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

Harden Goes to DL So Randy Wells Isn't Going Anywhere

Reader Osiris flagged this bad news by way of Paul Sullivan in the Tribune:

The Cubs placed Rich Harden on the 15-day disabled list with a back strain on Friday, and inserted Randy Wells into the rotation for Saturday's game.

This will allow the Cubs to activate Carlos Zambrano without having to make another roster move, i.e., demote Wells. Harden felt "a twinge" when he pitched last Sunday against the Astros.

You may vomit as you see fit.

Comments

I don't know about you, but knowing we could have picked him up for Uncle Milty money, I die a little bit every time Raul Ibanez hits a home run. And he just crushed his MLB leading 16th (41st RBI) of the year off the Yanks.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I'm not sure this is true. Living in Philadelphia and watching several Phillies games this year, Ibanez has seemed fine (and even good) in LF. Of course, we're used to watching Pat Burrell out there (who could barely move), so almost anyone would seem an improvement. But I think Ibanez's defense is totally adequate, and NO LIE his offense would DEFINITELY be better than the shit Bradley is doing. Plus, Ibanez is a COOL DUDE. As of right now, Ibanez is actually a hero in Philadelphia and has already become above and beyond one of the city's favorite players (can Chicago say this of Milton Bradley?). Loooong way to go, but Ibanez has far and away been better than Bradley this year. Better hitter (by far), better fielder (perhaps), better baserunner (by far) and, of course, better health-wise. I actually had hoped the Cubs would have signed Ibanez over Bradley despite the fact that Ibanez is 7-8 years older and because of his reputed/alleged poor outfield defense (I didn't expect the Phillies to sign Ibanez for whatever reason). I reading about Ibanez's workout regimen last year, which includes lots of stretching and core work, and it totally demonstrated a really enlightened and smart effort/approach to staying strong physically and mentally. In short, Ibanez seems to "get it" and I would be really surprised if Bradley comes close to outplaying Ibanez over the next three years. Just sayin.

Harden to DL? And the ugliness just keeps coming. This getting ugly fast. I said this for weeks, we need to get healthy. If this team is not healthy it is not deep enough nor good enough to win. And as bad as the minors are, you can't expect any real help from there.

There are many cases on this team of players really struggling offensively, but a couple players we haven't had to worry about are now ice cold. Both Soriano and Theriot started off the season great, really carrying this team early on. But now they have been struggling for a awhile. Soriano since April 24: 24-105 (.229) Theriot since April 26: 20-89 (.225) Really right now the only regular hitting well is Fukudome (pleasant surprise to me). If you look at the numbers it really is surprising they are still over .500. We really need ARam back and some of these players finally get out of the bad funks (Bradley, Lee, Fonty, Soto).

I don't think I've seen the Cubs offense struggle this much in a very very long time. I don't know if there is a solution, you can't just plug in Fox and think he's going to do something when the other guys aren't doing squat. It sucks to be a Cubs fan right now, lets hope beyond hope that they can turn it around somehow.

that's all I got... 2004 redux...great team on paper, can't stay healthy.

Last year's OBP for the Cubs: .354 This year's, so far, .329, just above Pittsburgh. Last year almost all the hitters worked the count consistently. This year Fukodome is working the count consistently. That's the big difference I'm seeing.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

is that Hendry will offer any and all top prospects for marginal talent. We don't have much in the minors, but I really don't want to lose what we do have to acquire a Steve Trachsel-esque pitcher or a hitter of such level. My reasoning is based on two points. First we are not struggling because we have lesser talent. Thus we are not likely to put anyone currently in our lineup on the bench (with the exception of Fontenot and Marshall). Thus anyone we acquire will be either to fill on for injured players or be a minor player; in either case, we will likely overpay for what the player will bring. Unless we are willing/able to bench Bradley (if he doesn't come around) or a starter is out for the year, I think a trade is not going to be the impetus to win. We need to be healthy and playing at expected levels, not trade to hope for some magic. Second we finally are beginning to develop some players on whom we can base our future. The team is getting old in many places and Hendry's back-loaded contracts make any major free agent acquisitions less likely. Finally we have a few players who are either giving us high hopes (Thomas, Jay Jackson and particularly Vitters, for example) or can project to be good (Cashner, Castro or Searle for example). I want to retain these possibilities, even at a lesser level; I like that we have a group of pitchers that look like they will at least be serviceable middle relievers in Blake Parker, Jeff Stevens, John Gaub and Alex Maestri. Mainly I want to win or lose with what we have; if we are not good enough, I don't think a trade will help us enough to make a difference. And any such trade will likely hurt us more in the future than any help we receive now.

[ ]

In reply to by springs

That's why I am not that concerned with the record. If they end up stinking up the joint then maybe they become sellers in July and it would be interesting to see them restock the minor leagues a bit. The question then becomes, has Hendry developed a minor league scouting structure capable of making the right choices there. Right now I don't have a lot of faith that he has. As we start to complain more and the boos begin to fill Wrigley, naturally Piniella and others will start to complain about us fans not having any patience. He missed the first 96 years of that patience, so I'll have no sympathy when the boos do start coming. Frankly, I just hope that if the team sucks this year that the fans would stop coming, then the team can begin to wonder which they'd rather have. An empty stadium or a stadium full of boo birds. Either way the only answer is winning. Hendry and Piniella raised the bar and if they can't finish what they started the Cubs management should do what the Bulls did when Doug Collins couldn't get to the next level.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Last year we were ranked first in bases on balls, this year tenth. OPB is a function of batting average + walks, which is why our ranking in the league has fallen to about the same levels for OPB and walks. They're not working the count this year like they did last year. Which is one of the reasons why the power is down. That and Ramirez is AWOL this year and Bradley is nothing more than a caricature of himself and Lee has turned into a contact hitter and DeRosa is gone and nobody in their right mind serves up a fastball to Soriano and ... the list goes on I guess. I agree with you about Hendry that he's screwed the pooch in order to stock the team with has beens but the only way around that is to remove Hendry. He's not gonna get rid of himself. Which is why my mantra lately is that I'm ready for a reboot. I just wish the sale would get finished because despite any happy talk you hear from Hendry and/or Ricketts, any time new management comes in there is a re-org. That's just how things work in business. I'm just waiting for Hendry's next move to move the few prospects we have for Peavy and then watch Peavy go down as another overpriced, hurt pitcher.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

OPB? I thought we were talking about OBP. Look, you aren't just a little bit wrong. You're totally wrong. The Cubs walk rate per plate appearance last year was 9.96%. This year it's actually a little bit HIGHER -- 10.03%. You need to rethink your theory that they're not working the count like they did last year when the 2009 Cubs are actually walking at the same rate as last year's edition. As I said earlier OBP is mostly a measure of batting average. Lower team batting average means fewer plate appearances and that's why total walks are down even though the walk rate is up.

You guys crack me up. At the beginning of the season someone says to you. "Soto,Lee, Fontenaught and Bradley are not hitting and AramRam is on the DL, predict how the Cubs will be doing." What would you have said 'probably playing .650 baseball'? The bats are struggling. With the possible exception of Lee, there's no reason to think those struggules are anything more than a temporary blip (though Lee has been doing better as noted). I didn't watch much of last night's game, but Wainwright and Carpenter are pretty damned good pitchers who were pretty sharp when they beat the Cubs. I assume Peavy was the same. So the 5 game losing streak is summed up by a Soto line drive that was a foot two short, one good start by a mid-range starter and 3 ace caliber pitchers shutting down a team that's in a bit of a funk, and missing it's most well rounded hitter. Shrug. It's a long season.

Recent comments

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    That’s a fantastic deal for SF

  • 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?