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

Roster Development in the Works

Gordon Wittenmyer tweets that Jeff Samardzija will be called up before Thursday's game and get this, Neal Cotts is NOT in danger of being moved. Paul Sullivan says pretty much the same thing as well. Both think that Luis Vizcaino is on the hot seat and could be DFA'd, although you have to believe that it would just be to buy some time for the Cubs to complete a trade as there has been interest in some of the Cubs' relievers and I don't think DFA'ing a reliever with zero earned runs is anything resembling a smart move.Contrary to earlier reports, Samardzija will go to the pen and Sean Marshall will stay in the rotation.

Wittenmyer also says Milton Bradley will be back in the lineup tonight and batting cleanup.

Lineup for Tonight: Soriano, Fukudome, Lee, Bradley, Ramirez, Soto, Theriot, Miles, Lilly vs. Taveras, Hairston Jr., Votto, Encarnacion, Bruce, Phillips, Hernadnez, Gonzalez and Cueto.

Comments

The only reason the Cubs have Vizcaino was to dump Marquis, Hendry ate just $875K in that swap. So looking at it logically, even if Vizcaino is dumped at $4MM, the net effect is that Hendry recovered $5MM of Marquis' 2009 salary in exchange for swapping from Marquis to Marshall in his rotation. Sounds about right. So even more obviously, I think if Hendry can get some team to take on even a mere million or so of Vizcaino's $4MM obligation, I'd think Hendry jumps all over it opportunity.

[ ]

In reply to by Jim Hickmans Bat

your math is off...

Marquis owed $9.875M in 2009 which the Cubs paid $875K. Vizcaino is owed $3.5M plus a $500K buyout or $4M option in 2010.

So the Cubs are currently on the hook for $4.875M (3.5M + .5M + 875K) and saved $5M at the moment, plus went from Marquis to Marshall in the rotation. If they just unceremoniously dump Vizcaino, they'll be out $4M more minus the league minimun if he signs with another team. Not to mention what they lost in Gaudin.

also according to Muskat and Lou, Samardzija will be used as the bridge to get to Gregg and Marmol. Something wrong with Heilman?

Lou just said on WGN Radio that Samardzija is coming back in time for tomorrow's game but not corresponding move has been announced.

Can those of you who know more than I give any reason why Cotts would not be the one sent down? Watching Lou's expression as he trudges out to the mound is very telling... IF Cotts is sent down (he has one option left?), would Marshall replace him as the only lefty, if Samardjia is actually coming up?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

I would guess because Cotts is the lone lefty, and the only suitable replacement at Iowa is Waddell. Lou said on WGN today that Samardzija is throwing middle relief and that he and Heilmann are both going to be bridges to Marmol/Gregg. He called it the "Notre Dame Connection". I figured Samardzija would come up as a starter, Marshall would go to the pen and Cotts would be sent out, but at least for now that does not seem to be the plan. I wonder if they might be trying to work out a trade to retain Patton's contrac so they can send him to the minors.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

1st part, I disagree with. 2nd part is most likely on the money. He did well when he first came up last year, but as I recall a big hunk of that was due to BABIP luck. Cotts is off to a .436 BABIP despite having yet to give up a flyball on the year. A couple years ago when Izturis was playing ahead of Cedeno, one of the writers at BP said that 'the Cubs don't understand the concept of sample size'. I would say that's still the case. Not trying to discount Cott's control problems.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

i don't see the use in getting rid of a guy who's sketchy (but oddly has the best pen #s so far) to replace him with a guy who has similar results with his stuff. about the only thing samninja doesn't do is give up homers... i wanna see the guy get 90+ pitch stamina...i wanna see him hone a 3rd pitch...i don't wanna see him in the pen when there's comparable arms to add (or not subtract). lou uses 5 relievers a game as it is...i'd like to see samninja's development a little more streamlined because his future isn't in that pen...i hope.

a.miles playing 2nd and batting 8th...theriot 7th... 2 best power hitters still batting 1st and 5th...thank gawd bradley is back.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • 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...