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

The Best News I've Heard All Day

New MLBPA union boss Michael Weiner during his introductory press conference.

“There is a lot of sentiment for a seven-game division series,” Weiner said. “I think a properly constructed postseason schedule could accommodate three seven-game series but still have it extend over a shorter period of time than what happened this year.”

There's nothing I hate more than the 5-game Division Series in baseball...besides the Cardinals...and Ed Lynch...Neifi!...Tony LaRussa too...anything related to the White Sox...Red Sox fans...Barry Bonds...players that tilt their cap to the side...flat-billed caps...okay, this could take awhile.

But I welcome the new union boss overlord. At the glacial pace that baseball responds to the times, I look forward to the fix by the 2020 season.

Tags

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

That is a mischaracterization of Jake Fox the third baseman. I know that .921 fielding percentage looks pretty awful, but it's a small sample size and from my observations I think he improved a lot in the short time he had there until Ramirez came back. If I recall correctly, he hadn't played much if any third base at Iowa or lower levels until Ramirez went down in Milwaukee in May. With continued work, I think he could be at least passable at third base. Unfortunately for Fox, Lee and Ramirez aren't the kind of guys for whom you pinch-hit late in the game. I wish him well and hope his boss is smart enough to fetch the Cubs something of value when he trades a long-term club control guy who can straight-up hit.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

he was clumbsy and caught too much off the hip rather than getting in front of the ball (aram used to have this problem BAAAAAD). he had a surprisingly decent arm, though. still, if lou is willing to march some of the dead-arm no-field guys out there to play RF/LF over the past many years i don't see why fox didn't get more time out there. he's far from slick, but the talent chosen over him last season to fill the roles was odd at times.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Goodbye, Aaron Miles. Here's to hoping your reign of terror on my nerves is over. It's bad enough you were a Cardinal for all those years, then to come to Chicago and blow like you did (and then go to Iowa and blow...)... bleh...

part-time playing and all, but just a .779 OPS, .332 wOBA (about league average) and struck out a ton(20%) with not a lot of walks (6% per PA). Hard to think that would be missed too much. When the Cubs figure out they can't unload all of Burrell's deal after making that trade, might as well have Burrell take Fox's bench spot.

[ ]

In reply to by Seamhead

Davis or Sweeney sure, Hairston I don't know about, but I don't think Hairston is really much of an answer for CF. The other 2 guys are nothing special. I know Davis is crazy fast, so would help the defense, but good chance he turns into the bad Taveras on an off season. I don't know enough about Sweeney, offense looks average at best, defensively his UZR suggest he can handle CF, but he did get moved to play RF, but probably because Davis is a better option there.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I think you're undervaluing Fox's defensive flexibility. He can, in theory, play five positions, and he lets an NL team use their second catcher to PH. I disagree with the basic premise that he won't hit better given regular at bats - just like I always do.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

the 2nd catcher is nice, Burrell can play 1b/LF/RF probably just as well as Fox, not that you were necessarily comparing them. But since Lou won't play him at 3B, LF or RF, what's the point of keeping him? Would he do better with regular at-bats? I'm sure, maybe he's an .850 OPS guy, great power...but he's not gonna get regular at-bats from most teams cause of his defense. And I don't think he'll ever get a regular DH job, not when there are easily 14 Vlad, Dye's, name your vet player that can't play the field anymore...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Price expects his group and the people in Arizona will both put together similar offers. But he says the team wants the place offering a better family experience off the field. "I think it's quality of life. I think it's recreation - destination," he said.
Of course it is. It wouldn't be about a more comfortable experience for the players with short bus rides. That and Arizona Phil.

There's nothing I hate more than the 5-game Division Series in baseball...besides...flat-billed caps... Intrepid Reader: Troy Tulowitzki What, Rob? You might hate them, but you LOVE me!

Reworking the postseason would be awesome. Being able to watch the Cubs get swept in 4 games would greatly increase my enjoyment. Burrell for SS!

Jim Hendry was on WGN radio, David Kaplan's Sports Central show tonight. Not much was newsworthy and there were some incredibly long winded answers (note how he doesn't answer "what is the single most important thing you would like to accomplish at the meetings?"). GM Hendry did say that he's considering one more veteran to the bullpen to go with the "kids" and thinks he'll add one by Feb (counter to what the media has reported so far). Somewhere Bob Howry and Aaron Heilman are high fiving... I'm posting the interview on my public folder... http://public.me.com/Cubster use password: TheCubReporter only one file there to download. titled: Jim Hendry w David Kaplan, 12-2-09.mp3. It was recorded via Radioshark app and converted to mp3 format The interview is 12 minutes long (and it's just the interview without the rest of the show).

[ ]

In reply to by kmokeefe

Utley, Howard, Rollins, Hamels, Victorino (Rule 5 pickup I believe actually) homegrown talent is a beautiful thing, cause most of the times you can get them to resign for cheaper than there FA equivelant even when they hit free agency. Howard's not so cheap, but hey, they hit the lottery on their draft picks for a few years and did a good job keeping them on the cheap. $15M a year for Utley is one of the great bargains in baseball. Cubs came close in the early 2000's, but Patterson and Choi didn't work out like they should have and then there's Prior (sigh).

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

that's just an odd move... bat him 8th, he's a slap hitter who doesn't walk or K much with little power, they must love his glove and flexibility. Guess when you have Rollins, Utley, Howard and Ibanez, you can sacrifice some power at 3b.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

If the Cubs were really interested in signing Betancourt (before he was offered arbitration), it would have likely cost them $2-3 million/year on a multi-year deal. That would seem to suggest that Hendry had the ability to then trade some of his young relief pitchers (Caridad, Berg, etc.) for an inexpensive player (presumably a position player- CF?) and still fit within his budget constraints.

[ ]

In reply to by Seamhead

Phil's estimate is $136M at the moment and the Cubs don't have to add anybody right now if they weren't so keen on moving Bradley. And that's estamating bringing everyone that's arb-eligible back, but some may get non-tendered, some may negotiate cheaper deals. That still leaves about $5-$6M left for a reliever and some scrap parts... if they move Bradley, they might save a tad there in 2009 and then depending on what they get back, have to find a CFer it seems the Cubs wants are a new CFer, one bullpen arm, maybe a new middle infielder and I would hope at least some guys to compete for the rotation...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

If Hendry pulls off the Bradley-Burrell-Castillo shuffle and can do it within Bradley's contract parameters, he would then presumably non-tender Fontenot and have an additional estimated $1.0-$1.5 million to play with.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

The Polanco contract sounds crazy. He's 34, never been a power guy, he's getting old, there are a lot of 3b options out there, and he gets $18 mil over 3 years, PLUS an option? I love him as a 2nd baseman hitting 2nd, which the Cubs could have really used, but 3 years AND and option is too much imo. It sets the bar high for the other guys and probably means many of these guys will be sitting out there late again this offseason because I can't picture many other teams handing out deals like that when there are quite a few similar players at 2b/3b available. Does Beltre get a 3 year deal then? I was expecting many of these guys to have to take 1 year deals.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, Kevin Gregg's $4.2 million contract last year with the Cubs included a number of incentives (Rolaids Relief Pitcher, MVP of WS or LCS etc.). Lastly, Gregg would have received a $25,000 bonus for winning the Silver Slugger Award. They really do need to keep the agents and GM's out of the bars when they negotiate these contracts.

w/o posting the article, anyone with a subscription wanna check out their Rule 5 preview? Any Cubs mentioned or anyone the Cubs might have interst in?

via Rotoworld... Gonzalez and Soriano really need to take them up on arbitration to fuck their payroll up...

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

Actually a smart gamble on the Braves part. No way does Gonzales or Soriano accept arbitration to be 6th or 7th inning guys.

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

definitely a calculated move by the Braves that should work for them, but Juan Cruz turned down arbitration last year and almost was left without a job... just wonder who wants to give up a draft pick for those guys and if they themselves want to risk waiting until Feb/March and being forced to accept a cheap contract. I mean Soriano made $6.5M last year, he'd do quite well in arbitration

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

besides Wagner as closer I think if you have Gonzalez, Saito and Soriano, you just let them compete and ride the hot-hand for 7th and 8th if you're Cox and play match-ups. unless Soriano and to a lesser degree Gonzalez get actual offers in the next week, I'd take the Braves arbitration offer if I were them. Although I guess the Braves can cut them in spring training and save money since the owners successfully manipulated that loophole.

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

If he strikes out 110 guys in 75 innings next year, he'll probably do just fine for 2011. How'd he get a $6.5 million contract to begin with? That's Placido Palanco money we're talking.

Aaron Miles--buh-bye! But Jake Fox goes too. You gotta give someone up to take on that crappy Miles contract. Nice job yet again, Fat Jimbo. Fire this moron, please?

Radioshark works well...like tivo for radio Could use some editing software but there are other ways to take a smaller segment out of a recording like Ambrosia software's recording studio. EyeTV has excellent editing for the tv side of this but Radio shark is good to get am/fm local channels onto the computer. Hope that helps. For example, I record the sat am Bruce Levine radio show with their pre set record features...which do weekly, daily or even custom stuff.

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).