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

The Cubs 2009 MVP and LVP Analysis

This is probably no more than a formality for 2009, but might as well go through the motions. Last year our wonderful readers voted Geovany Soto as the Cubs 2008 MVP, so let's see who we come up with this year (attempts to build suspense). You can vote in the post above, leave comments on this post though.

Your offensive candidates:

Derrek Lee and...(shuffles papers, clicks on Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus)...I got nothing. Let's put Koyie Hill just for laughs and because he saved this season according to Hendry.

Name
WARP-1
WAR
Team Record when starting
OPS
OPS+
League OPS @ Position
HR
RBI
R
Lee 5.2
5.2
73-68
.972
147
858 35
111
91
Hill
1.8
0.3
42-27 .636
65
710
2
26
24

For what it's worth, Lee led the Cubs in home runs, RBI's, runs scored, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging (for qualified hitters) and was second in doubles (to Fukudome) and hits (to Theriot). Koyie Hill has a mangled hand, caught 29 straight games and threw out 40% of would be basestealers.

Let's throw in some pitchers for fun:

Name WARP-1 WAR
ERA
W-L
IP
K/9
K:BB
xFIP
Dempster 3.3 3.7
3.64 11-9
200
7.74
2.65
3.86
Lilly 4.6 3.7
3.10
12-9
177
7.68
4.19
4.08
Zambrano  3.4
3.6
3.77
9-7
169.1
8.08
1.95
4.28
Wells
4.7
3.0
3.05
12-10 165.1
5.66
2.26
4.28

The team MVP is pretty obvious, but the teams' pitcher of the year is a little more open to the discussion. I'm not even including Zambrano in the poll. I think it comes down to the Ted Lilly or Randy Wells, although if Ryan Dempster isn't dealing with his family problems, I would venture a solid guess that he would have had the best season.  But let's deal in reality instead of theory. 12 innings more for Lilly isn't much of a difference, the W-L records are about the same and the ERA's are pretty much the same. Wells stepped up big and cost a lot less than Lilly, so to put the value in valuable, I'll give Wells the nod.

LVP Candidates

Kevin Gregg, Aarron Miles, Milton Bradley, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Fontenot, Geovany Soto

Player
WARP-1
WAR
OPS
OPS+
League OPS at Position
PA
HR
RBI
R
Miles
-1.1
-1.3 .466
21
 .743 170
0
5
17
Bradley
2.6
1.1
.775
101
 .781 473
12
40
61
Soriano
 1.1 -0.8
.726
85
.782 522
20
55
64
Fontenot
 0.5 0.5
.677
74
 .743 419
 9 43 38
Soto
 1.8 1.3
.702
81
 .710 389
11
47
27

 

and Kevin Gregg...

5-6, 4.72 ERA, 23 S, 7 BS (1 after he was removed from closing duties), 13 HR, 68.2 IP, -0.3 WAR, 1.2 WARP-1,  -0.78 WPA, 

That looks like a three horse race to me between Miles, Soriano and Kevin Gregg. Bradley underperforming jack-ass and all, still put up league average numbers at his position. Man, this is tough...I got good reasons to vote for anyone of those three.

Soriano - when you get paid like a superstar, you just can't put up sub-replacement level numbers...you just can't do it. Throw in his scatter-brain defense (11 incredible errors in LF), and refusal to be up front about his injury and then remember he has 5 years left on his deal. How does that make you feel about the Cubs future?

Gregg -  If you looked at his numbers on July 30th, you'd come away impressed...3.35 ERA and just 3 blown saves. But his August was one for the history books, blew a Marlins game that the Cubs came back and won, then blew another one in Florida, took the loss in extra innings against Philly and then giving up 4 runs in a 1-0 game at San Diego.

Miles - I can't tell you how impressed I am that he accumulated a negative WARP-1 and WAR value in 170 PA's. He has surpassed Neifi! in TCR folklore as the representation of everything that is wrong with the Cubs.

And I still can't decide...but I think I'm going Soriano. As the second highest paid player on the team(he'll be first going forward for the next 5 years, wrap your head around that), the expectations are rightfully high. He disappointed like no other, driving in just 12.7% of the runners on base in front of him, and more interested in playing it up with the fans, then working on his defense. If the knee was the problem, that's fine, hope he heals up well, but he did his team a huge disservice trying to play through it instead of taking a DL stint. If it wasn't the knee, the Cubs are gonna be the proud owners of the worst contract in baseball.

Comment below, vote on the post above....

Comments

Image removed. Image removed.
via Rotoworld...

Charlie Manuel is hoping to bring in a new backup infielder in the offseason.
Not good news for Eric Bruntlett. "I want something similar to who [Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley] are and someone that can probably contribute something similar to that," said Manuel.

being Rotoworld, they probably butchered the quote and I can't get the link to work, but I'm guessing infielders that can contribute like Rollins and Utley aren't gonna be back-ups.

soriano was a flaming POS this year. he doesn't change..he doesn't listen to coaches..but he waves to the OF bleachers and smiles a lot. i'd like to have a beer with that guy! well, flaming POS is harsh, but his "swing hard at the front of the box" days seem be catching up to his body/skill decline. he's still got his power swing, but he was late on so much stuff in the box. out in the field his casual play is getting embarrassing.

Not trying to defend Soriano, but it seems pretty clear that he wasn't 100 percent physically. I don't think we can expect more than his '07-'08 seasons at this point, but I think he'll be better next year than he was this year.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

Levine mentioned the same thing yesterday in the post I had about arbitration, think I mentioned it at the bottom of it. De Luca says the Cubs are pushing the Rays for a "quick resolution."

Burrell, 32, is officially owed $9 million next season, though $2 million of his salary was paid in advance. Bradley is owed $9 million next season and $12 million in 2011. So the Cubs could repay the Rays some of the $2 million advanced to Burrell and pay some or all of the 2011 Bradley salary to get off the hook relatively cheaply.

mentions something about putting Burrell in RF (bwahahahaha)

 

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

Well, Bill James said one thing that won't be popular here at all. He said that clubhouse chemistry is hugely important. And one guy (e.g. TheRealNeal) can really screw things up. He also said --balanced skills are more important than the ability to do one thing well (see Alfonso Soriano..except this year he could do nothing well). --wasting an out to move a runner to 2B is ill-advised unless the pitcher is batting --not making outs most important --RBI not very important, too related to opportunities --BA with RISP...not predictive of what a player will do in the future --OBP very import --SLG very import --ERA very import --OPS..he doesn't use it but it's useful --BA can be useful --Wins by a pitcher IS a VERY reliable stat over a period of years (not in a single year) On Carlos Zambrano, "Is he an ace..I don't know, but if you don't want him I'll take him" On Milton Bradley, "outstanding player when he keeps his head in the game"

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

You've never been in the Cubs' clubhouse, but that doesn't stop you from commenting on it. You are correct, though, about what players will say. Every one I've talked to said it's important but that winning breeds chemistry, not the other way around. The good chemistry aspect seems to come into play when dealing with adversity. The Cubs had plenty of that this year and didn't seem to deal with it all that well.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

starts off interview referencing the Theo interview that Dave linked to earlier where he says the Red Sox don't look at RBI's at all when valuing players and then goes into how RBI's are a function of opportunities and not making outs is the most important thing they look at...

then talks about hitting with RISP and yes, it makes a big deal within the course of the season, but it has very little predictive significance...

it goes to touch on other topics...college hitters, balanced players over guys with just one great skill, clubhouse presence being important, takes some questions, sac bunts, Kaplan then runs through a bunch of stats and asks how James values them, Kaplan goes off on Z and especially his contract, James defends Z a little, etc...

so yeah, nothing new, but relevant to the recent Milton/Soriano discussions...

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

well I agree with what you're saying about the booing, but there are certainly people I've run into in my jobs that I don't get along with and don't make work a fun place or make it more difficult to get work done. You have to overcome it of course, but doesn't mean I want them around. I doubt any Cubs player is going to point to Bradley for their disappointing season, and if they do blame Bradley, they should be shot on site, but I'm sure they're glad they don't have to deal with him.

Obviously if the Cubs did better and Milton did better, half the shit that went down doesn't happen.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

manny was signed by dan duquette and yeah, didn't they try to get rid of him like every year?

but obviously you have to balance winning, the player's output and their attitude, I don't think Bill even remotely insinuated it was the only factor. A matter of fact, he just gave a very general workplace example and just said it's not something the Red Sox completely ignore from his understanding...like let's say RBI's.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I'm for that even if we dump MB for Burrell. One of those three is likely to be hot. Fox has to stay as backup 1b-3b at the least in case of catastrophy at those positions. Can we then get Chone Figgins to play 2B? And can he spell Theriot at SS for 15 games so we don't need Blanco? Reed is gone if we have Burrell, Fox, and Hoffpauir, yes? I wouldn't spend money on Reed's slot with the cheaper choices at hand. Fontenot can go to the minors? That would help. Miles has to go. Tampa have any use for him along with Bradley, and throw in Cotts too? Iwamura back to the Cubs? That's a complete stretch. They have to eat Miles. Soto/Hill, Lee, Figgins, Theriot, Ramirez, Soriano, Fukudome, Burrell, Fox, Hoffpauir, Baker, Johnson or Fuld or Blanco and we've already run out of slots? Who goes, I could see a case for all fo them staying somehow. Looks like the bullpen will get younger. Grabow would be nice, Cotts not so much. Not gonna be much of a first offseason to the new owner. Ramirez and Soriano healthy and back all year would be huge enough for 2010 I believe.

Cole Hamels leaves the park after being lifted from the game...wife gave birth during the game I believe. I think DeRosa's wife is due at any moment as well, if I heard that correctly from Vin last night on the radio. speaking of DeRosa, other than soul-crushing errors and a double play, he's hit the crap out of the ball in the last 3 playoffs.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Yeah - he "hit crap" alright, to end any chance of the Cubs winning a Playoff game against the DBacks. A nice 6-4-3 DP with the bags juiced. I was there and you could hear a pin drop. He is a very nice player. I was disgusted that Hendry traded him. But "clutch" in the Playoffs is not his strong suit. Even in Atlanta - same thing.

man. even though i am not a big Dodgers fan, how sweet it would be for the Ned-Flanderish, Cardinal Nation to have a huge turd placed on their collective head. it is goin to be tall odds to win three straight. Wheeee! btw - joe torre's scouts know what they're doing

Dave Kaplan on comcast sportsnite talked about how a source of his in Minnesota (damn he has a source in every city) told him the twins wanted to trade for Harden and Gregg but Hendry said he didnt want to wave white flag on Aug. 30th. To bad Kaplins source did not tell him who the Twins were offering. My question is are you really waving the white flag by trading Harden and Gregg. I would think addition by subtraction would have worked here.

Paul Sullivan Soriano's lack of concentration in the field is definitely a problem. He committed 11 errors this year, while no other left-fielder with 100 or more games there made more than five. But I don't think it's a problem of him not working hard enough. He just takes bad routes, plays the wall and corners poorly, and seems afraid of injuring himself making a diving catch. He should hire an editor, so someone could point out to him that you don't get errors for doing any of those things.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Well, bad routes and fear of the wall/corners can result in errors if they contribute to getting into bad position or not concentrating on the ball. But most of the errors I've seen out of Soriano don't seem to have much to do with the wall, and often he seems to get to the spot in plenty of time. How does one explain those errors? Add those to his poor range (bad routes and fear of diving--or poor first steps and poor last steps) and his difficulties with the walls and corners, and you've got some defensive problems. His arm makes up for some of them, I think. I don't know how it is that in the past he's been evaluated as good by defensive metrics... I just don't have insight into the stat, I think.

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)

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  • Arizona Phil (view)

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  • Arizona Phil (view)

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  • 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)

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  • 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...