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

Angels Blank Cubs at HoHoKam

With Cubs Player Personnel Director Oneri Fleita in attendance, RHP Jadel Mendez worked-out of a no outs/bases loaded jam in the top of the 8th to preserve a scoreless tie, but was not as fortunate in the top of the 9th as the AZL Angels scored four times en route to a 4-0 whitewashing of the AZL Cubs in Arizona League action at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa this evening.

box score

Cubs bats were mostly silent tonight, with the notable exception of 1B Ryan Cuneo (2010 20th round draft pick out of the University of Delaware) who doubled off the RF fence in the bottom of the 2nd and roped a triple into the RF corner in the 9th. The sweet swingin' Cuneo is now hitting a cool 323/382/613 in eight AZL games, and I would think he will likely get moved up to Boise in the very near future, as should SS Elliot Soto (15th round pick out of Creighton) who continued his fine defensive play at shortstop, while also collecting a hit and a stolen base.  

Catcher Micah Gibbs (Cubs 2010 3rd round pick out of LSU) made his pro debut in tonight's game, going 0-4 with a throwing error. One of his outs was a feeble ground ball to SS with one out and a runner at 3rd, and the throwing error occurred when Gibbs blocked a ball in the dirt on a swinging strike three, only to throw the ball high & wide to 1st base, allowing the batter to reach base on the strikeout. Along with Cuneo and Soto, both Micah Gibbs and fellow-catcher Chad Noble (37th round pick out of Northwestern) will likely be going up to Boise, too. Noble hit a 9th inning game-tying two-run HR last night in Phoenix, only to see AZL A's LF Yeudy Brazoban stroke a two-out two-run walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th to give the A's the victory. 

21-year old Dominican RHP Hector Mayora started tonight's game for the AZL Cubs and threw four innings of two-hit shutout ball with four strikeouts, and RHP Matt Loosen (2010 23rd round pick out of Jacksonville U.) threw two perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts.    

AA Tennessee RHP Marcos Mateo (knee surgery rehab) threw one-inning in tonight's game, retiring the side 1-2-3 on 15 pitches (nine strikes). He (understandably) looked a bit rusty after missing the last seven weeks, but he also had plus-velocity, retiring the first two batters he faced on weak groundouts before upping his gas into the mid-90's to get the third batter on a called third strike. Barring a medical setback, Mateo probably won't be down here too much longer.

With tonight's loss, the AZL Cubs dropped to 2-6 and fell into last place in the AZL East, having lost three consecutive games in the 9th inning.

Comments

Phil Great to see these reports. I'm especially excited to see some of the draft picks in action. I'd love to see an update on who's signed so far out of the draft picks. Do we know where Simpson is ending up? I really want to see if Golden signs - I haven't heard anything about that. I saw Huseby was in RF yesterday. Do you know if the team has made any decisions about whether he's a pitcher or a hitter? Also, Brett Jackson seems to be adapting well to AA so far. What do you see his timetable to the majors being? Thanks as always -

[ ]

In reply to by Jumbo

Submitted by Jumbo on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 4:31am. Phil Great to see these reports. I'm especially excited to see some of the draft picks in action. I'd love to see an update on who's signed so far out of the draft picks. Do we know where Simpson is ending up? I really want to see if Golden signs - I haven't heard anything about that. I saw Huseby was in RF yesterday. Do you know if the team has made any decisions about whether he's a pitcher or a hitter? Also, Brett Jackson seems to be adapting well to AA so far. What do you see his timetable to the majors being? Thanks as always - ========================================= QUIET MAN: The Cubs have signed 20 of their 50 draft picks so far, and they usually sign about 30. So expect the Cubs to sign another ten of their draft choices before the mid-August deadline. Typically they will sign 9-10 of their top ten picks, 7-8 of their next ten (11-20), 5-6 of the next ten (21-30), 3-4 of the next ten (31-40), and 1-2 of the bottom ten (41-50). So far the Cubs have signed only five of their top 10 picks, plus eight of their next ten (the usual number), four of the next ten (about one or two below expectation), three in rounds 31-40 (maybe one below the usual number), and none from the bottom ten. The delay in signing Reggie Golden may have to do with Golden wanting "1st round money," and even if the Cubs are willing to do that, clubs may have been requested by MLB to delay signing players to overslot bonuses until sometime closer to the mid-August deadline, so as to not have a negative impact on negotiations other clubs may be having with draft picks from that round. But the Cubs probably will eventually sign at least nine of their top ten picks. And even if they don't sign Golden, the Cubs will receive a 2011 Rule 4 Draft compensation pick one slot lower in the 2nd round than where they picked Golden this year. Chris Huseby's future is unclear. He apparently does not enjoy pitching, and is being used as a DH (and he played RF last night) to give him something to do when he is not pitching. He has some skills as a hitter, although Huseby reminds me a bit of Michael Jordan when Jordan was trying to become a baseball player. Brett Jackson is probably at the same point that Starlin Castro was at this time last year. The main difference is that Jackson is blocked by Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd, and so his arrival in MLB will probably depend to some extent on whether Soriano is moved to 1B when Derrek Lee leaves. If Tyler Colvin moves to 1B and Kosuke Fukudome is traded, Marlon Byrd could possibly move to RF in 2011 and Jackson could play CF. Or Jackson could begin his MLB career in the same role Tyler Colvin has been used this year. Presuming either Colvin or Soriano moves to 1B in 2011, Jackson could have a spot in the lineup as early as Opening Day 2011, if he has a really good showing in Spring Training. The problem with Jackson is that he has a below-average arm, so he projects as a CF or LF rather than a RF. The Cubs do have an arm-strengthening program for outfielders that has resulted in Tyler Colvin and some others in the minors like Brandon Guyer improving arm strength to where they can play RF, although Colvin did have a TJS along the way and Guyer has had some arm issues, too. Jackson is a talented player who projects as an everyday MLB outfielder and #3 hitter in the order, but his two weaknesses are strikeouts and arm strength.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Submitted by QuietMan on Fri, 07/02/2010 - 5:17pm. AZ Phil: Placed on temporarily inactive list: LHP Hunter Ackerman Do you know why? Thanks! ======================================= QUIET MAN: The Cubs had to add Ackerman to a minor league reserve list (AZL Cubs) within 15 days after signing him (which they did), and then he would be placed on the Temporarliy Inactive List if he returned home for some reason. The reason could be any one of a number of things, like a legal matter, or a family issue, or something related to school, or a problem with his contract. BTW, the Temoporarily Inactive List is used only in the minor leagues, and it is essentially a club-approved short-term leave of absence.

Anyone planning to catch the Road to Wrigley game, Groupon has a half-off offer. 15 bux (originally $30) still seems crazy high to see a Low-A game (I paid $8 last month and was right behind home plate), but better than paying full price ...

[ ]

In reply to by DavidP

Submitted by DavidP on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 10:49am. Phil - Do you know the status of the Korean outfielder by the name of Kim? It might have been Dub-something. =================================== DAVID P: Dong-Yub Kim has been on the Disabled List since Minor League Camp. I don't know for sure what's wrong, but I did see him throw a ball left-handed at Fitch Park last month (he is a right-handed thrower), so if I had to guess, I'd say he probably had either TJS or shoulder surgery. But I don't know that for sure. I didn't see him take any BP during EXST, either.

RHP Marco Carrillo has been moved up to Iowa from Daytona. Carrillo is one of two Mexicans in the Cubs system (RHP Oswaldo Martinez is the other one), and while he has spent parts of the past three seasons at AA, he has not been able to stick there. The "rubber-armed" Carrillo was demoted from Tennessee to Daytona about a month into the 2010 season, and became Daytona's co-closer, putting up a 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 17 games and 32.1 IP for the D-Cubs. He can be a Rule 55 minor league FA (6YFA) post-2011 if he isn't added to the Cubs 40-man roster by the end of the 2011 World Series.

Because it takes two business days to get a player through waivers, the Cubs have about 30 minutes to trade Chad Tracy (he was Designated for Assignment last Friday). Unless he agress in advance to accept a minor league assignment, the Cubs will have to place Tracy on Release Waivers at 2 PM (EDT) if they can't trade him by that time, and if he is released, the Cubs will be on the hook for the balance of Tracy's 2010 base salary (but NOT his potential incentive bonuses), minus the pro-rated MLB minimum salary if he signs with another club after getting released.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

I'm just not very impressed by that. I'm not saying he'll never contribute at the major league level, I'm just surprised there aren't a couple of guys doing better, especially in the hitter-friendly PCL. Of course, it could just be an effect of the fact that shortstops who can hit and field often aren't in AAA anymore by mid-season. I also haven't seen his defense, though mostly what I've heard about it is that he's consistent.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5346062 likely to get some rehab games in before joining the team. Lou's says something..
"Personally, I like the young man, I really do. I thought what happened shouldn't, but personally I've enjoyed talking to Zambrano and having him on the team. Hopefully the help that he's getting now will help him and we'll leave it at that."

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

so Z needs "3 weeks" before he's ready? i think the organization is handling the situation well, but i also think the organization isn't fully disclosing what he's working on...whatever...

i know the world might grind to a halt and everything, but hows about a soriano/aram swap in the lineup order? ...and soriano gets another hit as i type...if only a single. yeah, he's streaky, but since april so is aram...only his is a 1-way streak.

castro has just made a huge defensive progression. dives/catches a ball...and DOESNT throw it. yes, castro...you gotta put some in your pocket and let it be. as soon as he made the pick i had visions of the ball flying god knows where...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I'm not kidding, but I'm doing fine. Thanks! It was my second bout with cancer. The first time it was throat cancer. That was nasty. By comparison, the prostate cancer wasn't bad. The thing is that I don't smoke, I don't drink, and I don't hang out in environments conducive to cancer. I might as well be Amish. Meanwhile, my brothers and sister live unhealthy lifestyles and they remain cancer-free. Doesn't seem fair, does it? Oh yeah, Go Cubs!

[ ]

In reply to by The Joe

Well, there are definitely exceptions, but your odds are much better if you take care of yourself. Put it this way, would you rather be riding with a good driver or a bad one? Good drivers can still get into accidents, but you increase your odds of avoiding one. I only grew up knowing 1 of 4 grandparents, because the other 3 drank, smoke, and chewed themselves to death. My one grandpa died when my DAD was still a teenager. Also, again from family experience, you are able to handle the news much better and fight through it if you can say "well, I've lived a good life and it just threw me a curveball, but I can get past it" rather than "well, this is my punishment for living a terrible life." I've seen both play out up close and the former is far better than the latter.

BWHAHAHAHAHHA SILVA. he's all...FUCK GATORAIDE!!!! and then he's all *SMASH* and GRRR! that was funny. i've never seen anyone calmly get themselves a cup of something then turn around and violently smash it into their face. nice.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

WHO SAID THERIOT WAS A BETTER SS?? Do me a favor. For months now you've been putting words in my mouth. Give it a rest. For those not watching, with a runner on third, Castro toreadored a ball hit right at him instead of keeping the ball in front of him. You have to forget finesse and give up your body in that situation. Instead, he whiffed, he just got out of the way and the run scored to increase their lead to 2-0. None of this will show up in the box score, which is why I mentioned it.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I don't think I've ever seen a shortstop make a play on a ball like that off his chest. He takes it in the chest and odds are he goes on the DL with a broken sternum. Been watching too much World Cup or something to suggest that should be trapped off the chest. Looks like Silva is taking over the acting like a child mantle with Zambrano gone. The Cubs fielder should start having a hissy fit every time one of these morons gives up a walk or a HR, if that's how they're going to be treated.

"Veteran scout: Mark Prior "just all right" in today's throwing session." "Agent for Mark Prior says one club wants to sign him, many others interested. Hit 90 mph, seen by 15 scouts." Tom Krasovic

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

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Utley on the DL now... wonder, hopefully that will boost the demand for our three second basemen a little more. One more loss this weekend, and hopefully the light will go on in Hendry's or Ricketts' head.

when a lot of folks thought Josh Byrnes was an awesome GM? he's been fired along with Hinch, Kirk Gibson taking over as manager.

Cubs 2010 5th round pick OF Matt Szczur (Villanova) has signed. He was rated by scouts as one of the fastest players in college baseball. He will report to the AZL Cubs and then will return to Villanova for his senior year where he will be permitted to play football. He is a possibility to get selected in the 2011 NFL draft as a WR/KR, so he will be able to keep his options open while playing both sports. Because he has a scholarship to play college football, the signing bonus paid to him by the Cubs can be spread over five seasons. BTW, his name is pronounced like "Caesar" (Julius or Sid, depending on your reference points).

AZ Phil, Would you mind sharing any thoughts you have on Kyler Burke so far this year? After seeming to rebound last year with a .911 OPS, his 2010 OPS of .606 falls right in line with his other extremely disappointing efforts at the plate. Should he be considering a switch to the mound? Are the Cubs holding out he might break through as a slugger in 2011 or in the second half of 2010?

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Submitted by Charlie on Sat, 07/03/2010 - 4:55pm. AZ Phil, Would you mind sharing any thoughts you have on Kyler Burke so far this year? After seeming to rebound last year with a .911 OPS, his 2010 OPS of .606 falls right in line with his other extremely disappointing efforts at the plate. Should he be considering a switch to the mound? Are the Cubs holding out he might break through as a slugger in 2011 or in the second half of 2010? ============================================= CHARLIE: I think there was already a Red Flag regarding Kyler Burke, and it has to do with needing three tries to get through the Midwest League. The fact that he spent all or parrts of three seasons at the same low level would be OK if it doesn't reflect a more chronic problem, but he is underperforming at Hi-A (Daytona) just like he did his first two seasons in the MWL. He is starting to look like the type of guy who takes too long not just to adjust to, but to master, each level, the type of player who will probably top-out at AA. Burke was a two-way player in HS (RF-LHP), and was fairly highly-regarded as a pitcher. Some teams even had Burke rated as a better pitching prospexct than outfield prospect pre-draft in 2006, and so he might want to start thinking about a move before he spends too much more time spinning his wheels trying to get to AA. It's not like he is a stranger to the mound, and he's only 22. Same goes for Peoria 3B Charles Thomas, BTW. He supposedly threw 94 as a closer in college, and I have seen his arm, and it is a rocket. He is a big dude, too (6'4 225).

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).