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

Streaking

Sorry about the lack of writing, been busy with the paying gig. A little bit of food for thought though... - The Cubs are currently on a five-game win streak, already surpassing last year's high-water mark of four. In 2005, they twice reached the five-game mark getting up to as high as seven during a streak that started at the end of May and ended in early June. - The game notes fron Len and Bob's blog is chocked full of optimism about our streak. - Ryne Sandberg got ejected Monday night for arguing balls and strikes. I'd pay to see that video. - Jon Heyman of SI.com with a ridiculous piece about Zambrano possibly reaching the trading block this year. It does paint a ominous picture about Z resigning before he reaches free agency though. Thank you Tribune, thank you Jim Hendry. - Cubs are 5-4 in games with the wind blowing in at Wrigley, 0-2 with the wind blowing out and 2-3 when there's a cross-wind. Bet you would have never guessed that.

Comments

It's hard to imagine Ryno being ejected. Not sure I ever saw him argue let alone be tossed.

Rob G.: Jon Heyman of SI.com with a ridiculous piece about Zambrano possibly reaching the trading block this year. It does paint a ominous picture about Z resigning before he reaches free agency though. Thank you Tribune, thank you Jim Hendry. Why would the Cub's try to trade for Z? They already have him. Stoooo-piiiid!

just need to point out how absurd that article was (emphasis added)...
If a trade involving Zambrano -- known to friends as simply "Z'' -- does happen, it may not have anything to do with Zambrano and Piniella butting heads in mid April. Yet, it was no surprise that two of the more competitive, temperamental people in the game would have a rough moment or two. The first one came early. After a tough 6-5 defeat to the Reds on April 13, Piniella snapped over a question regarding what wasn't working. "What the hell do you think isn't working? You see the damn game," Piniella said. "This guy's your ace. You have a 5-0 lead with the eighth and ninth hitters coming up. You feel pretty good about that, and all of a sudden it turns into a six-run inning. What do I do? I pitch him when it's his turn again. What else can I do?'' Not much was said about Zambrano's reaction at the time. But you can hardly blame Zambrano, who'd been used to Dusty Baker's soft selling, if he was thrown for a loop by those remarks. In any case, one person close to them insisted of Zambrano and Piniella: "They're fine.'' Actually, Zambrano has responded well to Piniella's outburst. He's found his game lately; he's 3-2 and hasn't lost one since Piniella's tirade.
so I have no sources saying there's any riff, I actually have a source saying everything is fine but I'm going to write a big speculation piece about how Z and Piniella are butting heads and Z wants to go. Yeah journalism....

you mean you can't believe everything you read in the newspapers?? (as scarcasitic as you can make it sound)

ROB: You have wind blowing out, in and cross-wind. Do you have a "no-wind-at-all" stat? Murphys.

SIGNINGS/TRADES - if the Cubs are lucky enough to be in the race around the break, do any of you feel, with the "lame duck" ownership, that Hendry will make ANY moves at all?

...about how Z and Piniella are butting heads -------- Just tell Z and Lou both to wear helmets, we don't want either injured. What, a figure of speech? Doesn't Heyman claim to have it on video?

ROB: You have wind blowing out, in and cross-wind. Do you have a “no-wind-at-all” stat? Are you being serious? Stats in the post add up to 7-9, our home record. Shall I make up some games?

"Are you being serious?" C'mon, Rob.

Not having read Al's interview yet, I am wondering if he asked anything asking Michael if he feels he can set the record for passed-balls in a season?

Barrett is a terrific person, I'll agree. Truly unique in a self-serving professional sports world. As a defensive backstop - geesh!

E-man: I heard Steve Stone speculate on WSCR that despite statements to the contrary, that the Cubs have NO room to take on significant salary at the deadline without moving some. Bear in mind this was part of one of Steve's frequent (frequent!) rants about how the team should have not signed DeRosa and Soriano and instead used the money for Zambrano, Barrett and mid-season moves.

He said Soriano did a good job in center…. What do you want him to say? That he sucked? Of course he is going to say Soriano did a good job. I heard Steve Stone speculate on WSCR that despite statements to the contrary How would Stone know?

aren't Stone and McDonough best buddies? since Trib doesn't seem willing to sign Z, I doubt they'll take any multi-year contracts. Maybe an expiring contract though....

well... maybe I am the only one, but I take whatever Stone has to say about the Cubs with a grain of salt. he is just a bit bitter about his experience with the Cubs and is obviously biased against Cubs management.

padres @ braves tonight: Justin Germano vs Anthony Lerew really sucked if you ended up with the Tuesday ticket instead of Wednesday... tomorrow's matchup is Maddux vs. Smoltz

yeah, I don't buy anything beyond the actual game between the lines from Stone, but it's possible he has some info.

Appropo of nothing, I just noticed that somebody yanked my handle in the previous thread and mocked MikeC. Not that I'm wary of conflict, but I'd like to take credit for it if that's my goal. And I'd like not to receive blame for any unnecessary trash talking. My point: any chance of MVN registering users any time in our near future? Or do I need to get a more creative name or just post more often to stake a claim? Thanks, as always, for a great place to de-lurk once in a while.

Ryno must have said "gosh" or "heck" That's like Ned Flanders getting arrested for public indecency.

I'm not sure how that happened, it was a different email address that happened to have Stevens in it, maybe it was just a case of similar names crossing paths. Not sure he was trying to rip-off your name but I'm not positive.

lol, I wonder how desperate the Yanks are? Rivera for Dempster straight up? ESPN talking about "What's wrong with Mariano Rivera" again... as if this is the first year ESPN has watched baseball. *sigh*

Anybody see that article on SI.com about the top 50 players in baseball? Lee and Ramirez weren't on it. Z was 28, or something.

Soriano 7 Theriot 4 Lee 3 Ramirez 5 Floyd 9 Barrett 2 Jones 8 Izzy 6 Lilly 1 Duffy 8 Jack Wilson 6 Sanchez 4 Bay 7 Nady 9 LaRoche 3 Paulino 2 Jose Bautista 5 Snell 1

Soriano 7 Theriot 4 Lee 3 Ramirez 5 Floyd 9 Barrett 2 Jones 8 Izzy 6 Lilly 1

Steve Stone is very annoying. I liked him when he worked with Harry. Since then? Not so much. Go away, "Stoney."

Two lefties the next 2 days so Derosa will certainly play. But yeah, beyond the glove, maybe Lou feels Izturis is ready to break out of his career slump. Afterall he is three for his last 12. :)

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • 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.