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 

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 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
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: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, 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

More Than a Very Minor Matter

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Not counting NRI RHP Mike Smith (who flunked his physical and got released the day the pitchers & catchers reported in February), the Cubs made their first roster cuts today, sending nine players to the minor league camp at Fitch Park.

Somewhere upwards of around 150 Cubs minor leaguers report to Fitch Park at the beginning of March each year, as the "big league" club moves a half-mile up Center Street to HoHoKam Park and begins Cactus League play.

The minor leaguers at Fitch Park are divided up into five groups (or squads) that correspond to the Cubs minor league clubs at Iowa, Tennessee, Daytona, and Peoria, plus the short-season clubs (Boise/Mesa combined) which is also the Extended Spring Training (EXST) team and Daytona/Peoria replacement cadre that is based at Fitch Park during April-May.

The minor league managers assigned to each club during the season command the corresponding "group" at Minor League Camp (so Pat Listach is in charge of the AAA group, Buddy Bailey is in charge of the AA group, Jody Davis is in charge of the Daytona group, Ryne Sandberg is in charge of the Peoria group, and Tom Beyers and Franklin Font are jointly in charge of the Boise/Mesa group).

Thus there are five squads (groups) of Cubs minor leaguers at Fitch Park right now, but there are only 4-1/2 fields (the 5th is a "half-field" infield-only that is limited to Pitchers Fielding Practice, and bunting and base-running drills), so horns are sounding and the players are constantly running from field-to-field for the next drill, sort of like a Chinese Fire... well, you get the drift. 

With most of what will eventually be the Iowa Cubs initially in "big league" camp with Lou Piniella's Chicago Cubs, the Minor League Camp rosters are very-much subject to change, and the players know it.

Many of the players who are initially assigned to the Iowa (AAA) group at the beginning of Minor League Camp will get demoted one level or even possibly released as the players cut from big league camp begin to trickle down Center Street to Fitch Park from HoHoKam.

And as players are demoted from "big league" camp to AAA, and some of the players initially assigned to AAA get demoted to AA, some of the players who were initially assigned to AA get demoted to Daytona, some who were initially assigned to Daytona get demoted to Peoria, and so forth down the line. It runs downhill.

There are only 24 regular season roster slots available at Iowa and Tennessee, and only 25 at Daytona and Peoria, so the competition for jobs at Minor League Camp is intense.

And so you can expect to see maybe as many as a dozen or more players who are presently at Minor League Camp at Fitch Park get released at the end of Spring Training (or EXST), in many cases just because there is simply no room for them on any of the Cubs minor league regular season rosters. A player can do OK, but still get caught by a number's game at the end and get cut.

Here are the CUBS MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ROSTERS (all five groups) as of today (and SUBJECT TO CHANGE!):

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS

IOWA:
Mitch Atkins
Matt Avery
Cory Bailey
Justin Berg
* Derrick Ellison
Jesse Estrada
Jim Henderson (limited physical activity - unknown-type injury)
Mark Holliman
Grant Johnson
* Geoffrey Jones (just got sent down today)
* Scott Koerber
* Tim Layden
* J. R. Mathes
Ryan Meyers
* Ryan O’Malley
Billy Petrick (just got sent down today)
Rocky Roquet
* Chris Shaver (had shoulder surgery last June)

TENNESSEE:
Todd Blackford (had TJ surgery last June)
Esmailin Caridad (just got sent down today)
Jose Ceda (just got sent down today)
Michael Cooper (had labrum surgery last May)
* Darin Downs
* Casey Lambert
Alessandro Maestri
Billy Muldowney (had TJ surgery last August)
* Jeremy Papelbon
Mike Phelps
Gregory Reinhard
* Jayson Ruhlman
Joel Santo
* Chris Siegfried
* Donald Veal
Tanner Watson

DAYTONA:
Alberto Alburquerque
* Zach Ashwood
Miguel Cuevas
Rafael Dolis (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Marcus Hatley
* Arik Hempy
Robert Hernandez
Yuri Higgins
Jordan Latham
Matt Maradeo
* Mark Pawelek
Jose Pina (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
* James Russell
Audy Santana (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Stephen Vento

PEORIA:
Ryan Acosta
* Michael Bunton
Alberto Cabrera
Chris Huseby
Simon Lee
Andrew McCormick
Jon Mueller (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
John Muller
Blake Parker
Cedric Redmond
Dae-Eun Rhee
Chris Rivera
* Dustin Sasser
Harol Tolentino

BOISE/MESA:
Francisco Acosta
* Jeffry Antigua
Rogelino Carmona
Eduardo Figueroa
Yohan Gonzalez
Kevin Kreier
Scott Meyer
Craig Muschko
* Taylor Parker (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Hernan Ramos
Carlos E. Rojas
Ryan Searle
Jose Severino
Larry Suarez

=======================

CATCHERS

IOWA:
Jake Muyco
Tony Richie
* Alan Rick

TENNESSEE:
Matt Canepa
* Steve Clevenger
* Mark Reed

DAYTONA:
Welington Castillo (just got sent down today)
* Matt Hudgins
* Blake Lalli

PEORIA:
Josh Donaldson (just got sent down today)
Carlos Perez
Roberto Sabates

BOISE/MESA:
Carlos Guevara
* Alvaro Sosa

=====================

INFIELDERS

IOWA:
# Matt Craig (1B)
* Kyle Reynolds (3B)
Robinson Chirinos (2B)
Carlos R. Rojas (SS)
# Bobby Scales (3B-2B) - just got sent down today
Joe Simokaitis (SS)
* Nate Spears (2B)

TENNESSEE:
Brian Dopirak (1B)
Josh Lansford (3B)
* Ryne Malone (2B)
# Matt Matulia (SS)
Jonathan Mota (SS)
* Jeffrey Rea (2B)

DAYTONA:
Darwin Barney (SS)
Russ Canzler (1B)
* Dylan Johnston (2B-SS)
# Nathan Samson (2B-SS)
Marquez Smith (3B)
Tony Thomas (2B)

PEORIA:
# Marwin Gonzalez (SS)
Gian Guzman (SS)
# Jose Made (2B)
Jovan Rosa (3B)
* Drew Rundle (1B-OF)
Josh Vitters (3B)

BOISE/MESA:
Starlin Castro (SS)
John Contreras (3B)
# Dwayne Kemp (2B) - speaks Dutch, communicates mainly by sign-language
* Bryan Jost (1B) - limited physical activity - knee surgery rehab
Junior Lake (SS)
Elvis Lara (2B)

=======================

OUTFIELDERS

IOWA:
* Matt Camp
* Corey Coles
# Min-Kyu Sung
# Andres Torres (just got sent down today)
# Chris Walker

TENNESSEE
* James Adduci
Yusuf Carter
* Tyler Colvin (just got sent down today)
Ryan Harvey
* Jonathan Wyatt

DAYTONA:
* Kyler Burke
* Leon Johnson
* Brian Leclerc
Ty Wright

PEORIA:
* Cliff Andersen
Brandon Guyer
* Clark Hardman
Jesus Reyes (limited physical activity – injury rehab)

BOISE/MESA:
* Nelson Perez
# Andres Quezada
Kevin Soto
* Luke Sommer

====================

THE "MILK CARTON GANG"

I have not seen the following players on the field at Fitch Park so far. Each was listed as a minor league player in the Cubs organization as of 2-5-08. 

Possible reasons for absence:

1. Player is injured to the extent that he is not able to participate even in a limited form, or

2. Player could have failed to report to camp, or

3. Could have reported but failed his physical and got released, or

4. The player could have retired, or

5. Maybe the player received permission from the Cubs to report to camp late due to a visa problem, or because the player is attending college, or ???

WHEREBOUTS...  UNKNOWN (to me, anyway):
Luis Bautista, C-1B
Marco Carrillo, RHP
Hung-Wen Chen, RHP
Rafael Cova, RHP
* Jeff Culpepper, OF
Dumas Garcia, RHP
Kitt Kopach, RHP
Oswaldo Martinez, RHP
Marcos Mateo, RHP
Mario Mercedes, C
* Billy Mottram, 3B
Chris Robinson, C
Issmael Salas, INF
* Marc Sawyer, 1B
Chi-Hsiang Wen, OF

There are two other players who are listed as "active" in the Cubs minor league system as of 2/5/08, but both are (unfortunately) in reality functioning as de facto Spring Training assistant instructors.

Danny Fatheree was Kerry Wood's catcher in HS, and he spent several seasons in the Astros organization but never got out of AA. Danny was signed to a minor league contract by the Cubs this past off-season (possibly at the suggestion or request of KW?) after missing most of the past three seasons with a life-threatening illness that killed two of his uncles. He must weigh well in excess of 300 pounds, and although he was signed as a player, he mainly just throws BP for Peoria--all while wearing his catcher's mitt!

RHP Leo Perez (a converted SS) is another player who has been injured the past couple of years, and he is unable to throw a ball more than about ten yards. So he is working as an "assistant coach," hitting ground balls to the kids in the Boise/Mesa group.

.

Tags
Spring Training
Cubs Minor League Rosters

Comments

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 03:05 pm

Re: More Than a Very Minor Matter

Submitted by Rich on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 8:38pm.

Great post Phil...loved the part about the Dutch guy! Is Jeremy Papelbon any relation to the Boston Pitcher?

=====================================

RICH: Jeremy is Jonathan's younger brother. The Cubs used Papelbon mainly as a lefty reliever his first two seasons in the organization, but word is he will be moved to the starting rotation full-time in 2008.

Dwayne Kemp (Netherlands) is the second player the Cubs have signed out of the MLB European Baseball Academy in Italy. The first was RHP Alessandro Maestri (who pitched for Team Italy in the WBC a couple of years ago), and he is progressing nicely through the Cubs system as a right-handed reliever/set-up man.

The Cubs have tried very hard to get more "international" players in their system over the past couple of years, hiring former Cubs LHP Steve Wilson to be their Pacific Rim Scouting Coordinator (Wilson is married to a Taiwanese woman and lives in Taiwan), and signing players out of Australia (RHP Ryan Searle), South Korea '(RHPs Simon Lee and Dae-Eun Rhee and OF Min Kyu Sung), Taiwan (RHP Hung-Wen Chen and OFs Chi Hsiang Wen and Hae-Siang Kook), and Japan (OF Kosuke Fukudome and RHP Shingo Takatsu), besides the two players signed out of Europe (Kemp and Maestri).

The Cubs have also established a second team in the Dominican Summer League (DSL Cubs #2) that will begin play in 2008.

When and if it becomes possible to sign players out of China (probably not until after the Beijing Olympics), expect the Cubs to be at the front of that line. Two players from the Chinese National team (RF Qi Ze and catcher Huo Guo-chen) spent a month at Cubs EXST at Fitch Park last April, and the Cubs have a good relationship with Team China Head Coach Jim Lefebvre and Pitching Coach Bruce Hurst.  

[ ]

Submitted by Rich on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 03:21 pm

Thank you for the additional info. I was looking up Papelbon's minor league numbers and they looked pretty good. Nice strikeout to walk ratio. Are the Cubs pretty high on this kid? I wonder if they will give him the same fast track to the Majors that his brother got? It's great news about the investment in international scouting. Let's hope they continue that trend (nobody tell Zell that it costs money!)

Submitted by Chifan on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 03:11 pm

AZ Phil, Why did the front office flip of Listach and Bailey? It seemed both did a respectable at their respective levels last year.

[ ]

Submitted by navigator on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 03:56 pm

Well, I think it's a good idea. Wrigley has done well that last five years. The stock is at $58, up from $42, with a market cap of $16 billion. The Trib, on the other hand, is at $33 with a market cap of $3.9 bil, down from $51 five years ago. So, it looks like Wrigley sure can afford to buy the naming rights and if they were smart they would. Like you said, the earned media coverage they would get alone would be worth the price, they would be buying the best part of this (loser) franchise with none of the overhead usually involved, and they would cement themselves as eternally beloved Chicago good-guys.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 03:59 am

Re: More Than a Very Minor Matter

Submitted by Chifan on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 11:11pm.

AZ Phil, Why did the front office flip of Listach and Bailey? It seemed both did a respectable at their respective levels last year.

===================================

CHI FAN: I suspect it had something to do with Pat Listach's not-too-secret ambition to be a major league manager, and managing in AAA would help his resume. He already has had an opportunity to manage in the AFL, and that will help his cause, too.

Although Buddy Bailey is a good minor league player development guy, and even though he did a fine job at AAA Iowa last season, I doubt very much that he has any aspirations to be a big league manager. He's past 50 and seems to have settled into life as a career minor league manager. He'll probably get back to AAA again eventually if he wants that, or maybe he'll become a scout, or maybe he'll go back to being a roving minor league catching instructor.

Submitted by Alex Dimm on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 03:16 am

Arizona Phil -- Very insightful! There are a number of other players who appeared in the Cub minors last year who aren't mentioned. Are these players missing as well? Pitchers: Corey Bachman, Michael Bartek, Oscar Bernard, Julio Castillo, Michael Christi, Brad Clipp, Rafael Cova, Junniol Lami, Jose Pena, Charlie Platt, Paul Schappert, Brandon Taylor, Scott Taylor, Donnie Walters, Matt Weber Infielders: Patrick Brooks, Alberto Garcia, Bill Moss, Derek Schermerhorn, Jemel Spearman, Cesar Valentine Outfielders: Alfred Joseph, Andrew Lopez

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 03:02 am

Minor Matter

Submitted by Alex Dimm on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 7:16am.

Arizona Phil -- Very insightful! There are a number of other players who appeared in the Cub minors last year who aren't mentioned. Are these players missing as well?

Pitchers: Corey Bachman, Michael Bartek, Oscar Bernard, Julio Castillo, Michael Christi, Brad Clipp, Rafael Cova, Junniol Lami, Jose Pena, Charlie Platt, Paul Schappert, Brandon Taylor, Scott Taylor, Donnie Walters, Matt Weber

Infielders: Patrick Brooks, Alberto Garcia, Bill Moss, Derek Schermerhorn, Jemel Spearman, Cesar Valentine Outfielders: Alfred Joseph, Andrew Lopez

=========================

ALEX: All of the players on your list were released during the off-season except Cova (see "Milk Carton" list), Castillo, Lami, and Pena (assigned to Cubs Dominican Academy), Weber (retired and is playing college basketball), and Scott Taylor (50-day prohibited substance suspension, will be eligible to return to Active List on May 20th).

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 03:29 am

Re: More Than a Very Minor Matter

Submitted by George Altman on Sat, 03/08/2008 - 2:03am.

AZ Phil, I thought I read where O'Malley had signed with a team in the Northern or Frontier league?

 __________________________

 

GEORGE: Ryan O'Malley is definitely at Cubs Minor League Camp with the AAA Group (or at least he was as of yesterday!). He signed with the Schaumburg Flyers (Northern League) during the off-season, but apparently he's back with the Cubs now.

O'Malley WAS a minor league FA after last season, and he was NOT on a Cubs minor league roster as of 2/5/08, so he apparently signed a minor league contract with the Cubs sometime in the last month. If he gets released prior to the start of the season (which is quite possible), he'll probably have no trouble re-signing with the Flyers. But for now, he's with the Cubs.

Besides O'Malley, the Cubs signed LHP Derrick Ellison (Joliet - Northern League) and RHP Tanner Watson (Rockford - Frontier League) during the off-season. Ellison is presently assigned to the AAA group, and Watson is assigned to the AA group.

As is the case with all itinerant minor league FA pitchers, O'Malley, Ellison, and Watson are at a distinct disadvantage when competing with pitchers who are Cubs organizational guys. 

Submitted by Raisin101 on Mon, 03/10/2008 - 03:13 pm

AZ Phil, I hope you see this. I was wondering what goes on at intrasquads at Fitch. Will the various squads just face each other on those days? I will be at Fitch on what appears to be one of those intrasquad days next Monday and was just curious.

Recent comments

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18.  We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
    But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
    I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
    Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
    I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
    Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
    With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

    My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
    It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
    I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
    We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
    But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.

    If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.

    Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

    Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose  that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.

    Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    That’s just kinda how it works though, for every team. No team plays their best guys all the time. No team is comprising of their best 26 even removing injuries.

    When baseball became a business, like REALLY a business, it became important to keep some of the vets happy, which in turn keeps agents happy and keeps the team with a good reputation among players and agents. No one wants to play for a team that has a bad reputation in the same way no one wants to work for a company that has a bad rep.

    Don’t get me wrong, I hate it too. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

    On that topic, I find it silly the Cubs brought up Canario to sit as much as he has. He’s going to get Velazquez’d, and it’s a shame.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Of course, McKinstry runs circles around $25 million man Javier Baez on that Tigers team. Guess who gets more playing time?

    But I digress…

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Seems like Jed was trying to corner the market on mediocre infielders with last names starting with "M" in acquiring Madrigal, Mastroboney and Zach McKinstry.  

     

    At least he hasn't given any of them a Bote-esque extension.  

  • Childersb3 (view)

    AZ Phil:
    Rookie ball (ACL) starts on May 4th. Do yo think Ramon and Rosario (maybe Delgado) stay in Mesa for the month of May, then go to MB if all goes "solid"?
     

  • crunch (view)

    masterboney is a luxury on a team that has multiple, capable options for 2nd, SS, and 3rd without him around.  i don't hate the guy, but if madrigal is sticking around then masterboney is expendable.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I THINK I agree with that decision. They committed to Wicks as a starter and, while he hasn’t been stellar I don’t think he’s been bad enough to undo that commitment.

    That said, Wesneski’s performance last night dictates he be the next righty up.

    Quite the dilemma. They have many good options, particularly in relief, but not many great ones. And complicating the situation is that the pitchers being paid the most are by and large performing the worst - or in Taillon’s case, at least to this point, not at all.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Wesneski and Mastrobuoni to Iowa

    Taillon and Wisdom up

    Wesneski can't pitch for a couple of days after the 4 IP from last night. But Jed picked Wicks over Wesneski.

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