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 

 



 

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Cubs Ace, aces his test!

After the game the Cubs announced that the MRI/Arthrogram performed on Carlos Zambrano's right pitching shoulder showed absolutely NO structural damage. Specifically there was no evidence of a labrum injury or rotator cuff tear. There was some inflammation in the back of the shoulder which probably refers to the infraspinatus muscle, hence the Tribune reporting the test showed a minor shoulder strain.

The infraspinatus is the posterior of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff. Cuff tears are mostly synonymous for a tear in the supraspinatus tendon which is the superior muscle and tendon. The muscle in front is the subscapularis and the teres minor is posterior below the infraspinatus. A mild muscle strain implies some inflammation but no significant stretch or tear of the muscle fibers. So with no structural damage and a collective sigh from all places Cub Blue, the conservative thing is to let Zambrano's shoulder rest for two starts. Supposedly they discussed this with Z and they wanted to know if he should miss only one start (vs. Baltimore) or two starts (at US Comisk-ular). Rumor has it that when Zambrano was told he would not bat in an AL team home park he opted to miss two starts.

Comments

May I ask, is that a "rumor" in that you are re-reporting a rumor someone else heard, or a way to tip us off that you heard something directly from some horse's mouth?  Either way, it's a fun bit of info.  And thanks for passing on the encouraging news!

just having fun implying Z would rather hit than pitch. Rumors on the radio have ranged from a retroactive DL stint from last Wednesday to him just missing the one start against Baltimore. If he does miss two starts including a retroactive DL event, rumor's have said they will call up Sean Marshall to pitch the two outings in Z's slot. No press mention of the infraspinatus muscle, but that's the anatomy of the posterior shoulder and strain is always a reference to muscle injury (strains are muscle injuries, sprains are ligament injuries).

Is there going to be baseball in Boston tonight? ========= yes. why are the Red Sox wearing green jerseys?

Sean Marshall's last three starts at Iowa as he has been trying to get stretched out  to 90+ pitches...

16.0 IP
14 H
5 R (5 ER)
2 BB
11 K
1.00 WHIP
2.81 ERA
.225 OBA
20/14 GO/FO

Sean's last start was yesterday (Thursday), so he should be ready for 90-100 pitches in his next start, which can be as early as next Tuesday (or whenever he is needed after that).  

It's safe to say Rich Hill won't be the one to take Zambrano's start. His line tonight: IP H R ER BB K 0.2 3 6 6 4 1 Plus an HBP, a wild pitch, and a wild pickoff throw!

THANKS for the good news, CUBSTER! I know some of you hate Ozzie, but I got a chuckle out of this: Guillen was on a roll before the game and got in another shot at one of his favorite targets, Wrigley Field. Especially the batting cage under the right field bleachers. “You go to take batting practice and the rats are bigger than pigs out there. You want to take a look? I think the rats are lifting weights,” he said.

RICH HILL didn't make it out of the first inning tonight Anderson Hernandez flies out to right fielder Josh Kroeger. Argenis Reyes walks. With Chris Aguila batting, throwing error by Rich Hill on the pickoff attempt, Argenis Reyes to 2nd. With Chris Aguila batting, wild pitch by Rich Hill, Argenis Reyes to 3rd. Chris Aguila hit by pitch. Coaching visit to mound. Valentino Pascucci walks. Chris Aguila to 2nd. Raul Gonzalez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Josh Kroeger. Argenis Reyes scores. Chris Aguila scores. Raul Gonzalez to 2nd. Valentino Pascucci advances to 3rd, on fielding error by right fielder Josh Kroeger. Jesus Feliciano singles on a line drive to pitcher Rich Hill. Valentino Pascucci scores. Raul Gonzalez to 3rd. Gustavo Molina walks. Jesus Feliciano to 2nd. Abraham Nunez walks. Raul Gonzalez scores. Jesus Feliciano to 3rd. Gustavo Molina to 2nd. Ruddy Lugo strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Rich Hill. Jesus Feliciano scores. Gustavo Molina to 3rd. Abraham Nunez to 2nd. Anderson Hernandez singles on a ground ball to third baseman Casey McGehee. Gustavo Molina scores. Abraham Nunez to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Gregory Reinhard replaces Rich Hill, batting 9th.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

I agree with that. On the one hand, you'd expect him to be able to handle the few slight mechanical changes to shorten his wind up that Lou and Larry wanted him to make. You have to expect some struggles with that, but that shouldn't mean that everything just falls apart and you can't throw a stike. On the other hand, since we're 4 or 5 months since they made that change in his delivery and it's CLEARLY not working, it seems to me that he ought to be allowed to go back to his old mechanics. I mean, really, which one is worse? The 5.88 he has at Iowa right now with nobody running on him OR posting a 3.82 in the show when everybody under the sun can take a free base? Should be a no-brainer. Maybe there's something we don't know. It's really puzzling. All that said, it certainly is a blessing that we're getting 3-3 with a 3.92 from Gallagher in his 8 starts. And more than 6 innings per start, too.

Iowa's defense is AWFUL. Mid 1990's Greg Maddux would have some struggles with that crew behind him.

ESPN 1000 radio said EPat brought back from Iowa...not sure if he's taking Z's spot (retroactive DL).

Epilogue: To DL or not-DL, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer... http://tinyurl.com/56xaf8 "I don't like to pitch in American League ballparks [anyway]," Zambrano said. "I feel bored. The games are too long. I like the National League. You're competing and no one has to come in for me and do the DH part.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.