Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve 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 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# 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 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Get Ready for Cactus League Play

Seven Cubs pitchers continued their preparation for Cactus League play at Fitch Park this morning.

Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Silva essentially threw a two-inning "sim" game on Field #2, at least to the extent that each pitcher threw a certain number of pitches each "inning" (Zambrano 15 pitches each inning - 30 total, and Silva 20 pitches each inning - 40 total) while the other rested on the bench. (A true sim game would usually involve the hitters rotating out of the cage after putting a ball in play, but each batter facing "Z" and Silva today took their normal five-pitch AB even if they put all five pitches into play). Justin Berg followed Zambrano/Silva to the mound on Field #2 with a single 25-pitch inning. Zambrano and Silva faced Sam Fuld, Darwin Barney, Brad Snyder, Derrek Lee, Marlon Byrd, Bobby Scales, Robinson Chirinos, Blake Lalli, and Brett Jackson in their pseudo-sim game, while Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, Chad Tracy and Kevin Millar faced Berg in his "live" BP session.

Sam Fuld and Micah Hoffpauir had some really nice swings, and Carlos Silva actually looked fairly ambulatory out there on the mound. He doesn't seem to be hurting, although his pitches sure don't fool anybody. It would probably really help his release point and arm angle (and overall health) if he could maybe lose a few pounds around the gut.

Randy Wells (who did not throw today) has been named the starter in the Cubs Cactus League opener on Thursday versus Oakland, while Zambrano is scheduled to start Friday's game versus Arizona and Silva is slated to start Saturday versus the White Sox in a game that will be televised on WGN-TV. (The Cubs are home at HoHoKam Park for six of the first seven days at the start of Cactus League play and for five of the last seven days at the end of the month, but they only play four games at HoHoKam over the 15-day period running from March 11th through March 25th).

Meanwhile, Ryan Dempster (who will start his first Spring Training game next Monday) threw one 35-pitch inning (he will probably throw a two-inning "sim" game sometime later this week), and Carlos Marmol, Jiohn Grabow, and Esmailin Caridad each threw one 25-pitch inning on Field #3. Tyler Colvin, Matt Camp, Bryan Lahair, James Adduci, and Steve Clevenger faced Dempster and Marmol, while Alfonso Soriano, Starlin Castro, and Kosuke Fukudome hit against Grabow and Caridad. Grabow was hit hard, but Dempster looked good, and Marmol and Caridad were absolutely "lights out" (and Marmol didn't even hit anybody!).

Fukudome hit Grabow pretty well, especially considering Kosuke's perceived weakness versus LHP. Along with Tyler Colvin and Geovany Soto, Fukudome has probably been the most-impressive hitter so far in camp, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up hitting lead-off and playing RF most every day this year. In fact, this could well be his MLB "break-out" season.

Soriano (somewhat surprisingly) also has been swinging the bat well so far, although he apparently is not yet able to cut loose running the bases.

Andrew Cashner and John Gaub threw an early-morning "live" BP prior to the full-squad work-out.

While Cashner and Gaub were getting in their work, Ryne Sandberg and Alan Trammell were working out Starlin Castro on Field #5 (the "half-field" - infield-only). No question Castro impressed Ryno and Trammell, but especially Trammell, probablly because this was the first chance Trammell had to work one-on-one with the young Cubs shortstop prodigy. Castro is indeed by all accounts a pleasure to coach.

The Cubs will presumably be moving up Center Street to HoHoKam Park tomorrow, where they will likely have a traditional work-out, with BP, infield practice, and some side bullpen sessions. (Piniella doesn't like intrasquad games).

Uncle Lou probably would have liked to have moved his team out of Fitch Park today, but the Cubs were hosting the Cactus League VIP Brunch at HoHoKam Park this morning. 

The Cubs minor leaguers will now move into Fitch Park, with pitchers & catchers reporting on Thursday, and all other players reporting next Tuesday. The first minor league Spring Training games will probably be on March 18th.  

Comments

woo...spring baseball. mlb network televising the first game of the spring season...ATL/NYM 2-3 mid 7. cubs playing oakland on the 4th, btw...believe it's a "home" game for the cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

The injured quad transformed Soriano from a greyhound on the basepaths to a mutt. It robbed Soriano, seemingly for good, of his difference-making speed. "That changed him," said Cubs general manager Jim Hendry of the quad strain.
There Hendry goes covering his ass again. The small tear in the quad didn't "change him," he had been running about half as often all season compared to 2006 prior to the quad tear. And he stole the same number of bases in 2008 as he did in 2007. There was no noticeable difference due to the quad injury. In fact, he stole his 19 bases in 2008 playing 24 fewer games than in 2007! So he was actually doing better after the tear. Nope, in true goofy Hendry fashion, he acquires an old guy who's probably older than posted and whose only natural position is DH and sticks him in centerfield where he promptly cripples himself because, lo and behold! he's not a centerfielder-- or any kind of fielder for that matter. And that's the truth. His legs were gone by mid April 2007 if not spring training the month before.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

I remember several years ago, Peter Gammons did a piece on Soriano. He was with the Nats at the time and there was talk that Mgr. Frank Robinson was going to move Soriano from 2nd base to the outfield. Soriano resisted the move and caught a lot of flack for it. In Gammons' report, he talked about what a really nice guy Soriano is, how he is well-respected and well-liked by all of his teammates, and how he genuinely cares about what everyone thinks of him. At the time, Gammons said that Soriano's main concern was that he wouldn't be good enough in the outfield and that his play would hurt his team. Because Soriano had grown up as an infielder, he was afraid that he might never be as good in the outfield as he was in the infield (I know, it seems funny now). The picture Gammons painted was of a proud guy who wanted to do what was best for his team, but was afraid he might not be able to adjust to the position change. I remember thinking at the time that Soriano was being a selfish SOB, but Gammon's piece made me look at him in a different light.

MLB Tonight treating PETCOA projections like a 6th grade science/math project. averaging players vs. actually knowing a person's shape, health, and skills... no one's a fan and it was one of the quickest "stats" segments they've done in a while. no...this doesn't prove anything, but they were having a laugh.

Just picked up the 360 version of MLB2K10. Soriano does his stupid hop in the OF when catching a popup. Fukudome corkscrews himself into the ground when he swings and misses. Z blasts homeruns as often as Soriano. When you pitch with Marmol, it's very difficult not to "overthrow" the ball. So all and all, it's pretty accurate.

[ ]

In reply to by CPH2133

I'll certainly avoid that title this year. Ran out and bought the darned thing at midnight last year, but was incredibly disappointed with the game play. Maybe played 50 total games with it before I put it on the shelf. I miss The Show series and I wish I owned a PS3 instead of a 360.

[ ]

In reply to by CPH2133

I lost faith in the system when 2K got the exclusive instead of EA Sports. MVP 2003 is still one of my fav games ever. I hadn't picked up anything in a few years until I got 2K9 and The Show this past xmas for PSP; I've been enjoying the road to the show on The Show, seems pretty fun. They're both a helluva lot better than that 2K disaster in '06 but I still don't know that they measure up in the funmeter to the old MVP Baseball

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Sabermetrics gains ground with Cubs Then promptly loses that ground when Jim Hendry realized it wasn't a new Korean donut shop franchise.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"When it comes to crunch-time, believe me, all the (statistical) information has been processed," Hendry said. "But by the end of the day … I'm going to look at (scouting advisers) Kenny Kravec or Dave Littlefield or Gary Hughes, and say: ‘This is what I think. What do you think?' "
But not what Tim Wilken thinks... The three guys mentioned are all asst.s to the GM. Clearly Tim Wilken's job is far far below the decision level in the Hendry organization.

AZ PHIL: Do you believe Andrew Cashner will be on this club as a set-up man? Yesterday you alluded to the idea that as a college closer, primarily, he was lights out at that level - going only an inning or so. Barring a trade, do you think the Cubs would give the guy a shot it being only the start of his 3rd year in pro ball? Seeing him more regularly in your neck of the woods, how do you think he will project out, and do you think the Cubs plan on keeping him rather than trading away. He was our #1 or #2 draft pick, IIRC, right?

"http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski…" n case you missed this piece by Gene Wojochowski, here is a fun excerpt on our $18MM a year left fielder: "I show Soriano's 2009 numbers to a major league scout. Says the scout: "He hit .241 -- geezus. He had 20 home runs and 55 RBIs in 447 at-bats. That is not even close to average. That's terrible. He had 118 strikeouts and 40 walks. Terrible." In other words, the Cubs paid $850,000 per Soriano dinger last year. Worse yet, he hit 12 of those homers in his first 35 games, then only eight in his final 82 games. Soriano was a defensive liability. He couldn't steal. His on-base percentage from the leadoff spot was a gruesome .295. He got hurt again. And by the way, there are five years left on his deal at $19 mil per year." GREAT! I can't lie, in that I was floored, and excited when I found out Hendry actually signed the number one FA coming out of 2006-2007, but SHIT - I really wonder if the "Cubs Jinx" is an actual phenomena as golden pick has turned to dust, truly handicapping the team.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

We hadn't seen many guys (non Arod/manram in 2000 anyway)get more than 5 years at that point on the Free Agent market. Especially not since after the 2002-2003 free agent downturn. Hendry, as is his MO jumped out of the gate and "Set the market". Then you saw it raise the $/years on Carlos Lee and Vernon Wells directly after. I know that Washington publicly offered Soriano a 5 year extension to stay.

THE best move by Hendry: Greg Maddux. We have a bunch of wide-eyed youngsters due to trades, etc., and now coach Greg will show them Game Preparation, mound Thought Control, and Pitch Placement Theology. Everyone shall have a come to Dejesus moment. Blessed are the poor in arm, for they shall be prepared. Game on. Jinx Nix. 31 rules! (anyone got any hyssop? and holy water? now where did I leave my beads...)

Recent comments

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Use pitchers when you believe they're good. Don't plan their clock.

    I'm sorry. I'm simply anti-clock/contract management. Play guys when they show real MLB potential talent.

    If Brown hadn't been hurt with the Lat Strain he would've gotten the call, and not Wick.

    Give him a chance. 

    But Wesneski probably gets it

  • crunch (view)

    alzolay...bro...

  • crunch (view)

    wow.  what a blown call.  go cubs, i guess.