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

Morelli Strikes Out A's

RF Jesus Morelli threw a strike to catcher Matt Cerda with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, nipping the potential tying run at the plate and preserving the victory, as the EXST Cubs edged the EXST A's 4-3 in Extended Spring Training action at Papago Park Field #2 in Phoenix this morning.

18-year old Australian RHP Adam Spencer entered the game in the bottom of the 9th after the Cubs had come back to tie and then take the lead with two outs in the top of the 9th, thanks to a two-base error by the A's shortstop and a clutch RBI single by Jose Guevara.

Spencer gave up a lead-off triple into the left-field corner, before getting the first out of the 9th on a pop-up to short CF, with the runner holding at third. The next A's hitter lofted a lazy fly ball to medium deep RF, and Morellii got a good read on it, getting himself into position to throw by circling behind the ball, and getting all of his momentum moving forward, before throwing the game-ending strike home to just barely nab the runner trying to score.  

Morelli has struggled with the bat, so I'm sure he feels great having contributed to a victory with his defense. The 19-year old Dominican was all smiles as he high-fived his teammates milling round the pitchers mound after the game ended.

RHP "Big Jon" Nagel got the start for the Cubs today, and allowed one run in three innings of work. He was not as sharp as he had been in his previous couple of outings, as his sinker just wasn't sinking like it usually does, but he still managed to get four punchouts along the way with a nasty slider.

The Cubs tied the game in the 4th and then took the lead 2-1 in the 6th, with 18-year old Australian LF Sean Williams scoring both of the runs after getting on base to lead off both frames. once by walk and once by single. Like Morelli, Williams has struggled with the bat, so he has to feel good about reaching base three times and scoring twice today.

But the A's rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 7th when Cubs lefty reliever Marcos Perez had control issues, and the A's took the one-run lead into the 9th.

John Contreras led off the Cub 9th with a line-drive double into the left-center alley, but PR Alvaro Sosa couldn't move up as Jericho Jones fanned and George Matheus popped up weakly to the second-baseman.

Then Sean Hoorelbeke hit what should have been a routine game-ending 6-3 grounder, but the ball caromed off the shortstop's glove into short LF, allowing Sosa to score (just barely) from 2nd base with the tying run. Morelli was hit by a pitch, and then Guevara lined his game-winning RBI single to CF.

In EXST Cubs injury news, 18-year old Korean OF Jae-Hoon Ha is listed as "day-to-day" with a sore wrist.

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):

LINEUP:
1. Jose Valdez, CF:         1-2  (1-3, 5-3 SH, 1B, BB)
2. Logan Watkins, 2B:     2-4  (1B, 1B, 4-6 FC, K - 1 RBI)
3. Matt Cerda, DH-C:        0-4  (L-3 DP, 6-4 FC, 4-3, 1-3)
4a. John Contreras, 3B:   1-4  (P-3, 6-4 FC, L-7, 2B)
4b. Alvaro Sosa, PR-3B:   0-0  (1 R)
5. Jericho Jones, DH #2:  2-4  (6-3, 1B, 1B, K - 1 PO)
6a. Hak-Ju Lee, SS:         0-2  (F-8, 5-4 FC)
6b. George Matheus, SS  1-2  (1B, P-4)
7. Sean Hoorelbeke,  1B: 0-4  (F-7, L-5, 4-6 FC, E-6 - 1 R)
8. Jesus Morelli, RF:         0-2  (4-3, K, BB, HBP - 1 SB)
9. Jose Guevara, C-DH:    1-4  (K, 6-3, K, 1B - 1 RBI)  
10. Sean Williams, LF:     1-2   (1B, BB, BB, F-9 - 2 R)

PITCHERS:
1. Jon Nagel -              3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 3/2 GO/FO
2. Rogelio Carmona -  2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GO/FO
3. Marcos Perez -        1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 2/0 GO/FO
4. Melvin Vasquez -     1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/2 GO/FO
5. Adam Spencer -      1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0/3 GO/FO

ERRORS: NONE

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Matt Cerda - 1 PB

WEATHER: Hot & sunny, temperature in the high 90's

ATTENDANCE: 9

Comments

It's deja vu all over again. 1 measly run...woo hoo. Poor Wells. Welcome to the bigs Scales & Fox, tough AB's in the 9th.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Yeah, that's the way you really, really hate to go down, especially with the bases loaded. Just make SOME contact somewhere. But, it's been that kind of season so far. Didn't even have to face Broxton, either.

This team is just so frustrating. When will they break out? Still lots of games to be played but the offense is just so sluggish. The pitching has been fine. Hoping to split this series now seems optimistic. Tonight was the night to get that first W.

I hate Sam Zell. He represents everything I hate about 21st century leveraged capitalism. It's not enough he bought the Trib with a heavily leveraged package? Now, he's trying to squeeze the Ricketts family for a few hundred million more than the damn team is worth, and he wants it financed. The dude is a douche bag.

Tonight loss is on Pinella, how do you keep your best Lefty off the bench in your pocket? Hoffpauir should have taken Scales at-bat. Who cares about 10th inning defensive allignment when you are losing. If Hoffpauir crushes a double game over and you dont even have to worry about it. You play to win the game and at that point in the game you needed to tie the game and Hoff gave us the best chance.

[ ]

In reply to by Jeff_Pico

If your tied I can see the point in keeping Scales in to play defense, but when your behind you need to play the percentages to tie the game. If you only get one run and your stuck with Fox and Soriano playing infield in the 10th so be it. Put in Marmol in the 10th hope he strucks out the side and then hope the top of the lineup scratches one across. I can handle losing in 10 because of a Fox or Soriano error, I cant handle losing in the 9th if your best PH not getting a chance to try to tie or win it.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

Yeah, the guy who put up wiffle ball numbers in AAA and had been 2 for 2 in the bigs to that point sucks because he struck out in his 3rd at bat. Maybe had he started he would have done better aganist Wolf than Blanco or Fontenotagoodeverydayplayer did striking out pathtically both times they faced him.

[ ]

In reply to by Chifan

that's cute...problem is Bobby Scales just accounted for the only run the inning before and although he seems a little better from the right hand side than the left, the Cubs needed another pinch-hitter if Fox or Scales got on and it was still tied. Plus with one out, Hoffpauir is a better double play candidate.

The actual screw-up was whatever happened that they announced Koyie Hill and lost him for the game in the 8th when they used Fukudome.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"plus the Cubs needed another pinch-hitter if Fox or Scales got on and it was still tied." This is the same kind of logic that caused us to lose the Monday game. It's flawed at best. If you lose a game because you don't use the best player you have at your disposal, hoping that later you will get to use him... sorry, but that's just stupid. You don't put Cotts in to protect a one-run with a fresh Angel Guzman twiddling his thumbs in the bullpen and when you have the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th down by 1 run, you don't worry about getting a big inning.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I agree about the Angel Guzman incident, not about this. Transcosco (sp?) is a sinker ball pitcher and Hoff and Scales have in their brief appearances struck out at similar rates (20 to 25%) this year (16 versus 20% in the minors). You want to stay out of the DP there and Scales just hit a home run and so far has been hitting better than Hoff.

Of course, he's not a better hitter, but he has been so far and there's no reason to pinch-hit there and replace him with a guy that's 4 for his last 23.

Fleeting as it may be, Scales has hit so far in the majors...I don't think you pinch-hit unnecessarily there. I'm not as worried about burning Hoff there, although I think you need to take it into consideration, I don't think you pinch-hit there because it doesn't get you much more.  When you're talking about just one at-bat, how much of an advantage is it really to replace Scales with Hoffpauir considering Scales has a much better chance to avoid a double play and has been hitting better and all you need is a single.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

We have widely differing opinions on the hitting abilities of Scales and Hoffpower. For their minor league careers Scales hit groundballs about 50% more often than Hoffpauir has. That alone more than makes up for the difference in foot speed. I also disagree that a single wins the game (though I can't remember who was on 2nd off the top of my head). A flyball ties the game, and double definetly wins the game and Hoffpauir is vastly more likely to delivery either of those events than Scales was. Scales HR came off a pitcher who was gassed. He was over matched by this Troncosco chap. In short, Micah is a major leauge hitter, and Scales is not.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

so did Jake Fox, they should have pinch hit for him too...

Hoffpauir just looked like a school girl versus the backup to the backup closer...he should never hit either.

Soriano looks like a school girl about 100 times a year...usually with people on base.

but back to the original point, phitting with Hoff there wouldn't have been the right move.

Phil, is there any news on Julio Castillo, the Animal.? I saw in the BA trans. that he has been reinstated. Thanks.

Submitted by Hagsag on Fri, 05/29/2009 - 7:02am.
Phil, is there any news on Julio Castillo, the Animal.? I saw in the BA trans. that he has been reinstated. Thanks.

===================================

HAGSAG: Julio Castillo is on the EXST Cubs Active Roster (which presently numbers 45 players - 26 pitchers, five catchers, eight infielders, and six outfielders), but he has pitched only sim games at Fitch Park so far.

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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.