Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
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

Game Preview: Angels(39-32) @ Cubs(30-38)

The Cubs try to avoid the sweep and hopefully save my little Katie and I from years of humiliation. Colvin sits against another lefty (don't ever go 0/4 again kid), but Baker still gets to play after yesterday's Brook Robinson impression. I should be in chat for most of the game if anyone is around and still cares.

cf byrd, 3b baker, 1b lee, rf nady, c soto, lf sori, ss castro, 2b riot, p zambrano

Have you felt like there's been a lack of timely hitting by the Cubs and wasting good starts by their pitchers? Well reader WISCGRAD was wondering the same thing and calculated the numbers of wins as a percentage of quality starts. Unsurprisingly the Cubs are worst in the NL and third worst in the majors behind the poor Mariners that can't buy a run and the Land of Misfit Cubs Toys known as the Orioles.

Chart after the jump...

Please note, if it's not obvious, that is the percentage of all team wins, not just wins in games where the team had a quality start

Happy Father's Day, hopefully the Cubs make it a little happier

Comments

Len just called Dempster the de facto ace. Thoughts? **Update** Shortly after that he says "I guess a case could be made for Silva" Fuck, really?

Hunter's diving catch on Castro's ball? "Marlon Byrd-like" How TF does Len Kasper live with himself?? (Or have a job?) **This post is dedicated to Steve Stone**

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

My favorite announcers were Harry and that kid he had as his straight man for the White Sox. Ducks. Sorry, my dad was a White Sox fan. I think the kid's name was Bob Waller or some such, but don't quote me on that. That was when Harry said, "That wouldn't be a home run in a phone booth" and "Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhd Carew". Harry was a great Cubs broadcaster but he was a better Sox announcer. I also remember Walt Williams spitting into his helmet every at bat, and rubbing it on his not so shabby afro. There really is some good Sox lore out there. I'm glad my dad was a fan so I could enjoy some of it. If you wanna know why I turned on the old man, it was the 69 Cubs and Brickhouse. God I loved that team.

A percentage implies a part of a whole. I'm not sure this percentage is very meaningful. But no sense splitting hairs, because the point remains... the Cubs are getting decent starts and not winning. Lack of offense. Same ol' story.

All you have to do is look to the right of this page and you can see Ricketts is stuck with Zambrano, Soriano, and Fukudome until their contracts expire (almost $50M/year through 2011) unless he and the family want to eat some serious cash (probably not likely). For that matter, add Ramirez at another $15M through 2011 also. What makes no sense is Lou playing Koyie and his OF stiffs over Colvin. Lou isn't going to win anything with this current roster (one of the most unwatchable Cubs teams since 2004). If Hendry and anyone else in the leadership hierarchy expects him to, then they should replace Lou now. I cut bait with Kosuke, make Zambrano the 5th starter for the forseeable future, and play Soriano everyday provide he maintains his average above .290 and produces runs. I give Castro, Soto, Ramirez (when he returns), Theriot (until I find a trade partner), Colvin, and Byrd everyday playing status. I trade Lee as soon as I can find a taker because I wouldn't re-sign him or Nady; and leave the the last one standing to play 1B until October. By late summer I would have Jay Jackson, Diamond, Schlitter, and Russell up here to see if they're ready to get MLB hitters out. I would try to trade Grabow and Lilly to contenders. In the off season, this team needs a first-baseman (maybe ARam) or third baseman, an OF (maybe Brett Jackson), at least 2-3 relief pitchers, and 1-2 starting pitchers (depending on Cashner moving to the rotation or staying in a setup role). I would suggest Samardzija try football.

Santo scaling back...not going on this road trip to his home town of Seattle. On the radio broadcast yesterday in relation to conversation about players getting uniform numbers in 1932, and the numbers given were based on where one batted in the lineup (Ruth #3, Gehrig #4, etc), Pat Hughes teased Santo in that his #10 was because he only dated "tens". He asked Santo if any of his old flames would visit the booth when they were in Seattle (so I think not making this trip was a decision made yesterday).
Ron Santo has agreed to cut back on travel because of his health....said he may miss more trips this season and that next year he and WGN agree that limiting his trips to the Midwest only would help his health.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-0621-cubs-bit…

and no, it's not cuz I write twice a year for his Bears blog. I really have to say that I keep trying other Cubs blogs and this is where I always end up. I'm not a stats hound, but I'm learning how to become one, and AZ Phil is ridiculous, and most of you posters are insanely knowledgeable about baseball. I just want to say thanks to you guys. This is a sucky season, and you all knew it coming in, and still here you are. And no, I did not have a near death experience. I'm just sort of nostalgic today (see my earlier post about the White Sox). But, I don't love you guys. I only like you.

Cubs 29th round pick LHP Casey Harman is starting for Clemson at the College World Series this morning versus #1 ranked Arizona State. Harman was Clemson's "Friday Night starter" (#1 starter) this season and was projected to get selected somewhere in rounds 6-10, but inexplicably fell all the way to Round 29. He had an outstanding outing (albeit taking the loss) in Clemson's opening Super Regional game versus Alabama a week ago Saturday (one earned run, nine strikeouts, and no walks), and should command "5th round money" despite his draft position, although the Cubs can't sign him until Clemson finishes playing in the CWS. Harman throws an 86-89 MPH sinker with "average" curve and change, but he has outstanding control (he has not walked more than two batters in any game throughout his college career).

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).