Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Sun Sets on 2009 Solar Sox

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Mike Leake (CIN) threw four innings of shutout ball and Lance Zawadzki (SD) had three hits, including a solo home run and a two-run double, leading the Peoria Saguaros to an 8-1 victory over the Mesa Solar Sox at HoHoKam Park this afternoon.

box score

This was the final regular season game for both teams, as the Phoenix Desert Dogs (East Division Champions) and the Peoria Javelinas (West Division champs) will play in  the 2009 AFL Championship Game at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday. The Solar Sox finished in last place in the AFL East Division, with the worst record in the league.

Starlin Castro, Josh Vitters, and Michael Brenly were in the Solar Sox starting lineup today, and went a combined 1-11.

Castro hit 2nd, played six innings at SS, and got three ABs, grounding out all three times (4-3, 5-3, 4-3). He also made only his second error of the AFL season, a bad throw to 1st base. Castro finished the 2009 AFL regular season with a .376 batting average (6th in the league) and nine stolen bases (tied for 3rd). 

Vitters returned to the lineup at 3B this afternoon and went 1-4, roping a double down the line into the LF corner with two outs in the bottom of the 4th. He also bounced out 6-3, popped-up to the shortstop, and was called out on strikes. Vitters finished the 2009 AFL campaign 9th in the league in hitting (.353).       

Michael Brenly was the Solar Sox catcher today, and went 0-4, flying out to RF, striking out (swinging), popping out to the second-baseman, and reaching base on an E-6 in the 9th. Brenly went 1-13 over his last four AFL games and hit .240 overall.    

LHP John Gaub and RHP Blake Parker (both vying for spots on the Cubs 40-man roster) made their final AFL appearances versus the Scorpions last night at Scottsdale Stadium.

Gaub struggled in his one inning of work, throwing 23 pitches, but only 11 strikes. He loaded the bases on two walks and an infield single, but was able to escape the frame with no runs scoring. Gaub struck out one batter (lefty-swinging SF 3B Brandon Crawford).

Parker threw one inning of shutout ball, allowing a two-out double before striking out Steve Susdorf (PHI) for the 3rd out. 

LHP James Russell completed his AFL season on Tuesday, working a scoreless 9th. Russell pitched very well, finishing 3rd in the league in ERA (1.26) and tied for 2nd in WHIP (0.98). Russell had a 0.00 ERA over his last ten appearances, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out 12 over that ten game span.   

RHP Andrew Cashner made his final AFL start on Tuesday, and went three innings. He finished 10th in the league in strikeouts.

AZ PHIL'S 2009 AFL FIRST-TEAM ALL-STAR SQUAD:

P - Stephen Strasburg (WAS)

C - Nevin Ashley (TB)

1B - Brandon Snyder (BAL)

2B - Marcus Lemon (TEX)

3B - Brandon Laird (NYY)

SS - Starlin Castro (CUBS)

LF - Colin Curtis (NYY)

CF - Grant Desme (OAK)

RF - Casper Wells (DET)

DH - Matt McBride (CLE)

MVP: Grant Desme  

 

 

Tags
Josh Vitters
Michael Brenly
Starlin Castro
John Gaub
James Russell
Blake Parker
Andrew Cashner
Arizona Fall League

Comments

Submitted by The Real Neal on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 11:22 pm

Thanks for all the reports, Phil. I see you've got Strasburg as your pitcher- is this a best performance list or best prospects or a combination of both?

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 11:48 pm

Submitted by The Real Neal on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 8:22pm.
Thanks for all the reports, Phil.

I see you've got Strasburg as your pitcher- is this a best performance list or best prospects or a combination of both?

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

REAL NEAL: Best performance, but not just by stats. I also considered Donald Veal and Ian Kennedy for Pitcher, but after getting lit up in his first AFL start, Strasburg has been outstanding. His fastball has been consisently clocking 100 MPH+ in his last three starts. He supposedly will get the start on Saturday for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the AFL Championship Game.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 11:35 pm

Hmm, maybe you should squeeze in one more AFL game report then ; ) Looking at his stats, you can see Strasburg's ERA is 'artificially' high. He rarely gave up fly balls, but managed to have three go out of the park. It wouldn't be possible to do that over a full season (give up 40 HR's with a 4:1 GB to FB ratio and all those K's). In your mind is there any need for Straburg to pitch in AA next year (arbitration clock aside)?

[ ]

Submitted by JoePepitone on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:30 pm

"Strasburg was injured while shagging fly balls Thursday afternoon. He was then taken to a local hospital for X-rays, which revealed some inflammation in his left knee. The Nats released a statement terming it an issue that is "not considered serious," so he should be fine to continue his offseason regimen once the inflammation clears. He'll be good by the start of spring training." Hmmmmmm. Thus began a series of freak injuries that dogged a career that held much more promise than it ever delivered. If this ends up happening, he'll be mentioned along with Prior for more than his record-breaking signing bonus.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 11:49 pm

Submitted by The Real Neal on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 9:35pm.
Looking at his stats, you can see Strasburg's ERA is 'artificially' high. He rarely gave up fly balls, but managed to have three go out of the park. It wouldn't be possible to do that over a full season (give up 40 HR's with a 4:1 GB to FB ratio and all those K's).

In your mind is there any need for Straburg to pitch in AA next year (arbitration clock aside)?

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

REAL NEAL: If I was the GM of the Nats, I would want Strasburg to spend at least a month at AA, partly because it would push back free-agency for another season, but also to make sure he hits-the-ground-running when he does arrive (as happened with Kerry Wood in 1998).

To avoid eventual "Super Two" status, he would have to spend at least two months in the minors, but I wouldn't leave him at AA beyond a month if he shows he is obviously ready for The Show.

Submitted by Old and Blue on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:10 am

Submitted by Old and Blue ============================================= Yes, Old, and Blue, I am the very best spring training/minor league reporter that has ever walked this earth. Why do you ask?

Submitted by jacos on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:03 am

Thanks Phil, head over to the Woodshed in Mesa on Dobson and University and have some chicken wings and tell them the King Salmon sent you.

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:34 am

Oh, I lost the link, but Keith Law of ESPN graced us all with his top 50 free agents. According to MLBtraderumors he says Marlon Byrd is not a starter for a contending team. Which of course makes me wonder if what Keith Law was doing during the 2009 season while Marlon Byrd was a starter for a contending team, and Melky Cabrerra won the World Series.

[ ]

Submitted by Dr. aaron b on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:11 am

Rank Player 31 Marlon Byrd Age: 32 Bats: R Throws: R Position: Center field/Left field '09 team: Texas Rangers Status: Free agent (Type B) 2009 STATS GM 146HR 20RBI 89R 66OBP .329SLG .479AVG .283Byrd is a classic fourth outfielder -- he doesn't play center field well enough to handle it on an everyday basis, but doesn't have quite the bat to play every day in a corner. His offensive line in 2008 was starter-worthy in a corner, but Byrd regressed in 2009; 25 regular corner outfielders beat his unadjusted .808 OPS. Plus, there's reason to doubt even that number for Byrd. Playing two years in a good hitters' park in Texas, Byrd has done much of his damage at home, posting a .290/.339/.415 line in 516 road PA over the past two years. A corner outfielder with a sub-800 OPS (that's light on OBP) who plays average to slightly above-average defense isn't a starter for a contending club.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:27 am

Thanks, though that's going to get Rob upset (unless it's in the free bit which I doubt). Since the Cubs are looking at him as a starter in CF - and even Law listed him as CF, and he played CF for a contending team which caught the ball better than expected in 2009, it doesn't make much sense to talk about him as a left fielder.

Submitted by Tony S. on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:50 am

Not sure if you guys are on twitter (what a stupid name) but just saw this: mlbtraderumors@SI_JonHeyman - how could the Cubs be a suitor for Holliday? They're already right up against their budget limit. Not sure where TF MLBTR got that one (and I asked), but thought I'd share. Either Jimbo has a helluva trade up his sleeve to free payroll, Ricketts is opening the coffers even further, or..... Somebody's full of shit and trying to stir up business where there is none.

Submitted by Tony S. on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:25 pm

Also from Heyman-- "• Cubs. New owner Tom Ricketts hasn't said how he will proceed. The general feeling is that new owners don't like to make waves, but they make big money and there are no guarantees." I thought Ricketts already covered this?

[ ]

Submitted by Aisle 424 on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:15 pm

Yeah, but he is aware that there must have been an introductory news conference, and that something about how they would proceed would almost have to be covered. I wouldn't think it would be difficult for him to find a transcript or adequate coverage to give him a flavor of what was said, so that he didn't blatantly lie by saying the Ricketts haven't said how they are going forward. The media hasn't figured out how dumb Twitter makes them look by throwing casual, unfounded blurbs out onto the interwebs under the guise of "insider information."

Submitted by MikeC on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:35 pm

In the back of my mind i think Ricketts is going to do something big to show he wants to win. Just an odd feeling of a big money free agent signing coming this way. At worst he will go over the budget limit for a year to do it. He can fund that personally out of his own pocket.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:49 pm

At worst he will go over the budget limit for a year to do it. He can fund that personally out of his own pocket. Assuming that the Cubs are a corporation, no he can't fund anything personally out of his own pocket. He could, in theory, issue some new stock and buy it for a ridiculous price - 10 shares at $1 million per - or something then later have the corporation buy the shares back at a $1 a piece, and earmark those funds for additional player salary, but that's all pretty convoluted, especially if it is a corporation that is owned by a partnership. Anyway, there's no reason to do that. According to Scott Boras the Cubs are making $100 million in profit a year, so they can easily add $10 million in payroll and still get an outstanding ROI on the $850 million purchase price.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:52 pm

Thanks for the additional research. I don't even know what a LLCompany is. Any Illinois tax or audit accountants around that can answer? With a 90 year old ball park you would assume the owners need some protection from a law suit in case a grandstand collapses and kills 312 people. Back to the original point. It would be difficult, but not impossible to throw some extra cash to the company without aquiring some new stock. I'd be surprised if Tom has got $10 or $15 million lying around, anyway. It would make considerably more sense to take the money out of the company and show a tax loss than it would to invest his own money is some convuluted charity program.

Submitted by terry on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:55 pm

No I meant Limited Liability Company. I always thought that LLC stood for Limited Liability Company which is kind of a hybrid between a partnership and a corporation.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:56 am

A limited liability company or A company with limited liability (abbreviated L.L.C. or LLC or W.L.L) in the law of the vast majority of United States jurisdictions is a legal form of business company that provides limited liability to its owners. Often incorrectly called a "limited liability corporation" (instead of company), it is a hybrid business entity having certain characteristics of both a corporation and a partnership or sole proprietorship (depending on how many owners there are). An LLC, although a business entity, is a type of unincorporated association and is not a corporation. The primary characteristic an LLC shares with a corporation is limited liability, and the primary characteristic it shares with a partnership is the availability of pass-through income taxation. It is often more flexible than a corporation and it is well-suited for companies with a single owner. All according to the arbitrator of all things good and holy, Wikipedia. Personally, according to that, I have my doubts that they are a LLComapy. But, again, I'd look for an accountant who works in the state of Illinois to really clarify matters.

Submitted by Southpaw on Sun, 11/22/2009 - 11:16 pm

AZ Phil, I was wondering what you project Jeffrey Antigua as. Do you think he has the potential to be a top of the rotation pitcher also what pitches does he throw? Last but not least, where do you rank him among other pitchers in the organization?

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    booooooooooo

    also, wisdom and taillon are both in chicago.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Tonight’s game postponed. Split games on Saturday.

  • crunch (view)

    cubs getting crazy good at not having player moves leak.

    taillon we 100% know is pitching tonight.  who he's replacing and any additional moves are unknown as far as i can tell.

    p.wisdom was not in today's lineup in iowa (rained out) and he was removed from the game last night mid-game, but not for injury.  good bet he's with the team in the bigs, too.

  • Bill (view)

    A good rule of thumb is that if you trade a near-ready high ceiling prospect, you should get at least two far-away high ceiling prospects in return.  Like all rules-of-thumb, it depends upon the specific circumstances, but certainly, we weren't going to get Busch for either prospect alone.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

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