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

"I got it!! I got it!!... I ain't got it"

Ten Cubs pitchers threw their second "live" BP session at Fitch Park today.

Jeff Stevens and David Patton threw to James Adduci, Matt Camp, Tyler Colvin, Bryan Lahair, and Chris Robinson, Casey Coleman and Mitch Atkins threw to Starlin Castro, Steve Clevenger, Kosuke Fukudome, and Alfonso Soriano, and J. R. Mathes threw to Robinson Chirinos, Koyie Hill, Blake Lalli, and Josh Vitters on Field #2, while on Field #3, Blake Parker and Jeff Kennard threw to Darwin Barney, Welington Castillo, Sam Fuld, Bobby Scales, and Brad Snyder, James Russell and Thomas Diamond threw to Marlon Byrd, Brett Jackson, Derrek Lee, Xavier Nady, and Geovany Soto, and Marcos Mateo threw to Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, Kevin Millar, and Chad Tracy.

Players who didn't get to hit in a "live" BP session took BP on either Field #1 or Field #4, with coaches or machines throwing the BP.

With Greg Maddux standing behind him, Mike Parisi threw "live" BP in an early morning session prior to the full-squad workout. Vince Perkins was scheduled to throw today, and he may have thrown early, too, but I'm not sure.

This was the second "live" BP sesion for the pitchers who threw today (this group threw their first "live" BP session on Wednesday), and pitch counts were increased from 25 to 30, with all pitchers now throwing their full array of pitches (including breaking balls). The hitters know what's coming, so it's noteworthy when a pitcher has a dominating outing in one of these sessions.

No question the best pitcher today was LHP James Russell (he also had the best outing among the 12 pitchers who threw on Wednesday). Facing major league hitters like D-Lee, Byrd, Nady, and Soto (plus 2009 #1 draft pick Brett Jackson) today, Russell looked great, getting lots of swings & misses while breaking a couple of bats. Marlon Byrd let out a hoot on one of his whiffs.

The son of former MLB closer Jeff Russell and the Cubs 14th round draft pick in 2007 out of the University of Texas (the Cubs had to give him "3rd round money" to give up his senior season at Texas), the 24-year old Russell is one of 21 non-roster invitees (NRI) at Fitch Park. This is his first big league camp, and he got the NRI after a strong six weeks in the Arizona Fall League post-2009, where he was the AFL's #1 lefty reliever. Russell isn't really a LOOGY. He's probably more of a prototypical lefty starter, but for some reason, Russell just gets better results working out of the pen (like his old man). If the Cubs decide to move Sean Marshall to the starting rotation while Ted Lilly rehabs from off-season knee and shoulder surgery, Russell might be a candidate to replace Marshall as the other lefty in the pen (with John Grabow).

Two other pitchers who looked especially good today were RHPs Blake Parker and Thomas Diamond. Nobody hit the ball hard off either of them. The Cubs 2006 16th round pick out of the University of Arkansas, Parker (like Carlos Marmol and Randy Wells) is a former catcher, who was converted to pitcher during Extended Spring Training at Fitch Park in May 2007. Parker was a teammate of Russell's at Tennessee, Iowa and Mesa (AFL) in 2009 (Parker has been a closer since he made the conversion to pitcher), while Diamond (a former Texas Rangers #1 draft pick) threw in the AZ Instructional League and in the Mexican Pacific League post-2009 after being claimed off waivers by the Cubs last September. (Diamond pitched for Cubs Assistant GM Randy Bush when Bush was Head Coach at the University of New Orleans).

While Russell, Parker, and Diamond had plus-outings, David Patton (a Rule 5 player last year) struggled with his "out" pitch (spike curve), bouncing most of them in the dirt. It's a tough pitch to throw (and hit), so he might need some time to get it right.

Among the hitters, Bobby Scales mashed a couple of balls off the right-centerfield fence off Jeff Kennard, and Tyler Colvin absolutely ripped Jeff Stevens. Starlin Castro and Micah Hoffpauir also had some solid hits.

Prior to the "live" BP sessions, catchers, infielders and outfielders on Field #2 (Chris Robinson, Blake Lalli, Robinson Chirinos, and Steve Clevenger at catcher, Kevin Millar and Bryan Lahair at 1B, Darwin Barney at 2B, Matt Camp and Starlin Castro at SS, Josh Vitters and Bobby Scales at 3B, James Adduci in LF, Brett Jackson and Tyler Colvin in CF, and Brad Snyder in RF) and Field #3 (Geovany Soto, Koyie Hill, and Welington Castillo at catcher, Derrek Lee and Micah Hoffpauir at 1B, Jeff Baker and Andres Blanco at 2B, Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot at SS, Aramis Ramirez and Chad Tracy at 3B, Alfonso Soriano in LF, Marlon Byrd and Sam Fuld in CF, and Kosuke Fukudome and Xavier Nady in RF) spent about 30 minutes practicing calling for pop ups & (hopefully) catching a few of them. The balls were sent into the air by a pitching machine turned upward, and some of the infield pops were truly towering (I think one just missed hitting a low-flying aircraft).

With the big league club at Fitch Park, Cubs minor leaguers who have arrived early are having informal work-outs up the street at HoHoKam Park under the supervision of Boise manager Jody Davis. As the Boise manager, Davis will also be the manager of both the Boise/Mesa squad at Minor League Camp and the Extended Spring Training team that plays at Fitch Park during April-May-June.

Minor League Camp officially opens at Fitch Park next week, a few days after the big league club moves up Center Street to HoHoKam Park. (The big league club will probably relocate Spring Training operations to HoHoKam Park on either Tuesday or Wednesday).

Comments

I keep waiting for James Russell to breakout. I mean, with the plus change, good curve, and enough on the fastball, that's a solid starter's arsenal. I'm still not exactly sure what his issue is as a starter. I'm hoping that Russell starts the season in AAA's rotation. There's enough lefty options (Gorzelanny could get the 5th job with Marshall in the pen along with Grabow, and Gaub will be in AAA) that I really would like to see if Russell can figure it out. With Diamond, I'm curious on how the breaking ball looks and how good his control is. With Parker, the control's going to be interesting. All three could get big league time this year, depending on how things go.

Great job Phil...I'm especially interested in Thomas Diamond this year...It's early...but the outings by Russell/Diamond/Parker are encouraging... Keep up the good worl, Phil.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

"Russell stood out with his changeup but his other two pitches, an 84-88 mph fastball and a marginal breaking ball, didn't impress scouts. In the Texas Collegiate League, his fastball jumped to 88-92 mph and his curve was more usable. Russell's changeup is the best in the system and helps his other pitches play up. He throws strikes on a good downhill plane, and he has the know-how befitting the son of a former big leaguer." - Baseball America, 2/08
"his game is all about finesse and not power. His best pitch is his changeup, followed by a fringy 84-88 mph fastball and a marginal breaking ball." - 6/07
maybe he's got that FB in the 88-92 range again...

Love your daily coverage, Phil. For those of us in Mesa, I'd like to know which instructors are working when I watch. Could you provide us with the minor league instructor/manager spring uniform numbers? Thanks.

[ ]

In reply to by Hook

Submitted by Hook on Fri, 02/26/2010 - 6:21pm. Love your daily coverage, Phil. For those of us in Mesa, I'd like to know which instructors are working when I watch. Could you provide us with the minor league instructor/manager spring uniform numbers? Thanks ========================================= HOOK: 23 Ryne Sandberg - AAA Manager 26 Billy Williams - Special Instructor 31 Greg Maddux - Special Instructor 77 Dave Bialas - Minor League Field Coordinator 80 Carmelo Martinez - Latin American Field Coordinator 81 Bob Dernier - Roving Outfield & Baserunning Instructor 82 Von Joshua - AAA Hitting Instructor 83 Franklin Font - Roving Infield & Bunting Instructor 85 Mark Riggins - Minor League Pitching Coordinator 86 Mike Mason - AAA Pitching Coach 87 Dave Keller - Minor League Hitting Coordinator 89 Dennis Lewallyn - AA Pitching Coach 90 Brad Kelley - Fitch Park Rehab Pitching Coach 91 Marty Pevey - Roving Catching Instructor 92 Tom Beyers - AA Hitting Coach 93 Bill Dancy - AA Manager 94 Woong Chun Cho - Special Instructor

Neal: I think somehow you'd be able to discern Mad-Dog from Fergie on the field.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4952014
Asked about possible racial profiling among some media members in comparing Byrd and Bradley, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee didn't mince words.
"It's ridiculous," Lee told Bruce Levine and Jonathan Hood on ESPN 1000's "Talkin' Baseball" Saturday morning. "If it was a white guy who came over [to the Cubs] would he be [called] the 'anti-Milton Bradley'? It just makes no sense. Marlon's a completely different guy. He wasn't traded for Milton. He signed here as a free agent, so why even bring Milton Bradley's name into it? It really makes no sense and it's just, again, the media trying to make something out of nothing."

don mattingly at 2nd...ron guidry in CF... lulz...the "pine tar incident game" i've never seen this in it's entirety...AND they added the resumed game part i've personally never seen. bwhaha...brett quoted on MLB Network about the incident "best thing that ever happened to me...before that i was known as the hemorrhoid guy...now i'm the pine-tar guy."

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

it's been going on a long time. some players claim they dont want direct competition or risk injury on a pitcher still warming his location/velocity...it seems to be something vets take advantage of more often so it might be a reason to not stand around the batting cage waiting for their hacks, too. some will stand in the box, but not swing...basically just hanging out at the cage and giving the pitcher a chance to throw some riskier stuff or loosen up for the others taking real hacks. yeah, it seems like it'd be fun...it is for some.

If Kevin Millar doesn't make the club, I'm thinking they will add him to the radio broadcast booth with a provision that he might get added later if injury permits (or at least a September roster callup). I can see him hiding Santo's "gamer" on a regular basis. Probably hiding it in Pat's tuna fish sandwich.

BP's Marc Nomadin has 3B rankings. ARam's in the 4 star group with Sandoval, Reynolds, IStewart, Figgins, MYoung and Chipper. The 5 stars are predictably, Zimmerman, Wright, Longoria and ARod.
Ramirez hit well in limited time last year, but his BABIP was a little too lofty for PECOTA and my liking given his history. Those R and HR totals seem a little low to me, but bumping him up for that doesn't do anything except keep him ahead of the guys I've listed after him.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10111

another BP article on the NL Central, this time with a contract focus, by Jeff Euston:
The Cubs are likely to spend more in 2010 than every club but the Yankees and Red Sox, absent a multi-million addition by the Phillies. Chicago’s projected Opening Day payroll of more than $140 million dwarves the amounts spent by their division rivals: nearly $45 million more than St. Louis, $48 million more than Houston, $53 million more than Milwaukee, $69 million more than Cincinnati, and $103 million more than Pittsburgh. No pressure in Wrigleyville. Just win. Now. Hendry has already committed more than $101 million in guaranteed deals for 2011, when as many as nine Cubs could be eligible for salary arbitration. He has a start on 2012, too, with $60.5 million on the books...
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10106

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • 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...