, etc. There's a sense of, "This guy can do the voices, so there's no need to come up with any decent material." The voices are the reason people pay attention, so no one bothers going further than that. In conclusion, go Cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by Brick

I think the only ones with talent...his Bush is terrible in my personal opinion...is his wardrobe dept. That's the only way I know for sure who he's doing. Oh, that's Trump's hair, so he's (probably) doing Trump. But you're right, the jokes are really really bad. I could probably ignore the bad impersonations if it's funny. Bush not being able to come up with the word "Apple Pie" = non-comedic gold.

Bring it on, Dodgers! I am so pissed I am going to miss this game! I will be in a computer class... I'll have Gameday on in the background...

Joe - Please elaborate... Call me a dummy, but I have no idea what you're talking about, and it sure sounds intriguing....

[ ]

In reply to by Jace

Oh sure. Sorry. Go here: http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipli… I think you need to sign up...like in a forum...but I'm not sure. Click on sports then baseball, or whatever. There'll be a list of games. Select the little TV on the right. It'll take you to a page where there's a list of different places which are broadcasting this game. In my experience, the ones that are labeled "My P2P" are the actual US broadcasts. The ones that say ESPN China, etc. are actual broadcasts there. So today, I started watching the game which actually had chinese announcers... Ok, choose which one you want to watch. I use Brewcrew ball for mlb. Good bitrate and rating. Under it you'll see 'software'. For brewcrew it says "TV Ants". This is the videoplayer that you'll need to watch it. At the very top of the screen are tabs...click on 'software' and find 'tvants'. Download and install. Then come back to this page and click play under the game. You're good to go. It's like mlb.tv except without the blackouts/money.

[ ]

In reply to by Jace

No problem. I just wish I'd known about it before wasting money on constantly blacked out mlb.tv. Yeah, you'll have to be careful. It's really nice because the player is just slightly bigger then the screen and is fully resizeable. As small or large as you like. Easy to hide. You'll probably want to go to options and uncheck "always on top of other windows" for quick hiding.

Phillies seem to be coasting in this one... Hamels pitches 8 good ones, 101 pitches... 3-0 lead... Time for Lidge! Gallardo just looked rusty...

Ok, one more commercial complaint: Bank of America Keifer Sutherland: "This is America, passion was invented here." Really? Seriously? Does this count as pandering?

FUCK U SORIANO FUCK U PINELLA FOR LEAVING DEMPSTEr IN YESTERDAY im sick of lee the biggest unluitch chockin cpatain of a team ever im sick of getting suckered in again and believing ina bunch of losers who willnever win in my lifetime my dad dides waiting my grandfather died waiting and i say fuck u cubs u have np guts a good palyer improves in tough situations u guys fold PUSSYIES i hate u

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements.  his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.

    He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • 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.