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

Angels Big 4th Dooms Cubs at Diablo

Starter Dae-Eun Rhee tossed three perfect innings and Dong-Yub Kim ripped an RBI double and an RBI triple, but it wasn't enough to overcome a nine-run Angels 4th, as the Halos drubbed the Cubs 10-5 in Arizona Instructional League action at Diablo Park Field #3 in Tempe this afternoon.  

Although he did not throw his killer splitter-change today, Rhee had good movement on his fast ball and was also able to throw his breaking ball for strikes. He has struggled in his rehab the past couple of months (combined 9.35 ERA and 2.08 WHIP at Mesa and Boise in 2009 while attempting to return to action from 2008 TJS), having lots of difficulty throwing strikes and then getting hammered when he was able to find the strike zone. But he really threw the ball well today, and presuming he adds the splitter back to his bag of tricks after his arm is stronger next seaon, Rhee should be able to regain his rating as one of the Cubs top pitching prospects. 

Fellow rehabbers RHP Tarlandus Mitchell (lingering intercostal strain) and LHP John Mincone (June 2009 shoulder surgery) followed Rhee to the mound, and they had considerably less success than their 20-year old Korean teammate.

Mitchell was the Cubs 22nd round pick in the 2008 draft out of Alto HS (Alto, TX) where was the star QB and CB on the 1-A State champ Alto High football team, and the ace pitcher and DH on the baseball team. He gave up a chance to play college football ("cover corner") to try his hand at pro baseball. 

Mitchell struggled from the outset this afternoon. He kept bouncing his breaking ball and saw his fastball rocked when he did get it over the plate, allowing five runs on a walk, a HBP, a single, and two triples in just 1/3 of an inning. Mitchell is only 5'8, but he can really pack a wallop with his mid-90's fastball, but only if he can throw it over the plate and mix it a bit with a breaking ball and/or change.

Mincone was the Cubs 2009 11th round draft pick out of Suffolk County CC in NY. (He spent his freshman year at James Madison University, before deciding to transfer back home to SCCC). Prior to June 2009 surgery to clean some "debris" out of his left shoulder, Mincone was throwing a hard sinker that topped out at 93 MPH,

Mincone threw lots of strikes tiday, including some nice breaking balls, but the top velocity on his fastball was down 5 MPH, from 93 pre-surgery to 88 today, and he just could not put the opposing hitters away once he got to two strikes, allowing four more 4th inning runs on four hits (two singles and two doubles).  . .

19-year old  RHP Nick Struck had a very nice stint, throwing three shutout innings (frames 5-6-7) on just 32 pitches (21 strikes). Struck was the Cubs 39th round draft pick this past June out of Mt. Hood CC in Oregon, and he signed just before the August 17th deadline, giving up a full-ride scholarship to play Division 1 college baseball at the University of Hawaii (which is where he had planned to transfer if he hadn't signed with the Cubs) to swelter in the desert heat of Arizona  Struck was thought to be a "tough sign" because of his commitment to pitch for the Rainbows, which is why he fell to the 39th round.

The Cubs offense had its moments today, too. The Cubs got off to 2-0 lead in the 2nd when Michael Brenly walked to lead-off the inning, and then scored (huffing & puffing) all the way from 1st base on a towering one-out double banged off the CF fence (417 feet away from home plate) by DH Richard Jones (Cubs 2009 9th round draft pick out of The Citadel). Then with two outs, Jones scored the second run of the inning when 19-year old Korean slugger Dong-Yub Kim blasted a double off the LF fence that just missed going out of the yard by inches.  

The Cubs scored single runs in the 6th, 7th, and 9th,

Kyler Burke (the Cubs 2009 Organizational Player of the Year) doubled leading off the 6th and scored on a Wild Pitch following a ground out, Ryan Flaherty drove-in Runey Davis in the 7th,with a two out RBI single (Davis followed his three-hit day yesterday where he singled, doubled, and tripled by reaching base all three times he batted today on a single and two walks), and finally Dong-Yub Kim slammed a triple off the RF fence to drive-in Wes Darvill (who had reached base leading off the 9th on a PH infield single) to close the Cubs scoring for the day.    .     

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):        . .    

LINE-UP:
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, SS-2B: 0-5 (K, 3-U, 5-4 FC, F-8, P-6)
2. Ryan Flaherty, 2B-SS: 2-3 (BB, 6-3, 1B, 1B), RBI
3. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 1-4 (K, 1B, F-7, 4-3)
4. Kyler Burke, RF-CF: 1-3 (F-7, HBP, 2B, F-9), R
5a. Michael Brenly, C: 0-2 (BB, 6-3 GIDP, 4-3), R
5b. Jovan Rosa, C: 0-1 (K)
6. Brandon May, 3B 0-3 (P-4, 6-3, BB, K)
7a. Richard Jones, DH #1: 1-3 (2B, K, K), R, RBI   
7b. Wes Davrvill, PH: 1-1 (1B), R
8a. D. J. Fitzgerald, LF: 1-3 (K, 2B, K)
8b. Jae-Hoon Ha, PH: 0-1 (6-3)
9. Dong-Yub Kim, DH #2: 2-4 (2B, 5-3, K, 3B), 2 RBI
10a. Runey Davis, CF: 1-1 (1B, BB, BB), R, RBI 
10b. Bobby Wagner, RF: 0-1 (K)  

PITCHERS:
1. Dae-Eun Rhee - 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 5/2 GO/FO, 29 pitches (22 strikes)
2. Tarlandus Mitchell - 0.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 0/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (nine strikes)
3. John Mincone - 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (18 strikes)
4. Nick Struck - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 4/3 GO/FO, 32 pitches (21 strikes)
5. Corey Martin - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 19 pitches (10 strikes)

ERRORS: (3)
1. Brandon May - E-5 (H+E), made nice diving stop on ground ball, then righted himself and threw the ball away at 1st base, allowing batter-runner to take 2nd base with one out in the bottom of the 4th.
2. Pin-Chieh Chen - E-6, errant throw over the head of Rebel Ridling resulting in two-base error that allowed batter to reach 2nd base and runner to score from 2nd (unearned run) with two outs in the bottom of the 4th. 
3. Pin -Chieh Chen - E-6, errant throw to 1st base pulled Rebel ridling off the bag, allowing batter to reach base safely with two outs and bases empty in bottom of the 5th.
NOTE: Chen REALLY struggled at SS today, and he was moved from SS to 2B (his "natural" position) and Flaherty was moved from 2B to SS at the start of the 6th inning.

CATCHERS DEFENSE: There were no stolen base attempts by the Angels and no Passed Balls

WEATHER:  Hot, cloudless, and a bit breezy, temp in the 90's

ATTENDANCE: 27 (mostly scouts)

Comments

"...the top velocity on his fastball was down 5 MPH, from 93 pre-surgery to 88 today..." Phil, just curious -- how do you keep tabs on the pitchers' velocity? Do they have radar gun readings posted at the ballpark, are you looking at some scout's radar gun or are you talking to the scouts to get this information? Just wanting to fill (phil) in my mental picture of you sitting there at the ballpark under the blazing sun with a smattering of scouts in the stands (occasionally accompanied by the odd swarm of bees, etc.).

"I love Mark as a player, a person, a clubhouse guy," Lilly said. "I could say he's probably the best teammate I've ever had. All around, he really cares a great deal about everybody, and that's the kind of person he is. I think he also leads by example -- the way he plays. He's a special individual." http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-02-cubs-pirates-… Never should have let him go... I agree with everything Lilly says except for these big fat caveats.. DeRosa's going to be 35 in February, he's got a bad wrist, and he's going to be coming off surgery.

Hope this isn't 3/44, but Jeff Samardzija is going to pitch in the Mexican league this winter. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-02-cubs-bits-chi… Supposedly Gorzelanny and S. are going to "compete" next spring for the #5 spot. Anyone else remember when Sean Marshall wasn't fish bait? March 20-2009
After weeks of speculation and prognostication, Cubs manager Lou Piniella named Sean Marshall as the fifth starter in the Cubs rotation on Thursday. Marshall beat out new acquisition Aaron Heilman, Jeff Samardzija and Chad Gaudin for the final rotation spot. "Marshall is going to be the fifth starter, and [Aaron] Heilman is going to pitch in that seventh-eighth-inning role," Piniella said.

Rejected. Chicago is the first city eliminated for the 2016 Olympics. $50 million and what's left of Obama's prestige... down the drain.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

obama's prestige? how much Fox News you been watching? hehe... i guess oprah's prestige is over, too. who will tell people who like to read 1 book a month what to read? :( i don't get this thing...a president goes and campaigns for the olympics for the US, spends less than a day doing it, and it happens to be in Chicago. big deal. it's not like "bring the olympics to chicago" was part of the campaign. that said, i believe the olympics are a huge shaft, corrupt as hell, and more than happy to placate human rights violations in exchange for a nice show...but whatever.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Maybe they get the games if they don't plan to build a rinky dink stadium in a crime ridden neighborhood. It looked like a DII football stadium.

[ ]

In reply to by Newport

That seem like a logical conclusion, now that the games are going to the crime-free area known as Rio. Edit: I remember hearing somewhere that baseball and softball getting back into the games for 2016 was going to be dependent upon either Chicago or Tokyo winning the bid, so I guess that probably won't happen now.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Man - are you NAVIGATOR or NEG-IGATOR? I agree - Is the Fox channel on all the time where you are? The new Pres. has been on the job for 10 mos. and you give him the Tim Wilken treatment. Hardly time yet to clean up the 8-year shit the last guy took in the White House. Also, many people who LIVE here are not sad in the least we did not get the Games. For reasons discussed here including transportation, displacement, Cook County taxes, etc. A "Civic Pride" blow, to be sure. But that's all.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Why do liberals always make fun of Fox News when they have MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and a host of other all Liberal 24/7 news outlets? The right has 1 TV network, and talk radio. When we get the amount of media coverage that the left spews out on a daily basis then the playing field will be even. Until then its sour grapes from a bunch of people who cant stand other people having a different view of the world. And thats the only reason liberals like to make fun of Fox News. Its 1 network to your 5, get over it already.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

Yep, CNN is as far left as Fox is right. Gotcha. The reason liberals make fun of Fox News is because of segments like this, which is representative of the type of crap aired on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_lgTIZ22jE Find me a comparable show on CNN in which pundits throw up random fear words on a chalkboard with the intention of spelling another fear word, which it turns out, they don't actually know how to spell.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

liberal news as a catch-all one-size-fits-all is a myth...there's commercial driven news targeted to audiences who actually watch/listen to news programs. there's useless slanted commentary shows like rush l (far right weirdos), the ed show and racheal maddow (democrat rooting fanboys), lou dobbs (libertarian no-tax fear/anger lovers), various fox personalities (fear/outrage/smugness)...etc... cnn is actually one of the least offensive since MSNBC went far-left with maddow/ed. that said, CNN is more likely than any of the other stations to go for a "ratings story" making up a bulk of their reporting rather than stuff we should probably be hearing OR hearing more about. *ALL* are guilty of this. what was going on in Iran was squashed by michael jackson on *EVERY* network. i can give you a lot more examples, but anyone out there can probably think of more than a few, themselves. if you see a "1 network to your 5" you should probably realize news isn't supposed to be a sporting event. to paraphrase "comic book guy" from the simpsons...i get my news where most normal people get their news, from the internet. i have AP/Reuters/etc. raw feeds in a RSS feed as well as Yahoo News collections of stories based on reader ranks. the filter of your content is probably the most useful tool in the era of ratings-driven news.

bobby scales back in LF...hell of a nice ride for a 31 year old middle IF'r who seems to be our most regularly played non-regular OF'r. dlee out again. jake fawx at 1st... dlee out for "personal reasons" according to CarrieM.

Thanks for update again, AZPhil. It is greatly appreciated. How does Dong-Yub Kim look at the plate? Is he simply muscling the ball out there, or does he have good bat speed, quick wrists, etc? I also am wondering about his plate discipline. I think it was yesterday that he struck out twice and I think he's struck every game so far. Do you forsee this as a problem, or is it not something to get worried about? Thanks.

tell me Gorzelanny didn't throw Young a fastball for that HR in the first...

dunno what the attendance is, but the place (even the bleachers) is 1/2 empty. i'm sure 1/2 the bleachers that are still there haven't been paying attention since the 3rd and don't realize what's going on, but whatever. they can always cheer wildly and hand out homemade certificates of valor to people who throw the other team's HR's back on the field (they actually do this...or used to...i assume they still do) no matter how much the team is losing.

here's a little bit of managing...since some are big fans of it... clay zavada (ARZ reliever) made a boneheaded-as-hell play that ballboys usually make in the bottom 7th. he caught a ball in-play on the lines bouncing into the pen area thinking it was foul (he was protecting the catcher facing the play, too, which means he was in front of the play). he froze, realized what he did, and dropped the ball on the ground looking like he just saw someone get shot in front of him...mortified. ground rule double for hoff. it's late in the season...arz's season is meaning little...it's a blowout... rather than letting zavada go back to the hotel with that zavada gets to close out the game in the 9th. he got to contribute something to the game besides some bush-league cubbery with his scoreless inning.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

trade milton, sign uggla, re-sign grabes, get a backup catcher if k.hill doesn't want to come back...god only knows what will become of CF or RF (assuming fuku will be either CF or RF). ...at least that's how i'm calling it. they should be able to clear the money to do that...and of course give uggla a backloaded deal to help it along. that said, the cubs have a load of mlb-ready bench-to-everyday types lingering...no showstoppers, but plenty of extra mlb-ready parts compared to roster spots available. trader jim could get trading crazy again...

AZ Phil -- Appreciate the updates, but also have a question you may be able to help me understand. What is the organization's thinking with David Patton? Do you recall another similar effort by the Cubs to retain a Rule 5 player like this? Is his upside really such that he warrants the roster space? Iowa next year?

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).