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

PCL Honors to Cashner; Dodgers to Wrigley

-- The I-Cubs' Andrew Cashner was named PCL Pitcher of the Week. That's what winning two starts while allowing one run and just eight hits over 13 innings will do for you. And let's not forget: he won the second of those games while dealing with the pressure of having TCR's very own Mike Wellman in the stands.

-- The Giants fan site, 22gigantes, pointed me to an mlb.com article in which the 30 MLB clubs were ranked for drafting success, based on All-Star appearances, Cy Young Awards, etc., won by their draftees in recent years. Cub draftees earned six such awards—four All-Star appearances plus ROY Awards for Kerry Wood and Geovany Soto—which tied the team for 11th place with the Giants, Marlins, and Cardinals.

(I'm a bit confused here since the article says the numbers are based on "awards won by players drafted by teams over the past decade." Wood was drafted in 1995 and won the ROY in 1998. ???)

The Nationals and Red Sox (17 player awards) led the way. Among other NL Central teams, the Brewers (10) were tied for 4th place. The Pirates, Astros, and Reds were all down near the bottom.

The same article offers a different calculation of drafting success based on a variety of individual player stats accumulated by draftees. By that figuring, the Athletics, Diamondbacks, and Red Sox lead the way. The Cubs are not in the top 10.

--By all accounts, Carlos Zambrano's simulated game, consisting of 73 pitches Monday at Wrigley Field, went well, and the plan is for him to return to the rotation on the road, i.e., sometime on or after next Monday, when the Cubs begin a nine-game trip in Pittsburgh. 

-- After taking three of five against two first-place clubs on the road, the Cubs continue to match up with the big boys, as the red-hot Dodgers, winners of 12 of 14 and owners of an MLB-best record of 16-5 in May, come to Wrigley for a three-game series beginning tonight.

Aramis Ramirez will be rested for a few days because of a bone bruise on his left hand. (An MRI and x-rays concluded there was no fracture.) Lou says that moving Ramirez to the DL is not currently a consideration. (Had the link and lost it, but that's what he said.)

Comments

-By all accounts, Carlos Zambrano's simulated game, consisting of 73 pitches Monday at Wrigley Field, went well... So did he get out of the 3rd inning? ("went well" is relative but it's gotta be better than his 49 pitches on opening day)

I vote for a 6-man rotation with Z, Dempster, maybe Wells going every 5 days regardless and the others getting an extra day or two of rest. Silva seems to have some aches and pains, Lilly could probably use a day off on occasion and Gorz could go 120 to get through 6 innings and be less worried about his arm. Or trade Silva while his value his high.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Cubs aren't actually on the hook for that much and they probably wouldn't get much in return, but you never know. problem is most teams are still figuring how far they want to go for it this season. the other problem is he's Carlos Silva. I suppose Wells or Lilly could be traded easier. I'd like to keep Wells cause he's gonna be cheap for another 2 seasons, but you'd get teams that are already out of it interested as he's more of a long-term investment. Teams are always looking for lefty starters and I can't imagine Lilly is going to be resigned. Dempster or Wells to the pen is the other desperate option I guess. The one time the Cubs need pitchers to get hurt, they all stay healthy.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

yeah, his numbers look a lot worse than his play, f'sure. a guy like him should be able to put in more than 5-6ip, though. speaking of...the guy seems to be just fine so far through his first couple innings...a trip to the pen for him might not be that radical of an idea even though it seems lou/hendry don't have that as an option last time they were asked about it. "Hasn't topped 100 pitches yet this year, should be in the 4-4.5 ERA range when it's all said and done." i'd be a little careful with that one...he's showing signs of being hit like he was when he was having "problems."

(I'm a bit confused here since the article says the numbers are based on "awards won by players drafted by teams over the past decade." Wood was drafted in 1995 and won the ROY in 1998. ???)
I think it's Jonathan Mayo who's confused, not you. That article is kind of a mash. Besides Willis, Prior (who did not play) and Soto, who is the 4th Cub drafted between 2000-2009 who was an All Star? Is he mistakenly including Kerry Wood again? And, although they didn't sign him, the Cubs drafted Khalil Greene who later was ROY in 2004.

yeah, cashner got my vote! as for zorro's sim-game yesterday, 'the heckler' says... Zambrano kicked out of simulated game for arguing balls and strikes with pitching coach Rothschild loses patience with fiery slugger

#cubs lineup tue nite 2b riot, ss castro, 1b lee, cf byrd, lf sori, rf nady, 3b baker, c soto, p dempster vs. Furcal 6, Martin 2, Kemp 8, Ramirez 7, Loney 3, Blake 5, Paul 9, DeWitt 4, Kershaw 1

So what happens if Dempster goes into Lous office and tells him that he would go to the pen. There is no way the cubs stick with 4 lefties in pen if Gorzelany is the chosen one.

Demp's 10th start on the season - glad to see him kick into 5th gear. Cubs only 2-7 in his starts prior to tonights gem, with the 2 wins coming with Silva-like run support (8 and 9 runs).

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.