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

Me and Paul Sullivan Agree

Who knew that day would ever arrive? Way back when, the folks that run ESPN's SportsNation asked me to submit my choice for "The Face of the Franchise". The only stipulation being that it be a current member of the organization. This was back in May and might have gone with a different choice had Carlos Zambrano's extension been signed, but at the time being it seemed Derrek Lee was the obvious choice and my fellow TCR writers seemed to all agree. And so did Paul Sullivan. Ouch! You guys can read all about it over at ESPN.com and feel free to vote. Now pardon me, while I slice my wrists with a dull razor.

Comments

Geez....I didnt realize Kendal is the highest paid Cub... is that a true statement?

Here are some stats that may help you begin your thought process: Highest paid Cub: Jason Kendall ($13.42 million/year) Longest-tenured Cub: Kerry Wood (9th season) Best nicknames: Ryan Theriot (The Riot), Carlos Zambrano (Big Z)

I checked a Cards blog a few days ago, and they listed the (rainout) pitching matchup as "wells" against "big crazy z". :-)

How about this gem from Omar Vizquel in the postgame last night? "That happens when you're playing against a good team," Vizquel said. "The Cubs are probably the No. 1 or second-best team in the National League right now. When you're playing the No. 1 team, every little mistake, every little pitch counts." Really?

Haha... go read the Reds' section, specifically the comment from The Red Reporter. And the Pirates blogger chose... Jack Wilson? And none of the Yankee's people chose Jeter.

The entries from the bloggers seem far more entertaining than Neyer's or the beat writers to be honest. Loved the Reds one btw... Jon Weisman has a gem for Russell Martin and I like this one for the Giants: Asking what player is the face of the San Francisco Giants is like asking what Truman Capote book is most associated with Holcomb, Kan.: The answers is just a wee bit obvious -- and they both bring up a mess of uncomfortable topics -- but it's hard to overlook the legendary talents that made us care in the first place.

a few other MVN writers got the call Lisa Gray of the Astros Dave Rouleau of the Blue Jays Mike Boehm of the O's

fwiw..from the sun times... "General manager Jim Hendry shot down a report that pitching prospect Jeff Samardzija, the former Notre Dame football All-American, would be called up when rosters expand in September." its in the article about soriano trying to be superman and wanting to return asap.

crunch... The Trib had the same report, saying that Samardzija would not be brought up with the roster expansion.

Congrats, Rob. Nice piece. No Josh Martin on that list of MVN writers??

"I checked a Cards blog a few days ago, and they listed the (rainout) pitching matchup as “wells” against “big crazy z”. :-)' If he was clever he would have typed "Cra - Z"

for the record (and i will be repeating this): I declare August 24th to be: wait for it... SNAKE WHACKING DAY!! Everyone, grab your big foam hats and airhorns!!!!!!

*ManRam isn’t even a choice for the “face” of the Red Sawks…WTF is that?* Do you really have to ask that question? If the face underneath the BoSox cap isn't Irish or Italian, forget it.

Best nicknames: Ryan Theriot (The Riot), Carlos Zambrano (Big Z) Big ANYTHING is lame. Matt Murton says his nickname is "matt" Ryan Theriot's actual nickname is "Rynot" My favorite nick for a Cub player is "Lard" (Ward) Fave for a demoted Cub ---"ohno!"man Strange nickname for a former Cub "the creature" DuBois Newest nickname --- Tiggy (Carmen Pignatiello)

If the face underneath the BoSox cap isn’t Irish or Italian, forget it. There's one for the HOF of TCR comments. yeah, little known fact...David Ortiz's real name is David McOrtiz.

Did anyone notice that Vizquel's triple last night seemed to be aided by the Strawberry Shortcake backpack in the Cubs bullpen?

Rob - sorry but where are your comments on the espn site? i read this blurb about 64 experts but nothing else.

if you check out the Rsox comments, a lot of clamoring about Manny being absent from the list as well as Varitek.

I like the Reds blogger's choice: "The face of the Reds franchise in 2007 is without a doubt utility infielder Juan Castro. He sucks. And the Reds have sucked for a long time. There is little redeeming about Castro as a player, just as there is little redeeming about a Reds franchise that seems adrift these days..."

Anyone see ESPN's "All-Time Gold Glove" team? They chose Joe fucking Morgan over Ryno at 2B. Horseshit.

yeah, Dave caught that one in comment #5 Joe... You'll need to trade Alex Rios to me now as penance...

Rob. You agree with Paul Sullivan on anything again, you're out. This is your only warning.

All-Time 2b Gold Glove is Bill Mazeroski I'd probably take Roberto Alomar second.... Sorry Ryno.... My All-Time Gold Glove Team.. C - Pudge Rodriguez 1B - Keith Hernandez 2B - Mazeroski SS - Ozzie Smith 3B - Scott Rolen (or Brooks Robinson) LF - Shoeless Joe CF - Willie Mays RF - Roberto Clemente P - Maddux

"Bernie should rethink his photo there… http://www.stltoday.com/stltod.....enDocument" What a tool. Much of his article is about how the Cubs are trying to buy a World Series. Take this quote for example: "The Cubs are running in the big-hitter financial district now, keeping company with the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox. The Cubs are throwing around more dollars than a bachelor party on Rush Street. They’re spending more money than it costs to buy a Chicago election." 2007 Payrolls 1. Yanks $189m 2. Sawx $143m 3. Mets $115m 8. Cubs $99m 11. Cards $90m Everyone makes such a big deal about the "spending spree" over the winter, but most of it is 8 years for Soriano. While this St. Louis ass-clown acts like the Cubs are just another store-bought franchise like the Yankees, they're actually regularly playing a bunch of dudes from the farm making under $500k/year: - Theriot - Murton - Hill - Marshall - Fontenot - Marmol etc, etc. Again, what a tool. On a side note, the White Sox' 2007 payroll is $108m. Wow.

Vizquel’s triple last night seemed to be aided by the Strawberry Shortcake backpack in the Cubs bullpen? That would be Tiggy's responsibility.

He went 0-4 today. You don’t really want him. We'll see what NDM's monkey has to say about this?

Another interesting note from USA Today’s MLB Payroll page Wow... the Yankees have the top 3 highest paid players, 4 of the top 7, and 5 of the top 11. Adding in Roger Clemens (approx. 17.4 million), you then have the top 4, 5 of the top 8, and 6 of the top 12. That is ridiculous. And looking at the top ten... I would say that only A-Rod, and possibly Ramirez, Jeter and Bonds, come anywhere close to "justifying" their current salary. 6 of the top ten are not anywhere close to the top ten in baseball. Here is the top ten: 1- Giambi, Jason: $ 23,428,571 -- New York Yankees 2 - Rodriguez, Alex: $ 22,708,525 -- New York Yankees 3 - Jeter, Derek: $ 21,600,000 -- New York Yankees 4 - Ramirez, Manny: $ 17,016,381 -- Boston Red Sox 5 - Helton, Todd: $ 16,600,000 -- Colorado Rockies 6 - Colon, Bartolo: $ 16,000,000 -- Los Angeles Angels 7 - Pettitte, Andy: $ 16,000,000 -- New York Yankees 8 - Schmidt, Jason: $ 15,703,946 -- Los Angeles Dodgers 9 - Bonds, Barry: $ 15,533,970 -- San Francisco Giants 10 - Sexson, Richie: $ 15,500,000 -- Seattle Mariners

"i would agree shoeless joe did look good in lf in field of dreams" looked so good he became a RH hitter in the movie, too. scout a location, build a set...check...make sure all your subjects real-life aspects can properly interact with the set in a believable manner...oh snap.

All this talk of Shoeless Joe keeps reminding me of this song by Jonathan Coulton called "Kenesaw Mountain Landis." Go here: http://www.jonathancoulton.com/store/downloads ...and scroll down to find the title under "Smoking Monkey," the second album from the bottom. You can stream it or download it. It's kind of an absurdist stream-of-consciousness account of the Black Sox scandal.

AlexRioswouldstillbeagoodpickup,Rob.Mymasterwasanidiotfortradinghim. Crud. I still have problems with thatspacebarsometimes.

"3B - Scott Rolen (or Brooks Robinson)" Rolen? Really? Robinson was the third base equivalent of Ozzie Smith. Schimdt and Craig Nettles should be there above Rolen. And IMO, Johnny Bench is my catcher.

Among things I don't understand...why the F was maddux ever a gold glover? Sure he did a nice job fielding sacrifice bunts and choppers, but in my estimation, one of the more important and tangible things a pitcher does defensively is hold runners on base. And he sucked.

[i]"What a tool. Much of his article is about how the Cubs are trying to buy a World Series."[/i] Would anyone here complain if the Cubs win the world series with a $200 Million payroll? In the long run, it doesn't make it any more meaningful to me knowing the Cubs won despite being in the middle payroll or because they had a high payroll....so I don't care if someone accuses the Cubs of trying to "buy" a championship.

I'll take Rolen, but you can't go wrong with Robinson. But Robinson/Nettles get such a boost just from making some great plays in the World Series. Maddux only sucked at holding runners on by choice. He understood it was more important to get the hitter.

"Would anyone here complain if the Cubs win the world series with a $200 Million payroll?" unless its 2020+...i would. im part of that camp of people that wanna see the cubs win, but they dont wanna sit through 162 games of a curb stomping. you cant buy a world series, but you cant ignore the impact of adding top players with every 10-15m you toss into the club.

Maddux only sucked at holding runners on by choice. He understood it was more important to get the hitter. True. But it's a strawman.

Maybe so, but the same could be said for arguing that holding runners on has anything to do with winning a gold glove.

Clearly it doesn't, or hasn't. I just think it ought to, and I can't understand why it doesn't.

Scott Rolen for Gold glove 3B All Time? Must just be when he plays against the Cubs that he lets 3 balls in a 3 game series go betwixt his legs. How about Mike Schmidt?

Okay....So Mike Schmidt came to me through the pipe smoke. Sorry...I'll spank myself on Snake Spanking Day.

Clearly it doesn’t, or hasn’t. I just think it ought to, and I can’t understand why it doesn’t. Because pitchers holding runners on has to do with pitching, not defense.

I can see how it's kinda related, BUT... As long as the basestealer doesn't touch home, isn't that the ultimate act of defense? And since Maddux was so good at keeping that from happening, shouldn't that count?

anywhoo, I see where you going there djchi but at least me personally, I think of pitcher defense as stopping balls up the middle, handling bunts, covering first base. I think Maddux and well the entire Padres pitching staff this year has justified how little importance holding runners on has in the game of modern baseball.

Wild Thing, did you honestly expect ESPN to choose Ryno over "Sunday Night Baseball" commentator, full time Cub hater, Joe Morgan? Dudeman, please. Why does that man hate Ryno so much? Did anyone hear The Riot's interview on Jim Rome's radio show today? Was it any good? I was kinda excited someone outside of Chicago cared.

Chad: snake whacking day sounds suspiciously like Weird Al's latest "Weasel Stomping Day" which all should watch at least once on YouTube, Google Video, or Al's own web site. As far as HOF TCR comments, I would simply nominate the remarkably short phrase: 3/44. which is now synonymous with hyperbolic shit.

As long as the basestealer doesn’t touch home, isn’t that the ultimate act of defense? And since Maddux was so good at keeping that from happening, shouldn’t that count? Well... by that logic, errors should only count if the runner scores, right? I understand djchi is coming from. I just see holding runners on as a "pitching" aspect rather than a "defense" aspect of what a pitcher does.

btw, that All-Time Rawlings Gold Glove thing, wasn't it a fan vote? They just did 3 OF spots, Griffey won over Edmonds. I'd take Andruw Jones over both of them if we're not differentiating between OF spots.

“Would anyone here complain if the Cubs win the world series with a $200 Million payroll?” Crunch, my point was more to the idea that if out of nowhere, we spent in the range of the Red Sox, and won a championship....everyone would still be going apeshit in Chicago in the same way they would if the Cubs spent half as much. I'm sure some would bitch about it in the short term...but in the history books, it's all the same. However, not winning the world series with Red Sox type salary would become even more difficult to swallow then it is now, and all of us would be whining even more than we do now.

or 27-3. One out only, corners. Dear God. They have to play another game tonight???

go not brewers! its august and people are concerned about the brewers...what kind of messed up world am i living in?

That my friends, is a new record, at least for modern baseball. The Chicago Colts scored 36 in 1897. Otherwise 29 was done twice by the Rsox in 1950 and 1955.

Jeter hasant been picked for the Yankees which i find funny Santana hasant been picked for the twins (why would the best pitcher in the game be the face of the team)

Jeter is shunned from the fans for giving the Herps to Jessica Alba. How on earth can you turn that into damaged goods?

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.