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

TCR Friday Notes

I'll ease back into TCR with some links...

- Geovany Soto will be back in the lineup tonight just in time for some Coors Field inflated hitting. Way to pick your spots Geo...

- A rather crucial 7-game swing here for the Cubs...4 at Colorado and then 3 at home versus Philly. The Rockies are a game behind the Giants in the wild card and one ahead of the Cubs. Pitching matchups for this weekend are: Zambrano vs U. Jimenez (3.76 ERA), Dempster vs. Marquis (3.49), Wells vs. Hammell (4.62) and Gorzelanny vs. De La Rosa (5.00 ERA, although 5-0 with a 2.50 ERA in July, but then got crushed in his first August start against Philly).

- Here's a great Dusty-ism, except it's from Hendry.

"I can't say enough about Hill," general manager Jim Hendry said. "He really saved us."

- Carlos Marmol leads all of baseball with a 8.48 BB/9 rate and at least 50 innings pitched (52 currently). I went back to 1995 and only found 2 other instances of a walk rate above 8 per nine innings and at least 50 innings pitched, John Rocker in 2000 (53 IP) and Stephen Randolph in 2004 (81.2 IP). Not a good career choice for Marmol...

When I think of control-challenged relievers that played for the Cubs, my mind always wanders to Mitch Williams. His career worst (using the 50 IP cut-off) was 7.79 BB/9 in 108.1 IP for the Rangers in 1987. In his 2 years with the Cubs, he walked 5.84 in 1989 (a career best) and 6.78 per nine innings.

- The Cubs signed their 6th round pick, LHP Brooks Raley to a $750K bonus, and inked their first 12 picks to date. The deadline is August 17th.

- Julio Castillo, the Cub farmhand that was indicted for throwing at a fan during a brawl last year, ended up getting 30 days of jail time and three years probation. As far as I know, he's still a member of the Cubs organization, although I'm sure Arizona Phil would know better.

-  Kevin Hart made his first start for the Pirates last night, going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs, 1 BB, 9 H, and 5 K's.

- Chad Gaudin has been traded from the Padres to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later...he could replace another ex-Cub in Sergio Mitre in the rotation.

Comments

So the Cubs can't hit a sleepy 84 MPH Justin Lehr fastball, but they'll probably clobber Jimenez' 98 MPH fastball... What a silly game.

Yes, Julio "Animal" Castillo is still a member of the Cubs organization (he is technically on the Boise Reserve List). He was at Fitch Park throwing bullpen side-sessions & sim games for about three months before going to Dayton for the trial. What his ultimate future with the Cubs will be, I don't know, but he does throw in the mid-90's...

Castillo is the man-child from the jungles of Hispanola (near the Dominican Republic-Haiti border) who caught a rat at the Peoria Sports Complex a couple of years ago and kept the rodent as a pet in his motel room while he spent the summer pitching for the AZL Cubs.

I was surprised to see that Milton Bradley is on a pace to appear in 134 games this year. But, what are the chances? That would be the second highest total in his career (2004 - 141 is tops) and he averages 90-100 games per season. Time may be running out. Uncle Milty has appeared in 88 games already.

Re Hill: I don't like watching him come to the plate either, but maybe catching is mostly about catching, and maybe there's more to catching than the usual stats. If a catcher has workable ideas about how to get a hitter out, it could show up in the final score. By my count, the Cubs are 55-30 in games that Hill has started, going back to 2007 when he took over for Michael Barrett. When you consider that Hill weakens the team's offense when he plays, it's even more remarkable. After 2007, people mostly dismissed Hill's team-related success as lucky timing, but now it has happened again.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

After 2007, people mostly dismissed Hill's team-related success as lucky timing, but now it has happened again. Who knew that, in addition to adding 5 mph to a pitcher's fastball, Koyie Hill would also make Soriano hit better, Bradley hit better, ARam get healthy, Fukudome to come out of his slump, etc? He really does have super powers, eh? The Cubs haven't been winning more games (since Soto went on the DL) because of Hill. They are winning games because they are scoring more runs. And Hill has had very, very little to do with that.

In addition to signing LHP-OF Brooks Raley (6th round pick out of Texas A&M) for Supplemental 1st round money (he received nearly $250K more than 2nd round pick D. J. LeMahieu got), the Cubs also recently signed left-handed hitting slugging catcher Sergio Burruel (19th round pick out of Trevor Browne HS - Phoenix, AZ) to an above-slot bonus, and Burruel made his pro debut (as DH) last night for the AZL Cubs (he walked and crushed a double in four PA).

LHP Aaron Kirk (3rd round pick out of Owasso HS - Owasso, OK) made his pro debut Wednesday night, threw one inning, and struck out the side. He has plus-velocity.

The Cubs have now signed 29 of their 50 selections from the 2009 Rule 4 Draft, including their first 12 picks and 14 of their top 15, although two of the players who signed (17th round pick RHP B. J. Dail and 23rd rounder OF Jeffrey Pruitt) subsequently had their contracts voided.  

The AZL season is over on August 28th but the Boise season doesn't end for another ten days after that, so expect several AZL Cubs to get promoted to Boise on August 29th.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

That's a steal for Raley. A really impressive coup for the Cubs scouting department to get that guy. For about 2/3rds of the season he was the best pitcher in the country (though never the best prospect of course). Oh yeah, and he projects to be a Darrin Erstad type in center field and with the bat. Any word on what the Cubs are wanting to do with him, Phil? Or rather what he wants to do?

The people at the Sporting News apparently don't follow baseball very closely. Their MLB home page has a picture of Carlos Zambrano and the blurb underneath reads: "Victor Zambrano and the Cubs try to figure out how to win on the road as they head to Colorado in a key series for both contenders. That's just one of several intriguing matchups this weekend, Ryan Fagan says." http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/ Update: it took them a few hours but they finally fixed it.

Scary note for the Cubs: Of the next 31 games the Cardinals play, only 3 are against a team currently over .500 (Dodgers). CRAP

Anyone want to take a flyer on the Giambino as a LH bat off the bench? He's only hitting .193 this year, but has 40 RBIs to go along with 11 HRs. Could he be this year's Jim Edmonds (although mostly as a PH)?

[ ]

In reply to by Doug Dascenzo

No thanks. He's an admitted steroid freak, and if you want to overlook that he can't play any position and he can't hit. So what value does he have? Why Oakland gave him almost $6 million guaranteed between this year and next year's buyout is beyond me. He sucks.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Giambi's dislikable? I always kinda figured him to be a fun, beer-drinking, party guy. Also, he grows one helluva mustache. Anyway, he doesn't really fit anywhere on the Cubs, but even at .193 he's got more RBIs than Bradley. Shit, just last year he hit 32 HRs and had an OPS+ of 128.

file this under fun with the rule 5 draft: Pirates place Donald Veal back to the DL with a sprained left index finger file this under McFail ain't doin' us any favors: Gregg Zaun from the O's to the Rays for cash considerations file this under I'm selective when type and pasting: Brewers recalled RHP Jesus... (that outta help their pitching staff)

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Normally the Dodgers couldn't get anybody through waivers at this point, but in this case, I can see why nobody got in their way. Maybe the Mets? That's about my only reasonable guess, if they think he can really help them the next four years or whatever he has left.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

I'll guess it's the Giants. But you can't count the Royals out, their GM seems to make some questionable financial moves as well, but the Giants are starved for offense and they talked about trading for Rios a while back.

.. you don't have that problem with a robe --- can't be correct, wasn't he a lefty?

So the whole thing about Donald Veal and how the pirates might be stashing him on the dl (or not for that matter) made me think of something. Often a young player like David Patton may be coerced into playing along with a fake injury in order to stay with the team. If I'm him I would do the same, you get to stay on a first place team and have a future with a club like hte Cubs (in this case, i'm considering it a good thing). But let's take a guy like Donald Veal. He was Cub but then gets Rule 5'd to the Gulag. If they are trying to stash him even though he's not really hurt, couldn't he file a grievance with the union? (this presumes that he'd rather be a Cub, as of course anyone would)

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

you'll be hard pressed to find a coach in highschool or college that would want a LH catcher...the curve stops there many times. from the "throwing to 3rd thing" to worries about RH hitters (way more of them than lefty hitters) being able to sneak signs easier...there's plenty of excuses to go around.

.. you don't have that problem with a robe --- he can pitch, and catch all at the same time even with a catchers glove on his right hand. dos equis XX

if that saw went any deeper, Koyie Hill might have been your most recent mlb left handed catcher...

[ ]

In reply to by Jace

I think it would be such a valuable skill to be an ambidextrous quarterback so you could roll out to either side and throw on the run. I hope this guy makes the majors. Would be really cool to watch.

The Hoff sent down to AAA, as some of you had desired, to make room for "Oblique-Man"

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 1:42pm.
file this under fun with the rule 5 draft: Pirates place Donald Veal back to the DL with a sprained left index finger

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

CUBSTER: Donald Veal has spent 85 days on the Pirates 25-man roster in 2009, so five more days on the Active Roster (and presumably he will be reactivated after rosters expand on 9/1) and the Rule 5 restrictions will be lifted for 2010, so that the Pirates can option Veal to the minors in 2010, 2011, and 2012 (if they wish).

David Patton has already spent 90+ days on the Cubs 25-man Active List in 2009, so he could just go home for the rest of the year because he has spent enough time on the Cubs 25-man roster for his Rule 5 restrictions to be lifted next season. (If a Rule 5 player spends less than 90 days on an MLB Active List in the season following selection in the Rule 5 Draft, the Rule 5 restrictions continue into the next season until the player has accrued 90 days of MLB Service Time).

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?