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

Game #76 Preview / Zambrano Update

Before tonight's game against the Pirates, the Cubs announced that Carlos Zambrano will not be back with the club until after the All-Star break. He is going to be placed on the restricted list and will undergo treatment for "his anger issues," as Sullivan wrote in the Tribune.

Zambrano's "indefinite suspension" will end with the conclusion of tonight's game. When he's moved to the restricted list, the Cubs will be able to fill Zambrano's roster spot and Jeff Stevens is going to be recalled.

The Cubs lineup against lefty Paul Maholm—against whom the Cubs have a team OPS of 858 in 11 encounters—follows. 

Cubs  vs. Paul Maholm (4-6, 4.24; 6-1, 6.29 all-time vs. Cubs)
Theriot 4, Colvin 9, Byrd 8, Lee 3, Ramirez 5, Soriano 7, Soto 2, Castro 6, Wells 1

I can't seem to find the Pirates batting order anywhere. Maybe after losing 17 road games in a row, you give up on that lineup stuff altogether and just have the players draw lots as the game proceeds.

Comments

It's interesting that he won't be allowed to see the team until he's reinstated. This reminds me of when they did everything but hire Johnny Cochrane to throw the kitchen sink at Sammy and smear his name before running him out of town. Next we'll hear that Z bit the head off a seagull at Wrigley.

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

I completely disagree. I think getting him "help" that the union, the league, and his agent (and ostensibly, Z himself) agreed to is the best outcome possible from this, other than trading him for donuts and paying most of his salary. Maybe he really does get his head screwed on straight after this, and becomes a decent pitcher again. The one caveat I will cede, is a little nugget in a Hendry quote: "He will be required by the agreement from MLB and the players association to follow the directions of the doctors to a tee." (from the link above). Welcome to Hendry's out clause; I'm assuming this is a win for the team, and if he screws up bad enough again, they get some contract/salary relief, which pretty much gives Hendry/Ricketts a "Get out of jail free" card if this doesn't work....

The batting order for your 25-50 Pittsburgh Pirates (who would be 18-48 were it not for our Chicago Cubs): Tabata 7, Crosby 4, McCutchen 8, Jones 3, Milledge 9, Alvarez 5, Doumit 2, Cedeno 6, Maholm 1

More on Zambrano from Carrie Muskat on Twitter (@CarrieMuskat): "Z will be evaluated in NY, starting Wed by MLB & Players Association approved doctors for anger issues"

Anger management~~@#$% Z has every right to be angry. He stinks. The Cubs defense stinks. They don't score any runs. AAAAAAAArghn!! Frankly, Hendry and Piniella need to see a shrink more than Z does. They've blown this totally out of proportion--- probably to cover up the shitty jobs they're doing. And so far it's working. The despicable Chicago sports media has taken the bait and is crying for Z's head on a stick when they should be running the two fat tubs of goo out of town instead.. Go Chicago Media Go

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

"Frankly, Hendry and Piniella need to see a shrink more than Z does." While I get the glib joke, no, they do not for anger management issues detrimental to the team. What Hendry should get is a friggin' pink slip for allowing this to get re-visited after "Barrett-Gate". Z has some talent there - enough to be "more than useful" if he didn't have psych issues that screw up his on-the-field performance. I am always reminded of Joaquin Andujar when Z does that shit. I just thought, due to his age when he signed the big contract, that he would have more upside than Andujar. But he needs some help and personally I do not want to pile on. I am one of the people that think it will be difficult to get decent value for him until he improves.

if you can find Hendry's press conference on Z's "problem" it's the most convoluted double speak since Pravda announcing that a Soviet leader had a cold when everyone knew he was dead.

Game 1 starts, former and future first rounder Gerritt Cole pitcing for UCLA

Z would look great in a Phillie uniform, or a Dodger's uniform, or a Tiger's uniform...or any team that might be in the hunt for a division title. Division title is a must since he has a no trade clause. He needs a change of scenery and it needs to be a team where he is only expected to be the 2nd or 3rd starter. He has been our 3rd starter for 3 years...but expected to be and paid to be the Ace. He just doesn't have what it takes to be an ace, or a leader, or in the spotlight. He's batshit crazy By the way...isn't it completely "Hendry" to trade low. This is probably the lowest he will ever get...So expect a trade for genius Jim.

Hope you don't mind, I carried this over from the last thread: What to do with Zambrano? MLB Trade Rumors is floating a few trade possiblities (not so much rumors as speculation). They include: ==> Zambrano to Houston for Carlos Lee ==> Zambrano to the Giants for Aaron Rowand and Edgar Renteria ==> Zambrano to Mets for Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo ==> Zambrano to Braves for Derek Lowe ==> Zambrano to Indians for Travis Hafner, Kerry Wood, and Jake Westbrook ==> Zambrano to Royals for Gil Meche, Jose Guillen, and Kyle Farnsworth ==> Zambrano to Yankees for A.J. Burnett A commenter also floated the idea of: ==> Zambrano to Baltimore for Brian Roberts Is trading Zambrano the best course of action? If so, do any of these trade scenarios make sense?

Doesn't anybody else find this whole thing ridiculous for the following reasons? 1. In 2007 Z beats the shit out of his catcher and puts the guy in the hospital. Catcher traded and blamed for the team sucking prior to his departure. Z essentially goes unpunished, does not have to seek help after physically attacking a teammate. 2. 2007-2009 Our fucking manager is hailed as a secret weapon every time his loses his shit on the field and throws a tantrum. A hissy fit, not so unlike Z's except that it was thrown on the field and directed at an umpire--who had no hand in how bad the Cubs were sucking--is given credit for the Cubs turnaround in 2007. 3. In 2010 our fucking manager throws hissy fits during press conferences and essentially tells the press that its the players fault, not his, that the team is awful. He is essentially saying that this is a shitty team. To the press. He is not fired or suspended or fined or publicly reprimanded. And now, when Z directs the anger that has been encouraged in both himself and his manager--you know, "fire"--at the people who are actually at fault for the Cubs sucking (excepting that Hendry wasn't around to yell at), he is suspended and placed on the restricted list and becomes the media's favorite subject. Fuck. I hate this fucking team and I hate the fucking sports media even more.

My question is who looked at the schedule at the beginning of the year, saw Pittsburgh at Wrigley and said 1) Smart money's on the Pirates and 2) I smell a pitchers' duel!!

Stevens will need to bring a friend with him tomorrow.

He's a great leadoff man -- gets hits with nobody on base, fails miserably with men on base. Where else would you bat him? (other than "not").

What's below the bottom of the barrel? Heads up move by Lou to not pinch-run for Ram -- terrible dfensive catcher behind the plate, pitcher with a slow delivery, down by a run on a night where a HR is impossible -- why pinch run Fontenot to steal 2nd and actually give the team a chance to tie the game? Remarkable.

[ ]

In reply to by rokfish

Submitted by rokfish on Mon, 06/28/2010 - 11:10pm. Lou said Stevens would come up and also a lefty Gaub or Russell ? ============================= ROKFISH: Scott Maine is pitching better than either Gaub or Russell -- 15.1 IP, 11 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 19 K over his last nine outings. Russell has given up five HR in five games at Iowa since being sent down, and Gaub continues to struggle with his control. Maine is one of the two players acquired by the Cubs from Arizona for Aaron Heilman (the other player--1B Ryne White--was released), and while Maine is not on the 40-man roster, neither was Brian Schlitter. The Cubs 40-man roster is full, but there will be an opening when Carlos Zambrano is placed on the Restricted List. And it's also possible that Bob Howry could get released. Another possibility is veteran AAA LHP J. R. Mathes, who (if nothing else) throws strikes, and would give Lou a lefty long-man to replace Gorzelanny in the pen. The 28-year old Mathes is eligible to be a Rule 55 Minor League Free-Agent (6YFA) post-2010 if he is not added to the Cubs 40-man roster by the end of the World Series, and while he doesn't project as as much more than a journeyman 4-A LHSP, the Cubs might want to give him a chance to show what he can do at the big league level after spending the last four seasons at AAA.

...will undergo treatment for "his anger issues,"
Facepalm
==> Zambrano to Mets for Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo
Not a terrible idea if you can swing it. Afraid all those other ideas would get Hendry laughed off the phone.

Smokies All-Stars: Campana, Chirinos, Clevenger, Lalli, Wright, Bibens-Dirkx, Cales, Buchter, Chen. with Cashner and Castro being early contributors as well...

June 28, 2010 - "He has to work things out," Ron Santo said before Monday's announcement about Zambrano's treatment. "He can't take things out on his teammates. That's just unbelievable. Unbelievable is right. Jul 8, 1969 - Ron Santo viciously rips into CF Don Young in the media for two misplays in the outfield after the Mets scored 3 in the ninth to beat the Cubs and close to within 4 games of first place. Santo is booed by Cubs fans in his first game back at Wrigley. (Which was really really rare back then. I can remember only one other time when Cubs fans booed a Cub player like that during the Durocher years. It was when Adolfo Phillips gave us bleacher bums the finger because he didn't understand our cheering for him in an attempt to show some love when he was having a rough day and was trotting back to position). Not to mention the dustups he had later in his career with Rico Carty and the feud he had with Dick Allen -- Allen says that's why he left the team two weeks before the season ended in 1974. Our beloved Ron Santo really was a hotdogin' dickhead and it's probably why he's not in the Hall.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Congrats. The guy played 2,243 games and you found one incident in which he criticized a teammate to reporters following the game and promptly apologized the next day. Oh, and he supposedly didn't get along with Dick Allen, who got along with, well, no one. Was he a model citizen? No. But what is he supposed to do when journalists ask him about Zambrano, say: "I'm sorry, I know that I am former major leaguer, a former Cub who has my number retired with the team, and a broadcaster who has covered the team daily for years and knows the players, manager, and GM well, but I had some poor judgment after a loss in 1969 and so I can't comment on this incident."?

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

Well, it was sort of facetious. But what's to stop Ron Santo from saying to reporters, "Look, plenty of players lose their cool verbally from time to time and turn out to be just fine on and off the field. I did it myself, and I got my number retired." Other than it's Ron Santo and that probably didn't occur to him. I'm sure he didn't think about it that way. The incidents seem comparable to me. Too much of the press is dancing around the fact that if the Cubs and Z were winning ball games, he could yell in the dugout all he wanted. If Z was pitching well, he could get in physical fights with his teammates. This is simple scapegoating and what really annoys me is that too many members of the media are playing along. And, though I don't mean to argue that Zambrano doesn't have any responsibility in getting along with his teammates, but Hendry GMing the Cubs into shitty team no man's land--completely out of it but not even planning for next year--and Lou blaming his players in press conferences and managing everybody into shit moods, those things didn't help this situation either. Who's putting them on the restricted list and forcing them to get "Old, Sloppy, Doesn't Care" and "Can't Admit His Team Sucks" Management? (I'm sure it's ignorant, too.)

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Well, first, because then no one would be able to comment on anything. All of us should stop commenting on Zambrano since I am sure we have all gotten upset and yelled at someone before. Second, why is it that if you make a mistake you are somehow disqualified from commenting on any future mistakes that occur in the world? Those are the comments I want to read. A good reporter would have asked Santo if he had any special insight into the issue given his past issue with Young. How did his teammates react, how did the apology play out, was he able to patch it up with Young, how much is forgiven in a ML clubhouse as just being in the heat of the moment and where are the lines that can't be crossed, etc. This to me is interesting reading. If everyone who had anything similar happen to them just declined comment, we would learn nothing.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Argument fail. Even if you have done something yourself, you can still find it unbelievable that someone else does it. In fact, Santo probably couldn't believe he said what he said either, and felt bad about it afterward. Ever here of the phrase, "I can't believe I just said that." The entire point of this discussion is that regardless of his past actions, Santo is still entitled to his opinion of the Zambrano situation. And everyone else is entitled to their opinion of Santo and his actions. That's the way it works.

Today's random lineup generator spits out: Fuku RF, riot 2B, Lee 1B, Ramirez 3B, Colvin CF, Sori LF, Hill C, Castro SS, Lilly P

Z replaces Dave Otto in the booth next year and gets a hairpiece and spends the next 50 years yearning for his glory days ...cue that Springsteen song Oh, and no HOF for Z either

From Bruce Levine's chat today... Paul (Denver) Isn't it safe to say that the Cubs management philosophy over the past 5-7 years is the reason why they're in this payroll, patch a hole with old/overpaid veterans issue(s)? Bruce Levine (1:46 PM) The reasons Hendry was enabled to sign people to long-term deals was Sam Zell's insistence that they build up the product so he can get a higher buyout from the Ricketts family. Hendry was on an airplane when the Soriano deal was done by other team executives. Jim has to take his share of blame, but let's not start with revisionist history. http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chicago/chat/_/id/33209

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Bruce Levine (1:46 PM) The reasons Hendry was enabled to sign people to long-term deals was Sam Zell's insistence that they build up the product so he can get a higher buyout from the Ricketts family. Hendry was on an airplane when the Soriano deal was done by other team executives. Jim has to take his share of blame, but let's not start with revisionist history. There is so much wrong with this statement from Levine. Soriano was signed in 2006. The Trib didn't even announce that they had accepted Sam Zell's offer to buy them until April 2007. It's absurd to claim that Sam Zell forced Hendry to sign Soriano so he could get more money from the Ricketts. Just insane. But that's exactly what Levine did. I could go on, but ...yeesh. It's pretty clear that Levine is just repeating what Hendry tells him without even thinking. And if I'm right about that, Hendry pretty much throws Lou under the bus in that chat.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-cubs-askpaul-062… throws in Bradley shot for good measure
No, I don't really believe Zambrano needs anger management. He's really one of the happiest people I've ever met in baseball. The other day in Seattle he was cracking the media up with his Lou Piniella impression. Last homestand he serenaded me with his version of "Beat It" by Michael Jackson as he tried to kick me out of the clubhouse. The guy is in a good mood 99.9 percent of the time, but loses it at times during games. If they have a crazy management clinic, I'd send him to that instead. But, no, he's not an angry man. Milton Bradley, however, is the real deal.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

To date there have been a lot more people come to Milton's defense than Zambrano's. Waiting for Big Dave to come by and explain that having a short temper isn't an actual problem, it's just something you decide to do.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Really, Dr. Sullivan? That's your diagnosis? He seems happy to you, so he must be mentally healthy. How nice, and how convenient that it fits your standard narrative (Z as lazy lout). Meanwhile, nice revisionist fence-sitting re Bradley: spend months bashing the guy as simply evil, but now couch it as though you always recognized him as having psychological problems. Again, how convenient for you. I swear, I think the only journalistic principle the non-Bruce-Miles Chicago sports media adhere to is the one about the barrels of ink.

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • 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.