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

All-Star Game Open Thread

Ted Lilly should be available for an inning tonight....chat is open for those interested. Evan Longoria will sit out with an infected fingertip and Michael Young takes his spot in the lineup...Chone Figgins his roster spot.

* Ichiro Suzuki RF
Hanley Ramirez SS
Derek Jeter SS
*Chase Utley 2B
* Joe Mauer C
Albert Pujols 1B
# Mark Teixeira 1B
Ryan Braun LF
Jason Bay LF
* Raul Ibanez RF
*Josh Hamilton CF
David Wright 3B
Michael Young 3B
# Shane Victorino CF
Aaron Hill 2B
Yadier Molina C
Roy Halladay P
* Tim Lincecum P

 

If you're passing on the All-Star game, Dave Pinto at Baseball Musings is doing a brief rundown of all 30 teams at the break, here's the Cubs entry. Over at The Bleacher Report, the top 20 Cubs transactions since 1990...I think #17 is silly for a list that seems to be intended to be serious, I mean, if you want to talk about transactions that involved just getting rid of a player, moving Michael Barrett in 2007 probably had a bigger perceived impact than moving LaTroy Hawkins.

Comments

All I care about is Hamilton, Hanley and Braun coming out of it healthy. Not going to watch, though.

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2009/7/13wexler.html GEORGE BRETT: Perhaps we should change the subject a little. In his confirmation hearing a few years back, now Chief Justice Roberts analogized the role of the judge to the role of the umpire. Do you agree with that characterization? And specifically, do you think that it would be unconstitutional to waterboard Tim McClelland? SONIA SOTOMAYOR: I'm sorry. Tim McCllelland? GEORGE BRETT: I'll phrase it another way. Let's say, for example, that a hypothetical rule prohibited the use of pine tar on any bat higher than eighteen inches above the tip of the handle. Would you strictly construe that provision as it applies to someone who has just hit a game winning home run? WILLIE WILSON: And, also, would you legalize cocaine?

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

yeah, but we still have 1 day without baseball that counts and 2 without cubs baseball. the best part for me...it's @WAS and the 1st 2 games are on CSN...which means it's in my blackout area so i don't get to see any cubs til their saturday game on WGN. oh boy! not only do i live 4 hours from DC...my cable co. doesn't offer any of the channels WAS games are shown on. i'm also in BAL's blackout zone and only see the handful of games on Fox Sports East. this is one of my "i pay $160 a year for what now?" times of the season.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

For me this weekend's games in Washington are just another reason not to watch. That is easily the worst park in professional sports for watching a game on TV. Whomever designed it, or whomever told the designers what they wanted, decided to put the main camera that's behind home plate up on the roof or damn near the roof. Whenever a ball is hit in play the TV angle is atrocious. And it's impossible to judge fly balls at that angle. My solution is I just don't watch any game at the Nats. Bad timing with the All Star week means I won't be watching any Cubs games until next week.

From Baseball Musings: "When I was at STATS, Inc, we found the direction of the wind at Wrigley affected offensive output greatly." Most of us figured that out before our tenth birthday!

[ ]

In reply to by Craig A.

A couple years ago I saw the Cubs play the Giants and had really great seats in LF so I could taunt Bonds. One of the things I remember about that game is 3 or 4 balls were hit very well and everyone was just sure it was going to be a home run, only to peter out for warning track fly-outs. Wrigley is a fickle lady.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Clearly this is a made up injury (see the quote below), but who could contest this: another team, the union, MLB or does no one care. "They said he was throwing much better than he was last year and that he was in tremendous shape," Manuel said after the game. "Then I also hear today that he took a physical. That's about the extent of what I've heard." Sorry I am bored.

Good morning! I take it everyone here is eagerly anticipating the second half! Me too. For one day, we get to wish what it would be like to have all those wins under our belts say, if we were Angles fans, or Rangers fans. Trouble is, they are still 2-3 games between each other in the standings. Ain't baseball great? I still have a bit of trouble with the divisions and 30+ teams, but I guess the economy will take care of the ones who are faltering. Who do ya'll thing will be the first team to fold? If the Rangers weren't near first I think they would go under. DFW fans are baseball fair weather and a lot of times the Rangers' AA team in Frisco outdraws them. This is Dallas (read Arlington) Cowboys country. Here's my list of the top 3 that might struggle for existence: 1. Kansas City Royals 2. Toronto Blue Jays 3. Washington Nats Not in any order, of course and probably not this year. Bailouts are not the sole property of banks and GM, so it's possible fan Obama will bail baseball out also. It will be interesting however, if Bud Selig DOES take from the Yankees and give to the poor. Clark Howard on his TV show said fans can gets $1.00 nosebleed tickets at Braves games and bring your own food for a savings of 75 bucks per seat, but that doesn't help the team survive. Anyone?

[ ]

In reply to by artskoe

SD Padres. BTW... Their DL is ridiculous: D. Eckstein 2B/SS 15-day Strained right hamstring H. Blanco C 15-day Strained right hamstring C. Floyd RF 60-day Torn labrum in right shoulder C. Young SP 15-day Right shoulder inflammation B. Giles RF 15-day Right knee contusion N. Hundley C 15-day Left wrist contusion J. Peavy SP 15-day Strained tendon in right ankle S. Hill SP 60-day Right elbow inflammation M. Worrell RP 60-day Right elbow surgery - out for season C. Baek SP/RP 60-day Strained right forearm Their DL alone is a pretty good team.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Yeah, I don't think even a healthy Padres is a team built to contend. More on the original point, though: I think the Padres would be one of the first teams to fold. They already tried moving Peavy to lower payroll and couldn't. No one will take him now. I guess they could always move Adrian Gonzalez for cash, couldn't they?

[ ]

In reply to by artskoe

Selig's not going to let MLB leave a TV market as big as DFW, even if another owner must be arranged. I'd think Oakland and KC are most at risk; Florida or Tampa Bay could be in the talks if they don't get stadiums/perform; but I think the most likely is that we have 30 teams for at least ten more years. One more point: It's easy to say a small-market owner is being greedy by crying poor and pocketing a few million a year, but if you consider how much they could earn on $200-500 million by simply investing in secure assets, you can see the risk of running these businesses a little bit better.

I think part of the problem with taking money from the Yankees to give to the other teams is forcing them to spend it. I see no reason why the Yankees/Red Sox/etc. should have to pay millions in luxury taxes only to see a KC/Pittsburgh/Cincinnati owner pocket the dollars while crying poor.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

The trouble with a salary floor beyond the current MLB minimum is that you may end up paying undeserving players more money than their worth. Then those salaries are brought into some arbitration hearing or free agent negotiation as comparables and another unworthy player is seeking the same amount of dough. Neither salary caps nor floors make sense in MLB. Teams need to have the freedom to spend or not spend as makes sense for their strategy (rebuilding, competing, or just hoping). Doesn't solve the crime of small market teams stealing from the big markets. Until recently, Philly was actually a huge culprit, as they were measuring revenue with no regard to market size.

[ ]

In reply to by Stevens

It's almost like you didn't read what I wrote about making the floor optional. "Neither salary caps nor floors make sense in MLB. Teams need to have the freedom to spend or not spend as makes sense for their strategy (rebuilding, competing, or just hoping)." Do you think they make sense for the NFL and the NBA?

[ ]

In reply to by Stevens

The trouble with a salary floor beyond the current MLB minimum is that you may end up paying undeserving players more money than their worth. ---------------------------- I get your point, but they are already paid more money than they are worth. It's a game for christsake, and they cheat at it to boot. Fuck 'em. They are there for our entertainment. Ideally all sports should pay their players only for team wins, nothing else, no base salaries, etc.

"One pitcher who could turn it around in the second half is Rich Harden. His first-pitch strike pct (50.6%) was the worst among major league starters with 300 batters faced. Harden, who had a disappointing 5-6 record and a 5.47 ERA at the break, had a 44.4 first-pitch strike percentage in losses. He was at 56.2 percent last season, so he can probably turn it around." http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4329089

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

"disappointing"? I would have selected a more, ah, colorful description of the performance of a pitcher who is "as good as they come when he's healthy". He's been healthy, and terrible. Somebody needs to tell Rich he's in a contract year.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Who was going to fire him on the Trib, his enabler Kenney? I don't think Zell knows that Soriano misses fly balls. I think there's a decent chance that Hendry gets fired within a week of the team (finally) changing hands. I'll be sorry to see him go in some ways--if he goes--but he really should fall on his sword after the long-term mess he's made of the Cubs' outfield.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

A team that gets hot/lucky in October should not in theory be forgiven any more or less for previous incompetence than one which doesn't, not that I need to convince you. Even if the Cubs go all the way, Hendry is still as much of a liability as an asset. With the sunk cost of his contract, I'm sure nothing short of a 95-loss season would get him fired at this point.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

The Cubs have not won a playoff game since October of 2003 (that is 69 months and counting). For a team that has had their very high payroll that is crappy results. No blinders needed. The playoffs are a crap shoot. Hendry has gotten them there three times in the past six years. That is pretty damn good. Your hate of Hendry is hilarious. And irrational.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

"The playoffs are a crap shoot." What page does that come from out of the 'I Love My GM' playbook? And even in craps you win once in awhile, right? And oh yeah, how do you think that excuse would fly if I used that to support Dusty in 2003? "Your hate of Hendry is hilarious. And irrational." That's funny, because I think your unconditional love of Hendry is hilarious. But I am glad to see people starting to see what I have seen from him for years.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

What page does that come from out of the 'I Love My GM' playbook? And even in craps you win once in awhile, right? Sure... and pretty sure that the Cubs did win in the playoffs a few years ago. Of course, you probably think it is Hendry's fault that Dusty left his starting pitching in too long. Or that Alex Gonzalez forgot that he was one of the better fielding SS's in baseball. Or that Ryan Dempster would all of a sudden forget that he knew how to throw strikes. Or that practically the entire Cubs offense would forget how to hit last year. And oh yeah, how do you think that excuse would fly if I used that to support Dusty in 2003? Actually... yea. You see, unlike you, most people around here are capable of thinking unemotionally. I would argue that Dusty made some bad decisions in the playoffs, but that yea, the playoffs are a crap shoot and the Cubs lost at craps in the NLCS. That's funny, because I think your unconditional love of Hendry is hilarious. But I am glad to see people starting to see what I have seen from him for years. I don't have an unconditional love for Hendry. I know it is difficult for you to understand when people don't hate who you hate, and love who you love, but again, many around here are capable of looking at things logically and rationally. In Hendry I see a GM that has made a lot of really good moves, and a decent amount of bad moves, and a few "yet to be determined" moves. I also see a GM that has been one of the more successful GMs in recent years. Is the best GM in baseball? No. Is he the worst? No. But I would argue (with facts, which seem to be things you don't like too well) that he has been one of the better GMs in recent years.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

More so that predictions tend to not be predictions but 'this is what I hope will happen so that my team will get better'. But yes, this is not the 'prediction' that I would make if pressed on Halladay's destination. I'm sure the Jays would love to see both Halladay and Wells in their own division, though. My prediction: Pujols is traded to the Cubs for DLee, Milton Bradley, and Vitters.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

thought I heard something from the Yanks about not being in the mix for Halladay and definitely not going to take Wells' contract to do it...

Phils need him the most

Rangers/Dodgers/Angels could offer the most although I guess Rangers are having $$ issues...

Cubs would be wise to spend their bullets somewhere else, as much as I like Halladay.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

maybe, maybe not...that's a lot of moving pieces and a lot of scenarios that need to play out to happen...

Blue Jays at the moment want an "ace" pitcher under control for 5-6 years, plus everything else...so kind of like the Cubs and Indians(who wanted a power hitter at the corner close to the majors) last year, I don't think the teams match-up.

-edit- Cubs and Indians with Sabathia...

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In reply to by Chad

sure, if "anything else" is the top of the rotation starter near or in the bigs that they're looking for...

I don't know what the Blue Jays think of Ninja, Jackson or Cashner though and if I wer to guess they don't fit that profile. I also heard they'd like a shortstop prospect, which we do plenty of, just at the lower levels.

I predict Soriano will like going back to DC and will hit three home runs in the four game series. The cubs will win three of four losing game Zambrano pitches. Sam fuld will start at least one game in center. And unfortunatly there will be a Jeff Baker sighting at second base.

I'm bored. I wish tomorrow's game was in the afternoon. They should do the All Star game AFTER the season. At least the NFL understands that nobody gives a shit.

haven't heard anything about his return, been about 3 1/2 weeks...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

it was a pretty good game, but the crowd was DEAD. the fox broadcast on whole was pure crap. aside from missing the president's throw and having the wrong camera on it (who cares)...they showed replays of checked swings from the CF/pitcher-view camera rather than a side angle at least twice and missed many 1st pitches coming back from promos or breaks.

Well the AAA ASG on ESPN2 was a bit more exciting with Eric Young calling the game with his son Jr. on the field. Of course as soon as they told about his batting skills he struck out but he did hit a monster double. The pitching was not impressive on the whole, but German Esteban really slammed the ball in Portland along with Eric Patterson. They mentioned Corey but only in passing. Also most of the speedsters took second at will. There were 19 K in attendance. The International league beat the PCL 6-5. I tuned in late so didn't see any Iowa Cubs. These are the guys who are destined to be the PLBNL and they all played with energy.

[ ]

In reply to by artskoe

i-cub chris robinson was the starting catcher for the pcl team, played 5 innnings, went 1-2, lining out to right in his first ab with a nice single and a run scored. highlight of the game, however, was the 50 mph eephus pitch some guy threw for a strike which had the whole place laughing, including the guy he threw it too, who froze in disbelief.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

Wells appears like he’s throwing almost more of a slider/cutter hybrid compared to Dempster and Greinke, with more sweep and less sink. Someone who knows a lot more about PitchFx than I, Harry Pavlidis, notes the same thing, and gave the pitch a delightful name – the slutter. The Slutter... love it. I thought it already had a name though: frisbee slider.

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.