Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Gathright Gone, Wells Up...Cubs Interested in Freel

The Cubs needed to make a roster move with Randy Wells getting the call-up for today's start. With MIlton Bradley's ridiculous 2-day suspension loooming and Derrek Lee in injury limbo - too hurt to play, not to hurt to be put on the DL - the Cubs are going to ask Joey Gathright to go the minors.  WIth 5+ years of service time under his belt, Gathright can refuse the assignment, but then he forfeits the remainder of his $800K contract and has to hope another team will pick him up. And him getting picked up is an unlikely scenario with a .214 batting average, being a putz in the outfield and getting caught twice stealing to just one successful attempt for a guy whose speed is suppose to be his main tool. Enjoy Iowa Gathright, I hear it's lovely this time of year. Say hi to Jeff Samardzija...and your mother.

On the rumor front (hat tip to VA Phil for the find), the Cubs are interested in utility-man Ryan Freel who seems upset with the Baltimore Orioles. Freel is owed whatever is left on his $3.3M contract this year and can play all three outfield positions along with second and third base. Once an easy bet to steal 30 bases, it looks like he's lost a step but will at least take a walk although he brings almost no power. As an added bonus, Freel also brings his imaginary friend Farney with him....fun on bus rides or when you've accidentally killed a hooker.

"Farney, what have you done?"

So those that had Jake Fox to the Orioles in your trade pools, I think the odds just went up.

In day old news (that high priest and ruler of all men "The Joe" uncovered for us after hours of laboring), Luis Vizcaino will sign a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians.

Comments

It would be nice if they could just make him the PTBNL in the Hill trade, but I don't know what type of players they discussed and how desperate the O's are to get rid of him.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

I really don't mind Freel. Always did a pretty good job of getting on base. Can run fairly well. 75% success rate stealing or so. He plays all those different positions and does a pretty good job of it, too. Not exactly the piece(s) we're missing right now, but always good to have a couple league average hitters that can play multiple positions well laying around. Freel's a career 90 OPS+, which isn't exactly average, but I'm generalizing. Right now we've got two guys (Miles and Scales) who aren't league average hitters and can't play all the positions Freel can play. Although, having all 3 (or 2 of the 3) is fairly redundant.

I think what needs to happen is this: At the next MLB GM Ice Cream Social, someone needs to make sure Jim Hendry puts himself out there and mingles with the other GMs instead of just chatting in the corner with Andy MacPhail. That way, when he discovers we have a need at the big league level he'll be able to pull out his rolodex and call some of the other GMs in the league and ask if they have any players he might be interested in.

[ ]

In reply to by Doug Dascenzo

The only deals he makes with the O's are for someone to take out the Cubs trash. I'm too lazy to look it up, but Hendry has made trades with almost every GM in the league...although I recall a blurb that Minaya was tough to deal with. Off the top of my head...

Beinfest (FLA - and the GM before Beinfest), Gillick(PHI), Colletti (LAD), Towers (SDP), Sabean (SFG), Dowd (Rockies), Cashman (Yanks), Epstein (BRS), MacPhail (O's), Friedman (Rays), Dombrowski (Tigers), Williams (White Sox), Shapiro (Indians), Ryan (Twins - maybe new guy too), new Mariners GM, Beane (A's), Daniels (TEX)

past deals with Pirates and Jocketty when with the Cardinals and the Astros before Wade too, but you expect less inter-division trading.

only GM's I can't think of deals with are Nationals (new guy anyway and they did make a minor league deal when Bowden was there), Braves since Schuerholtz left, Byrnes (ARZ), Riggins (Angels), Royals and Minaya and most of the NL Central. And I could be forgetting some deals.

That being said, I'm sure certain GM's work better together and are easier to deal with...McFail, Beane and Towers are probably high on Hendry's list.

[ ]

In reply to by Doug Dascenzo

I am fine with Hendry going to the Orioles. Let's take a look at the balance sheet. Lost: Sammy Sosa Mike Moriarty Corey Patterson Freddie Bynum Scott Moore Rocky Cherry Jacob Renshaw Felix Pie Rich Hill Gained: Jerry Hairston Mike Fontenot Dave Crouthers Nate Spears Carlos Perez Kevin Hart Steve Trachsel Garrett Olson Henry Williamson PTBNL Now, Crouthers retired, Perez is out of baseball, Trachsel sucked, and Hairston wasn't good either. But Fontenot is our starting second basemen, Spears is in AAA, Hart is in AAA and has contributed to the big league team, Olson was turned into Heilman, Williamson has talent in the lower minor leagues, and we are still owed a player for Hill. All of that for a complete steaming pile of crap. Baltimore has to HOPE that Pie and Hill SOMEHOW work out or they have ZERO for all of the deals with Hendry.

So let me get this straight we have Patton and Fox in the bullpen who both suck and we released Luis Vizcaino? Vizcaino isn't the greatest in the world but he is easily more valuable than having those 2 knuckleheads. For all the hate Wuertz got he could atleast keep a sub 4.00 ERA, we will be lucky if Patton or Fox can get it below 6.00. And yet some how our Cubs bullpen is better off without Wuertz. Hmmmm weird logic that is. Some pretty strange and dumb decisions regarding the bullpen over the last 6 months.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

I don't understand the Wuertz trade that much either, other than A) Hendry over-estimated the talent in the bullpen and/or B) Piniella just didn't seem to like him. (and it's not like Wuertz was costin' a lot of dough, so this seems extra baffling). His career ERA is 3.47 in 277.1 IP over 279 games. His career ERA+ is 130, with EVERY season above 100-- his worst season was his rookie year in 2004 (101 ERA+) in only 29 IP. Every other season has been b/w 116 - 123 (2.66 - 3.81). Wouldn't that be nice right now? His WHIP is a little higher than you'd expect for that low an ERA, but I wonder if there's just something the organization didn't like about him-- remember in 2006 when Wuertz was CLEARLY better than some of the bullpen parts and he stayed in Iowa for most of the season? Also-- Wuertz's career line includes this season so far at Oakland: 14 G, 15.0 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 13 K, 1-1, 1.80 ERA, 2 SV Who did we get for him? Richie Robnett (who will likely be a career minor leaguer-- his numbers in AA right now are really bad) and Justin Sellers, who we traded for a PTBNL. I think Wuertz musta been fucking somebody's mom.

Mlb.com article http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090508&content_id=4625566&vke… seems to infer that Joey Gathright might be the player going back to the O's...maybe they just want out of the contract. Although it just seems to cite the Rosenthal article. Some other teams are apparently interested too and McPhail has a quote that there should be some sort of resolution soon with Freel. Freel in Wrigley should last about a week before he kills himself on the brick wall.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Freel for Gathright would be a great deal!IMHO Saves the O's some cash. Gives the Cubs a 25th man upgrade, who can play multiple positions to boot. Plus Farney would be like a 26th man on the Roster!!!

I continue to be amazed--AMAZED--at the money Jim Hendry squanders on fringe players. Were I the owner of the Cubs, I'd be damn pissed. Now the Cubs swap out Joey G for Farney, and Hendry takes on ANOTHER $2.5MM in salary for ANOTHER fringe player. Amazing. I certainly don't dispute the trade based on talent--such as it is with these two choads--but my gawd, Hendry wastage is up to $10MM now this year, that's a third of Florida's entire payroll! Hendry couldn't keep his job with a mid-market team.

HICKMAN: From Rosenthal just a little bit ago: "The deal is cash-neutral, according to one source. The Cubs will pay the balance of Gathright's $800,000 salary for 2009 with the O's paying the balance of Freel's — about $3.3 million." How does HEndry take on $2.5MM here of salary? Am I missing something?

Maybe the O's play Gathright in LF? ----- Gathright reports to AAA Norfolk. I expect a shuttle car will be available for both of them although Gathright probably can just go jump from Norfolk to Baltimore.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).