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

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

  • 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.