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

Tough Week for the Cubs and Their Fans

Click on the image for the full-size graphic.

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

i'm tired of people feeling sorry for Cubs fans? what are we a bunch of wussies? NO we have fun watching win or lose. in fact we revel in the fact that we can make fun of an often crappy team.

It's raining like hell in the western suburbs, hurricane like winds at times too (ok, not hurricane like but extremely strong), bottom line, in an hour or so when this moves into the city I would expect a rain delay.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

“I talk to the players about all this, but as manager I don’t have to talk to anybody about anything,” Baker said. “It’s just I’ve always done as a manager. As a player you always like to know why things were done." ha...welcome to "no shit" CIN beat writers. is it your first year on the job? doesn't everyone in baseball know this for oh...15+ years now? can someone get this guy a TV or a newspaper? wait... ...and no amount of crying about it in print will change it. baaaaaaaaaaw!!!!! *cry cry cry*

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

yeah, didn't mean to imply that was breaking any new ground...but interesting to see the actual numbers and comparision to the rest of the league...

Stat I would like to see: Attendance figures at parks when Cubs are visitors vs other teams, like how does attendance at Houston go up when the Cubs play there. My theory is, teams are gunning for the Cubs more than ever because: 1) Cub fans are a high percentage of attendance and 2) More of their own fans show up to watch against the Cubs. Does Colorado average 40K when even the Dodgers are in town? What about San Diego? Is there more preparation, player and team aggression when they look ahead and see Cubs on the schedule and they know they will play before a bigger crowd? What I'm proposing is that fear-factor of losing to the Cubs is higher than most...when the Cubs beat the Nats 4 for 4 after that they went on a freak terror streak and payed us back by vamping the Phils up. Talk is always about inning management, maybe Lou should evolve a series management plan (I know there is some of that already), like go over a team's last 6 wins and loses, ex-cub factors, etc. Another stat (and I like this) is to use the plus/minus system like in hockey for defensive purposes. Runs scored against you, while you were at shortstop, for example, minus runs scored during an inning when you had an at bat... Is this over-analysis at it's best or worst? A rain delay can do strange things to ya!

Re: "Visiting Fans" - this was recently written about - I believe perhaps even in U.S.A. Today - during the Cubs trip in Colo. In the NL - its the Cubs, then Cards, & Dodgers/Phillies - Braves had more market share during their heyday. This is off gate receipts I believe. In the MLB - its Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs - the the rest of the above.

Fun facts for today: Remaining schedule: Opponents' combined records: Stl (.482 Wpct), Chc (.475 Wpct), the Cubs have a slightly softer schedule from here out. ------- StL record since the ASG: 18-10, Cubs: 17-12 ------- Ted Lilly's (9-7 3.59 ERA) last game was July 20th, returning from injury tonight. ------- Zambrano's (7-4 3.35 ERA) last game was Aug 1, scheduled to return Aug 25 after rehab start this Thursday.

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

Sure Chad, I guess it should be obvious if they play 800 ball (or whatever number you guys decided that the cards have played in the last week) that they'll win. I guess my point was not really about their record, it was about how they are playing: Mashing the ball, good fundamentals, fighting back even when they are down runs. They improved significantly at the trade deadline and I would even venture to say they are a better team than the Cubs at this point.

the rain out struck me as odd...sitting at the park while it wasn't raining for nearly 2 hours. It did rain hard right before the cubs were about to take the field, they did get the national anthem in. Then the grounds crew rolled out the tarp but didn't unfold it to cover the infield, then they rolled it back up...until it poured and the umps said to put the tarp back on. Before 2pm it wasn't raining until almost after 4pm...but the radar looked like hell (all the tv screens, viewable in the grandstands and upper deck were showing live weather radar of the area) and the PA announced around 2pm that they expected heavy storms and would be waiting about an hour. Modern technology and the radar failed someone yesterday. In the 1960's this game would have been played...at least 5-6 innings worth but today they anticipate via radar and don't just play based on whether it's raining or not. Even leaving by 4:45 pm when the game was called, it was a light drizzle and could have continued (it the game had previously started). Of course, it was get-away-day so they probably didn't want to reschedule everyone's flight.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

We left the moments the words left the PA guy's mouth - "We are waiting until AFTER the thunderstorm arrives at Wrigley Field in about an hour" or something like that. It was 2:35 or something. I have seen games (and have sat there - we all have) where the rain was much worse, and still in play. After the initial downpour at 1:15 - there was ample time to get an "official" game in - in my opinion. It was just bullshit. The team is on a "winning streak", with our "hot pitcher" against theirs - and even with .197 Miles playing, I think we could have had a shot at keeping pace with the Cards yesterday. Not to mention, it was a waste of a day, and more money, for the 40,000+ fans who sat there for that. Boooooo!

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH... Kaplan... The long awaited sale of the Chicago Cubs should finally be signed this week between the Tribune Company and the Ricketts family. The process has been ongoing since April of 2007 but now it is finally about to be completed. Excellent sources have assured me that there are no more hurdles to clear and the paperwork will be signed by Friday. It will then move on to an MLB ownership committee then a stop in front of the bankruptcy judge and finally it will need approval of the other owners in Major League Baseball. All of this should be wrapped up by the World Series or shortly thereafter and it should pave the way for Tom Ricketts and his family to finally have the keys to the Cubs Kingdom... There are several agonizing things about this blog entry from Kaplan. Number one I hate it when someone claims to have an excellent source. Even if it is a reliable source, if you only have reliable sources, you shouldn't have to tell us it's an excellent source. Second, how he says there will be no more hurdles, but then goes on to talk about how after signing the dotted line, they have all these other hurdles to go over. Not only that he makes all these other hurdles sound nonchalant, like "...then a stop in front of the bankruptcy judge..." as if bankruptcy court has a drive-thru or something.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

It will then move on to an MLB ownership committee Actually the deal has to be approved by more than one MLB committee and the vetting process is expected to take weeks then a stop in front of the bankruptcy judge Where it may be challenged if Sam Zell loses control of the Trib between now and then and finally it will need approval of the other owners in Major League Baseball. All of this should be wrapped up by the World Series or shortly thereafter Well, it's not going to be wrapped up before the WS is over because the owners don't meet again until November 17th.

..then a stop in front of the bankruptcy judge..." as if bankruptcy court has a drive-thru or something. --- only works for bankruptcy filings like GM or Burger King

Nice post Ryno. I don't mind the affable Kap too much, and he was nice to me in the one instance I met him (that's all it takes for most of us right?), but its the same guy who said Crane Kenny assured him that if a move can be made to improve the team at the deadline, the money would be there. Yeah. Right, Crane.

this yrs 1st round draft pick is on fire...especially considering how many 1st rounders might not sign at all. CHC LoA Jackson, Brett CF 6 3 4 3 .320 HR (5), 2B (4);

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Under honorable mentions, he should have just listed every sports team in America, then categorized the article as "Asinine Generalizations" instead of "Humor." Why did I read that? For what it's worth, I too despise the "woe is me, being a Cubs fan is all about losing, suffering, and being fated to fail," Cubs fan. I also hate that people perpetuate the perception that all Cubs fans are like that. Every time I read an article about sports printed in newspapers or magazines, or hear a TV report, I think that sports writing probably shouldn't exist. But that's unfair. Just these people shouldn't be doing it, and we should all ignore ESPN.

I would say if anything wrong about most Cub fans they are overly optimistic. --- yep I'm optimistic, been down so long it feels like up to me (...till I met a Cub fan who told me to fuck off and stop feeling sorry for myself)

I liked the Brett Jackson pick, but I can't get too excited about a college player in low A. I don't know where low A compares to a top NCAA schedule , but let's see how he does when he goes up the ladder.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Does anyone remember way back when who Rays wanted for Huff from Cubs? I remember it was like something Cubs would not part with but now looking back....

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Pretty "meh" towards the deal. I actually thought the Tigers paid a pretty high premium for Huff given that they assumed his salary for the rest of the season and also lost a pitcher who was rated their 10th overall system prospect and was a 4th round pick a year ago. Remember, all of this for a month and a half of a guy who, despite having a decent bat, is really inadequate at best at a slew of potential positions. His .725 OPS is a far cry from the .912 he posted last year and his July / August numbers have been nothing short of awful after a respectable first half. If the Tigers wanted this, they should have just held onto Sheffield. I'll take Jake Fox anyday over the current incarnation of Huff (although certainly not over the 2003 or 2008 incarnations).

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Is this sarcasm? Aubrey Huff, who is as likely to be outplayed by Lee, Ramirez, Bradley, Soriano, and Fox as he is to add any value to the team while still earning a pretty considerable salary? I'll hold onto my prospect and my cash, thank you. For the Tigers he at least can slot into LF immediately, though Clete Thomas has put up a .742 OPS, .011 better than Huff's .731. Of course, Huff's middling performance this year is a big part of why he's still available, and I'm sure the Tigers are mostly hoping they get lucky and get 1 1/2 months of red hot Huff.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

hell, i'd put a not-quite-100% guillen in LF before i considered huff, myself. the idea of huff playing 3rd is about as bad as fox, too. btw, for the lack of errors at 3rd fox is still playing a pretty bad/iffy 3rd. he catches almost everything off the hip, backhanded, or both at the same time. it's like watching an immobile hockey goalie. he doesn't come up in great position to throw, either. aram used to do this a lot when he got to the cubs. now he gets in front of a lot more stuff and it's let him use that cannon arm a lot better as a result (along with less number of clumbsy looking passed balls).

Recent comments

  • 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?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).