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

Samardzija May Get First Start

UPDATE: Looks like Lou made up his mind after the first game and it will be Sean Marshall getting the start on Sunday versus the Marlins.


Just a little scheduling note, that Lou has tabbed either Jeff Samardzija or Sean Marshall for Sunday's start against the Marlins due to today's doubleheader. That is if Marquis cannot go on short rest.

"I can't bring Harden back on short rest, but I can bring Marquis back possibly," Piniella said Wednesday. "By him pitching the day game, it gives him a little longer time. If not, we'll either pitch Samardzija or pitch [Sean] Marshall."
Other than possibly using Marquis on short rest, there was another reason Harden will pitch tonight's nightcap.
"I know he's told us his preference would be to pitch at night and in cooler weather," Piniella said  

As always, blame Canada.

Comments

i HATE these freaking braves, but apparently not as much as they hate soriano. i really hope this doesn't get into a ridiculous situation the last two games. the braves are out of it and really don't care what they do in terms of suspensions, ejections, etc. remember the insanity of that sunday night game with renteria hitting fontenot, lilly getting ejected for no real reason. all that after soriano hit three homers friday night and then got hit to start saturday. lilly pitching tomorrow, could be a dangerous situation if bobby cox has a bug up his ass which i'm sure he will. just chill out, no suspensions needed for this team right now.

Anybody see the pitch to Sori? How bad was it? I thought Renteria's play last year was one of the cheapest shots I have ever seen. Nice to see Geo's bat back in action, and with some pop. Your turn, Kosuke.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

soriano's habit of looking at his shots smiling like a 5 year old in awe of himself. that said...soriano smiles like a 5 year old pretty much full-time. reminds me of "classic pedro martinez"...the guy that was in a perma-good mood that took things and rolled with them. the pitch at his head was probably supposed to be destined for his ribs, but soriano took it REALLY well. he just stepped back and...well, he smiled like a 5 year old. soriano probably knew what it was about and didn't freak out about it "missing a little high"...very classy/cool stuff you (well, at I do) wanna see outta one of your star power hitters in a pennant chase.

Yeah, but as we mentioned in the chat, Fonzie deserved it (not to the head, though) - he basically posed on a ball that turned out to be a single, then was making movements towards stealing 2nd after the game was way out of reach. Don't pull an Ozzie, Lou.

How 'bout that Samardzija? Wasn't that long ago that he was having all kinds of problems at the AA level. Very early yet, but he has been a great boost.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

numbers and stats tend to have a hard time showing a physical progression of talent except in hindsight. he's had a crazy break since he "got his shit together". i'm a little concerned about how much he uses his fastballs, but when he's got one that's mid90s with that kind of movement...wow. that's one hell of a starting point to build a pitching career around.

I'd much rather see a reliever somehow fall off the mound and throw a beaner at Cox's head; he may be a great manager, but he's also a world - class d-ckhead.

[ ]

In reply to by Dmac

Are you saying he's an [censored]hole? I wouldn't mind seeing someone pull a Pedro to his Popeye at this point. It's getting re[censored]ulous. (At the same time, I'd much rather he run more and showboat less, he almost [censored]ed up a double a couple weeks ago against the brewers because he thought it was out. HE didn't start running until he saw the donut at first base pointing the outfield throw to second.

A. Soriano lf R. Theriot ss D. Lee 1b A. Ramirez 3b J. Edmonds cf M. DeRosa 2b K. Fukudome rf H. Blanco c

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

Braves have nothing to lose by fucking with the Cubs. Cubs have everything to lose by fucking with the Braves. There is NOTHING to be gained by going head hunting for Chipper (or anyone else for that matter). All that does is risk injury to a Cub if they retaliate, and can put a key pitcher on the bench for a week, with the Brewers (yes, that "terrible team" of yours that is about to win their 8th in a row) right behind the Cubs. That's the type of shit that was the beginning of the Cubs collapse in 2004 when the Astros got in Barrett's head.

As Ozzie would say, "ey, you gotta play de games, and I don' know, but we steel gotta play da Royals plenty more times, so we'll see, Okayee?" Like Desi Arnez as Ricky Riccardo, but without all that pesky baggage of intelligence.

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).