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

MLB Draft: Nobody Knows Nothin'

The 2009 MLB draft is going to be a three day event this year starting tonight with round 1 moving into prime time on the MLB Network. That seems pretty dumb. They're going to put a press conference of guys announcing names against actual baseball games. I know I'll be watching the Cubs vs. Astros games instead. In their quest to emulate the NBA and NFL drafts, MLB forgot to notice that the other two sports do their drafts in the offseason when people have no football or basketball to watch. Granted, it would be hard to do it in the offseason, but they should at least put the first round on a Monday or Thursday and jerry-rig the schedule so there's very few games that night or make them day games leading up to the draft (I've copyrighted that idea Selig, don't try and steal it).

The Cubs have the 31st pick in the first round thanks to a few players being unsigned last year by other teams and thus getting two draft picks. The Cubs don't draft again until the second round and pick #79. This is Tim Wilken's fourth attempt at trying to pump up the Cubs system and although the only major league return so far has been Jeff Samardzija, Josh Vitters is quickly working his way to the top of the minor league prospect charts and Josh Donaldson was one of the key pieces in the Rich Harden trade last year. Wilken avoided the topic of who the Cubs might draft in a recent interview at Scout.com but did say he almost always picks the best player regardless of positional need, but if there is a hole in the system it's left-handed pitching. He does prefer shortstops and center fielders in general, feeling they have the athletic ability to move around the diamond, although he does feel the system is pretty stocked at shortstop and catcher right now in terms of depth.

Who will the Cubs pick with their first pick? I've listed below a few players that have been mentioned in mock drafts and whispers. AJ Pollock's the name you'll see the most but Jim Callis at Baseball America in his morning mock draft doesn't believe he'll last to the Cubs.

(Click on the name to view their scouting report on MILB.com)

Brett Jackson - Center fielder and leadoff hitter for University of California although doubts he could stay at either...321/407/564 line in the Pac-10 with 61 K's to 29 BB's in 218 AB's...consistent contact remains a question mark. 60 speed, 60 power and 60 arm ratings on the 20-80 scouting scale shows his athletic ability.

Eric Arnett - 6-5" right hander from Indiana can touch 96 with a good slider although along with his straight change is still of a bit of a work in progress...has all of one good season under his belt. Most feel he won't last long enough for the Cubs to nab him anyway.

A.J. Pollock - We know the Cubs worked Pollock out thanks to Arizona Phil and he's the name that has shown up the most on mock drafts if for no other reason than he's from Notre Dame...great speed....great approach...learning his way through center field with gap power at best.

Mike Minor - Lefty from Vanderbilt that won't be confused with David Price but has a fastball, slider, change and curve in order of quality...probably not a superstar in the making but folks feel he could be in the majors quickly with a solid but unspectacular career.

Tim Wheeler - Center fielder from Sacramento State is a good all-around player that hits from Lou's favorite side

Jiovanni Mier- Shortstop out of high school in California will get drafted for his glove and then hope he can spray enough singles to make the majors. 70 arm rating according to BP, although the link to his name disagrees... both agree that he has excellent footwork and range. He's verbally committed to USC as well....

Garrett Gould - Right hander out of high school in Kansas has one of the best curveballs in the draft with a fastball that can hit 94 and a change-up that he hasn't had to use much....issues with his delivery and mechanics though.

Drew Storen - Right hander out of Stanford is one of top relievers in the draft with a good fastball and curve combo although control has been a issue...could take the Andrew Cashner route and move to the rotation and work on his change and go back to the pen if that doesn't work out.

On BP's Top 50 prospects, here is how the above ranked: Arnett -21, Wheeler - 25, Minor - 27, Gould - 29, Mier - 30, Pollock - 32, Jackson - 36, Storen -44.

Mock Draft Heaven Below.

Baseball America (AJ Pollock then Brett Jackson)

Baseball Prospectus (Tim Wheeler)

Minor League Ball  (AJ Pollock, RHP Tanner Bushue, LHP Tyler Kehrer)

MVN (Mike Minor)

ESPN (Brett Jackson)

Sporting News (AJ Pollock)

Andy Seiler (AJ Pollock, RHP Blake Smith, RHP Kendal Volz)

Project Prospect (Drew Storen)

Rivals (3B Bobby Borchering)

I'd like to pretend that I know or have some informed opinion about who the Cubs should pick, but I don't...especially at #31. And chances there are very few people that really do except the guys actually scouting these players...and that's sketchy at best. The fact is trying to guess what a player might be able to do on a baseball diamond in 3-5 years is really hard work and although some teams do it a little better than others, and we have some ideas on the best strategy...what happens today can't properly be evaluated until about 2014. Yes, the Cubs have seemed to struggle historically drafting and developing players, but the only constant in that is the Cubs. The scouts (for the most part), scouting director, GM's, players have all changed numerous times and unless the Cubs are really cursed (and if you really believe that please do us all a favor and indeed jump off the ledge), the past has little bearing on the future.

(takes step off soapbox)

Well, Happy Drafting Day!

Tags

Comments

I would imagine that one of the holdout kids, Purke et al, will be available at 31. Wonder if Wilkens will take a gamble on his first HS arm in the first round. I would bet not. I think he takes the best college arm available, maybe the guys you mentioned or the kid from AZ St.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I must say that I would be very happy to take a good college arm rather than AJ Pollock or Brett Jackson. I am definitely scared of Jackson's Ks. And AJ Pollock doesn't seem to be a first round college hitter -- but perhaps my view is skewed by the concern of Hendry overpaying for his love of ND. Although I would prefer either Jackson or Pollock over someone rated much worse (i.e. if Wilken pulls another Tyler Colvin in the first round).

Lidge to DL, sprained right knee was making him suck...Paul Bako called up by Phils. Cameron suspended 2 games... WSox call up their 2007 #1 pick, Aaron Poreda.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I don't think Bako really has the arms to close out games when the bats are a little slower. The White Sox calling up their #1 in 2007 and #2008 ties in nicely with that article.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

not sure why an extra catcher was needed, but that's what they did. Ryan Madson will close.

I don't want Brett Jackson. Having such major contact issues with an aluminum bat is a huge red flag for me. I like Wheeler, would love to see Arnett or Jared Mitchell (LSU) fall to the Cubs. And there's a possibility of a prep arm falling because apparently they all have outlandish bonus demands.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090609&content_id=5222572&vke… AJ Pollock as well... talks about RHP Kyle Gibson possibly dropping far because of contract demands. BP has him as ranked at #12. He's got Storen all the way at #10 to the Nats as did Callis this morning. Apparently Nats need a signability pick at #10 since it's one of the picks for not signing their pick from last year and if they don't sign him, they don't get another one next year. Jacob Turner is another guy that Callis thinks the Cubs could sign if he drops. High school righty out of Missourri, #4 on BP's list.

Keith Law has been double clutching all day long and has now made his 4th revision. Here's the latest: 31. Chicago Cubs Andy Oliver, LHP, Oklahoma State: They could still go with Cal outfielder Brett Jackson, whom I projected them to take last week.

1. Nationals: San Diego State righthander Stephen Strasburg. 2. Mariners: North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley. 3. Padres: Georgia HS outfielder Donavan Tate. 4. Pirates: Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez. 5. Orioles: California HS righthander Matt Hobgood. 6. Giants: Georgia HS righthander Zack Wheeler. 7. Braves: Vanderbilt lefthander Mike Minor. 8. Reds: North Carolina righhander Alex White. 10. Nationals: Stanford righthander Drew Storen. From BA's (free) blog. It looks like the Tigers at 9 might go for one of the prep arms asking for Porcello money or might go cheap. The Rockies won't go for Matzek, Purke or Turner either. Let's hope these guys keep falling!

interviewing Ben McDonald just as Nats are about to take Strasburg... mlb has a sense of humor.

this is gonna be a long and tedious exercise in crapdom if it takes 4 minutes of time filling and pretend mulling-over for pick #1.

Reds take Mike Leake instead of Alex White... Tigers will now decide if they want to Porcello this draft.

at #17 to the Dbacks... leaves Jackson or Wheeler among the more popular names linked to the Cubs.

If the Cubs take a HS player, I suspect it will be OF Jake Marisnick (Riverside Poly HS), a slightly larger and faster version of Pollock.

Shawon Dunston just interviewed on mlb-tv...said he didn't know he was the #1 pick until he got to the minor leagues. ------ I wonder if they will take a gamble on Gibson? --- from baseball america: Missouri righthander Kyle Gibson, who was a possible top-five pick before coming down with a stress fracture in his pitching forearm. Clubs should be able to evaluate Gibson on the mound by the end of July, and he's a low-risk, high-upside gamble for a team with extra picks. Whichever team plans on popping Gibson hasn't tipped its hand yet, but Arizona makes as much sense as any.

baseball america nailed one! 21. ASTROS. Houston has been attached to Texas high school outfielders Grichuk and Heathcott but wouldn't take a third, Everett Williams. Mitchell could interest the Astros as well, but they now appeared strongest on Mier, who could pass Green to become the first shortstop drafted. Projected Pick: JIOVANNI MIER. ten to go...

Submitted by Chifan on Tue, 06/09/2009 - 5:45pm.
I wonder if they will take a gamble on Gibson? Yeah he is hurt but he is the one impact guy left.

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

CHIFAN: Randy Wells suffered a stress fracture in his forearm last September that knocked him out for the rest of the 2008 season, but I'd say he's fine now.

So if Kyle Gibson misses the rest of the season, I doubt that it really matters much in the long run, since 1st round picks usually don't sign until August anyway.

Gibson throws a low-90's tailing two seam fastball, a mid-80's slider, and a plus-change, so if he's available, the Cub really should consider selecting him.

He has fallen far and health issues may be the only concern. If healthy, he is better than slot by far -- ESPN ranked him #4 in the entire draft.

Lilly Triples and Wilkens picks... Brett Jackson CF UC Berkeley...as predicted. 6' 2", 210 lbs. Bats: Left John Hart says average power but he's "a hitter"...some concern about K's

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Unfortunately, no one else drafted this waste of roster space. I seriously wonder if the Cubs do any research, whatsoever. Maybe tomorrow I will look into it, but it seems highly unlikely that a guy who strikes out in over 25%'s of his college at bats is going to become a major leaguer. I am not say "impact player" I am saying "gets one cup of coffee so he can go 1 for 6 with 4 K's and never be heard from again" player.

Recent comments

  • 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).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.