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

Cubs Protect 5 from Rule 5 Draft

The Cubs added pitchers John Gaub, Blake Parker and Rafael Dolis along with catcher Welington Castillo and OF James Adduci to their 40-man roster. All five were eligible to be selected in the upcoming Rule 5 draft and the deadline was today to add them. Arizona Phil has been keeping track of this on the right sidebar of course. He had Matt Camp on his short list of players he thought the Cubs would protect - rather than Adduci - but he got the other four.

Besides Camp, I would guess that Steve Clevenger, Alessandro Maestri, Thomas Diamond, J.R.Mathes or Greg Reinhard might draw a little interest.

AZ PHIL: 21-year old RHP Rafael Dolis gets four minor league options because he has spent only one "full season" on a major league or full season minor league team's active list through the 2009 season. He wowed the scouts in his last outing at Instructs last month with a fastball clocked in the upper 90's that touched 100, and he probably would have been the 1st pick in the Rule 5 Draft if he hadn't been added to the 40. Dolis has battled elbow and shoulder problems for much of his career (he was signed by the Cubs as a hot-shot fire-ballin' 16-year old out of the Dominican Republic during the International Signing Period in 2005), spending all or parts of the 2006-08 seasons on the DL, and so 2009 was the first year he has pitched injury-free, and was also his first official "full season." While he has a power arm, he also has control issues, as he walked 53 and hit seven batters in 99 IP at Daytona in 2009. Because of his still-limited professional game experience and command issues, he is still a bit of a project. He was a rotation starter at Daytona, but he projects as an MLB one-inning power-reliever. 

22-year old Welington Castillo was signed as a 17-year old out of the Dominican Republic in December 2004, and has been the Cubs #1 catching prospect for the last couple of years. He got an NRI to Spring Training with the big club in both 2008 and 2009. He threw out an organization-high 44% of opposing base-stealers in 2009, cut his passed balls in half. and reduced his errors, too, but he struggled at the plate during the first half of the season at AA Tennessee. He then caught-fire in July, August, and September (319/357/519 post-ASB). Castillo is still VERY raw (he can get lazy with his receiving and he tends to make too many unnecessary throws trying to pick runners off base), but if he continues to progress, he could be a "Flying Molina Brothers"-type frontline MLB catcher by 2011 or 2012.        

24-year old LHP John Gaub was one of three pitchers the Cubs acquired from Cleveland for Mark DeRosa last December (RHPs Jeff Stevens and Chris Archer were the other two). Gaub was a top pitching prospect and a possible eventual 1st round pick when he was throwing 96 MPH at the University of Minnesota, but then his career was derailed when he underwent shoulder surgery during his junior year. Despite the surgery, the Indians selected him in the 21st round of the 2006 draft, with the understanding that he would spend the rest of 2006 and most of 2007 rehabbing at the Indians minor league facility. He resumed pitching late in the '07 season, before finally getting a full season under his belt in 2008 at Lake County (MWL), where he struck out 100 in just 64 IP. The Cubs assigned him to AA to start the 2009 season, before giving him a mid-season promotion to AAA Iowa. (Gaub struck out 80 in just 60 IP combined between Tennessee and Iowa in 2009, with a 1.15 WHIP and a 2.25 ERA). He then was assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox in the AFL post-2009, where he had trouble throwing strikes. He now throws a 93 MPH fastball and a hard-breaking slider, and probably projects as an MLB LOOGY.

24-year old lefty-swinging & throwing OF-1B James Adduci is the son of ex-MLB 1B-OF Jim Adduci (STL-MIL-PHI 1983-89), and attended Evergreen Park HS in southwest suburban Chicago. He was the PTBNL in the Todd Wellemeyer trade with Florida back in 2006. (Originally the Cubs got RHP Lincoln Holdzkom and LHP Zack McCormack for Wellemeyer, but McCormack had suffered what turned out to be career-ending arm injury prior to the trade and was returned to the Marlins as "damaged goods," and so the Cubs were given the summer to scout the Marlins system for a replacement player, who turned out to be Adduci). He is a tall & lanky kid (6'3 185), but he has almost no power. He has developed a nice, compact line-drive stroke over the past couple of years, however (hitting 290/380/365 at Daytona in 2008, then 300/377/388 at Tennessee in 2009), and has morphed into a patient hitter who takes a fairly high number of walks. He is a fast runner and an excellent base-stealer, too (26 SB at Daytona in 2008, then 35 SB at Tennessee in 2009), He was a 1st baseman in HS and in his first three seasons of pro ball with the Marlins, but the Cubs moved him to the outfield to take advantage of his athleticism and plus-arm. He can play all three OF positions, as well as 1st base. He projects as an MLB 4th OF-1B-LHPH-PR.    

24-year old RHP Blake Parker was drafted by the Cubs as a power-hitting C-3B-1B out of the University of Arkansas back in 2006 (16th round), but was converted to pitcher at Extended Spring Training in May 2007 after hitting a combined 224/325/367 at Mesa and Peoria in '06. He had been the clean-up hitter and top run producer for the EXST Cubs in 2007, and the other players at Fitch Park at the time were shocked to learn that Parker had been moved to pitcher, because it happened the day after he hit a GW grand slam HR. He had been a pitcher in HS, however, and one of the pitching coaches at EXST at that time (I believe it was then-Boise pitching coach Tom Pratt) saw Parker throw a 93 MPH fastball and a hard-breaking slider off the mound as a lark, and told him he should consider a move to pitcher. Parker said he was willing to give it a try, and he's been rocketing up through the Cubs system ever since. He was the closer at Tennessee and at Iowa in 2009 (combined 25 saves, 2.70 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP), and he also was the primary closer for the Mesa Solar Sox in the AFL post-2009, but he probably projects as an MLB middle-reliever. 

Comments

I could see Clevenger getting nabbed by someone, everyone always needs inexpensive backup catchers. No loss though, Cubs have plenty of options there in the system. Sure hope Camp doesn't turn into the next Casey McGahee.......that was a dumb move.

[ ]

In reply to by Jim Hickmans Bat

WOW! Another mediocre middle reliever! That goes great with our below average first baseman and our overpaid and underachieving outfield. Now all we need is a shortstop, second baseman and some starting pitching and we will be able to compete in our own division! I guess we are "rebuilding" again. How about getting a real closer, getting rid of Z and finding some WINNERS!!!

The only problem with Adduci I see is he seems to think that team chemistry helps his performance on the field. Nov. 2008 You didn’t have a down month all season. What was the key to your consistency? ADDUCI: It was just (about) having fun. With the group of guys that were down there, I had a blast playing. I feel like that was a good group and that going to the field wasn’t a job; it was just playing baseball with your friends and I thought that really helped out (as did) working with Richie Zisk....

Man, how did we get Richie Zisk? Seeing his name is the type of thing that makes you think that the Cubs are serious about developing their players. I am trying to think of 6'3" no power center fielders and drawing a blank. Obviously I want this guy to be the next Brett Butler, and statwise he may be starting to profile in that direction, but what was Butler, 5'9"?

"The Cubs are one of the teams the Blue Jays have contacted regarding pitcher Roy Halladay. However, before Cubs fans start salivating at the prospect of the former Cy Young winner in the rotation with Ted Lilly, Carlos Zambrano, and Ryan Dempster, there's a catch. He's owed $15.75 million in 2010, and the Blue Jays want some of the Cubs' top prospects. No. 1, the team can't take on Halladay's salary. The Blue Jays apparently have a wish list and Milton Bradley is not on it. A player like highly regarded shortstop Starlin Castro most likely is, and the Cubs don't want to part with him, especially since they might only have Halladay for one year. The right-hander was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA this season, and is a free agent after 2010. One thing the Blue Jays did make clear to the Cubs is they want to move Halladay this offseason." http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/11/1120_cubs_blue_jays_talk_r… Lilly, Lee (the shortstop) and Muldowney for Hallady?

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

Which of those things that I did wasn't done by someone else first? I don't like hypocrites. You don't recognize them. It's just differing point of views. "I don't understand why you are such a dick to everyone on here." 8 times out 10 I am a dick to someone here, because they were a dick to me. Sometimes I'm needlessly a smartass to someone, I admit. It's not something like I like about myself, but it is something I am trying to work on. Rob G was a dickhead to me in this situation. I know you're biased, so you have trouble recognizing it, but it's right there in black and white, read it again. "you are on here posting all day everyday without fail." First of all, that's a blatant lie. But in general when I see someone post something that I don't think is correct I correct it. Do I do the same thing "in every day life"? Yes. Am I more politic about it then? Typically, it depends on the circumstance. The more interesting question to me is: How many posts like this do we have to see from you before you get your Cub Scout badge and move on to something else? I do appreciate that you don't agonize over every word that I write looking for syntax errors and typos anymore, but still these posts where you call me names are childish and hypocritical. P.S. Yes, I like your new sig. Have you admitted to yourself I was correct about Theriot in September of 2008, yet?

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I don't think Rob was being a 'dickhead', that's a little much. And I don't know the history between you guys, but it does seem a little much to even remember an argument on here about Theriot over a year ago. Just sayin. EDIT-- And while I'm at it, lighten up. You know what my TCR claim to fame is? I was (at least one of) the guys to start the whole 3/44 thing about JSchmidt. Not that I thought it was funny, or perpetuated it. I was the fucking guy to show up on here a day or two late and say "Hey, Schmidt just signed for 3/44". And it's funny. And I don't lose any sleep over it, and I don't think anyone was being a 'dickhead' about it.

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

That... thing is a pet peeve of mine. So maybe Rob G. wasn't trying to be a dick head, but to me it looks like he was. He could have said 'Uh Neal, I just did a post about that." or even said 'that's so "Bradley doesn't hit with RISP", but he put a little more of a dickhead slant on it. WISCGRAD stalked me for, I don't know, 3 months at one point. Now he just lurks and occasionally comes to the rescue of some kitten he sees caught in a tree. I don't think Rob G is a kitten. If anyone doesn't want me to reply to their posts just say so and I won't. AZ Phil said he doesn't like to argue with me - and guess what? We don't argue. It's that simple.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

"Yes, but it is the WAY this is done that I think is not the most kind to others." I've been trying to be better about this. Look at the Grabow signing post where Rob and I had a disagreement. It was Rob, not me, who tried to belittle the other person. I said that something that someone else had written, and Rob posted was stupid, but I said that I didn't mean any offense to Rob and I clearly outlined how it was a very bad example of trying to imply causation from something that wasn't even correlated. The Joe posted a snide remark about my response to his question (the same Joe who enjoys playing 'signature war') - when it didn't take a great deal of thought to realize I wasn't being a jerk to The Joe, I was making a comment regarding the value of Aaron Heilman, who most thought should not have been pulled back from waivers in August. And there was the thing about signing Wells to an extension, which I missed the sarcasm on and I made a very civil (if misguided) post about how the hypothetical numbers were too much. If they're really high on Wells, then buying out his arb years may not be a bad idea. I'd do it for less than even I listed, I was giving the top reasonable amount. And now there's this post, where evidence doesn't support your statement and I didn't say anything mean to you. You've simply been corrected ; )

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Well, I was a little impaired when I made those posts, I wasn't thinking about Lilly's surgery. I think Lee's our top positional prospect, so it would be our best starter, who the Jays could flip or use as their ace for a season and then get two pics for, our best positional prospect and a second tier starting pitcher, just not a Jackson, Carpenter or Cashner. I doubt the Jays get a better offer than that. It, of course, depends not on how 'we' view the Cubs prospects, but how the Jays do. It doesn't really bother me when someone's a dickhead to me, I just do it back (often ratcheting up a notch, I know), but I happily accept your apology and offer one of my own. Sorry.

Phil Rogers sunday "whispers" article showing up in a Boston Herald outlet. He's still working on a Granderson trade... --- Many in the Cubs’ front office think they would be foolish to give up Starlin Castro to get Curtis Granderson, but there are a lot of other ways to do the deal. General manager Jim Hendry appreciates all Granderson brings to the table, even though he has had trouble hitting left-handers in two of the last three seasons. Perhaps Granderson would benefit from working with new Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid…

In addition to the Cubs adding Adduci, W. Castillo, Dolis, Gaub, and Parker to their 40-man roster, two prospects the Cubs traded away over the paat year were added to their club's respective 40:

RHP Jose Ceda (traded to the Marlins for Kevin Gregg a year ago) was added to Florida's 40-man roster, and RHP Alberto Alburquerque (traded to the Rockies for Jeff Baker this past July) was added to Colorado's 40.

The 6'4 275+ Ceda (who throws a 98 MPH heater and wipe-out slider when healthy) missed the 2009 season with a shoulder injury, and Alburquerque (who throws in the mid-90's when healthy) had a nice year at Daytona before he got traded, and then at AA Tulsa after he got traded.

Like Dolis, Ceda will get four minor league options because he has completed only one "full season" through the 2009 season.

Adduci played in his first winter-league game yesterday. He batted second and played right field for Hermasillo (Mexico). Jeff Stevens pitched his first inning for Mexicali.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

"He really makes Boras sound more like a clown. " How do you mean that? I agree that Sosnick (Johnson's agent) presented his position well and his statements made for an interesting read. He was also able to talk about the Marlins upper management in extremely complimentary terms even though they were far apart in their negotiating positions. What does Boras do/say that you think makes him sound more like a clown? Just curious.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Boras is trying to lay the factual groundwork for the Players' Union to claim collusion by the owners to keep salaries artificially low. The MLB owners have had to pay out quite a bit of money over the last 20-odd years (including for some years since 2000) to settle claims of collusion by the Players Union. Of course, the best way (in Boras logic) for the owners to rebut a claim of collusion is to pay Boras' clients large amounts of money. Funny how that works...

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

"You don't lay groundwork for what eventually would end up in court in press conferences." I guess I mis-stated that (although attempting to prejudice the 'court' with pre-trial facts is not unheard of). I don't think that Boras is laying the ground work for the union's collusion claim. That's the union's job, not Boras'. However, I do think he might be pointing out facts that could well be the basis for such a claim -- while at the same time implying that the owners could provide proof against such a claim by signing his clients to huge contracts. After all, they can afford it, given all the money Boras claims they are getting from the MLB and from excessive payroll penalties (Boras' claim). Just spitballin' here.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

yes, and like every other cutting edge fantasy freak they base it on the ridiculous conclusion that he was "unlucky" last year. Luck had nothing to do with it. Over a season, luck quickly balances out. To simulate a season's "luck" try flipping a coin 180 times in a row if you don't believe me. You'll see a deviation from the mean measured in single digit percentages. It's virtually impossible for bad luck to have reduced Geo's XBABIP by 20% (.251 BABIP instead of .314 expected) in 2009. Chance doesn't operate that way. No. Soto was fat, stoned and injured. And if he shows up in the same shape next year, I predict he will be equally "unlucky."

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Your 300 PM update is hilarious Rob. Bradley fucked him self by refusing to play. The only option left is to suspend him from the team. No one ruined Bradleys trade value more than Milton Bradley did. The only other thing ruining it is Hendry signing this worthless piece of crap for 3 years 30 million. No one wants to pay that much money for a known quitter, liar, and a two-faced asshole. Here is a clue for Bradley, shut your mouth, stop crying and playing the victim, stop faking your injuries and play a full season for once in your career. When you do that and put up a real MLB season, you will find the respect you demand.

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).