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

The Cubs Sign Their X-Factor

UPDATE: Heyman tweets that it's for $3.3M with $2M in incentives based on games played.


Tim Brown of Yahoo breaks the story that the Cubs have signed outfielder Xavier Nady on a one year deal...dollar amount yet to be determined (likely in the 3-4.5M range according to Levine). Out of the names mentioned so far - Jermaine Dye, Rocco Baldelli, and Johnny Gomes, Nady was probably my preference on the assumption that he's recovered fully from his second Tommy John Surgery. According to Tim Brown, the physical is later this week but Nady's been throwing regularly and without problems. Before we get into the player, let's talk about the injury. Dr. Hecht in the comments dropped this note about having multiple TJ surgeries yesterday.

The basic operation takes a tendon graft from the forearm from a small tendon called the palmaris longus.

On a second surgery they have to take a graft from somewhere else. Other sites are available (the other arm or a tendon from the calf (plantaris) but that means he's gonna have two limbs involved to recovery. I'm not sure why his graft failed but it's pretty unusual for this to happen (expecially when it's not a pitcher). This would make me a bit leary too (Chad Fox alert!) but my guess is he'll be OK.

New York Yankees Spring Training in Tampa As for the player, Nady is best in right and left field, but has played 82 games at first base, 45 in center field and even 3 games at third base. Chances are he'll stick to right, left and occasionaly first base  and likely send Micah Hoffpauir to Triple A with Sam Fuld getting the roster spot as 5th outfielder and back-up center fielder although a poor showing in spring training or extremely strong one by Hoffpauir could change that.

Nady has a lifetime 108 OPS+ (.792), .342 woBA and is 31 years old. His walk rate of 5.8% per plate appearance is pretty poor and a 19.9% K rate isn't too great either. The projection systems on his Fangraphs page all peg him in the high 700 to low 800's in OPS. His main duty will be as platoon partner to Kosuke Fukudome and his 3-year splits are:


vs LHP: 278/358/454 812 in 227 AB's
vs RHP: 297/340/504 844 in 787 AB's

227 AB's isn't much to draw any firm conclusions upon, but it does appear that he's someone who you won't have to waste 2 players on in late-inning lineup juggling as he seems to handle righties just fine. His other main duty will be as pinch hitter where he's had all of 58 PA's for a 255/397/426 slash line. I assume if all goes right, he'd also be one of the candidates to DH in interleague games when that time comes.

Assuming Nady passes his physical and can make the throw from right field still, I think you have to like this signing. The Cubs aren't likely to get the player that tore it up for the Pittsburgh Pirates to start the 2008 season and ended with 25 HR's and 97 RBI's after being traded to the New York Yankess. But he's definitely shown enough with the bat that he should do more good than harm if he can handle not getting regular at-bats. And if something should happen to Soriano, Byrd, Fukudome, Lee or even Ramirez I suppose, the Cubs will have a very solid replacement ready to step in on a regular basis.

Bonus News: Ben Sheets signs with the Oakland A's for one year/$8M and Cubs showing interest in Chan-Ho Park.

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

That's what came to mind right away, too, that Fuld and Colvin probably battle it out for the 5th OF spot. I like the Nady move a lot, as long as he can stay healthy. But I wonder how much TJ surgery on your right elbow affects the hitting power of a right handed hitter short term. Does it take a full year to rebuild the strength, like a pitcher?

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

on the topic of another Cub acquisiton from Levine chat...
I think the Cubs are out of money at this point. Any other deals would have to be trades. ...Jim Hendry will turn his attention to solidifying the bullpen. I've mentioned their interest in Luke Gregerson of the Padres and Jason Frasor of the Blue Jays. The Padres deal would seem to be more realistic at this point.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Slick gamble by the A's, though. If he stays healthy they can either deal him for a couple of decent prospects at the deadline or offer arbitration and get two picks when he walks. And pitching half his games with that huge outfield and foul territory, and a fleet of speedy go-get-em outfielders, his numbers could be very good.

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

"Slick gamble" is one way of saying it. Another way would be "a risky way to spend $10 million dollars". He hasn't pitched for a year. Supposing he recovers somewhat and can actually pitch games, will he be effective? Better yet: can he stay healthy? He has a long history of not staying healthy. I'm glad the Cubs passed on this one. I would have gave him 1 year, $3-4 mil, plus incentives.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

I'm with you, Ryno. As much as I like Sheets, $10 million seems crazy. True, IF Sheets is pitching well the A's can potentially get back some prospects in a trade. It's also true that if he walks at the end of 2010, the A's can possibly get a couple of draft picks. However, what if he's ineffective? What if he gets injured? There's too much of a down side to this deal in my opinion. I could somewhat understand a high risk/high reward deal like this from a team that can afford it, but it really surprises me that it is the A's that are taking the gamble.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

The A's probably know it's a long shot for them to contend this year. They've got money to burn for once, and there's no other player out there that has Sheets' upside. If they're both good, they'll make a run with him. If he's good but they're not, they can trade him for great prospects. It's a calculated risk, but when you're the A's, you've gotta look for any edge you can get.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

TRN -- I don't disagree, but is it smart for a team like Oakland with roughly a $70 million payroll to spend $10 million on a pitcher with a long track record of injuries? IF Sheets stays healthy and IF he pitches well, Oakland might be able to get some prospects for him mid-season. But if he sucks and/or gets injured, Oakland just spent a huge chunk of their payroll on a hope and a prayer. I don't think this would have been a particularly good signing for anyone, but it's especially bad for a lower payroll team like Oakland.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

A big part of the signing depends on whether or not you think Oakland can contend next year. I think that they can, and with Sheets at the head of their rotation it could be the second best in the AL. Their team as of right now looks at least as good as the '09 Mariners did at the start of the season, and they were able boost fan excitement and turn an inferior pitcher (Washburn) into prospects. I am surprised the Mets didn't sign him though, as he seemed like a better fit there.

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

Just to be clear, I understand that pitchers are always an injury risk, but this is different. This is paying a guy who has a long history of being fragile and who just missed an entire year $10 million. Would you be happy with Hendry if he signed Lilly for this year if he had missed all of last year? Actually, considering the difference in payrolls between the Cubs and A's, the Cubs would have to pay Lilly $20 million.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

I understand the risk from the A's perspective. They have a young team with TONS of young talent.(especially pitching) Sheets can front that staff and they can make a playoff run. If he stays healty the A's can offer arbitration and go year to year with Sheets from here on out. The cubs should do the same thing with Ted Lilly if he returns healthy from his shoulder surgery.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Good point. I'm sure they have the formula they can refer to and get an educated guess before they signed him. If he's healthy and likely to be a Type B, they probably try to move him at the deadline. I'd rather do that anyway if I were the GM to have more control over what prospects I get, rather than the crap shoot of the draft.

one more name Levine mentions...
Q: How about a backup 3rd baseman in Chad Tracy? I know he's a FA. Bruce Levine You must have a pretty good source. I've heard that deal is very realistic. It may happen this week. Q: Just to clarify, you are saying that the Cubs might be signing Chad Tracy as a 3rd Base backup? I thought Baker was going to be that for them and that they had no more money to spend? Bruce Levine Think left-handed. Also think about the fact if they do sign him, it most likely will be a minor-league contract. Also if he replaces a guy like Hoffpauir, you will not have to spend the money you'd put forward toward his contract.

I hope the performance bonuses are pretty high. Too bad Hoffpauir will get the boot back to Iowa. Wouldn't Soriano likely be the DH with Nady in LF?

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

What makes you or anyone else think that Nady is a better LF'er than Soriano? From everything I've looked at, Nady is a terrible outfielder. Then consider his arm fell off twice and his legs have given out. I don't understand the love for this deal. It's just another case of Hendry rolling the dice. All we can do is hope it works out. But seriously, WHAT is Hendry thinking? I thought the idea was to move Fukudome to RF to improve the Cubs defensively. Okay, so how does a Fukudome/Nady platoon do that if Nady gets 1/3 of the starts??

I don't know how seriously to take anything from Levine, considering he just said this in his chat: "I'd put my money on Theriot being the starting 2b on Opening Day, with a good shot for Castro to make the team out of spring training." If he's putting his money on that scenario, I certainly hope he's getting at least 50-1 odds.

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/3327 Nady deal pending physical which will not be a formality, Miles seems to suggest they haven't even seen him throw yet. Chan Ho Park is too pricey(Cubs have about $2M to spend if Nady deal goes through)

Bruce Miles helped answer my earlier question about how much TJS affects a hitter's power the first year after the surgery... "Nady played in only seven games for the Yankees last year before having to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow for the second time in his career. He also had TJS in September of 2001." So I looked up Nady's 2002 stats. He didn't become a full time big leaguer until 2003, but in 2002 he played 130 games in the minors, hitting 23 hr's and slugged .477. Not bad at all with his TJS so late in 2001. That makes me feel better about his potential power numbers this year.

The Dodgers signed Ronnie Belliard today for $825,000 plus incentives. Considering that Belliard beat out Orlando Hudson for the starting job in LA last year, can Hudson expect to sign for much more? The Cubs second base situation is not good. In my mind, it is more of a concern than adding another arm to the bullpen. Hudson would be an upgrade and would make sense if his price is right.

sign Jon Garland and Matt Stairs...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Curious about the craziness of Castro at 11 I clicked the link: Staton #2 Heyward #4... OK, we're done.

and very obscure Washburn/Cubs talk
The Cubs and Mets were among the teams that scouted Sheets' recent throwing session, and both remain in the market for starting pitching. It's not clear if they have interest in Washburn -- or he in them -- but one source with knowledge of the left-hander's market said a total of six teams have inquired.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/MLB-offseason-buzz-012010

Why do the Cubs insist on wasting a roster spot on a 7th reliever? Said reliever, no matter who it is, does not make a meaningful contribution to the team, it's a pure mop-up job and a total waste. That spot would be much better used on a bench player, and that way you could still get value out of Hoffpauir. Nady, Hoffpauir, Fuld, Fontenot, Blanco, Hill. That gives you a lefty and righty power bat off your bench, three strong defenders, one guy with speed, lefty/righty balance, 2 or 3-deep coverage at all positions. Explain to me how a 7th reliever like a Justin Berg or whomever would make a bigger difference over the course of 162 games than would a Hoffpauir or Blanco.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I am a firm believer in carrying the extra pitcher, but for the first half of the year or so, carrying the extra bench makes more sense. Simply due to Aramis' injury and Lee prone to neck spasms at any time. You could be on the west coast trip and he could wake up with neck issues. The 2nd half would require more pitching depth and it would give some of the guys that did not make the team out of ST to work on their roles for the 2nd half of the year. My 25 man roster to start opening day: 1. K. Fukudome 2. R. Theriot 3. D. Lee 4. A. Ramirez 5. A. Soriano 6. M. Byrd 7. G. Soto 8. J. Baker Bench: 1. A. Blanco 2. X. Nady 3. S. Fuld 4. M. Fontenot 5. K. Hill 6. M. Hoffpauir Pitching: 1. C. Zambrano 2. R. Dempster 3. R. Wells 4. T. Gorzelanny 5. S. Marshall 6. E. Caridad 7. C. Marmol 8. A. Guzman 9. J. Grabow 10.C. Silva 11. J. Stevens (assuming a RHP is not added via trade. My guess is a deal around Colvin will be made to add another RHP for the bullpen which would take this spot) Castro and Samardzija need to play everyday. Both will start the year in AAA, but will be on the roster by the All-Star break. Two other names that may get a call up and stick would be Rafael Dolis or John Gaub. Gaub would be a luxery, so it would really depend on the durability and performance by Gorzelany and Marshall. Lilly should be recalled around May or early June at which point depending on how much the bullpen has been used, a position player, presumably Fontenot would be optioned.

[ ]

In reply to by thedirtbag

Submitted by thedirtbag on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 12:30pm. Dolis is my sleeper for a breakout year. DIRTBAG: Rafael Dolis is more of a high-risk/high-reward long-term project than the other pitchers on the 40. He has a history of arm problems and control issues, so I would think the Cubs will be conservative with him and move him very slowly. (Dolis gets four minor league options and he's only 21). I think RHP Thomas Diamond (who came on strong at the end of Instructs and then threw very well in the Mexican Pacific League) and LHP James Russell (who was the #1 lefty reliever in the AFL) are the two most-likely "long-shot" guys to win a spot on the Cubs pitching staff out of Spring training or to get a mid-season call-up. And RHP Andrew Cashner could be ready in short order if the Cubs were to use him as a one-inning reliever, but probably not so soon not if the Cubs continue to develop him as a starter.

http://cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100126&content_id=7968890&vk… cubs.com has this interesting medical tidbit on Tommy John surgery and Nady...
Nady would have to prove he's healthy from the second major elbow surgery of his career. He underwent the procedure in early July, meaning he will be just nine months removed from it by Opening Day. A number of Web sites have lists of baseball players who have gone through Tommy John surgery, a procedure in which a tendon from a different part of the body is used to replace a turn ulnar collateral ligament, but Nady and catcher Vance Wilson are the only position players listed as having the surgery twice. Wilson had his procedures back-to-back in the summers of 2007 and '08. He signed a Minor League contract with the Royals for '09 and batted .270 in 59 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Wilson didn't play his first game in '09 until June 19 and caught only 18 games, appearing mostly as a designated hitter.
here's the Wiki list of ballplayers with TJ surgery including those with repeat surgery. There are only three with three-peats...Chad Fox, Jose Rijo and the immortal Matt Riley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_John_surgery#List_of_baseball_player…

Seems like these Wikipedia lists are not all enclusive. Here's another list of non-pitchers who have had TJ surgery (note, Vance Wilson not on it): Roberto Alomar Rocco Baldelli Jay Buhner José Canseco (the injury was caused during a pitching appearance) Luis Gonzalez Rusty Greer José Guillén J.R. House Todd Hundley César Izturis Trey Lunsford Kelly Johnson Carlos Martínez Xavier Nady (twice) Ray Olmedo Luke Scott Taylor Teagarden Tony Womack http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tommy_John_surgery

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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.