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

Your 2009 Wild Card Cubs!

And here are the 29 players eligible to play in the 2009 post-season for the Chicago Cubs:

 

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS (14)
Ryan Dempster
Chad Fox
* Tom Gorzelanny
* John Grabow
Kevin Gregg
Angel Guzman
Rich Harden
Aaron Heilman
* Ted Lilly
Carlos Marmol
* Sean Marshall
David Patton
Randy Wells
Carlos Zambrano

CATCHERS (2)
# Koyie Hill
Geovany Soto

INFIELDERS (7)
Jeff Baker
# Andres Blanco
* Mike Fontenot
Derrek Lee
# Aaron Miles
Aramis Ramirez
Ryan Theriot

OUTFIELDERS (6)
# Milton Bradley
Jake Fox
* Kosuke Fukudome
* Sam Fuld
Reed Johnson
Alfonso Soriano

Any player who is on a club's MLB Active List (25-man roster) or MLB 15-day or 60-day DL as of midnight August 31st is eligible to play in the post-season (LDS, LCS, and World Series) should his team qualify.

Prior to each post-season series (LDS, LCS, and WS), each participating club submits its 25-man roster for that series to the MLB office. However, the 25-man roster (Active List) can be altered at the start of each series, depending on how the club matches-up with its opponent.

For instance, if a club so chooses, it could go with 11 pitchers and 14 position players in the LDS, replacing a starting pitcher with an extra "bat off the bench." And then the club could maybe replace a left-handed reliever with a right-handed reliever and/or a "5th outfielder" with an extra middle-infielder in the LCS, and then perhaps replace the extra utility infielder with "no defense" DH for the World Series. As long as a player is on the 8/31 post-season roster, he is eligible to be added to his club's 25-man roster for a post-season series.

In addition to the 29 Cubs players eligible to play in the 2009 post-season, any post-season eligible player who is on the DL at the start of a post-season series is considered a "roster exemption," and can be replaced on the Active List by any player (regardless of position) who was in the organization as of August 31st (and this includes minor league players). However, a minor leaguer who is selected to be a post-season roster-exemption "replacement player" must be added to his club's 40-man roster before the player can be placed on the 25-man roster.

Also, a player who is injured during a post-season series can (with the approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced prior to the conclusion of that series by a player who plays the same position as the injured player (a pitcher must replace a pitcher, a catcher must replace a catcher, etc). However, if an injured player is replaced during a post-seson series, he is ineligible to return to the Active List (25-man roster) for the balance of that post-season.

So prior to the start of NLCS, the Cubs can designate 25 players from their 8/31 post-season eligibility list as "active," with the additional right to replace any post-season eligible player who is on the 15-day or 60-day DL at the start of the NLCS with any player who was in the organization as of midnight 8/31, regardless of position.

INF Andres Blanco (strained calf), RHP Chad Fox (sore elbow), OF Reed Johnson (broken foot), and RHP David Patton (strained groin) were on the Cubs MLB 15-day DL on 8/31, but Blanco was reactivated from the DL today, and Patton is supposed to be reactivated tomorrow. Johnson is still recovering from his injury, but he will probably be going on a minor league rehab adssignment in a few days and should be 100% healthy by October. So unless somebody gets hurt during the last month of the regular season, Chad Fox will be the only Cubs player who was on the DL on 8/31 who will likely qualify as a potential post-season roster-exemption. However, the Cubs could have had a second potential post-season roster-exemption, but (apparently) chose not to take advantage of the opportunity.

LHP Neal Cotts is on the Cubs 40-man roster, and was on optional assignment to AAA Iowa when he suffered a season-ending elbow injury in July that required "Tommy John" surgery. Cotts was placed on the Iowa DL at that time, but if the Cubs had recalled him from his optional assignment yesterday and immediately placed him on their MLB 15-day DL, they would have had a second potential post-season roster-exemption.

It probably won't matter, partly because the Cubs are unlikely to get into the post-season, and partly because they probably wouldn't need more than the one post-season roster-exemption that Chad Fox provides. But still, why not take advantage of the rules and get a second potential roster-exemption in case it's needed?

For instance, maybe Micah Hoffpauir has a hot September (leading the Cubs to the top of the "Wild Card"!), and Justin Berg throws "lights out" (a la Les Lancaster '89) while Aaron Heilman gets creamed, such that the Cubs want to replace their 3rd lefty reliever (Gorzelanny) with an extra bat (Hoffpauir) and an ineffective righty reliever (Heilman) with a hot one (Berg). Right now they could do one move, but not the other (unless another post-season eligible player goes on the DL prior to the post-season). But simply by recalling Neal Cotts from his minor league Optional Assignment yesterday and placing him on the MLB 15-day DL (as they did last year with Rich Hill), they would have had two post-season roster-exemptions instead of one.

Comments

June 24 - August 8, 1989 Les Lancaster - 30.2 IP, 0 Runs (he ended up with a 1.36 ERA for the season).

Why not "promote" Cotts and ML DL him? Would the Cubs have to pay him more on the ML DL vs. the Iowa DL? I think Cotts has a major-league guaranteed contract, but just asking.

AZ Phil, thanks but you're wasting your time on post-season. How about your current TOP 10 CUB PROSPECTS? We need to look ahead! Comments on the following guys?: Josh Vitters Starlin Castro (coming on) Andrew Cashner (having great season) Brett Jackson (nice start so far) Jay Jackson (demote to clear up control issues, but looking good again) Chris Huseby (earning some of that big $$$) Huk Ju-Lee (did I spell that right) John Gaub (will he make us forget DeRo?) Tyler Colvin (finally putting it together?) Wellington Castillo (good hit, no glove....now, good glove, no hit?) David Patton (must be good, we carried him all year)

Starting to think about offseason moves. What's the TCR consensus on trading for a guy like JJ Hardy? Seems like a perfect "Buy Low" opportunity. SS has been a problem position since..... Ernie Banks moved to 1st 20+ years before I was even born. Should be able to be had with some combo or Marshall/Gorzellanny Guzman/Stevens/Marmol A 3rd mid-tier prospect

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

A couple things. He'd be a 1 year rental, and make about $5 million. Obviously the first thing the Cubs would need to decide is that they could fix his hitting from this year. If we are just looking for a defensive upgrade, then you could get an Adam Everett type for a lot cheaper. If the Cubs are certain they can get his bat going again, then you're looking at a guy who's got a really good shot at being a type A free agent, so his value to the Cubs would increase. It's hard to envision them signing him to a long-term deal after 2010, though Lee and Lilly will be coming off the books so we'll have a little more room. That being said, you're offering too much there. Just mentioning Marmol's name is bound to get any team's attention. If Marmol continues to struggle with his command, he and your mid-tier prospect is probably enough to get Hardy. If he seems to straighten things out in September, and nails down that closer role, then he should be able to get Hardy straight up. I think a Gorzellanny, Stevens, Barney package could probably get him, but that all depends on who the Brewers' scouts like.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I'm not claiming it's a good idea just yet, I'm just saying that I think the GM will shop them. But maybe Hendry will look at the situation and decide to keep both and stretch them both out in the spring. I also think they'll be shopped because they are likely to be viewed by other clubs as some of the more valuable commodities the Cubs possess.

[ ]

In reply to by JoePepitone

I didn't have the highest regard for Shawon Dunston, but given the age cohort here, I realize I'm messing with people's nostalgia. In terms of my own nostalgia, I didn't love Kessinger either. But granting that both were quality shortstops, two in forty-plus years is not so good. It's a little like the Bears and their quarterbacks. I love the fact that the Cubs have six (or more) shortstops now who are better prospects than Ryan Theriot ever was. I don't think that position will be a problem for long, and I expect the overflow at shortstop to yield a solution at second base (and maybe third).

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

"It's a little like the Bears and their quarterbacks." Emphasis on the word "little". The Bears' epic QB drought goes back to Sid Luckman in the 1940's -- thus 60+ years since the Bears have had an All-Pro level QB manning that position for more than a year or two (McMahon doesn't count b/c of his constant injuries made him unavailable too often -- only year of consistently starting was 1985). In contrast, the Cubs have had at least 21 years of stability and quality at shortstop out of the last 47 years between Dunston and Kessinger.

Target a guy like Brandon Wood of the Angels, or even Ben Zobrist who might be due a raise for a team that can't/won't pay for talent (ala Scott Kazmir). If all your looking for is defense at SS Omar Vizquel is your boy. Jack Wilson will likely be available as well. You have a better shot at getting Jeter than getting Hardy. Milwaukee has no interest in helping the Cubs get better.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

Problem is, Milwaukee really only has 3 MLB level starting pitchers. They don't have anyone pushing through from the upper minors right now either. So I figured any package would start with Cheap,young,club controlled starting pitching (Marshall/Gorzellanny) Then either another upper minors SP or 2 prospects of C/C+/B- variety. Bottom line is that Milwaukee wants the best haul possible. They have Escobar as their top prospect to slot into SS. Marshall would probably be the best cheap SP they could extract from ANYONE for JJ Hardy right now.

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

What don't you understand about "they wont trade in the division?" And from the Cubs perspective we have no interest in helping Milwaukee get better pitching to go along with that offense they have. Pitching helps them more than us trying to find Ryan Theriots replacement. Besides 29 other teams in baseball, the Cubs and their pitiful farm system would be the last place they would look for help.

Brandon Guyer and Jay Jackson were recalled to Tennessee on Monday, ahead of the upcoming do-or-die series at West Tenn. Guyer replaces Doug Deeds, who was sent up to Iowa in time for their interesting weekend.

Phil - can you answer a hypothetical? Suppose Castro was put on the 40 man roster today and brought up to the ML club for the rest of this season. Next spring he does not make the big league roster and remains at Iowa for the entire 2010 season. Does either 2009 or 2010 count as one of his three option years?

Submitted by DavidP on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 2:17pm.
Phil - can you answer a hypothetical?

Suppose Castro was put on the 40 man roster today and brought up to the ML club for the rest of this season. Next spring he does not make the big league roster and remains at Iowa for the entire 2010 season.

Does either 2009 or 2010 count as one of his three option years?

Submitted by Dr. aaron b on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 2:26pm. 2010 would count as his first option year. Assuming that he spent at least 20 days on optional assignment in Iowa.

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

DAVID P & AARON B: If what David suggested were to happen, Starlin Castro would get four minor league option years instead of just three, because this season was his first "full season" (his first two seasons were spent with short-season clubs--DSL Cubs in 2007 and AZL Cubs in 2008--and seasons spent with short-season clubs do not count as "full seasons"). Same thing would happen if Andrew Cashner were to get added to the 40-man roster this month. He'd get four minor league option years (starting next season) too, because this is his first "full season," and ALL players get four minor league options as long as the fourth one is used prior to completing five "full seasons." That's why Jeff Samardzija will have one minor league option left next season (it will be his 4th minor league option), even though he used up minor league options in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

BTW, it doesn't matter when or if Esmailin Caridad is recalled. If he is recalled prior to spending 20 days on optional assignment (no later than September 12th), he has three minor league options left. But if he does not get recalled within 20 days and burns a minor league option year this season, it doesn't matter, because he still gets three more (as long as he uses the 4th one prior to completing five "full seasons") because he has completed only two "full seasons" through the 2009 season.

A "full season" is defined as spending at least 90 days on the Active List of an MLB and/or full-season minor league club(s) in a given season, or at least 60 days on the Active List of an MLB club and/or full-season minor league club(s) followed by a DL stint of at least 30 days. Time spent on the Active List of a short-season minor league club (DSL Cubs #1, DSL Cubs #2, AZL Cubs, or Boise) does not count.

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • 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.