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

Game 97 Thread / D’Backs @ Cubs (3 of 3)

Game Chat Yusmeiro Petit vs. Sean Marshall Lineups:
Young CF Soriano LF
Hudson 2B Theriot SS
Byrnes RF Fontenot 2B
Jacskson 1B Ramirez 3B
Reynolds 3B Floyd RF
Hairston LF DeRosa 1B
Drew SS Jones CF
Snyder C Kendall C
Petit P Marshall P

Comments

ARE the Cards Out of it? 8.5 Games back... 6 games under .500 Somehow, I NEVER feel that they're out of it, personally. Let's get this series and go 4-1 sans DLEE!

I am anxious to see this kid, Petit. A friend of mine in Phoenix, that sees a lot of games, thinks he is going to be a great pitcher. Just so he does not begin his greatness today

Cards have quite a few injuries and issues to deal with. Losing Carpenter now for the rest of the season and part of 2008 has certainly them quite a bit.

Fontenot! I really like watching him swing the bat. He goes the other way and generally seems to hit the ball hard.

Chicago Cubs bats silent today, Iowa Cubs, not so much. Felix Pie with his 6th HR in 54 ABs since returning to Iowa. Josh Kroeger with his 7th HR in 106 AB since being called up to Iowa. Jacque Jones (popular again this week) is playing center for the parent team and has 2 HR in 245 at bats. Floyd, who is eking out a decent BA while being unmistakably over the hill, has 4 HR in 171 Abs. Pie has as many HRs this month as Jones and Floyd combined all year. Off day tomorrow, but not for Hendry.

so uh...how's cedeno doing and when should we send down underperforming theriot/fontenot to make room for that pimp? pie can hit guys without good breaking stuff...so can cedeno...good for them. now they need to make that next step.

Here's an oddity. The Cubs have been involved in three beanball incidents this season. All three stemmed from Friday games in which Soriano or Ramirez did something that could be construed as hot-dogging. The first incident was June 8 in Atlanta when, with a 9-0 lead (largely based on his three HRs), Soriano was out trying to stretch a single into a double. The second was June 15, at home against San Diego, when Soriano did his little backward trot leaving the plate on a HR. The third was last Friday when Ramirez struck a pose after hitting a bomb. In all three cases a Cub was thrown at, at chin level, early Saturday and the Cubs lost both weekend games. All three times, the "offending" Cub had just done something that wasn't game-changing. The Cubs already had the lead.

crunch, we're not really getting anything out center and right. Do we really have to cling to this crummy pennant race with our fingernails? Why don't we keep trying to build a decent team. You build with youth. Young players are the future. Jones and Floyd have no future, won't even be playing next year.

VaPhil, Are you advocating that we give up on this season in order to give young guys their shot?

jones and floyd might not have a future, but floyd at least has a present. pie's a very young kid who's not polished. i just dont see him as a big contributor compared to what's here. what we've actually seen outta pie so far...well, he's not even making jones look bad which isnt good. im really stoked about pie. a guy who can swing as quickly/strongly as he does should do good things eventually. with his speed he'll be a bench option at worst for years to come, but no one's really close to thinking about that right now. how hard/easily he swings a bat just cant be ignored especially since with the aging of his learned skills he should be able to better apply his natural skills. doubt he'll ever walk 100 times unintentionally and he'll K a lot. once his power stroke firmly develops it should be easier to overlook, though.

as much fun as pie is/was...the guy's only had 1 good week in the bigs surrounded by a lot of crap.

yow...outside of that 1 good week of play he only had 2 other multiple hit games from before or after that early outburst...both late april games.

Chad, going with youth is not giving up. Have the Dbacks given up? Did the Marlins give up last year? I'll be honest, though, I don't think this is our year. You win with a five-year plan, where you try to put the building blocks in place for a good five-year run where you hope to get lucky and win once or twice. I don't think our building blocks are in place. One of them is certainly in Iowa.

Let's clarify: Having Pie and Ronnie start almost every day on the big club, is that the best team we can put out there? This year. Is that likely to increase our chances of winning this year? If you say yes, then fine. Bring them up. But if you say no, that you are purposly weakening this team in order to streghthen it next year, then no. I'm sorry to say but your attitude is a losers attitude. In baseball you play for the year. We are 3.5 games back. If you can make the playoffs, you go for it. Once again, if you think that Pie and Cedeno give us the best chance to win everyday, that's another conversation.

VA Phil, I really think you'll get a lot farther with your argument if you'd stop comparing Pie's AAA numbers to anyone else's MLB numbers. Its makes apples and oranges look like a fair comparison. Its great that Pie is tearing up AAA, but its exactly what he should be doing. There is a big big difference between AAA pitching and MLB pitching, and the difference is as clear as looking at Pies MLB numbers and comparing them to the number's he has put up in AAA this year.

Chad, before the Cubs brought up Fontenot, I said that you bring him up, and if he shows he can play, then he's worth something in an offseason trade. Next year you can give his job to Patterson (assuiming that's the plan). They brought him up, he showed he can play, and his trade value went up about ten times. That's how, as a GM, you build up the "net worth" of your team. If you trade a young player, it should only be something you have duplicates of, like Fontenot/Patterson. I think Theriot has shown he play short at this level, so his value has grown significantly. Now the Cubs need to do the same thing with Cedeno. After both players have established themselves, they can trade one of them. When have the Cubs ever had two good young players at the same position? That's something the Braves do, not the Cubs. That's what I'd like to see. Build a team for the long term according to a plan. Last week the Cubs traded a guy who was (trust me, even if you never heard of him before) their best lefty reliever. Then Ohman has a bad week, and people say, who can we get to throw lefty in the bullpen? You just traded that guy! Only trade young guys if you have duplicates. That's why you have to keep cultivating young players, keep giving them a shot.

3 1/2 back I think the way to go is a pickup. How many times do you want to lose in the second half because the kids had an off day. I like Pie as a bench guy for his defense and speed, not to mention his effect on Soriano, but he needs to start everyday to improve. MIL just lost their ace, why not roll the dice on someone who wouldn't bankrupt your farm system, like Lofton, Reggie Sanders, hell, maybe really gamble, a guy like Joey Gathright (315/390/370 in KC this year) to play CF. I think Pie needs seasoning in AAA, and Cedeno's not really an upgrade over Theriot

Pie has as many HRs this month as Jones and Floyd combined all year. I forget... what did Pie do in the big leagues?

VaPhil, You ignored my question. I asked you if playing Pie would give the CUbs the best chance to win games THIS YEAR. Please answer that question.

VA Phil - that sounds like some cub fan thinking to me. While it would be a good idea if you're the Nationals or Reds, how can you not focus solely on winning this year? Would the Indians or Dodgers be trying to showcase guys to trade? The Yankees, who probably ARE done this season?

what did Pie do in the big leagues 1) He showed flashes of greatness. If you didn't see it, that's your problem. 2) He listened to too much advice. 3) He hit as many home runs as Jones has in a hundred more at bats.

He showed flashes of greatness. Greatness? He has one decent week.

Virginia Phil... there are very few baseball people that believe Pie will be "great." Is he a good prospect? Definitely. Is greatness expected from him? No way. Don't get me wrong - I like him. But he is not a better option than JJ right now if the Cubs want to win.

J.D. Durbin, he of the perpetual suitcase (has played with four teams this season) just threw a five-hit CG SH. Anything is possible.

Chad, I think playing Pie would give you the best chance of winning games this year. I think he got in a cycle where he hit well, slumped, hit well, slumped, and the slumps coincided with his callups. I also think he got bad advice about shortening his swing. He obviously is swinging "bigger" this month than he was in June. But I don't think you're asking the right question. You play him because he's the future. I'm probably old enough to be your father. I'll never understand what you young guys see in these twilight-of-their-career players. Moises Alou--you loved him on the Cubs, right? I don't get it.

See Phil you are 100% wrong!!!! When you do are 3.5 games out in late July you play for that season. You DO NOT play for the future. You're like my dad, you're afraid of the Cubs winning. So you can't take a stretch run where we may not make it. But for you if you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, it keeps you going. I got news for you, there is no future. It doesn't exist. YOu have no idea where this team will be next year. YOu have know I idea if we'll ever be this close to first place after April 1st again. You have a chance you take it. You are so whack! Stop looking at next year. Next year never comes. It's been that way for 100 years. You know what lets get in that Way Back Machine all the way back to 1984. You probably wouldn't have traded Joe Carter and Mel Hall for Rick Sutcliffe. You would have been all, Carter and Hall are our future. Why are we playing these old guys like Gary Matthews and Ron Cey!?!?!?! We should be building for the future!

Alou provided one below average year, 1 decent year, and 1 excellent year. Not much to complain about there. 2003 .275 15HR 61 RBI 2004 .275 22HR 91RBI 2005 .280 39HR 106RBI

Chad, you have the advantage. You understand me and I don't understand you. I hated the Carter trade and I hate it today. I've written about it a couple of times on TCR. A five-tool guy. 392 home runs and not one with the Cubs. And I didn't have much use for Matthews and Cey. I feel about those division-winning years the way I feel about the years when the Bulls went to the playoffs and got spanked by Boston and Detroit.

Ok...Moises Alou had a really good 2003 and 2004. He is a much better player than Jacque Effing Jones, or Cliff "Oops, I fell down" Floyd. Jacque had 2 good games in a row, Thursday anf Friday, making him 11/34 with 6 RBI's in his last 10 games.(before today's 0/3) Without that 4 for 5, he is 7/29, or .241 over that span. He is still not hitting for power, or even doubles. Cliff is an adventure in RF, and on the basepaths. His 3 K's today were not so good. Jones and Floyd aren't helping much either.

See Phil, the 1984 Cubs could have won the series. Caught some bad breaks, didn't happen. But playing winning baseabll year in and year out without winning a World Series does nothing for me. Nothing. I don't want to be the Braves. Hell, I'd rather be the Marlins. 15 straight post sesons and 1 world series to speak of? The Marlins have been in the playoffs, what, twice and have 2 World Series. In the end all you will remember is the Championships. Look at the Bears. The current Bears look like they will be successful for the next five years. But if they don't win a Super Bowl? Who cares? You got to play for the season cause you never know what will happen next year. And if you went back to 1984 and told Dallas Green him what Joe Carters stats would be in the future, he'd still make that trade. He just would have made Frey walk Steve Garvey.

"Chad, you have the advantage. You understand me and I don’t understand you." Comment of the day.

"I think he got in a cycle where he hit well, slumped, hit well, slumped, and the slumps coincided with his callups" actually, he literally had 1 great week and little in between. he only had 2 other games where he had more than 1 hit before or after that week in early june...both were before june. he had a couple games where he walked twice and 1 other game where he walked once and had a hit. take away his 1 good week (june 3rd callup through june 8th) and you're not even working working with a .600 OPS player.

oops...june 9th he walked twice, too...it was the last day of his streak-week before he went into his last heavy slump before getting shipped down a month later.

"You got to play for the season cause you never know what will happen next year." That's really the heart of the matter, isn't it? For all of us long - suffering Cubs fans, we either trade away future All - Stars or acquire aging veterans looking for one last hurrah. But even Bill James made a relevant point about trading potential stars from your farm system for short - term veteran solutions; sometimes you have to do it, because that's why you build your farm system up in the first place. Getting clubs to trade their veterans for your prospects is part of the formula for long - term success, is it not?

Wow, I can't believe all the JJ love on here now! I'd rather have Pie out there just for his defense myself. It's kind of the same way I felt about trading Barrett, give me a guy who can be a asset defensively. Pitching and defense wins championships, at least that's what they always say. Jones has got to have one of the worst arms in baseball.....my 9 year old son literally throws the ball farther in the air than Jones does.

It's sad that Pie's slumps coincided with his callups. Let's see, what else coincided with his slumps? Oh, that's right, he was hitting against major league pitching instead of PCL pitching. The PCL - where Cedeno's batting .365 and Soto's batting nearly .340. Darn the luck.

Wow, I can’t believe all the JJ love on here now! I’d rather have Pie out there just for his defense myself. JJ - CF defensive stats: RF: 2.82 ZR: .914 RZR: .913 OOZ: 14 Defensive WS: 2.2 RFg: 2.39 RF9: 2.82 Pie - CF defensive stats: RF: 2.77 ZR: .939 RZR: .944 OOZ: 11 Defensive WS: 2.0 RFg: 2.09 RF9: 2.77 The two are not that far apart. If you talk to any baseball guy, they will tell you that JJ has good range and plays solid defense. He has an obvious weakness in his arm, but Jones does more than admirable in CF.

And no... I am not saying that Jones is as good as Pie defensively. But I am saying that there is not a huge drop off (if any) in terms or range. The only difference you see is in their arms, which is reality has a minimal impact on a game.

FWIW, i have no JJ love. If Pie will outplay JJ then start him. But I don't want Pie to play just cause he's the future. We can win this NOW!

Rosenthal's lastest column: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7050210?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49 The Cubs related news in it is that KW would trade us Dye, but he wants an "elite" prospect for him in any deal with any club for him. Is any team going to give anyone more "elite" than Ronny Cedeno for him? Rosenthal also mentions that Melvin will wait to see how Gallardo pitches before making any deals for pitching. BTW, Dye's post All-star stats are: 289/357/658/1.015. I'd be fine with Cedeno and Cherry for him. KW can have E-pat and Gallagher also if he throws in Garland.

AA Tulsa Drillers (Colorado Rockies) hitting coach Mike Coolbaugh has died after being struck by a line drive while coaching 1st base in a Texas League game in Little Rock, AR, Sunday night. He was 35. With the Drillers trailing 7-3 in the top of the 9th, Matt Miller led-off with a single, before Tulsa DH Tino Sanchez lined the fatal foul ball down the 1st base line, striking Coolbaugh in the head. The game was suspended. Coolbaugh, the younger brother of ex-TEX 3B Scott Coolbaugh, had a lengthy minor league career (12 seasons), before finally getting a shot in MLB with MIL in 2001 and STL in 2002. He joined the Drillers coaching staff on July 3rd.

Henry Blanco has played two games so far in his minor league rehab at Peoria (one at C and one at DH), going 2-4 with a BB, with two RBI, one R, and one K. Kerry Wood has left Mesa and will reportedly be relocating his rehab to Peoria on Tuesday, where he will likely throw one inning each in the Chiefs games on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights, and then be re-evaluated. In his four games with AZL Mesa, KW went 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, and 5 K, with a 1.25 WHIP, and with his fastball topping out at 95 MPH. Also, LHP Neal Cotts (hamstring) has been reactivated from the Iowa Cubs DL and is working out of the I-Cubs bullpen.

E-Pat/Gallagher for Garland? that's crazy talk. Garland's had one full season where his ERA was substantially better than the league average. He's basically Jason Marquis imo. Low k's, okay walk totals, lots of innings.He's a little better than Marquis but just barely.

Iowa OF Matt Murton extended his hitting streak to 11 games (and 17 out of 18 games) Sunday, In his last 11 games, Murton has gone: 19-45 (.422) 4 2B 3 HR 8 RBI 4 BB 5 K And in his last 18 games: 27-65 (.415) 7 2B 1 3B 4 HR 13 RBI 7 BB 8 K Felix Pie in his last ten games at Iowa: 17-44 (.386) 6 HR (including grand slam on Sunday) 11 RBI At least the fellas aren't hanging their heads after getting sent down. I-Cubs manager Buddy Bailey might have something to do with that.

My primary concern with the Cubs right now is replacing Daryle Ward's bat off the bench. Not having a left-handed bat with pop available at a key moment in the late innings is a big loss. The best LHPH available right now would probably be Matt Stairs (TOR) and Mark Sweeney (SF) Matt Stairs (24 PA as PH in 2007): 278/458/556 (1.014 OPS) Mark Sweeney (50 PA as PH in 2007) 250/388/500 (888 OPS) I'm sure the Cubs have the minor league depth at AAA needed to acquire either one of the two. And then D. Ward could be brought along more slowly and could remain on the DL until September 1st (when rosters expand), making both Ward AND Stairs/Sweeney available for the post-season roster when most clubs go with 11 pitchers and an extra bat on the bench. Let the Cubs get Stairs or Sweeney, and I'll be happy.

And while they're at it, the Cubs might as well go after the best-available RHPH, too. That would probably be Jeff Conine (CIN) Jeff Conine (23 PA as a PH in 2007) 389/478/444 (922 OPS) I remember fondly the '84 Cubs, when they had Thad Bosley, Richie Hebner, Jay Johnstone, Davey Lopes, and Ron Hassey coming off the bench. There is nothing like one or two (or three) MLB-proven PHs to give a club some life (and its fans a reason to be optimistic) in the late innings of a close game. What Stairs, Sweeney, and Conine have in common is an ability to hit "cold" off the bench, and the knack to draw walks and not strike out when they are used as a PH. They also are MUCH better hitters as pinch-hitters than when they start a game.

Scott Eyre thru June 1st: 19 G 18.1 IP 32 H 16 R (16 ER) 14 BB 19 K 3 HR 7.86 ERA 2.51 WHIP .368 OppBA Scott Eyre since June 1st: 10 G 13.1 IP 12 H 6 R (6 ER) 9 BB 9 K 0 HR 4.05 ERA 1.57 WHIP .231 OppBA Last ten games maybe not great, but at least an improvement...

Awful to hear about Coolbaugh, RIP. Great news on W. Phil, who would be shipped if one of them are acquired? Fox?

Nostalgia is dangerous. The Cubs haven't been good since the '40's. If they had been, I would have noticed. Trading prospects for veteran riff-raff is the beginning of choking.

Trading prospects for veteran riff-raff is the beginning of choking. Possibly, but playing prospects because of their future instead of trying to win now can also be dangerous. The Cubs have the tool right now to get to the playoffs, especially if one or two pieces are added. And as the Cardinals have proven, anything can happen once a team gets to the playoffs. Virginia Phil... You act like the Cubs are not playing any young guys. Theriot, Fontenot, Hill, and Marshall are all getting substantial playing time and will continue to do so. Pagan will probably continue getting playing time as a role player. But he can be pretty easily be replaced if it means getting a good right fielder. The Cubs have been very willing to give young players a chance this year. Some have show they are ready, and others (Pie) are not quite there yet.

I agree with Dave..........you don't want to fall in love with the 'potential' of your minor league prospects when you're in the middle of pennant race. AND, guess what Cub Fans? We're in the middle of a pennant race. Every move by our GM and Mgr should be, 'how can we improve the club TODAY so we make the playoffs'? and 'Once we get to the playoffs, do we have the best possible roster to win the pennant and World Series?" NOT, we've got these really good, potential prospects who are the future of the Cubs. We all love Pie (well, most of us) and all think Gallagher and E. Pat, et al are potential contributors. But AZ Phil has it right...........get a Matt Stairs and Jeff Connine TODAY and that just might take us to the World Series because we KNOW what those guys do against ML pitchers. You can't say that about the Pie's and Rapada's of the world.

dave, I agree with everything you say in #61. I just want Hendry to keep doing what he's been doing, keep building infrastructure, keep cultivating young players and unloading nonperforming veterans. I'm anticipating a good last week in July from Hendry. But this nostalgia gives me the creeps. AZ Phil mentions Richie Hebner. Hebner had a long career with the Pirates and he was an all-time Cub killer. So when he gets old and his teeth fall out, we get him. I'm supposed to be nostalgic about Hebner? This is a recurring pattern with the Cubs and their fans, like welcoming Maddux back with open arms. He'll be wearing a Braves hat in the hall of fame. His tenure with the Cubs was a footnote. If you're a Cub fan, unless you remember Andy Pafko, there were no good old days.

WPZ — July 23, 2007 @ 5:43 am Awful to hear about Coolbaugh, RIP. Great news on W. Phil, who would be shipped if one of them are acquired? Fox? ============================ WPZ: Since a left-handed bat like Matt Stairs or Mark Sweeney would replace Scott Moore on the 25-man roster, and a right-handed bat like Conine would replace Jake Fox, either Moore or Fox could be a trading chip in that type of deal. Likewise Buck Coats, Geovany Soto, Sam Fuld, Joe Simokaitis, Kyle Reynolds, Brian Dopirak, and Ryan Harvey, as well as any of the Cubs decent second-level pitching prospects like RHSPs Juan Mateo, Kevin Hart, Jesse Estrada, and Joel Santo, LHSPs Neal Cotts and J. R,. Mathes, RHRPs Rocky Cherry, Matt Avery, Rocky Roquet, and Grant Johnson, and LHRPs Clay Rapada and Carmen Pignatiello. These are not the types of deals you would make in the off-season, but when you smell the post-season and identify a particular need, you overpay, as long as you don't trade somebody you identify as a likely future starter. Getting a veteran MLB player who has proven can hit "cold" off the bench (and in fact hits BETTER off the bench) can mean the difference between getting into the post-season and not getting in, and once your're in, they can help get you to the World Series, and then help you win the World Series.

VIRGINIA PHIL -- "Trading prospects for veteran riff-raff is the beginning of choking." Let's use a more recent example of how trading prospects for veterans for a stretch run is a good idea when a team is in a win-now mode (which the Cubs are): Pirates trade Kenny Lofton and Aramis Ramirez Cubs trade Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback Bobby Hill was long thought to be the Cubs second-baseman and leadoff man for the future. Bobby Hill was a highly regarded prospect. Jim Callis (who covers the Cubs system for Baseball America) wrote this about Hill in a chat before the 2003 season: "I think Bobby Hill will be the Cubs' leadoff man for a while" "I could see [Hill] becoming [an] all-star" So we traded one of our top prospects, Bobby Hill, in a package that brought us Kenny Lofton. Kenny Lofton was a 36 year-old centerfielder whose best tool was speed -- a tool that does not age well and he was hitting a underwhelming .277/.333/.437 for the Pirates in 339 at-bats... I think it is safe to argue that Lofton was one of the biggest reasons for the Cubs success after that July 22nd trade. Lofton hit .327/.381/.471 for the Cubs with a 6.40 Runs Created per 27 outs figure. His 6.40 RC/27 was his highest number since his age 27 season with Cleveland back in 1994. Bobby Hill -- I do not have to make an argument here. Hill is a major bust. He never panned out. Tons of top prospects NEVER pan out. Why not trade young talent for established big-leauge hitters that can help a team with now-or-never mindset. The Cubs just spent a lot of money to bring in Soriano, Lilly, and Marquis. Zambrano might not be here next season. Guys could have bad years (look at the White Sox to see how that can happen). We have an opportunity to win now. We are in great position in the division and the wild card races. We have no idea about 2008. None. It is a no-brainer to look to add a guy like Matt Stairs or Jeff Conine and not even think twice about including a Ronny Cedeno in a deal.

AZ Phil brings up Jeff Conine. In an interesting turn of events, so does Will Carroll: "Several teams mention that the Cubs seem to be hanging around the periphery of most talks, trying to figure out ways to make the deals they want without taking on any money. One possibility that I heard was moving Jacque Jones and a prospect for Jeff Conine." http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6485

I hated Ronny Cedeno last year, but I know how to count a player's tools, and even the dumb ones, given the tools, learn how to play eventually. I always thought that Cedeno would be a solid major leaguer with his third team. But nobody grabbed him when his stock was at its lowest with the Cubs, and so he's still here. Now his stock has risen again. He has an upside. Don't trade a player who has an upside for a has-been. If you want to trade somebody, trade Theriot. Or trade Fontenot. They have some proven value. You'll get something for them, not just some old benchwarmers to add to the collection. If you're not sure that Cedeno and Patterson are suitable replacements for Theriot and Fontenot, then find out. The Braves knew exactly what they were trading when they let go of LaRoche. The Yankees could have traded Soriano before he made the All-Star team, but then they wouldn't have gotten A-Rod for him. I'm not saying don't make trades, but why trade question marks?

VIRGINIA PHIL — “Trading prospects for veteran riff-raff is the beginning of choking.” JUNIOR_Let’s use a more recent example of how trading prospects for veterans for a stretch run is a good idea when a team is in a win-now mode (which the Cubs are): Pirates trade Kenny Lofton and Aramis Ramirez Cubs trade Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback Lofton and ARam are/were not veteran riff-raff. They are/were a starting CF and 3B. That was horrible comparison. Can Connininniinnniinnne or Stairs play a decent RF? Can't we find a decent LH PH that can also play RF without looking like Grimace(Ward)?

Bobby Hill: In Hill's two years at Iowa, around 350 ABs each, he hit .280 and .288. I guess the PCL wasn't a hitter's league back then. Hill's BA was .289 in six minor-league seasons, .262 in four seasons in the majors. That's 27 BA points difference. That's exactly the formula I would use: about a 25-30 point drop in BA from the PCL to the NL. Someone hitting .350 at Iowa can afford to lose 25-30 BA points and still be a major leaguer. Scott Moore, whose .266 at Iowa was his high-water mark this year--usually he's at or below .250--cannot hit in the majors. Pie was a .250 hitter for half of last season at Iowa. He improved in the second half, especially toward the end. He has improved this year. He will continue to improve. But his numbers are misleading this year because he went through two slumps in Chicago, and they don't show up in his Iowa stats. Cedeno has 247 at bats now at Iowa this season, and pretty good numbers: 360/424/543, with 10 HRs.

Someone at Iowa should hit 350 for something resembling a full-season before we call him a 350 hitter. and I hate to break to this everyone, but Mike Fontenot's trade value has probable gone up about 2/10th's of 1 percent between the winter and now. No GM or scout is going to be fooled by a month-long hot streak in the majors.

Rob, you're being argumentative. I must bring that out in people. Fontenot has 43 hits in 130 at bats in 37 games. He's hitting .331. 71 games left, so let's say he ends the season with 250 more at bats. If he hits .260 the rest of the way, he'll end up 108 for 380, a BA of .284. Do you think Fontenot can hit .260 over the next two months? (I would say that Lou thinks he can.) A rookie second baseman hitting .284--his value will go up quite a bit over a guy who last winter was not expected to play in the majors.

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.