Cubs MLB Roster

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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 

 



 

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Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

It's Just A Pain in the Neck

Live Long and Prosper.

It's not a good thing for the Cubs when I'm writing all these articles. It means somebody on the team is injured, exploding or a decision on how to use (or not) the disabled list is looming. So I'll keep this maximally short (oxymoron that I am).

Today we finally get some good news and the results from the MRI on DLee shows the same old, same old. Yes, a bulging disc is causing neck and upper back spasms. No, he won't go on the DL. Yes, he'll be ready to play in the next game or so against San Diego at Wrigley Field.

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Comments

Is it really better though if Lee guts it out through the pain, and hits .209? IMO, this is a real problem, because a healthy Hoffpauir is better than an aching Lee, but because of the money invested and because Lee is a gamer, we won't maximize our productivity out of the position. I would rather Lee get healthy and be 100%. I don't think he's been right though for awhile, and that's a problem.

Good news? I don't know what that means. And I respectfully disagree with you Q-Ball. Defense is forgotten sometimes because there's no good stat for it, but D is so important. I'd prefer to have Lee receiving Aramis's our 3B's sometimes wild throws.

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In reply to by big_lowitzki

and he rakes to all fields and we shouldn't have guys get too used to throwing shit in the dirt. I've seen the infielders make their adjustments, anyway. Somehow, some way, Ramirez got the ball into D Ward's mitt just fine when Ward was at first. Non issue. Although, I've mentioned it myself so not too be too hard on the original thought. I mean, it's a legitimate concern for maybe two weeks.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

My understanding is that Soriano, Z, Ramirez have full NTC...along with Lee now. I'm not 100% sure on Samardzija and Fukudome if their full NTC's or with some stipulations.

I think Lilly has a partial no-trade clause...no idea on the details...it may be full too for all I know.

Bradley and Dempster's NTC marked on the sidebar only last until June 15th or whatever date is for signing as free agents.

so like 10...but really 7...which I'm going to guess is not that absurd compared to other big market teams.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"My understanding is that Soriano, Z, Ramirez have full NTC...along with Lee now." Lee already had a NTC, so you can drop the word 'now'. "so like 10...but really 7...which I'm going to guess is not that absurd compared to other big market teams." I went to Cots Contracts page and check a few top payroll teams: the Red Sox have 3 (Drew to 2 teams, Daisuke & Lowell), Yankees have like 10 and the Mets have 5. So the Cubs are likely higher than most, if not all, teams besides the Yankees. And to be honest, the Yankees contract/payroll situation is very unique, and not sure why the Cubs would have as many as the NYY. I just think it takes away lots of flexibility from the GM down the road at the end of the many expensive, long term, back loaded contracts Cubs players have.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Then you need to go back and look at every contract for any current player that had a no-trade clause prior to his 10/5 rights kicking in. In fact, quite a few contracts have no-trade clauses for a limited time, such as 2-3 years, until the 10/5 takes over. Your point is stupid. If you are complaining about why Hendry can't trade Lee NOW, you cannot blame the no-trade clause that is no longer in effect. If you want to simply complain about Hendry giving out too many contracts with no-trade clauses, then fine, but that is also a stupid point. I've done some graphs on this this morning that I will send to Rob, maybe he will post them. The number of no trade players a team has is almost entirely a function of payroll, and furthermore, teams with more no-trade players win more games (also likely a function of payroll). In other words, having a lot of these types of players means that you have been able to attract the best free agents and keep them, that you have a high payroll that allows you to do this, and that you are a competitive team year after year. You can keep whining about this if you want, or you can go root for the Nationals or Marlins, who have no no-trade players, or the Pirates maybe with only Jack Wilson.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Actually, that is not at all what you were doing. If you were simply correcting kamokeefe and letting him know that Lee could not be traded you would have cited the relevant information, that he has 10/5 rights. Instead, you wrote this: "HA HA...Too bad our fearless GM has given everyone and their brother a no trade clause. Lee is not going anywhere." Which everyone on here (correctly) interpreted as you bitching about Hendry again.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Yes, Lee did have a no trade clause for the start of his contract, and it was reasonable to assume that the Cubs would have no interest in trading him in the first couple years of the contract, and very reasonable to give up that right to trade him to save some money on the contract. But I'm not sure how any of those facts (which weren't being questioned) are relevant since with or without that clause, he would still have No Trade rights today, and unless Hendry personally is responsible for the collective bargaining agreements, that's really not in his control. Basically, what Rob G said.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Wow, that's just a classicly great bit of manny-logic there. Lee currently has a no trade clause because its part of the collective bargaining agreement that every player in mlb in his situation has one. That is the current situation and what applies to any current discussion, but you think that fact should be ignored because a couple of years ago, Lee had a separate no trade clause for the first couple years of his contract. With logic like that, no wonder you hate hendry so much.

[ ]

In reply to by Bleeding Blue

No, I don't think that should be ignored, but the fact that he had a no trade clause already meant the 10/5 clause didn't change anything as he already had the no trade protection. I guess maybe you can say the 10/5 reinforced it, but it didn't give him any extra privileges, or change his rights as a player, as he already had the no trade clause. The 10/5 provision, when it came to Lee and trade protection, meant nothing as he already had protection.

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

Ah, I did misread that. Thanks for the clarification. It just shows you are even more classless than I thought. Taking shots at my wife is totally uncalled for. Yeah, it is only the internet from some nobody, but still that is way over the top. But if saying stuff like that makes you feel better...go for it! I would hope the "writers" on this site could stop some of those types of harsh personal attacks. This one and Jumbo's are way over the top IMO. Oh well...

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Yeah, it was probably a little harsher than it should have been. Your argument was just so astoundingly illogical that I honestly wondered what you must be like in real life, and if real people find you as exasperating as many of us here at TCR do. Still, that's not really an excuse to attack you personally. My bad. And it wasn't meant as a burn on your wife at all really -- just you. Apologies to Mrs. MannyT.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

I would hope the "writers" on this site could stop some of those types of harsh personal attacks. This one and Jumbo's are way over the top IMO. Oh well...

manny the victim, a tale as old as time. You'd be banned well before Andrew or Jumbo. You can't constantly provoke everyone with your asine comments and then be shocked when things escalate.

Say less stupid stuff and recognize when you say something stupid and not try to argue your way out of it and people won't attack you. Also try rooting for the Cubs...that might help.

That all being said, let's avoid the wife jokes Andrew...not cool. And Jumbo, you know what u did.

And if you don't like it manny (or anyone else)...go away.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Banned for what? Giving my opinion on the Cubs? Yeah makes sense!! So if you say something stupid that is ok to get personally attacked because that is provoking? Ok, now I know the rules, I guess I will play by them too. We will see how fun things get around here...:) And when you get personally attacked, without personally attacking someone first, then you are the victim. Pretty easy concept to understand, even for you Rob. I am going to continue to give my opinion, good and bad of the Cubs, if people don't like it, don't read it. If you want to argue it in a civil way, I'm all for it. I am not some rosy blue Cubs fan. I am critical when they are bad, but more than praising them when they are good. Some people on here only remember the bad stuff I say about the Cubs. But luckily I don't have to prove to anyone here I am a Cubs fan. Oh well, go internet!

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Your argument would only hold water if the 10/5 rule was created after Lee signed the contract. The fact is that it was known by everyone involved that Lee would automatically get a no trade clause once he reached his service time requirements. There was no negotiation for the no trade protection that he currently has. Any other no trade language that was written into the contract has now expired and is no longer relevant to the current situation. The same would be true for ARam, Dempster, and will be true for Z and Soriano once they reach their required service time. And once again, that is important, because the time the Cubs would be most likely to trade any of these players is near the back end of their contracts. There can certainly be a debate about when No Trade Clauses should or should not be given out, but your desire to use Lee's current situation as part of your attack on Hendry's use of them is just flat out silly.

This is a little ass kissing for Rob G, but not cuz I need a bromance (I'm actually taken) but just cuz. So I am pasting from another post. I felt the need to say it on one of the earlier posts today, and to copy/paste it again. Just a little appreciation thang goin' on here, since the Cubs are nearing another death spiral: -- snip On other blogs I've been sort of ranting about the demise of newspapers and "where are those RSS news feeds gonna come from and who's gonna research and pay for finding out when city hall is corrupt and tell us the governor is a low life squeem boy??" blah blah. But this fucking site is my main source of Cubs news. Not just for the flash so and so got traded that you get in the comments but for the detail in Wellman's, The Doctor's, and AZ Phil's reports. Unbelievable shit, dudes. -- end snip

sorry if i have missed this earlier: doctor cubster, if lee were your patient, how would you be treating him? especially since this is an injury that was caused (?) 2 seasons (?) ago? is 4 or 5 days out of the lineup going to change anything? live well in peace.

how would you be treating him? ------ Treatment is usually based on the amount of pain (which is subjective) and the pattern of pain (where it localizes or radiates to). As this has been an episodic problem for quite a while now, previously he's probably used to routine treatments such as stretches and intermittent use of NSAID medication (non-steroidal). For short flare ups a corticosteroid medrol dosepak is often used (unrelated to the anabolic steroid category). It's a more potent anti-inflammatory but only used for a 6 day interval. Muscle relaxants are a consideration but they often leave one drowsy so this would be more short term as well. I'm sure the trainers are following physical therapy protocols. MerigoldBowling, as a physical therapist who treats athletes, could detail the specific approaches in therapy much better. Usually the focus is strengthening of specific muscle groups around the neck and shoulders. Massage, ultrasound, traction, iontophoresis and a few other modalities are options. When these options aren't working, an epidural steroid or facet injection gets considered but they decided not to do this on DLee. One of the news links (above) mentioned because he was feeling better it was decided injections weren't needed at this point. As long as he's not having radicular symptoms (and I've not read that he's having any radicular symptoms), meaning no pinched nerve symptoms that travel down into his arm (either numbness, pain or weakness)...surgical options usually aren't a consideration. Henry Blanco (two years ago) missed several months while his disc herniation with radicular symptoms was being treated with meds and therapy. Apparently it got close to making a decision on surgery for Blanco (which is usually a fusion technique) but his symptoms subsided and he recovered without surgery and had a good year in 2008. So symptoms can go away with (and sometimes without) treatment.

Derrek Lee - the last year, season over season, May 1 2008 to May 1 2009 --> .264 13HR 77 RBI 34 years old in September, chronic disc problem, clearly in decline yet still bats 3rd because he's supposed to be our best hitter Signed through 2010, no trade (meaning Micah Hoffpauir would be 31 before he could get the starting job) ∴ We're screwed.

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 05/12/2009 - 9:57pm.
Bradley and Dempster's NTC marked on the sidebar only last until June 15th or whatever date is for signing as free agents.

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

ROB G: Dempster is a 10/5, and Bradley has the automatic Article XX FA NTC through June 15th.

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • 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).