Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus one player is on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# 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 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Can't Fend Off Gnats

Sobering thought...the Cubs just got beat 2 of 3 at home by the worst team in baseball the last two years. Sure, anyone can win a 3-game set, but the Cubs sure didn't look like a better team at any moment in this series. And yes, the Nats are a better team this year than year's past, but they also were missing Ryan Zimmermann for the set. All of that is just a convoluted way of saying that the tea leaves aren't really predicting a bright 2010 future at the moment for the Cubs.

The Good: The Cubs walked 4 times(Colvin, Fukudome x2 and Nady) and had 9 hits including Theriot and Fukudome getting on-base 5 times in total. Dempster had a solid 8 IP, 3 ER affair with just one walk and 6 K's. Marlon Byrd's circus catch losing the ball in the sun. I wonder how the media and crowd reacts if he doesn't make that catch as they were sure quick to jump on Bradley last year for losing the ball in the sun.

The Bad: 21 LEFT ON-BASE! 11 as a team including Marlon Byrd leaving 6 all on his own. In the 7th, Fukudome and Lee led off with singles, but then Aramis Ramirez grounded into  double play on a 3-2 pitch in on his hands promptly erasing the rally. Colvin couldn't deliver the 2-out RBI. In the 8th, Byrd singled to right which the right fielder fumbled for a gift double. Fontenot is allowed to swing away after two singles already in the game and pops up to the shorstop. Aargh!!! You know the one good time to sac bunt, is when you need one run and can get a runner to third base with less than two outs. Or just make sure you pull the ball. Tracy, Nady and Theriot couldn't pick up the run either (more on that in the moment). Dempster did give up two solo shots to Adam Kennedy and Adam Dunn with the wind howling in.

The WTF? Back to the 8th, after Byrd "doubled" and Fontenot popped up, Lou pinch-hits for Koyie Hill. Smart. He pinch-hits with Chad Tracy though. Dumb. He's already gonna have to use Geovany Soto in the top of the 9th for Hill, just use your hottest hitter. I know Chad Tracy has had an illustrious pinch-hitting career before this year in like 100 PA's or something, but let's use a little common sense. Tracy predictably strikes out, Nady walks (still could have used Soto there if you wanted to) and Theriot can't deliver the 2-out RBI.

Next Up: The hot-hitting Diamondbacks test the Cubs starting pitching for a 4-game set.

Comments

If the Cubs had won two-out-of-three from the Brewers and then two-out-of-three from the Nats, their record would be exactly the same as it is now and we would all be feeling good about the Cubs winning two series in a row. However, this doesn't feel as good, does it? It's not so much about their record or the fact that the Cubs won four of their last six games (and five of eight). Instead, we dwell on the fact that they lost two in a row to a team that is not supposed to be very good (although the Nats do have a winning record so far in 2010). I guess it's all in your perspective.

"I wonder how the media and crowd reacts if he [Byrd] doesn't make that catch as they were sure quick to jump on Bradley last year for losing the ball in the sun." I've heard similar questions asked so far this year and I just don't understand the comparison. Marlon Byrd is a different person than Milton Bradley. He came to the Cubs with a completely different attitude and background. He is a more mature, positive person than Bradley was. Byrd has the type of attitude and approach to the game that makes fans want to root for him. The opposite was obviously true of Bradley. Although much has been said about Cubs fans (particularly those in the bleachers), we/they are not all racist idiots. People boo'd Bradley because of the type of person and ball player he was. They cheer for Byrd for exactly the same reason. That leads me to believe that Cubs fans would not have reacted negatively had Byrd not caught the ball in question.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

some of us couldn't care less about bradley's attitude and never did. it wasn't a sport to jump on the guy because of how amusing his reactions are for some of us. soriano is warm and fuzzy...he takes blame (in his own special way sometimes) for things...he accepts and apologizes for mental lapses and laziness...he waves to and interacts with bleacher people and regulars... ...then he goes out there and does the same stuff day after day after month after year... good fuzzy words! i'd like to have a beer with him. meeeeeeeeeeeeh.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

@crunch - I never got the impression that fans were riding Bradley to see what kind of reaction they could get out of him. I always felt they rode him because they didn't like his abrasive personality or his disrespectful approach to the game. @Rob -- I think you are correct that the media helped to stir the pot with Bradley, but it's not like he didn't give them a ton of ammunition. He had a long and storied history of conflicts and bad behavior that pre-dated his days in Chicago. Was the press fair to Bradley? Probably not; especially guys like Sullivan. But Bradley did plenty on his own to cause fans to dislike him. The press just added to what Bradley wrought on his own.

The guys on ESPN 1000 (Afternoon Saloon) have been talking as if Starlin Castro has been called up. Did I miss something? Now they seem to be talking about the clamor to call him up to move Theriot (a .300 hitter) to second and replace another .300 hitter (Fontenot). With Lee and Aram being the hitting problems so far (both sub .200), it doesn't solve that problem, is their discussion. No guarantee Castro will hit as well as Theriot or Fontenot, either.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

"why are you listening to the afternoon salon?" It was during one of the commercial and/or news breaks duing the WGN post-game show. I thought I'd try to catch a Bruce Levine report or a replaying of Lou's testy news conference about why he didn't bunt in the 8th inning after Byrd's dooble. Besides, I think Jurko is a pretty funny guy and I could use a good laugh after a game like today. NPR just wasn't going to cut it.

[ ]

In reply to by JoePepitone

maybe it came from this article http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/889/castro-could-be-join… Chicago Cubs prospect Starlin Castro’s ascension to the major leagues could be right around the corner, according to a major-league source. The 20-year-old shortstop is being monitored on a daily basis by the Cubs organization to determine when the time will be to start his major-league career. wouldn't Theriot actually get you something in return though? I mean you might as well just release Baker or Tracy. Fontenot might get a low level minor league C prospect I'm guessing. Theriot could possibly get a major league reliever I would think, although I can't think of one team looking for a shortstop.

Weak Link Update: Gorzelanny/Silva: 48 IP, 33 H, 32 K, 10 BB, 2.06 ERA Ramirez/Lee: 29-for-163, .178 AVG, 42 K, 22 BB

Lincecum pitching a gem against Philly into the 9th, gets the first guy, then walks Victorino. Giants have a 3-run lead at this point and he's at 106 pitches with middle of order due up. They go to Wilson who gets Polanco, gives up a single to Utley, walks Howard and Werth ties it up on a double. think you have to at least give him one more hitter unless his velocity was dropping, although Wilson has been good this year.

neglected to mention Fukudome's lack of hustle in the first... Colvin popped up on the infield and Kennedy booted it and Fukudome didn't get past 2nd. Didnt' end up mattering, but he should have been on third.

Rob, I thought the exact same thing when Lou used Tracy instead of Soto. Sometimes the opposite hand matchup play goes too far.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Maybe when Lou is done here he will give a tell-all interview about the Chicago media, how much he hated them, how their constant pick-pick-pick at the whole Cubs Thing seemed to him to be a factor, however small, in the constant failure. Maybe if he does that, it'll be to the good somehow. Maybe Paul Sullivan will have an epiphany and change his ways (or at least finally stop writing about Milton Bradley). But for now, this kind of behavior is inappropriate and simply painful to watch. And by "this kind of behavior" I mean not only this postgame performance, but PH'ing Tracy instead of Soto. Both things evince a "who cares, I don't want to be here" attitude.

ROB G: Regarding the Bradley/Byrd comparison, today after the game Byrd stood up and said he just HAS to do better than a weak pop-up in a RISP situation. He was embarrassed and owned up. I have no problem with that - and Milty always blamed everyone else: the fans, umps, conditions, injuries, day games, he is "alone" - etc. Also, Byrd to this point plays hard, all the time, and just "does his job" on the field. It is a refreshing change from last year's bullshit.

the usual starting 8...what's the record for men left on base? theriot, fukudome, dlee, aram, byrd, soriano, fontenot, soto, LILLY (per Muskat)

Recent comments

  • Charlie (view)

    I worry that Morel will lose starts at 3B as long as this roster lacks a compelling DH.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I think if you had ranked players by how much the team could ill afford to have them miss significant time, Steele would be right at the top of the list.

  • crunch (view)

    steele MRI on friday.  counsell expects an IL stint.

    no current plans for his rotation replacement.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.