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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
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Dawson Makes the Hall

In quite a shocker, the only player elected to the Hall of Fame today was Andre Dawson with 77.9%. Bert Blyleven just missed at 74.2% as did Roberto Alomar at 73.7%. Other former Cubs were Lee Smith (47.3%), Fred McGriff(21.5%), Eric Karros (0.4%), Todd Zeile(0) and bench coach Alan Trammell (22.4%).

I gave my thoughts earlier on the Hall of Fame and everyone seems surprised that Dawson was the only one to make it. Yes, his OBP is woeful by Hall of Fame standards, and I certainly wouldn't have been too upset if he never made it. But he did pass most of my other Hall of Fame tests: awards, dominance, and a certain level of overall counting statistics.

The next question will be if he goes in as a Cub or an Expo. I'm guessing the Expos as that's the picture they used for the article on their site and he did play 5 more seasons with Montreal. The numbers aren't that big a difference, an .801 OPS with Montreal, .834 with the Cubs. He was certainly a far more popular player once he joined the big market Cubs and won his MVP with them. On the other hand, he won 6 of his 8 Gold Gloves as an Expo along with 3 of his 4 Silver Slugger Awards and the Rookie of the Year along with two second place MVP finishes.

Congrats to the Hawk!!

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

If you can't be bothered to vote or give the H.O.F your current contact info., your vote should be taken away. I can't believe Alomar isn't in. I feel bad for Twins fans who have to hear BB cry another year about this. Gee, I wonder if the Hawk got Joe Morgan's vote.......

Let's all bow [a la the bleacherites]in Dawson's general direction. On to Santo next year! Coming on the heels of Iowa's O-Bowl win last night, a good week for Hawks...

I believe the player has some input if it's not outrageous(ie Boggs as Ray), so with that in mind and the money (colluted as it where) the Cubs gave him and the noterity I believe he will go in as a Cub.

That's pretty cool, and he'll get his own speech since no one else got elected. Alomar in the penalty box for a year because of his spitting incident, I guess, and Byleven will finally make it next year.

[ ]

In reply to by Stevens

yes they all get speeches, and it's manager Whitey Herzog and umpire Doug Harvey. Fun question, will Lou Piniella be enshrined as a manager? currently 14th in wins and a .521 winning percentage. All but 6 managers in the top 21 in wins are in the Hall. The exceptions are 4 active managers((LaRussa, Cox, Torre and Piniella), Gene Mauch (below .500 winning percentage), Ralph Houlk (15th in wins, 3 playoffs, .513%, 2 world series). If Lou manages just this season, he'll stay at 14th in wins, if he manages two more seasons and can average 61 wins, he'll jump to 11th.

Dawson deserved it, but not nearly as much as Lee Smith deserved it. Smith's ommission is almost as bad as that of Santo.

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

it's most likely just people looking at the numbers and going "meh"...and those 5 or so who "turned in" blank ballots (way to go guys...all you had to do was put a piece of paper in an envelope and stamp it before deadline). his numbers aren't mind-blowing, but he owned 2nd base defensive (no doubt) and offensively (not counting jeff kent) for a decade+.

I'm happy for The Hawk, but it's too bad that Trammel continues to get dissed as much as he does. HOF voters have no fucking clue what they're doing. I know I shouldn't really care, but I REALLY hope Dawson goes in as a Cub. Does it make a difference that there's no real Expo fans anymore?

Ryno had to wait 3 years, Alomar can at least wait one more.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

hell, ryno might not be in the HOF if he didn't un-retire and put in those last 2 half-assed seasons. imagine where he'd be without those 250 or so extra hits. alomar not going 1st ballot isn't world-stopping shocking, but it's a little surprising.

http://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN Yanks and Mets aren't in the mix. As I mentioned earlier, Jim Bowden on XM radio said the Marlins think they'll have him signed by the weekend. Expect a deal in the $20M range, not sure on the years though.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

don't blame him for not saying, but he should go in as an expo, imo. i'm still amused by how boston fan's ex man-crush wade boggs became trash to them by 1- playing for the yanks 2- attempting to sell his HOF influence (sup gary carter and mets?) to TB for financial consideration to sway the HOF into letting him go in as a DRay.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

is because without the national exposure he got out of playing here, would he have been elected today? I mean look at Raines he had a great career and cant break the one-third of the vote barrier. If Raines had played the prime of his career in any major US market he would be alot closer to the hall, if not in it by now. Also with him being the only BWAA inductee it make the powers to be in Cooperstown more likely to put him in as a Cub to drive up interest from Cub fans to enshrinement weekend that could somewhat tempered by him going in as an Expo. Though I think the whole hat thing should be placed to rest. What if Schilling gets in, what hat does he wear, D-backs or Red Sox? If he gets in its for his work in the post season but his more memorable playoff runs were with Boston even if stats wise Arizona was his better stop. or better yet what if Sheffield were to get in? He never had longer than a 4 and a half year stay with one team, though he did win a World Sries in his Marlin run, you could make the case his Dodger years were better.

[ ]

In reply to by Chifan

Agreed. It would be silly (from an interest perspective) to put him in as an Expo. I highly doubt there's an Expos blog out there with all these people sincerely happy his election. I think the same thing can be said about Fisk. If he never hits that famous home run with the BoSox where he seemingly wills it to stay fair, I think he goes in as a WSox. But for anyone outside Chicago, that's his most memorable moment (or I guess it could be my age - 29).

won't be giving Randy Johnson's HOF introduction http://jeffpearlman.com/?p=4398
I have nothing but negative thoughts for Randy Johnson, a brilliant pitcher but a pathetic human being. I covered baseball for a good chunk of time. I had direct access to such unpleasant men as Will Clark, John Rocker, Barry Bonds, Arthur Rhodes. But nobody—and I mean absolutely nobody—possessed the pure dismissive cruelty of Randy Johnson.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

i care a lot jeff pearlman....we all care a lot. go back to your f'n hugbox and let the rest of us watch some baseball, not the reality TV that is covering a sportswriter's job. yeesh...are they handing out awards the past few years for bitchy sportswriter personal-feelings-about-players articles? these articles are increasingly being crapped out and they all have one thing in common...a lack of any specifics. no, i don't doubt pearlman, but if you're gonna stir up a hornet's nest to prove something at least show me who got stung and how badly. there's lot of shitty people in baseball. some fight animals for sport, some beat on their spouses, some love picking on others like they're still in highschool being kings of the block...meh. jeff kent's not on his list...just saying.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Who the fuck is Jeff Pearlman? He seems to have written four books of which I've never heard, all of them focusing on negative aspects of sports. Sports writers, and whatever this guy describes himself as really need to get it into their heads that they're not the social police. Thin skinned assholes who think they're the only ones who have to deal with jerks in real life - while getting paid to watch sporting events.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

his claim to fame is that rocker article...which made many MLB players no longer a fan of his...which is where some of his "omg these players are jerks" source is coming from. whether rocker deserved to be outted or not it made a lot of players angry at pearlman having access to their workplace even though they had to tolerate him.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

btw...it's worth mentioning that many in MLB turned on pearlman after his rocker article where things were supposed to be off-the-record. he needs to get over being pissed on after pissing on someone else...whether he deserved it or not. THAT is why will clark is a jerk to pearlman...not because will clark is a natural born jerk. actions have consequences...whether you think it's "fair" or not. welcome to the lockerroom, buddy.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

But when you think of Randy Johnson, I urge you not to remember the 6-foot-10 pitching giant, but the little man who inhabited his body.
That was a weird and incredbly petty article. Okay, Johnson treated you badly. I get that you don't think he's a nice person. But why would you try to recruit other people to dislike him just because he treated you (A guy we don't know) poorly? That was pathetic.

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

"Yup, that's Jeff, and Cot's Contracts is coming over to the Baseball Prospectus family. The product as you all know and love will now be hosted at baseballprospectus.com with a variety of visual improvements, and will remain a free product"

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"Some specific projects our entire stats team is working on (but are hardly limited to) include: New, "from the ground up" defensive measurements" the yearly "forget what we did, this is better" defensive update. is UZR update 20 out yet? ARM version 109? or they rolling out USHANNHAKJXS as the best thing since the last best thing that wasn't good at all?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Add Maddux, Glavine and Frank Thomas for 2014. I wouldn't be surprised if these three are elected before any of the big names off the 2013 ballot. 2014 also adds Jeff Kent and Mike Mussina.

[ ]

In reply to by Stevens

Biggio gets in on the first ballot, 3,000 hits is a guarantee still and would be a hardy F.U. by the writers to the alleged 'roid users. Schilling's gonna be a real fun case.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

It's always amazed me how Biggio and Bagwell get a pass on 'roids accusations. I'd be surprised if that talk doesn't come up a lot more when their names come up for the HoF.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

both had pretty consistent home run numbers throughout their careers and as far as I know, not a lot of back acne like Piazza. did Canseco ever tag either of them? He seems to be right on just about anyone he has mentioned.

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

I'd go with no longer catching myself and it was after his first 4 seasons, the time and age that most players are growing into their power. Rickey Henderson was on 'roids too as well as Sandberg by this line of reasoning.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Sammy Sosa never touched the stuff by your line of reasoning. The guy got bigger, stronger and faster. The numbers jump didn't happen the year he switched full time to 2nd. At age 26 he lead the league in PAs and had 41 XBH's. The next year he had 67 XBH's.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Sammy Sosa never touched the stuff by your line of reasoning.
Sammy's head exploded and had this written about him. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/sports/baseball/17doping.html let me know when there's one about Biggio.
The guy got bigger, stronger and faster. The numbers jump didn't happen the year he switched full time to 2nd
it took him a year to rejuvenate his body maybe...maybe not. would I be shocked to learn that he did 'roids? not exactly, but I'm an innocent until it's pretty obvious he's guilty kind of guy. haven't ever heard much about Biggio, his progression seemed pretty natural to me

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Hopefully by then the full list will come out. What's the HoF going to do if they let a player in who is on that list, while keeping others out? Like I said, every piece of circumstantial evidence that was mentioned about these other guys applies to Biggio and Bagwell.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Nope. My point was that he looked for quite a few seasons, like he had not much power at all. TRN, your point is valid about XBH. Only his first few seasons: 1989 21 2B, 13 HR 1990 24 2B, 4 HR 1991 23 2B, 4 HR 1992 32 2B, 6 HR 1993 41 2B, 21 HR. Ok...so he finally gets some pop at age 27. Steroids? I never thought so...please show me where I said "Craig Biggio took steroids." My original statement was...."Now was it steroids? Maturing physically at age 27? Eh..whatever..lol." I then said "Growing into power i could get....leaving catching? For steals sure....but gaining power?"

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

And in '93 he goes from a poor base stealer to the best in baseball. Raise your hand if you can think of a second basemen who went from being a lower power, medium stolen base guy to hitter who hit more HR's, lead the league in doubles and became a premium base stealer. Who's that describe? Brian Roberts. I guess he just grew into it as well.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

"Correct, except that Sandberg was never a great doubles hitter and didn't really improve his stolen bases numbers." Sorry in your right in 1984 he lead the lead in triples not doubles (he was third in doubles). As for stolen bases he went from 37 SB in 1983 to 54 in 1985 (4th in the league). While he only had 32 in 1984, that might be because he had all those doubles and triples and didn't need to steal. In the end I think you will have a hard time showing that Biggio used PED based.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

hmm, in '92, his first year at 2b he had 38 sb's against 15 CS's, then had a poor year at 15 SB with 17 CS's and then in '94 really became efficient. I don't see what's odd about a player getting older and learning to read pitchers better, even happened to Rickey Henderson. The stories I recall back then were Biggio (all 5-11" of him) was getting worn down catching (although considered a very good prospect) and thus the move to 2b to prolong his career.

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

That would also help his batting. Maybe he had a tell, maybe he had a new coach, maybe he took steroids. Who knows? But the evidence that convinced so many in the court of public opinion is right there for him as well. He also got to use the elbow guard fulcrum, which probably was a big part of Bonds's late career success.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I always suspected Bagwell. He jumped from 15ish homers per year to a perennial 40+ guy pretty much over night.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Yeah, Biggio and Piazza are both probably in 1st ballot, but like I said, it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't for some reason. I thought Robby Alomar was a first-ballot guy, after all. But he didn't have 3000 knocks. Biggio's really going to benefit from his sticking-around years. In fact, all this decade (2000-2007), he hit 266/338/428. Not terrible, but they don't look like HOF numbers. Yet that's over 5000 plate appearances and almost 1200 hits. His real criminal years, though, were the last two. 249/296/402 over 1162 PAs. Covers 265 of his precious 3060 hits, which puts him in Alomar territory. But Alomar had 3 really bad years at the end, too. 262/331/367 over 1443 PAs, covering 335 hits. So there you go. I think the writers will push Bagwell back a year and he and Biggio will go in together. Which is fine. I'll be happy if Alomar goes in next year first. I may be wrong, but I think Alomar is the superior 2nd baseman, and I'd prefer him not having to share the stage, so to speak, with Biggio and his big 3000-hit hunt.

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I think the interesting case will be Barry Bonds. Alot of sports writers were willing to totally dismiss his connections to Balco, his documented steroid use, and his criminal proceedings just cuz he broke the HR record. I think Bonds makes it as a first ballot HOFer, and makes the whole voting process a complete hypocritical circle jerk. Ohh were gonna keep McGwire and a bunch of other guys out, but the single most connected guy to steroid abuse? He will get a free pass. Maybe that will be enough to exclude the writers and just make members of the HOF as the sole decider. There are a few pretty vocal HOF members who would never allow Bonds in, Hank Aaron being one of them.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

I have struggled with this issue since it reared its ugly head. I was angry at first and have mellowed over time. There's no way we'll ever know who was juicing and who wasn't. In the end, I look at the whole era as juiced batters hitting against juiced pitchers. I have no doubt that not all players were taking PEDs, but I don't (and can't) know who did and who didn't, so I assume everyone did. That way, the playing field was even and I can accept the perfomances that occured during the era. Every era has had its problems and some players benefitted from each of these problems. I'm no longer willing to deny HOF admission to players like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, etc based on the fact that I think they used PEDs. It was just another era. Plus, we like to call PED users "cheaters," but were they really. Baseball didn't have a policy against many of the substances that were being used, so did they really cheat? What they did may be morally, ethically, or even legally wrong, but they didn't break any rules in place in MLB at the time.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

Legitimate ethical questions Sweet Lou, and ones I've struggled with. Moreover, how can pills and shots be banned for their performance-enhancing benefits, while surgery, cortisone and contacts are allowed despite their performance-enhancing benefits? The issue seems to be more the legality of the substance than the performance-enhancing capability. That is, if steroids were simply vitamins, no one would complain. But they aren't. They're illegal. So why not just let the law deal with it? Why judge baseball players ex-post-facto when no one made a stink about it at the time? Anyway, I'd put them all in the hall as examples of the best players of their era. If you want to call them the best cheaters of their era, that's fine too.

[ ]

In reply to by Stevens

I've tried to make the point before that athletes today are just much better than the athletes in the day of most of these HOF voting sportswriters. Weight-training, Supplements, Sports nutritionists, Specially designed workout routines have all changed the way that Joe Player has looked. Even the guys not taking "PEDs" are likely taking enhancers that are right on the borderline of what legal and banned are. That's basically what Balco was to begin with. A lab that stayed on the cutting edge of legal/illegal. The line is just too blurry to draw. Instead we have guys who use personal prejudice to keep guys out, with whom they have axes to grind.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

As to the MLB, I think the owners were likely all too willing to turn a blind eye to it due to the money the offense was putting in their pockets, particularly following the strike year in '94. Homers put fannies in the seats. Only after some of the seamier stories became public did the owners, like Captain Renault in Casablanca, express their shock that steroids were being used.

[ ]

In reply to by dcf

they did in the 70s and 80s...the story blew up in the late 90s, but this stuff is old news. aside from printed stuff that go back to the 60s/70s detailing the use of roids in baseball as very casual stuff...tom house, the pitching coach and loudmouth excuse-maker, spoke on this a few years ago and made a few enemies even though his lockerroom days with the pros are decades gone. worst kept secret in baseball...right reggie jackson?

If I was a betting man, I'd say Arod gets in before Bonds and the whole house of cards falls down. I have a feeling the writers are going to take the opportunity to fuck Bonds over every way they can. Although Ivan Rodriguez might be the first name from this list voted in since Arod will still be playing for awhile. http://www.baseballssteroidera.com/bse-list-steroid-hgh-users-baseball…

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

btw, that link is a pretty cool resource if you want to know who's been pegged so far on steroid allegations, gives great details on where the reports came from so far...

Recent comments

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    That’s a fantastic deal for SF

  • 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?