Cubs MLB Roster

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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

Harden Makes It Look Easy at Fitch Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Rich Harden threw four shutout innings and Welington Castillo's two run home run capped a five-run 5th, as the Iowa Cubs (Cubs AAA affiliate) edged the Sacramento River Cats (Oakland A's AAA affiliate) 5-4 before an unusually large Minor League Camp crowd of 50+ at cool & breezy Fitch Park Field #3 this afternoon

Cubs Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild and Assistant Pitching Coach Lester Strode were in attendance, and the place was absoluely crawling with beat writers, bloggers, and assorted Cubs fans intent on watching an actual Cubs major league pitcher throw on a day when the big club had the day off, and they were not disappointed.

However, very few stayed for the whole game. 

So for those of you who want to know how Harden looked, but also just HAVE to know how the Iowa Cubs did it,.. here is... the... rest...of... the... story...

Harden worked the first four innings, and looked pretty good. He threw 63 pitches (42 strikes - 21 balls), and kept his fastball at the belt or higher on every hitter (he struck out four and got seven fly outs, but no ground outs), mixing in a change-up that he had trouble commanding.

Here's Harden's day:    

1st inning: 1) K - swinging (that would be ex-Cub Eric Patterson), 2) ground single to LF, 3) F-9 in foul territiry, and 4) pop up to CF.

2nd inning: 1) line out to CF, 2) line single to CF, 3) F-7 to medium-deep LF, and 4) K - swinging.

3rd inning: 1) fly out to CF 2) bloop broken-bat single to short CF, 3-A ) Koyie Hill threw out baserunner trying to steal 2nd 2-4, 3-B) Strike out - called (Eric Patterson again).   

4th inning: 1) Strike out - swinging, 2) F-9, 3) F-9.

Harden said he felt great, and I can confirm that he did NOT grab his shoulder at any point while he was on the mound, he was NOT carried off the field on a stretcher, and in fact, after he finished his post-outing stretching, he shook hands with a number of the A's players and coaches on the River Cats bench (Harden is understandably well-known among the Oakland A's family)  and then he spent about 15 minutes siging autographs, before finally heading for the Fitch Park clubhouse.

Koyie Hill was the other big league Cubbie at Fitch Park today, and he was there specifically to catch Rich Harden's four innings, and get four ABs as quickly as possible. Therefore, K. Hill was permitted to hit once in each of the first four innings, where he walked in the 1st, got called out on strikes in both the 2nd & 3rd innings, and finally (hitting left-handed) sliced a bloop double down the LF line leading off the 4th (and then he got doubled off 2nd base on a fly out to RF, much to the joy and hilarity of Hill's former Iowa teammates).

The game was scoreless after four innings, but the River Cats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 5th inning off I-Cubs RHRP Vince Perkins (Team Canada). Perkins gave up a lead-off double, and the runner advanced to third on a 4-3 GO and scored on a F-7 SF. 

But the I-Cubs came right back in the bottom of the inning in a furious volley--a virtual "triple-mania"--parlaying a single, three triples and a HR to score five and take a 5-1 lead. 

With one out, Luis Rivas tripled to the fence in right-centerfield, and then scored when River Cats 2B Eric Patterson launched his moonshot relay throw literally all the way to the middle of Field #2 (where the Cubs AA Tennesse Smokies affiliate was playing the A's AA club, and the I-Cubs got a big kick out of that one, too). Kyle Reynolds then tripled down the RF line, and scored on an RBI single to LF by DH Shawn McGill. Matt Camp thripled into the RF corner, and Camp scored on Welington Castillo's two-run jack over the LF fence onto 8th Street. (The I-Cubs had a total of four triples for the day, as Richie Robnett also tripled leading off the 2nd, although he was left stranded when K. Hill and Rivas struck out and Reynolds flied out).

Iowa LHP Jason Waddell (who got sent down to Minor League Camp just yesterday) pitched the 6th and 7th (24 pitches - 14 strikes, 2/3 GO/FO)), facing only six batters (thanks to an inning-ending 5-4-3 DP that followed a one-out walk in the top of the 7th). Waddell struck out one, and that was the first batter he faced, on three pitches ("Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Night").

With the Cubs still leading 5-1, RHP Rocky Roquet pitched the 8th, and really struggled. It took him 28 pitches to get out of the inning, and before he got the third out (which was a spectacular run-saving diving stop & throw to first by second-baseman Luis Rivas), he allowed a two-out bases-loaded two-run single after Sacramento had loaded the bases on a single (+ E-9 bobble by Richie Robnett) and two walks. (Roquet did get a "K" on a called third strike facing the lead-off hitter in the inning, however).

LHP Matt Smith (ex-NYY) pitched the 9th, and really pushed his luck. The River Cats scored almost right away on a single and an RBI double off the LF fence (a near game-tying HR), and then Smith loaded the bases on a couple of walks. After Iowa Pitching Coach Mike Mason made a visit to the mound, Smith got it together and retired the side on two pitches (an infield pop up and ac 4-6-3 DP), preserving the 5-4 victory.   

Smith was an NRI to big league camp, but he only got into one Cactus League game before getting sent to Minor League Camp. He probably will have to pitch better in his next outing to avoid getting released.

Sam Fuld, Jake Fox, Bobby Scales, and Jose Ascanio will report to Fitch Park tomorrow.

Here is today's abridged box score (I-Cubs player only). Note that Valdez and Bautista were temporarily loaned to Iowa from the Boise-Mesa squad after the B-M kids finished their work on Field #4.   

LINEUP:

1-A Matt Camp, SS 1-3 (3B, RBI, R)
1-B: Jose Valdez, PH-CF: 0-0 (BB, CS)
2-A. Koyie Hill, C: 1-1 (2B, BB)
2-B: Welington Castillo, C 2-2 (HR, 2 RBI)
3-A. Doug Deeds, CF: 1-2 (BB, K)
3-B. Robert Bautista, PH-SS: 0-1
4. Jason Dubois, LF: 0-4 (K)
5. Richie Robnett, RF: 1-3 (3B)
6-A. Koyie Hill, DH #1: 0-1 (K)
6-B. SKIPPED 
7. Luis Rivas, 2B: 1-3 (3B, R, K) 
8. Kyle Reynolds, 1B:1-3 (3B, R)
9. Shawn McGill, DH #2: 1-3 (RBI, R)
10-A. Koyie Hill, DH #3: 0-1 (K)
10-B. SKIPPED
11. Matt Matulia, 3B:  0-2 (BB)

PITCHERS:
1. Rich Harden - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (63 pitches - 42 strikes, 0/5 GO/FO)
2. Vince Perkins - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K (11 pitches - 7 strikes, 2/1 GO/FO) 
3. Jason Waddell - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP (24 pitches - 14 strikes, 2/3 GO/FO) 
4. Rocky Roquet - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 1 K (28 pitches - 16 strikes, 1/1 GO/FO)
5. Matt Smith - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP (21 pitches - 11 strikes, 2/1 GO/FO)   

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Koyie Hill 1-1 CS

ERRORS (1):
Richie Robnett E-9 (bobble in RF allowed batter-runner to advance to 2nd base after bases-loaded RBI single in top of the 8th)

ATTENDANCE: 50+

And now you know... the rest of the story...

AZ Phil....................................Good Day!

Tags
Iowa Cubs
Rich Harden
Koyie Hill

Comments

Submitted by Andrew on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:49 am

Still would like to see Harden's velocity a bit higher, but if he keeps it at this level and can stay healthy that'd be fine. If he can start commanding that changeup, he'd be devastating. Keep that heater in the low 90s at least and he's going to be tough to hit.

Submitted by Q-Ball on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:27 am

Az Phil or others, maybe you guys know. Late last year, Harden didn't have much velocity, low 90's at best, and threw almost all fastballs. He has a change, and no breaking ball as far as I know, but help me out here. Yet he still mowed them down. 99% of pitchers who throw low-90s fastballs only get rocked. What makes Harden's so special? It must move like crazy. And here is another Harden question: Given his history of arm problems, durability problems, lack of multiple pitches, yet undeniable nastiness....why hasn't anyone thought of him for the 'pen? Worked for another injury-prone power pitcher I know......... Starters have more value, but healthy releivers are better than injured starters any day

[ ]

Submitted by Charlie on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:39 am

Harden is making, what, $7 million on his option this year? For another $3 million the Cubs could have brought back Wood, or at least offered him arbitration. Clearly, they don't value relief pitching enough to allocate that amount of money to one spot in the bullpen. Of course, if Harden can't stay healthy enough throughout the year to start, the Cubs may try him in the bullpen—better something than nothing. I believe it was also brought up how long Harden takes to warm up. Also, though you say he has no breaking ball, fan graphs said he through his slider 2.9% of the time last year and his splitter 4.2% of the time, which means he just rarely throws his breaking pitches. I would personally count his changeup as a sort of breaking ball, since it has some nasty movement and he gets Ks with it.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:40 pm

well let's not make up stuff...

there are plenty of pitchers that throw low 90's and are quite effective, Harden threw most of Sept in the low 90's and still had a 2.65 ERA and sure wasn't bad in the playoff game, just not sub 2.00 ERA dominate.

He didn't use much of his breaking ball last year, but he does have one and it's at least average if not better. But he generally relies on a fastball/change-up combo that comes out of the same arm slot and is very difficult for hitters to pick up. He really doesn't need it until the third time through the lineup and he also has a good split-fingered pitch.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1772&position=P

Last year it shows he thew over 60% fastballs, 29% change-ups, 2% sliders and 4% split-finger.

And he had a 2.07 ERA in 148 IP....1.77 as a Cub. The Cubs won 97 games last year...he started 12 of them.

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:45 am

there is no value in adding another arm to an already full pen for a guy like harden who's most likely not going to be a cub for the next 3-4+ years. use him while he's still "got it" and toss him. it's been done before and harden seems more than willing to give it. hell, i dunno if i'd want "ice pack harden" warming up 4-5+ times a week and pitching 3-4 times a week for 6 months, honestly...he's not the most limber/loose guy out there it seems.

Submitted by Raisin101 on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:29 pm

Thank you, Arizona Phil. Will you be able to tell us what the full season minor league rosters will be soon? Those are generally my favorite posts by you (along with all those lovely extended spring training reports). And, as an aside, I hope Harden gets his changeup working soon. It's imperative he has that change as his out pitch, especially if he's not going to be hitting high 90s like he used to.

Submitted by navigator on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:27 pm

SCOTT EYRE is just getting PUMMELLED by the Yankees right now. 2 mammoth HR 2 Doubles (one off the wall, one to the wall) and a Single. He's gotten nobody out at this point. Game on MLB TV

Submitted by Ryno on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 03:18 pm

Apologies to TCR... People in the "other" TCR Fantasy Keeper league, please log in and check the messages. There is important information. Also, remember we're drafting Sunday, 9PM EDT, 8PM CDT

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).

    he will be reevaluated tomorrow.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB 

    Just a difference of opinion

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • 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.

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