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

Here Come The Sox, Time To Get Out The Flip Flops

flip-flops

Not here to talk about how awful life is for the Cub fan right now.
It's a day off, lets talk about flip flops - this'll make Cubs sense later.

They have an underdog kind of history, flip flops, especially in the midwest.
When I came to Chicago in the 80's, people didn't wear flops except in the shower.
There were sandals, sure, but sandals have that Jesus thing going on.
The real midwestern flip flop in the 80's was a hideous boat shoe called the Sperry Topsider, leather and sometimes with tassels - like little cardigan sweaters for the feet.
They made me feel silly so...I went with flops.
The kind from Walgreen's that come in all colors.
I'd get about 6 pairs for a grand total of about 10 bucks, last all summer long.
Especially fabulous in the bleachers at Wrigley, where staying cool is a must and the beer spillage is rampant.
You can just hose 'em off after.
They've come a long way since then.
Fashionable even.
Found my favorite kind about 5 years ago at a surf shop in Kona: Reefs.
I still have 'em.
Bulletproof.
I've got a pretty big collection now, including the sporty "Fannings" with the super cool beer bottle opener on the bottom (which surprisingly I've never used).
Okay, back to the White Sox, the flops, and the point of this little chat.
If I'm going to Wrigley and I put on a pair of flops, I can look at my sock drawer and say, "Fuck the socks."
And I do, every time.
Say that out loud right now.
Awesome, right?

Tim Souers is the illustrator and author of Cubby Blue and appreciates the opportunity to guest blog here at The Cub Reporter.
http://www.cubby-blue.com

Comments

Nice artwork again. What are you using, watercolors and black ink? I have to admit, I dislike flipflops anywhere but at the beach or the locker room. When I was seven I was chasing my brother around my grandparents house in stockinged feet. I slipped and busted my lip open on an end table in my grandfather's den. All the way to the hospital the only thing I would say around my crying was 'NO MORE SOX! NO MORE SOX!'

I don't quite get the flip-flop Cub connection, but I am wearing a pair of "Reefs" as I write. I love 'em. But, as Jacos says, I personally would not wear them into Wrigley's men's rooms at any time.

Who was it that said the highlight of their season is listening to Ozzie complain about Wrigley? Ozzie strikes! After the Brewers series... Everytime I go to Wrigley I puke... Start a "send Ozzie a bottle of Pepto-bismol" campaign, anyone?

Looks like the Iowa Cubs are streaming on the internet and maybe even have video if you're so inclined. Having a little trouble getting the audio though. Speaking of Iowa - amazing but true department. Jake "The Hammer" Fox went two for five last night with a triple, and managed to lower both his batting average and slugging percentage.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Somehow, I cannot imagine Jake "The Hammer" hitting a triple. Someone must have fallen down.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Keep in mind that in the PCL guys like The Hammer and Dubois are allowed to patrol the outfields.

After mowing 2.3 acres of dust and weeds, add 2 white socks to boiling water, 1 drop foul mouth Ozzie saliva and 2 drops Dye blood. Cool for 24 hours. Use as needed. Off label use: 1 cup in bowl to open septic systems and increase bacteria and sewer flowage.

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In reply to by artskoe

Off label use: 1 cup in bowl to open septic systems and increase bacteria and sewer flowage. --- also is medicinal as a substitute for normal colon flora...aka Bartolojuice

Kyle Burke leads all of professional baseball with 27 doubles...he was the bounty for Michael Barrett in 2007. Cubs 5th round pick Wesley Darvill has signed. and I think this was mentioned, but Doug Deeds demoted to Tennesee, Brandon Guyer and Todd Blackford demoted to Daytona (Blackford was acquird for Todd Hollandsworth once upon a time).

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

The Cubs got two pitchers in the deal: Angelo Burrows and Blackford. Burrows struggled mightily in 2006 and was released, after which he went on to Independent leagues. Blackford didn't fair well his first couple years in the Cubs system, but he finally put it together in 2008 going 7-1 with a 2.40 ERA for Daytona. He just turned 24 last week, and is 6'4" 205, but he is running out of time, especially since he struggled to start the season at the next (AA) level. I should also note that Justin Berg was acquired just two days prior to Blackford from the Yankees for Matt Lawton.

okay...i'll go ahead and bite. wtf is the cartoon about? it reminds me of andy warhol's early work for Life magazine, but beyond that i can't find a commentary or joke in there. -edit- okay, i just read the writeup under it...i dunno how i missed it the first few times. i blame the "new" button on the posts, the liberal media, and P.C. thugs. muh bad.

Steve Stone flames Jim Hendry on Chicago Tribune Live tonight: "Kenny Williams would never make an 8-year, guaranteed, no-trade offer to a DH who happens to be playing left field for the Chicago Cubs right now....". Only slightly out of context. He smoked other contracts the Cubs are currently burdened with, and again brings up St. Kenny as the Patron Of The Good Contract. (I had hoped his ax was ground all the way down since he started rooming with Hawk. Guess he still sees red when Jim Hendry is the subject.) Then he makes an appearance on WGN Sports Central (!), and during an interview with Crane Kenney, he and Kap try to pin Kenney down on the flexibility Hendry might have for a mid-season deal. Kaplan brings up DeRosa specifically, and Kenney replied (paraphrasing somewhat) "DeRo is in the last year of his deal, he makes what, $2.5 million? That would probably be considered a small deal that we might be able to fit in this year's numbers." (10 minutes later, DeRo hits an RBI double for all you young fans who miss him.) So maybe the Cubs will be able to get someone in the last year of a deal, not making much. So who's a free-agent-to-be, not making a ton of money, that could help and not cost much in the way of players? It was pointed out earlier that Will Carroll of BP spoke to the real severity of Jake Peavy's injury. Stone said the ankle is bound to at least bother him when he comes back in September and make him a less effective hurler.

[ ]

In reply to by OakLawnGuy

steve stone...that guy sure does have opinions. my favorite recent-memory steve stone moment barely involves him. len/bob have a studio area and before it was finished it was a bare-wall area with a hung-crooked autograph picture of steve stone on a thumbtack hanging on the wall. i'd love to know what's behind that, who hung it, and why len/bob left it there until they completed their studio renovation.

[ ]

In reply to by OakLawnGuy

Stoney is a little over-the-top on that comment. Soriano isn't the most graceful outfielder in the world, but the league has a number of far worse fielders and he'll age in the same mold as Jr. I have no problem with Soriano in LF for several more years. Anyways, that's what big-market teams do. Rather, I sense some lingering resentment from Stoney. On the larger point of Hendry giving some irresponsible contracts out, I guess I can agree with that. All those NTC reduce the flexibility of the team. Of course the team won two pennants in a row and I guess that's a nice accomplishment, but it's easy to forget seeing as how they have a 0-6 playoff record the last two years.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Expounding on Hendry's roster moves in the offseason, he mentions that the Cubs "shipped Jason Marquis and $800,000 to Colorado for a pitcher they knew they were going to release, and by the way Jason Marquis is tied for the league lead with 8 wins....Marquis a guy Lou Piniella didn't want on the team, and who lives a block away from Jason and walks to the park with him every day - Mark DeRosa, who is traded to Cleveland for three pitchers who may help you down the road, but certainly will not help this season." Again paraphrasing only slightly, but I don't quite understand why Stoney would imply that since DeRosa was Marquis' buddy, he needs to go too. He went on about DeRosa's stats, his 44 RBI (added to tonight against the Brewers), and "if you can count, and I know you can, that's more than Derrek Lee and Milton Bradley combined." His partner on the telecast, Frank Thomas, laughed out loud several times - as if he's a disciple of Kenny Williams now too. I really don't buy into the whole "gotta beat the Sox - gotta beat the Cubs" mentality. It makes me sick to see kids running around in "Cubs Suck" or "Sox Suck" shirts. Too bad the media doesn't feel the same way. (Then again they make money with it.)

[ ]

In reply to by OakLawnGuy

If you had been sentenced to sit next that old flatulent verbal mastubatorb who tells the same story of how he invented the batting glove(he didn't) and how good Yaz's cock taste you would be bitter against your former employer too. Stone is probably still hurt the Cubs picked Merker and Dusty over him and he's probably right, but for all his baseball insight he still shills like a carney you can find at any country fair this summer.

[ ]

In reply to by OakLawnGuy

"Williams would never make an 8-year, guaranteed" Of course the Sox would not have the money to make that offer. Might as well say the Royals would not make that deal either. I still believe that Peavy would have came to Sox if they guaranteed the final year, and Uncle Jer shot it down.

[ ]

In reply to by OakLawnGuy

Kenny Williams would never make an 8-year, guaranteed, no-trade offer to a DH who happens to be playing left field for the Chicago Cubs right now Yea... instead he will trade for a worse version in Jim Thome. And if Stoney thinks that Soriano is a DH, then he has lost any baseball acumen that he once had.

"I like Gerald's approach, but if you step out of line, he gets you back quickly," Thomas said. "Von was more fundamentals. We clashed at first because his fundamental style was different from what I was taught by [former Sox hitting coach]Walt Hrniak, but we worked it out. He's a real professional and a good guy. But it will take a few weeks. They'll go backward a little before they go forward." Asked about the Cubs' hitting problems, especially regarding Alfonso Soriano, Thomas said he considers Soriano a prototypical fifth hitter. "I've always loved him as a hitter, but I would never have had him in the leadoff spot," Thomas said. "The guy can drive in runs. Put him in the five hole." Thomas called the crosstown series one that brings a new level of intensity.

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In reply to by crunch

I vote anywhere from 7-8 right now, he's been the worst hitter on the team since May 1st.

OPS since May 1st....

Lee - .976, Johnson .908, Theriot . 785, Soto - .756, Bradley . 747, Fontenot .678, Fukudome .670, Soriano - .636

the scrubs

Hill - .620, Hoff - .682 (TRADE LEE!!!!)

Reed's done most of his damage versus lefties and Theriot's OPS is all thanks to the homer binge, so I have no fucking clue what to actually do with the lineup. You can rearrange it anyway you want right now and it's not gonna score anymore runs.

.485 OPS for Soriano since getting punked on the WWE...Neifi! would be an improvement.

A 6-run, 8th inning for the Brew?! What the Fuck?!! I am jealous! I am pissed! Oh, Luis Vizciano, who some of you point to as a great loss, started the inning with two straight walks, and then was removed. And the Brew come from behind by 4 runs late to get the W.

M. DiFelice  	        1.0  	1  	1  	1  	0  	1  	1  	0.86  1.40 	 
T. Coffey (W, 2-1) 	1.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	1.19 	2.48 	 
M. Stetter (H, 13) 	0.2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	0.97 	2.91 	 
T. Hoffman (S, 16) 1.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.65 	0.45 	
WHIP and ERA are the last two columns...talk about lucking into a good bullpen.

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In reply to by Rob G.

I was thinking about this as I watched the game. I thought, gee, how come the Cubs couldn't get those guys off the scrap heap, then flashed on the luck factor. Hoffman was the most fortunate selection of all (and we'll see how he holds up in August), but the history of middle relievers and specialists in the game seems to be when they are on, they are on, and you have to have the lucky timing to get these guys on your club. Cotts flashed brilliance at the right time for the Sox, crapped out at the wrong time for the Cubs. Milwaukee flashed on at least three of them and it's all falling into place. I also kept thinking that the Cubs could very well snap out of it facing the likes of Pavano, Vizcaino and whoever the skinny lefty was this weekend. Hopefully the snap-out comes three games earlier.

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...