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

Cubs Rumor Round-Up: Halladay, Bradley

- Muskat blogged that the Blue Jays contacted the Cubs about Roy Halladay.

...there's a catch. He's owed $15.75 million in 2010, and the Blue Jays want some of the Cubs' top prospects. No. 1, the team can't take on Halladay's salary. The Blue Jays apparently have a wish list and Milton Bradley is not on it. A player like highly regarded shortstop Starlin Castro most likely is, and the Cubs don't want to part with him, especially since they might only have Halladay for one year.

A good time to show your committment to winning Ricketts family - we're all counting on you.

- Phil Rogers tried to sell a 3-way trade of Luis Castillo to the Cubs, Kevin Millwood to the Mets and Milton Bradley to the Rangers. It was quickly shot down though by the Cubs and Rangers.

- Carlos Marmol claimed the Cubs were pursuing Pedro Martinez, but the Cubs shot down that as well.

- John Grabow's deal is official, 2/7.5M. A report from Bruce Levine said it would go up by a million in the second year, so that makes it $3.25M in 2010 and $4.25M in 2011 if that ends up being the case. Also should note that Grabow's been dealing with bone chips as well for the last three years. I'm sure that won't bite the Cubs in the ass.

- Last day to enter the TCR Free Agent Frenzy contest, I'll shut it down sometime this weekend.

Comments

Muskat says the Cubs don't have the budget room to add Halladay, but don't you make an exception for a play like him if you can get him for the right price? I would assume that any team that trades for Halladay would want to negotiate a contract extension with him before a deal is finalized. If the Cubs are going to take on his $15.75 million salary in 2010 and possibly give up Castro (among others), I would think they would want a guarantee of Halladay being around for more than just one year.

Who would want to trade for the best pitcher in baseball and make him just the fourth-highest-paid player on your incredibly average, incredibly overpaid team? And they won't give up a baby shortstop to get him? Lies. The truth is: They're broke from buying the team, and there won't any money spent on anybody until there's some revenue. So in the meantime, it's only been 102 years, why not wait two or three more before we start to try?

I think it was MikeC who said on a previous thread that he has a feeling that Ricketts will want to make a splash in his first year owning the Cubs. Adding Halladay, even if it means trading Castro, would be viewed as a big splash.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

I would think it would be only natural for a new owner who wants to win to make a big splash, but they've done a great job of staying under the radar if that's the case. Everything sounds like we're back to pinching pennies. I can't get that line at the press conference out of my head...the one from Rickett's brother about Hendry asking the Ricketts to eat some money to get rid of a clubhouse cancer..."Jim knows better than to come to us and ask that." That doesn't sound like owners who are going to make a splash with a big deal that costs more money.

Since there are so many three way trades being rumored, I wonder if a 3 way deal with the Cubs/Rays/Braves would make sense for each team. The Rays would end up with Bradley, the Braves would get Burrell to play 1b for a year (doesn't ATL need a 1b? I haven't heard anything about them trying to resign Laroche). What the Cubs get back wouldn't really matter. I'm sure there would be some prospects going somewhere. What do you think?

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

Do I think it sounds semi-plausible, yes. Heck, one of the Braves blogs was talking Bradley himself (although I'm sure we were picking up the tab in that scenario). They're also hot to move D Lowe and his salary, I'd take him and hope for a bounce-back year; I loved him for Wrigley a couple years ago for his GBs. End of the day, I think you're with me, let's not get greedy. I'd take a ham sammich and last year's program for MB at this point, if somebody else pays his salary.

yeesh... this is a 140 million dollar team. there's 20+ teams out there that don't have a 1-4 starting crew like the cubs and/or 3+ legit 30HR power guys on their teams. ...not to mention the "support" crew guys like fukudome/theriot/etc. the cubs have done a lot more with a lot less compared to last year, but this isn't some hopeless crew of misfits.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

You don't usually strike me as the upbeat one. All I see for 30 HR power are Lee and ARam at this point; who's the other 1+? Soriano and Soto together maybe? And who's the 4th starter that 20+ teams don't have? Or do some other teams actually have a capital-A Ace, so they don't give a shit about their 4th starter? The one thing we've had the last few years that other teams don't is Ted Lilly. Look, I love Randy Wells as much as the next guy, but let's look at the sterling careers of big Cub rookies not named Greg Maddux or Kerry Wood. The Cubs have definitely done more with less, but unless you didn't watch any games this year, they played EXACTLY like a hopeless crew of misfits. Combined with that price tag, easily mistaken with, oh, the New York Mets. I'm usually the one full of hope and excitement for anything Cubs, but I'm getting fucking sick of this. With the few obvious exceptions, this team played shitty and got hurt last year, period. If my name were Tom Ricketts, I wouldn't just fire sale. I'd look at what I just paid, I'd ask D Lee, and maybe Marmol to step outside and then light the sonuvabitch on fire and watch it burn. ... Okay, I've taken a deep breath. But seriously, saying their not a "hopeless crew of misfits" is letting the players off easy IMO. I wouldn't consider ANYONE untouchable at this point.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

yeah, but im crossing mark prior's fingers hoping lilly can put in most of a season. on our starters... i don't think wells is the next big thing, but he seems to be a decent enough 3-4 slot pitcher. he'd be a solid #2 or 3 starter on many teams out there. on the flipside...any of Z/dumpster/lilly would be solid #2 starters on a lot of teams with true OMG aces. i like the combo of guys more than any of them individually. it's a crew of 4 guys would could be #2 or 3 starters...

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I want to believe, I do. But we also need to face facts. DLee turned 34 in September. I love the guy, but would also be surprised to see a repeat of last year ever again by him. Soriano turns 34 in January. Legs aren't what they used to be, nagging injuries, bit of a head case, etc. Hasn't played more than 135 games (2007) since he's been here, and hasn't seen 30+ since then either. He's been miraculously healed? Aram will be only 32 in June. Again, I like him, I do think he tries, and I've seen him become more clutch, which is awesome. Having said that, he hasn't been north of 30 HR since 2006, and despite his torrid start this past year it would have taken him 164 games and 612 AB to hit 30 based on the 15 he did hit. You want someone to hit homeruns? I begged and cried for Adam Dunn last offseason. Say what you will, but Adam Dunn is a power threat, period. The guys we have now, excepting (on some days) DLee and ARam, are not. Waiting for "bounce-back" years out of players is getting real old; remember the Wood/Prior sagas? The coaches have changed, many of the players have changed, now ownership has changed. As much as I hate to admit it, Jim Hendry is the last ass to pin the tail on. I think he's good, and I've defended his decisions at times (Soriano for instance) but he flat fucked up last offseason, and everybody but him knew it. He's leaning too hard on paying people for one year (Dempster, Bradley, Miles, etc) and it's not paying off. If I'm Tom Ricketts, I keep my mouth shut until about the A/S break next year, and if I'm not pretty damn happy with my new pet by then, Jimbo hits the streets.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

While I'm sure that's true, riddle me this: True or false, Demp got his contract based in large part on market value for a guy with a sub-3 ERA. True. True or false, He won't ever do that again. Obviously conjecture, but I think, True. True or false, Bradley got signed to 3/30 after his .999 OPS season and 20(? or so) HR to be the left-handed threat in the lineup (while Abreu was still available). True. True or false, he won't do that again either, especially in a Cubs uniform. True. Miles got paid for a career year as well that he won't repeat. My point is, guys like Abreu and Ibanez were out there last year, models of consistency, something it seems the Cubs have a hell of a time grasping, and Hendry continues to go get the "career year" guys.

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

Your first one is false. Guys with sub 3 ERA's get $20 million + contracts. The second one. He's unlikely to do that again. He'll probably pitch about like he did last year. That according to Fangraphs - and I'm not crazy about how they have come up with all their valuations but for a starting pitcher who was a FA after 2008 it's probably close enough to use it as a basis - Dempster's season last year was worth $16.4 million. Had he not broke his foot in a freak accident he would have been 'worth' more. He got paid $12 million if you count the signing bonus. On Bradley's contract. You left out the other corner outfielder in your evaluation who actually has led the AL in OPS. Manny Ramirez got $25 million. Bradley was the best defensive player of the five options - only Abreu could nominally claim that he could play right field. $10 million a year is not market value for someone who gives you an OPS of 1, even for 500 PAs. Again on Miles, yes he had a career year, but he certainly didn't get paid like a switch hitter who could play middle infield and hit .317. Orlando Hudson got paid what, $6+ million during the last off-season?

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Guys with a 1.468 career WHIP don't get $52 million dollar contracts, unless Jim Hendry falls in love with you. The rest of the guys with WHIP's like that bounce from team to team and out of baseball. The 10 pitchers who Dempster's career stats most closely resemble, from Baseball-Reference: Matt Clement, Doug Davis, Mark Gardner, Omar Olivares, Mike Lacoss, Pete Foytack, Brett Tomko, Tom Underwood, Cal Eldred, Vic Sorrell. Any of those guys worth $52 million over 4 years? I'd rather have a healthy Matt Clement than a healthy Ryan Dempster. Dempster is a great guy, but he's a journeyman pitcher that our genius GM is paying like a star thanks to one completely out-of-the-blue career year.

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

Seriously, what are you talking about? Star pitchers make $20+ million a year. That's what Santanna and Sabathia got and that's what Peavy's contract runs to and that's what Halladay will get. Dempster makes $13 million a year. That's $3.5 million less than AJ Burnett got. He was worth more than that in 2008, and he was worth more than that in 2009. Read this: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-dempster-contract I have no idea how BR comes up with their comps, but the #1 comp pitched 65.2 innings during his 31 and 32 year old seasons. Dempster pitched 406.2 (with about a 140 ERA+). How are those two pitchers comparable for age 31 to 34 seasons (the length of Dempster's contract)? Nothing I said is not a fact, the only thing disputable is the valuation of Dempster's performance - but there's no way it was worth $8 million or whatever you think he should have been paid last year.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

If they stay healthy and produce anywhere near their career norms, they should be right in the race. The staying healthy part is the kicker. I told a couple of friends before last season that they were probably due for some injuries after two mostly injury free seasons. Unfortunately that turned out to be true. The bullpen as-is still scares me a bit, but you'll never know if Caridad can mature unless you let him show you. I love Guzman, but he's so injury prone, you just have to expect he'll get injured every year and hope he doesn't blow out his elbow again. I understand Ricketts not rushing out to spend more money. Hendry has been throwing money around like donuts the last few years, and those backloaded contracts are tightening around Jimbo's neck. The sad thing is if it doesn't work out and Hendry ends up being fired in a year, he's not the one who has to deal with paying Soriano until he's 39 or 40.

Can't blame the jays for approaching the cubs-they sur don't want him w the yanks or red sox, leaving the cubs, phils, mets or dodgers as the most likely to afford him. The dodgers and mets don't have any good prospects, so that leaves the cobs or phils. No one wants to make the phils that powerful-so bring on the cubs. Getting Halliday would be a terrific move

i All I see for 30 HR power are Lee and ARam at this point; With only two guys that can hit 30 home runs, they probably will be as bad as other teams that only had two guys that could hit 30 home runs. Like the Yankees.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

At most college institutions we teach students not to use the word "gay" in class or in their writing to describe things that they simply dislike or disapprove of. The consensus within most departments is that we should do this because it essentially says homosexual=bad, being that the primary use of gay these days is to describe a person (usually a man) as being attracted to someone of the same sex, and the second most common is to describe something with perceived negative qualities. I prefer to think, however, that we teach them not to use the word "gay" in that manner because it makes them sound like they are in the fourth grade.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Unfortunately, it is a guideline that occasionally has to be explained to college students, especially freshmen. The word "gay," of course, has developed some cognitive distance from its traditional meaning happy, exuberant, etc., in that we rarely use it that way anymore. Instead we use it to denote men who are sexually attracted to other men. The connotation of flamboyance and exuberance is obviously still there, but not to such a strong degree (my opinion) that the homosexual men who are otherwise typically "masculine" can't claim it as well. In fact, I think that the more it used to apply to homosexual men who display few typically "feminine" traits, the less the term will be associated with femininity. Words are funny like that--they can lose associations just like they can gain them. If you're looking for an innocuous word to attach to the entire "gay" community, good luck. Homosexual has problems all its own, and LGBTQ is clumsy (and still misleadingly categorical, even if it offers more categories). Wrong forum much? Yes. Yes, indeed.

It is 4:30 in the a.m. and I keep having night terrors of Soriano's contract. 2014 seems like light years away. It completely disgusts me how anyone in the organization at the time thought this was a good idea. The best transaction for the Cubs this year is the sale of the team and the ballpark. Tony S. is right when he said, “If I'm Tom Ricketts, I keep my mouth shut until about the A/S break next year, and if I'm not pretty damn happy with my new pet by then, Jimbo hits the streets". I think Ricketts is going to sit back and not jump in and seem like an over zealous owner. I would love to see Ricketts ask Steve Stone to over see baseball operations for the Cubs; Stoney has said he would be open to explore opportunities to over see player development and such. Corporate ownership and ideologies has been the downfall of the organization for many years. If the Cubs had baseball guys who fully understand how to properly sustain a good baseball team, Hendry would not have been allowed to offer that ridiculous contract for Soriano.

[ ]

In reply to by Southpaw

In general the "TCR community" thought that the Soriano contract was a necessary evil at the time. The Cubs needed an infusion of talent, and that give or take $10 million was the price that it cost to get the best free agent hitter onto the roster. No one, probably not even people in the Cubs organization thought that the contract would "end well", but Soriano just wasn't interested in signing a 3 or 4 year deal. Unfortunately the wheels seem to have come off quicker than we hoped. Personally I haven't given up all hope that he can return to his 2007 form - a competent defender and and in stretches a dangerous force at the plate.

My Christmas Wish list: Dear Santa (aka Rob G), All I want for Christmas, 1. Soriano's contract off the books 2. Milton Badley off the team and if you have time, his contract as well! 4. Steve Stone 5. Carl Crawford 6. Chone Figgins 7. Some bullpen help and a 200 plus inning top of the rotation pitcher 8. And for the entire 2010 Cubs to be injury free! I'm not asking for much and if you could expedite this it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Southpaw (aka Loogy)

Rob: If we haven't done one already, how about a "Milton Bradley Destination" poll? The one who comes closest to picking (a) the team who gets him (b) the player(s) the Cubs must take back in return and (c) how much money the Cubs have to eat, wins.

Dude, I have no personal stake in the degree of Len's nerdiness. I think if you asked Len if he was nerdy, he'd agree. I just found the way you presented it a little odd. You've not provided anything that is amazing in its nerdiness. That's all. I watch the games, too. I'm pretty aware of what Len says.

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).