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

World Baseball Classic Roster Announced; 8 Cubs

The World Baseball Classic Rosters were announced and eight Cubs will be involved with the event - five from the major league squad. (Drumroll please)

  • Carlos Marmol (Dominican Republic)  (See Update below)
  • Carlos Zambrano (Venezuela) (See Update #2)
  • Kosukue Fukudome (Japan)
  • Geovany Soto (Puerto Rico)
  • Ted Lilly (USA)
  • *Vince Perkins (Canada) 
  • **Alex Maestri (Italy)
  • **Hung-wen Chen (Chinese Taipei)

* Non-Roster Invitee, ** Minor League System

So the story from yesterday turns out true about Zambrano and looks like Carlos Marmol had a last minute change of heart. Say hello to your 2009 closer - Kevin Gregg!

UPDATE: Either Muskat is doing her usual bang-up job or some things are still up in the air. Her story doesn't mention Marmol or Zambrano at all. Soto is set to DH in the first game for Puerto Rico and catch Jonathan Sanchez in their third game. Also, under the Cubs headlines on that story is the "Cubs' Marmol opts to skip Classic for D.R." article and it looks like the rosters no longer have Marmol on them, but Zambrano still is listed. Not so fast Kevin Gregg - hahahaha!!

UPDATE #2:  Zambrano said he's not pitching in the WBC. He is set to go Monday for the Cubs in Cactus League play. The Venezuelan teams attempt at the Jedi Mind Trick seems to have failed. 

"Carlos, it says right here that you're pitching for the team. You will pitch in the WBC. Look, it's been printed on the web."

"No, I'm not"

(Waves hand) "Yes, you will."

"No, I'm not, and stop waving your fucking hand around."

Comments

Repost from the last thread. We're probably set on the keeper league pending final vote. Thanks for all the interest. Those who are signed up - stop by and make some recommendations. Possible Parachat about it if there's ample reason.

The Team Venezuela page still has a picture of Z saying he won't play and the article from Feb. 13th, but he's on both roster pages still. Other fun notes, Cueto and Volquez both pitching for Dominican Republic...shall we pick squares for their injury date?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

joe got a chance to come back from a near-dead career and made some DAMN GOOD loot for himself. from what it seems he's a decent enough guy to have that happen to. later borowski...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I have fond memories of Joe that completely overshadow his hard times as a Cub. He was definitely a feel-good story, and seemed like a personality I could get behind. That said, he had a pretty good run, in comparison to almost everyone else who plays the game. I'm glad he got to be a pretty successful big league player for a while.

all i hear on local chicago tv markets is who is gonna be the 5th starter should we be more worried who is gonna be the 4th starter in my eyes rich hardin should be the fifth starter if healthy if he is not then we need a 4 and 5 assuming lou wants marshall in the pen ( i think ) then samardzja would be stretched out for a starters role.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Except Pie himself had to reapply "for his visa that noted his change of employer." There is nothing in that article or in the information that we have available that identifies the source of the problem. Likely a combination of many factors. And yes, I am still glad he is not around. If you guys miss Pie then that's your prerogative. I think he is a worthless turd and am glad he is not around.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

no there wasn't...

I was just thinking that a team would know more about the visa process than an individual player, especially if a trade goes down. You think they'd give a player a heads up.

no biggie...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

A new article after Pie spoke to the media today indicates that he had "passport" problems. We will probably never actually know what "i" was not dotted and who was supposed to dot it.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

MLB Clubs have administrative personnel who assist major league and minor league players with these matters. Perhaps the Orioles admin was on vacation when Pie was acquired.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Why does everything have to be a fight? If you don't miss him, why can't you just say "well, I'm glad to see him gone too." Instead you have to do this crap. I said "IF" you guys miss him, then that's fine, I don't. Simple as that. I assumed from the ferocity in which people flocked to defend him that some of you must miss him. All I pointed out was that it seems like he is always in the news for something - yelling at coaches in the tower in Arizona, late night partying with Soriano, now VISA issues, etc. Even if this problem is not at all his fault, some people are magnets for distractions and I for one am happy we are not dealing with it this year.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

Wow... you are getting crabbier around here these days. It is pretty funny that I am doing "crap" and you are just being nice. I just think that using Pie's visa issues to bash him is pretty laughable. I made a smart ass comment about it, and you got pissy. I don't and won't really miss the guy, though I still think that he could become a pretty productive major league player. And I still think that he is a better option than Gathright. And FWIW... he wasn't in the news for yelling at coaches in Arizona. He was on on TCR about that. And I am assuming that you have a problem Soriano also then, right?

according to bruce levine Z IS NOT IN WBC. JUST on espn 1000, z pitching monday for cubs. z said he doesn't know why they think he s in wbc. scott eyre"broke" due to madhoff .

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).