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

TCR Friday Notes

- Alex Eisenberg runs Baseball Intellect and he's added a premium service where he breaks down video of prospects. Recently he did one that included  Logan Watkins and Hak-Juk Lee from a Boise Hawks game earlier this year. If you're a minor league junkie, I have to think that's a good way to spend $3 a month and I'll continue to give him a shout out when he features Cubs prospects.

- MLB Trade Rumors is reporting their own rumor that the Cubs have interest in the 21-year old 100 mph southpaw from Cuba - Aroldis Chapman. He's expected to be anywhere from $30 to $60M richer by the end of the offseason.

- Speaking of MLBTR, I read this bit over there:

ESPN's Keith Law, former special assistant to the GM in Toronto, mentioned a few interesting Blue Jays' non-trades in his chat today. He says that the Mets once offered 19-year-old David Wright for Jose Cruz Jr., but J.P. Ricciardi said "I'm not trading a major league player for some guy in the (Low Class-A) Sally League." Klaw also mentions that the Jays had a chance to trade Cruz Jr. for Rafael Soriano, but wouldn't do it unless the Mariners kicked in Clint Nageotte as well. What could have been, Jays fans.

Facepalm.

- You may have missed it yesterday, but it looks like the cutoff for Super Two status will be 2 years and 141 days. Arizona Phil broke out how that will affect the players who were near the cutoff (I believe it's suppose to read 2+171 and so forth, but you get the picture). There's a note on Glen Perkins if you follow the link to the original comment as well.

SUPER TWO:
Joey Devine, RHP - A's 2+171
Brian Wilson, RHP - Giants 2+169
Rajai Davis, OF - A's 2+167
Alex Gordon, 3B - Royals 2+162
Mike Adams, RHP - Padres 2+161
Tom Gorzelanny, LHP - Cubs 2+161
Omar Quintanilla, INF - Rockies 2+159
Jesus Flores, C - Nationals 2+158
Hunter Pence, OF - Astros 2+156
Jason Hammel, RHP - Rockies 2+153
Matt Garza, RHP - Rays 2+149
Tim Lincecum, RHP - Giants 2+148
Nick Masset, RHP - Reds 2+146
Jeff Karstens, RHP - Pirates 2+144
Matt Albers, RHP - Orioles 2+141
Carlos Gomez, OF - Twins 2+141

CUT-OFF?
Dustin Nippert, RHP - Rangers 2+140
Adam Jones, OF - Orioles 2+139
Mike Fontenot, 2B - Cubs 2+139
Brandon Morrow, RHP - Mariners 2+139
Micah Owings, RHP - Reds 2+139
Mark Reynolds, 3B - Diamondbacks 2+138
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C - Rangers 2+137
Allberto Callaspo, INF - Royals 2+135
Glen Perkins, RHP - Twins 2+133
Anibal Sanchez, RHP - Marlins 2+133
Ben Zobrist, INF - Rays 2+133
Joe Smith, RHP - Indians 2+132
Fred Lewis, OF - Giants 2+129
Jeremy Sowers, P - Indians 2+128
Mike Pelfrey, RHP - Mets 2+122

- Over at cubs.com, Carrie says that Jeff Baker is the frontrunner for the second base job (Ed note - the Cubs are stupid if this is true), and they aren't going to bring back Mark DeRosa just because he was popular(Ed note - a little less stupid if true). She does say that Starlin Castro has been playing some second base in the AFL and could be a mid-season call-up if he continues his rocket-like ascension through the system.

- Wrigleyville residents are concerned over a new project setting a precedent in building height that would then likely allow the Cubs to build the facility that they've been wanting to adjacent to the park.

- Vote on the game changers in sports at the Huffington Post. The guy that runs MLB.tv is currently in the lead and Dave Appelman of Fangraphs is #2.  Baseball geeks UNITE!

- I did want to congratule "The Joe" on winning the mostly TCR 15-team fantasy points-based league...his second win in the 4 years we've played. Actually no, I don't want to congratulate him, I want to tell him to stop cheating and that he should trade Hanley Ramirez, preferably to me. I know there was another league that pretty much used our rules, so if you could drop the winner and their point total in the comments, I'll put it somewhere on the site to celebrate, that goes for any TCR-based league...I think Transmission ran one as well (Ed note - worst constructed paragraph ever on TCR).

- Bears at Bengals this week, join the fun at The Bear Truth.

- Betus.com has signed on as an advertiser for the next year, you can find their logo on the left when you're on the front page. Gamble away your life savings(Ed note - please don't do that) or just check out the lines on games or the pretty girls.

Comments

Kmokeefe won the TCR 2 keeper league. At least I think that's his TCR handle.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Can't wait to hear Ricketts' 'Vision'. Would love to see conceptual drawings and construction plans for 'Wrigley Field at Sears Park' located off the NW Tollway between Hoffman Estates and Elgin. Putting any more more money into Clark & Addison is more good money after bad, but as long as it isn't taxpayer dollars - oh, well.

I'm confused about this new building. Is it above the Cubby Bear? Behind it? The pictures look like it is on that corner. Maybe behind the Cubby Bear or where Taco Bell is? I don't fucking know, but some hotel rooms on the N. Side would be nice, not enough of them currently. Anyone who is against this is a ruhtard.

9391, 89 points ahead of Chad. And by Chad, he means Little Nate Lewis.

"She does say that Starlin Castro has been playing some second base in the AFL and could be a mid-season call-up if he continues his rocket-like ascension through the system." I don't recall Castro playing second at Mesa. Maybe one game or a few innings. He's been alternating between shortstop and DH. The reason he doesn't play short every day is that Mesa also has Jose Iglesias, the 19-year-old Cuban defector the Red Sox just paid $8.5 million. Your paragraph begins discussing Jeff Baker, and then you say Castro has been playing some second. Castro doesn't have to worry about playing second with the Cubs. That's Theriot's worry, and Hak-Ju Lee's, and Flaherty's and LeMahieu's and others. Castro is going to be the SS.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Castro doesn't have to worry about playing second with the Cubs. That's Theriot's worry, and Hak-Ju Lee's, and Flaherty's and LeMahieu's and others. Castro is going to be the SS.

that's cute, guess you missed Lou playing Theriot at SS and Blanco at 2b at the end of the year...

Submitted by VirginiaPhil on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 10:04am.

I don't recall Castro playing second at Mesa. Maybe one game or a few innings. He's been alternating between shortstop and DH. The reason he doesn't play short every day is that Mesa also has Jose Iglesias, the 19-year-old Cuban defector the Red Sox just paid $8.5 million.

Your paragraph begins discussing Jeff Baker, and then you say Castro has been playing some second. Castro doesn't have to worry about playing second with the Cubs. That's Theriot's worry, and Hak-Ju Lee's, and Flaherty's and LeMahieu's and others. Castro is going to be the SS.

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

CUZZ: Starlin Castro played SS, 2B, and 3B for the DSL Cubs in 2007, and then he split time almost 50/50 between SS and 2B in 2008 at Fitch Park (Minor League Camp, Extended Spring Training, AZL Cubs, and Instructional League), when Castro and Junior Lake were teammates and the Cubs wanted both players to get PT at SS. (Castro and Lake were teammates at DSL Cubs in 2007, too).

Castro played SS exclusively at both Daytona and Tennessee in 2009, but he did play 2B for the Mesa Solar Sox last Monday, although (as you said) that was only because Jose Iglesias was playing SS that day. (Castro is a very good defensive 2nd baseman, BTW).

It's possible that Castro could end up at 2B if Hak-Ju Lee remains at SS and both make it to the big leagues with the Cubs, because Lee has better range, and Lee has only played SS (so far, at least). But Castro can certainly play SS.

I agree that there could be an argument between Castro and Lee over shortstop. But it certainly looks like Casto will get there first, and that LeMahieu will be zeroing in on second base. I'm not sure where that leaves Lee, who is a rabbit and a real leadoff hitter. But it's a good problem to have. It's not a good problem for Theriot to have.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

I know that AZ Phil has suggested in the past that Lee could make a good convert to CF (usually when the issue of his size comes up). However, anticipating that all three of these guys will make it to the majors as productive everyday players with the Cubs is a little bit premature. It could happen, but will anybody be surprised if it doesn't?

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

A couple of things. Lee in center doesn't begin to make sense to me. Everybody plays shortstop in little league, and many do in high school, but if you can play shortstop at a high level they don't put you in the outfield. Offensively, Lee lacks power. He's an infielder! The Cubs have a large group of middle-infield prospects right now, and some Cub fans are having difficulty getting their heads around that idea. Before the current group, when was the last time the Cubs had a decent middle-infield prospect? Theriot is an overachiever. Eric Patterson turned out to be a left fielder (i.e., someone who can't play any position). Who else? How long ago? What a screwed-up drafting apparatus the Cubs used to have! Almost all their prospects were slugging first basemen (a couple from Jim Hendry's high school). I guess the Cubs thought that it would save some time if their scouts didn't have to watch the players in the field. I mention Castro, Lee and LeMahieu because even among genuine prospects they seem special. They hit the ground running as soon as they turned pro. Everything comes easy to them. "You want me to do the same thing at a higher level? No problem!" Brett Jackson seems to belong in this group also. Most prospects struggle in the minors. I thought they all did until I saw this recent group. Cashner has done okay, unless you expected strikeouts in A and AA from a guy who throws 98. (1.79 K/BB, 6.73 K/9.) After a torrid May, Vitters hit .239/.274/.358 in 88 at bats in June. Then he went to Daytona and really stank. Barney has struggled. Guyer has struggled. Samardzija, obviously. So that's why I focus on three or four guys who don't seem to struggle. If any of them doesn't make it, that will be an opportunity for Flaherty, for Darwin, for Watkins--and for Theriot. Whoever emerges from this competition should be able to perform in the majors. I know it's hard for Cubs fans to be forward-looking and optimistic. Something about Bobby Hill and Gary Somebody, back in the eighties, I think.

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.