Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

27 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE (including the 27th man for second game of 4/20 doubleheader), eleven players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-20-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 14
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little (27th man)
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 11 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Getting to Know Your Obscure Cubs: Jeff Gray

Submitted by Rob G. on

In my quest to fill out some pages at Wiklifield, I thought I'd take a deeper look at some lesser known guys in the organization that could make an impact.

Jeff Gray

The center piece as far as the Cubs were concerned when they moved Aaron Miles and Jake Fox to the A's in December(the Cubs also received Ronny Morla and Matt Spencer). The 28-year old right-hander was drafted in 2004 by the Oakland A's in the 32nd round and saw a brief 4-inning cup of coffee in 2008 despite struggling in the minors with a 4.32 ERA.  After the season, he reworked some issues with his mechanics in the AFL and enjoyed a more successful 2009 with a 1.54 ERA in Triple A over 41 innings with 16 saves and then a solid 3.76 ERA over 26.1 IP with the A's after being called up on four occasions. His strikeout rate dropped significantly in 2009, although he still maintained a fantastic K:BB ratio(4.75 in the majors, 3.76 in the minors) and keeps the ball in the park with a remarkable 0.36 HR/9 rate over his minor league career.

He claims to throw five pitches - a four-seamer, sinker, slider, changeup and curveball - but says his sinker and slider are his bread-and-butter pitches.

He'll compete for one or two bullpen spots that will be open to competition this spring. Jim Hendry compared him to Angel Guzman when the Cubs acquired him in December. I assume that was a comparision to their pitching style and not injury histories as Gray seems to have stayed healthy so far through his career. If he doesn't make the club out of spring training, he does have one minor league option left.

After the jump, the bulk of his Wiklified entry.

Miscellaneous Info

Full Name: Jeffrey Michael Gray
Height: 6'3" Weight: 205 lbs
High School: (HS) Lafayette (Balwin, MO)
College: Missouri State University
Acquired: Via trade from Oakland Athletics with 1B/OF Matt Spencer and RHP Ronny Morla for OF/3B/1B Jake Fox and INF Aaron Miles in December, 2009.
Status: Still with organization and on  the 40-man roster

Notes & News

Gray grew up in Missouri, a Cardinals fan of course, although he claimed to like the Astros as well.

He was drafted in 32nd round, 967 overall in 2004 amateur draft by Oakland Athletics. He was added to their 40-man roster before the 2008 season. After the 2008 season, he was sent to the Arizona Fall League for the second time in his career(the first in 2007) and reworked his mechanics to add some deception to his delivery, including lowering his arm slot. He also reworked his approach towards hitters, trying to focus more on pitching to contact. His strikeout rate did decline in 2009, but his walk rate and groundball rates went up, along with a better ERA. He was called up four times during the 2009 campaign with the A's, the first three he just pitched once before being sent back down and finally stuck on the roster after his final call-up in August.

Scouting Report

Worked with A's bullpen coach Ron Romanick to add some deception to his delivery after 2008 season, including lowering his arm slot which Gray credits with his improved 2009 season.

Repertoire

A "four-seamer (up to 96 mph), a sinker, a slider, a changeup and a curveball"

Honors & Awards

Has been a member of 2 AFL championship teams(2007 and 2008 Phoenix Desert Dogs) and 2 PCL championship teams(2007 and 2008 Sacramento RiverCats).

Prospect Lists

34th on Scout.com A's list after 2009 season.
48th on Scout.com A's mid-season list during 2009 season.
47th on Scout.com A's 2008 list.
35th on Scout.com A's 2007 list that followed the season.

Tags
Jeff Gray
Cubs 2010 Preview
Getting to Know Your Obscure Cubs

Comments

[ ]

Submitted by Cubster on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:51 am

Hey Pancho...
He thrived on the street food in Mexicali. "The only problem was when you did want a burger or craved some pizza, it had a Mexican twist to it," he said. "Some Tecate Lights took care of that."
oh, Cisco...

[ ]

Submitted by Stevens on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:26 am

Of course I'd be thrilled if sam-ninja came through with a solid year. I'm just not expecting big things from him now. Any reports yet from AZ Phil on how these guys are looking so far? I'm chomping at the bit here...

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:59 am

2. Dempster having a solid season is probably considered a given, whereas the guys he actually listed have questions. 3. It was a "notable" example, not the best. The thing about only having 31 games above A isn't really true, anyway, because the AFL is considered above A. The fact that he's fourth on the depth chart at SS probably should have been mentioned, though.

[ ]

Submitted by Wes on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:24 pm

To make him finally learn how to fucking pitch to big league hitters? It's not as cut-and-dried as "the extra 15 innings you pitched in 2009 are 15 less innings that you need to figure it out in 2010." But, that kid needs to pitch and needs to pitch a lot until he's some idea about how to get somebody out. The guy is one of the worst pitchers with the best stuff in baseball. Yes, he's still young, but last year was the THIRD year they tried to bring him up and he was just piss poor awful when he got there. I'm going to get run out on a rail for saying it, but Dusty's at least smart enough to know that Homer has be able to pitch every fifth day at some semblance of a major league level for the Reds to even have a remote chance of winning this year.

[ ]

Submitted by Wes on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 02:50 pm

Then he probably runs out of gas around 175 innings this year. If by some stretch the Reds are actually in it come late August, they probably wouldn't have Homer down the stretch to lean on, because he wouldn't be stretched out for 200 innings. If you're fine with that, then I guess it isn't a big deal. I would have played September 2009 much the same as the Reds did because I'm looking ahead to what I'll need in September of 2010. The difference between increasing by 20-30 innings and 40-50 innings isn't all that dramatic from a stress standpoint. I'm sure they shortened up his side sessions in September and they probably also limited his long toss on his off days to make up for it. You can do things to limit the other strains on the arm in order to get where you need to go in an innings increase. I'm sure the Reds organization (not just Dusty) didn't want Homer getting to 200 innings the first time in the middle of a pennant race. Now he doesn't have to.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 02:57 pm

some guys are nolan ryan or livan hernandez...some guys are jr richard or teddy higuera. damn, higgy was awesome. unfortuantely, there's no DNA swab or stress/endurence test to figure any of it out. currently the best method is not doing obviously stupid crap and paying attention to what the pitcher is saying/showing about his own body. when it comes to nitpicking over who can throw 30 more innings a year vs. 50 more innings a year there's nothing obvious about it, though. it's just too fine of a detail to err on the side of extreme caution, imo. if their body can handle it go for it...if steps can be taken in the way of extra rest or restriction of off-day activities, sure. some wouldn't take these risks, though... *shrug*

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:00 pm

There's two fallacies in the THT article. The first, "I am too lazy to do it correctly, so I won't". I read the rest anyway. The second is a classic example of using numbers to 'prove' anything. Here's the quote "The bottom line: a dramatic increase in innings on a young pitcher elevates the risk of injury or a setback to their development." Say you have two groups of pitchers. Group A goes up 50 innings from year 1 to 2. Each of them throw 150 innings. Then in year three three blow out their arms and the other six throw 200 innings, on average they only throw 10 fewer innings, but three guys conformed to the effect. To say that there was no such effect, you would have to identify all the pitchers and who blew out their arms and show that guys who didn't have the innings jump also blew out their arms at the same 30% rate. Verducci is using a either/or evaluation, and the bozo from THT tries to refute it by hiding analysis in averages (without doing the proper research first). 8 of 11 guys from the 2006 list...

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:43 pm

left sidebar advertises the clip... "ex-Cub Still Pitching for Schaumburg Flyers"... I made the mistake of clicking on it. They interviewed Carmen Pignatiello, while he was talking they show a pic of Sean Marshall and Dan Jiggetts asked what team the Flyers were associated with... good television there..

[ ]

Submitted by jacos on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 02:54 pm

Hard to believe him and Mike North have been regulated to 5-7 am slot with a financial show. Which is perfect because they both don't know sports, and Mike North's last show fell victim to a Ponzi scheme who was the show sponsor. They are missed.

Recent comments

  • Charlie (view)

    I hope Cards management and their fans treat Willson with respect going forward. I'd be happy to still have him as a Cub. Heck, he'd even be our best DH option at this point.

  • Raisin101 (view)

    Hi Arizona Phil!

    Exciting to see Naz Mule in box scores a few times. What's his stuff like now after the TJS?

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Mastrobuoni can't come back, yet

    Wisdom does have an option left. He can hide in Iowa if Jed DFA's someone else

    Does Brennan Davis get shown the door? I know it's too early for that, but these injuries are crunching the roster of a 12-7 team playoff demands and BDavis isn't going to help anytime soon.

    Someone has to go to add Peralta. And Canario isn't going to get to play everyday regardless of RHers or LHers. Neither is Tauchman. Also don't see PCA getting a chance over Peralta.

    If Jed does those moves:

    4 OF: Belli, Peralta, Canny, Tauch

    2 C: Gomes and Amaya

    2 DH: Cooper and Mervis

    5 INF: Busch, Nico, Dansby, Morel, Madrigal

    Little short on OF depth but two injuries will do that  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I have had the pleasure of watching some of the young A's pitchers lately (first Joe Boyle the last day of Minor League Spring Training in March, and more recently Luis Morales last week and Steven Echavarria yesterday at Extended Spring Training), and it reminds me of the Miami Marlins a couple of years ago. A really nice collection of young pitchers. It will be interesting to see what the A's will get for two years of ex-Cub Paul Blackburn at the Trade Deadline (there should be a robust market for Blackburn). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Good deal

    MB needs some talent infusion!

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Very possible. Suriel, too. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: if a pitcher is recalled to be the 27th man for a doubleheader and then is optioned back to the minors the next day, the 15-day "clock" does NOT reset. The one day call-up for the doubleheader is treated like it never happened with respect to a pitcher having to spend at least 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Probably the only reason David Peralta is still in the organization (he is at AAA Iowa) is to be available in case anything bad were to happen to Ian Happ (which it just did). So if Happ needs to go on the IL, the Cubs can select Peralta to play LF, DFA Wisdom (and hope he and what remains of his $2.725M salary gets claimed off waivers), and recall Mervis to platoon at DH with Cooper (with Canario / Tauchman sharing RF), at least until Suzuki and Happ are back...

     

  • crunch (view)

    i'd just like to take a moment to express to the world i'm still pissed willson contreras is not a cub when the pricetag was 5/87m (17.5m/yr).

    it would be nice to have a legacy-type player to stick around, especially one with his leadership and the respect he gets from his peers.  cubs fans deserved more than 1 season of contreras + morel...that was gold.

  • crunch (view)

    happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).

    he will be reevaluated tomorrow.

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