Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

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
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

The Opposable, Not Disposable Thumb

 

Little Jack Horner

Sat in the corner, eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb, and pulled out a plum...

Just to take our minds off the train wreck that the 2010 season has become, I'm going to tangent into just what made Aramis Ramirez so miserable this year. His left thumb injury (diagnosed as a deep bone bruise) may or not have been related to his season long slump or it just may have prevented him from coming out of it as the weather warmed up. He's been 'missing', even when present for most of 2010 which is somewhat different than his absence last season, starting on May 9th, 2009 from what happened at a similar point in the season, when he dislocated his left shoulder diving for a ball on May 8th in Milwaukee.

From a Gordon Wittenmeyer, Sun-Times article:

Ramirez, mired in a two-month slump, first hurt the hand on a swing-and-miss May 9 in Cincinnati. When it got worse two weeks later, the Cubs considered putting him on the DL, ''but I didn't want to do it because I thought I was good enough to play,'' said Ramirez, who got a cortisone shot instead. Manipulating his bat handle to take pressure off the top of the left hand also didn't work because it was uncomfortable, he said.

''This is the right time to do it. This is the right thing to do,'' he said.

He'll be eligible to return June 23 in Seattle, but a return then is anything but certain considering the down time that'll require before he is even allowed to resume normal baseball activities.

Supposedly, his injury was a deep bone bruise. I have not read any reports about an injured ligament. He has tried to play through the soreness but his thumb kept getting re-traumatized from his attempts at hitting. He didn't want to go on the DL until it was clear he couldn't shake the injury.

This does remind me of the way the Cubs handled Soriano's knee problems last year. Supposedly Soriano's knee was injured around April 22nd but he/they kept playing him with an injury that wasn't dramatic enough to take him out of the lineup. It took months of underperformance compared to his career stats (.241/.303/.423/.726 vs. .278/.327/ .511/.838) to  finally acknowledge it was his knee that was the problem. Maybe they learned something, since it took only a month of struggling with this Ramirez injury before he hit the DL vs. Soriano's 4 month struggle. I believe that some of these situations develop because a team can not put a player on the DL unless he agrees or the team gets the medical staff to document that it's not medically advisable for a player to be on the field. Hockey-like warrior mentality doesn't seem to work in modern baseball, at least not as far as the Cubs are concerned.

The opposable thumb may have been, regarding humanity, the single most important evolutionary development.

When the hands developed dexterity advantages, that freed the front limbs from four limb gait. The opposable thumb literally gripped the development of tools, hence civilization and...dare I ultimately conclude, Baseball.

An animal species is said to have opposable thumbs if the thumb is capable of bending in such a way that it can touch all the other digits on the hand. Most species do not have opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs are a signature feature of the primate family, and played a large role in the ancient humans' invention and use of tools.

Thumb anatomy is unique when using comparative anatomy to the other fingers and certainly the human big toe. The thumb can be rotated (opposed) from around 50 degrees at rest to as much as 110 degrees of rotation when in a position of opposition against the other digits.

There are unique sets of muscles and tendons (abductor, adductor, flexor, opponens and interosseus of the thumb) that accomplish thumb opposition. This is a complex of movements that include what is called pronation, radial deviation and adduction/abduction and specific muscles match the individual movements required. The bones at the base of the thumb (first metacarpal, trapezoid and trapezium and proximal to them, the carpal navicular/scaphoid bone) have developed to accomplish this opposible movement and the type of joint is called a sellar joint.

Thumb functions include pinch and grasp but the rotation that opposition creates makes it possible to make grip have advanced functionality. There are three types of pinch grips, key (digit side by side, as in holding a key), tip (the end of the digit, where opposition is possible) and palmar pinch (thumbless grasp).Two aspects of grip help hold a baseball bat, span grip and power grip.

There are many common injuries around the thumb. A bone bruise is just what the term sounds like, it's not a fracture but the injury to the bone involves damaged bone cells without structural disruption. A fracture implies there is a definable structural crack/disruption that bridges one of the bones of the thumb (first metacarpal, proximal and distal phalanx). There are many fracture patterns and if a fracture involves an adjacent joint (CMC, MCP or IP joints), it usually is a more serious problem. If an X-Ray shows a fracture, an MRI isn't often needed but when the X-Ray is normal an MRI can be very helpful. Nowadays, MRI imaging can see signal changes in a bone and adjacent soft tissues (ligaments, joint capsule and tendons) that indicate there is damage to the bone and/or soft tissues. Even a bone bruise sets off a healing reaction until the bone structure returns to normal, essentially a "fracture-lite", but still painful and can last many weeks. Other significant thumb injuries involve soft tissue damage. One well known injury is called Gamekeepers Thumb. It involves a torn or stretched ulnar collateral ligament of the metacarpal-phalangeal joint or MCP joint (at the base of the web space, the thumb equivalent of the Tommy John elbow injury). This can be treated conservatively unless the ligament is fully torn or significantly stretched so that the thumb pinch activities become painful. There are surgical repair/reconstruction options when that situation is diagnosed (watch out if you are squeemish, this link is a surgical video).

So when one compares small joint/bone injuries to big joints, Aramis Ramirez has got them covered. If his thumb becomes a lingering problem, the sellar joint of his thumb just might be a major cause of the Cubs entering a seller market.

Comments

"The opposable thumb may have been, regarding humanity, the single most important evolutionary development." That was one thing that pissed me off about the movie District 9. The aliens had claws. How the hell do you build stuff if you have claws? Even if they found a way, I bet they were lousy baseball players.

@CarrieMuskat: #Cubs lineup Sun nite is 2b riot, rf colvin, cf byrd, 1b lee, lf sori, 3b tracy, c hill, ss castro, p lilly

CarrieMuskat: #Cubs manager Lou Piniella says time is right to have Tyler Colvin play and "we want to see this kid in the lineup more." ...who is "we", Lou and Stoney?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

That maybe true Rob, but come on, let me get this straight. Steve Stone comes out and BLASTS Lou for not playing Colvin. Lou blasts right back, essentially saying Stoney has no idea what he's talking about because he's never managed. Lou then proceeds THE NEXT DAY to start Colvin and talk about how Colvin is going to see some more pt because he's earned it.... Somewhere Steve Stone is laughing to himself, and I don't blame him.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Not in your wildest dreams. That said, I too am beginning to believe it's time. I tell you what though, I'd just as soon see Lee, Sori and Fuk gone in July and dust off my 'Wait Till Next Year' T-shirt...(and actually, throw in Z while I'm rebuilding, I'm sick of head cases). Actually trying to think about the Lou thing for a minute. IF the Rickettses are such huge fans of the game, they no doubt have seen and heard the unwritten rule about managers, that if you fire one sometime mid-season the team often goes on a miraculous tear. That'd also be a lot quicker and easier (although more expensive) than trading the guys I listed above (if that'd even be possible, which it may not). Makes me wonder just how safe Lou's job may (or may not) be right now....... (Does anyone have Eric Wedge's number? Or does Ryno take over mid season? They don't go with Trammel, do they??)

Recent comments

  • 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?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).