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

Cubs to Offer Arbitration to All Eligible Players, Even Koyie Hill

Bruce Miles writes that the Cubs are planning to offer arbitration to all six of their arbitration eligible players, Geovany Soto, Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Baker and Koyie Hill. As Miles notes, Hendry must be confident that Baker and Hill will accept whatever the Cubs are proposing.

AZ Phil guesses on the right sidebar are:

$4.25M for Marmol ($2.125M last year)

$3.5M for Soto ($0.575M)

$2.5M for Gorzelanny ($0.8M)

$2M for Marshall ($.95M)

$1.25M for Baker($.975M)

$0.75M for Hill ($0.7M)

I think Marmol is easily gonna get over $5M myself, possibly closer to $6M based on Francisco Rodriguez getting $7M in his second arbitration eligible year and Papelbon getting $9.35M. Yes, they were closers longer and I'm not advcocating he'll get as much, but I think he'll get closer to them than Phil is suggesting. Soto seems about right, as Russ Martin got $3.9M in his first arb-eligible year. The rest I offer no opinions on, other than Koyie Hill is worth the cost of a bullpen catcher.

We'll get the official lists soon enough from the rest of the league and that should open up the free agency market a little as well before next week's winter meetings.

Comments

I know this horse is about dead, but Hill is preferable to Castillo or even Chirinos how exactly? I mean, if the offseason budget is really $5-6M, then the difference of 400K$ between Hill and those guys is a lot of money, right? More importantly, as far as backup catchers go, I'd like a guy who brings a good skillset in at least one category (OBP, CS%, additional MPH added to fastball, etc.) Hill is so blah that he should be eating corn flakes and vanilla ice cream with the Spin Doctors instead of playing for the Cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

Submitted by John Beasley on Wed, 12/01/2010 - 4:37pm. I know this horse is about dead, but Hill is preferable to Castillo or even Chirinos how exactly? ============================================= JOHN B: While most Cubs fans have a low opinion of Koyie Hill, Hill is very popular with the Cubs pitchers, his teammates, the manager and coaches, and the front office. Like it or not, that's what matters. I was surprised that the Cubs decided to tender Koyie Hill (such that he will ultimately be eligible for salary arbitration). I had thought that the Cubs would non-tender him, and then immediately sign him to a pre-arranged minor league deal (for the same salary he would have gotten if he had been on the 40-man roster, plus an NRI to Spring Training, and with the option to opt out of the minor league contract if he did not make the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster). That would have opened up another slot on the 40-man roster to be used if the Cubs sign more than one MLB FA this off-season. But apparently they chose not to do that.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Okay, we all know that ANYBODY can write an article for BR, right?? I'd love nothing more than to be the beat writer/radio voice/AZ Phil of even a high A team someday, after I retire from my first or second career, so I've thought about writing a bit, and found BR. I've never written anything real in my f-ing life, and I've got an article published there, no shit. It doesn't count, man.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 12/01/2010 - 7:47pm. I would venture a guess that it's going to be Pena or come through a trade. ========================================= ROB G: Actually Brad Hawpe sounds like somebody the Cubs might sign. He'd be cheap, and he can play 1B-LF-RF and be a LH PH. And (most importantly) he would be the missing piece from the Cubs Collection of LSU players from the 2000 College World Series championship team.

Actually the Cubs aren't offering anybody arbitration (yet). What happens is that clubs are required to submit a Central Tender Letter (CTL) to the MLB office on December 2nd (formerly December 12th) listing all unsigned players on the club's MLB 40-man roster, and whether the player is being tendered a contract or not being tendered a contract for the following season. If a player is listed in the CTL as not being tendered a contract, the player immediately becomes a non-tendered free-agent. (A non-tendered free-agent can sign an MLB or minor league contract with his former club, or he can sign an MLB or minor league contract with a different club, and if the player signs with a different club, his previous club receives no compensation). When a player is listed in the CTL as being tendered a contract for the following season, the club must list the elements of the contract being tendered (MLB salary, minor league split salary, bonuses, etc). The salary offered must be at least the MLB minimum salary ($400K) and at leat 80% of the player's salary from the previous season. (NOTE: The salary does not have to be at least 80% of the player's salary from the previous season if the player was an Article XX-B FA who was offered arbitration on 11/23 and accepted by 11/30, or if the player was awarded a contract by an arbitration panel the previous season). The player can sign the contract tendered by the club, or can refuse to sign, and negotiate for a different salary. Players who are not yet eligible for salary arbitration have basically no recourse but to ultimately accept the club's offer. The player could refuse to sign and sit out the season, but in practice that just doesn't happen. A club can automatically renew the player's previous season's contract if the player is still unsigned on March 1st (which is why they are sometimes called "auto-renewal" players). But players eligible for salary-arbitration do not have to accept the club's offer. If the club and a player eligible for salary arbitration cannot agree on a contract, either the player or the club can request salary arbitration over a ten-day period beginning on January 5th. Once arbitration is requested by the club or the player, the player and the club are required to submit official salary figures to each other (cc to the MLB office and MLBPA), and a hearing is scheduled before a three-person arbitration panel sometime during the first three weeks of February. While waiting for the hearing, the player and the club can negotiate with each other and attempt to reach agreement on a contract, even right up until the hearing officially begins. (Typically if an agreement is reached in the weeks, days, hours, or minutes prior to the hearing, the salary ends up being somewhere near the mid-point of the two figures). If no agreement is reached prior to the scheduled hearing, the player and the club present their cases and the arbitration panel decides (based on comparitive objective statistical evidence only) which of the two salary figures to award to the player. The panel cannot "split the difference" between the two figures. The panel chooses either the player's figure or the club's figure. All contracts awarded by an arbitration panel are non-guaranteed one year contracts with no minor league split salary and no performance or incentive bonuses. Because the contract is not guaranteed, the player can be released during Spring Training and receive only a percentage of his salary as termination pay. If the player who is awarded a contract through the salary arbitration process (hearing) is released 16 or more days prior to Opening Day, the player receives 30 days salary (about 1/6 of his salary) as termination pay. If the player is released 15 or fewer days prior to Opening Day, the player receives 45 days salary (about 25% of his salary) as termination pay. However, if a player who has been awarded a contract by an arbitration panel is released during Spring Training, the MLBPA will always automatically file a grievance charging the club with cutting the player for financial reasons, tendering a contract without having any intention of paying the player what he is awarded by the arbitration panel etc. To defend the grievance, the club just has to provide the grievance arbitrator with Spring Training stats which show that the released player was outplayed statistically by the player that took his job. This actually happened to ex-Cub Todd Walker a few years ago when he was with the San Diego Padres. Walker went to an arbitration hearing and won, but then was released by the Padres prior to Opening Day. The MLBPA filed a grievance, but lost because Walker had a bad Cactus League and was outplayed (ststistically) by other Padres infielders who were competing for the same spot on the SD 25-man roster.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"My reaction is the same as last year and the year before that," said Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that determines the banned substances list for the World Anti-Doping Agency. "It seems to me almost incomprehensible that ADHD is so pervasive in baseball to a degree that it requires medicine."
It seems truly incomprehensible that someone has given a MD degree to someone who doesn't recognize the fact that people who have the physiology which enables them to be major league ball players don't represent the general public at all. This man should be shot.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

whether they're good or not with or without the speed, it's banned because too many people are going out there 1/2 killing (or killing in soem cases) themselves self-medicating speed and playing the game. it's more of a player health issue over something that's been an epidemic so f'n long that it's become a social institution. why do baseball players chew tobacco (though it's way less now)? ...because that's what baseball players have done for a long time. there's more than a few speculative people who think Z's issues over the past many years has partially been him trying to get his legal stimulant mix right...he's not alone. guys like neifi perez ended up addicted to the stuff and he pretty much killed what was left of his career and left him without coaching opportunities. stimulant abuse is just too prevalent at too many levels for too long.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Fair enough, but I think my point is ball players relying on coke and hookers (or adjusting their batting gloves between pitches for that matter) being aligned with what is, to some, a serious illness and using medication to treat it is a bit much. It's also, say, "convenient" that the same meds improve your performance. It goes back to the PED argument--should there be an asterisk next to Doc Ellis' no hitter because he was all f'd up on LSD? You don't hear that argument, because in theory the LSD didn't directly help his performance. A better, more interesting study would be how many of those players were diagnosed with ADHD as kids (it's usually diagnosed before age 7) and how many still suffer from it after retirement. And that jackass is the guy who makes the anti-doping regs (according to your quote, I haven't read the article yet), probably makes him an important jackass to somebody. This website http://www.mpccares.com/add-athletes-autism.htm mentions the higher proportion of pros with ADHD but also talks about alternatives to meds and only using meds if the symptoms are "severe". It also mentions Babe Ruth, which I found funny. He "coped" with Cubans, hot dogs and beer. Y'know, the old fashioned way.

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

I ran track and graduated high school with someone who played basketball at UT, then went on to play in the pros, got voted to a couple of all-star teams and won a couple of gold medals. I was a pretty good athlete, who probably could have gotten a soccer scholarship if I had stayed with it. This person didn't work very hard at track, but could beat me in the 100 and 200, and would essentially single handedly win track and field team events for our school. She could jump higher run faster, and I never tried but I wouldn't be surprised if she threw the shotput farther than me to. There's a huge difference in athletic skill between someone who is reasonably coordinated and these professional athletes. The very shittiest of MLB players, were most likely better athletes than the star on most high school football teams. To me it's totally in the realm of possibility that having the amount fast-twitch muscle fibers and hand eye coordination required to hit MLB pitching could also make you more prone to suffering from ADHD. It's also possible that there's no link, but there's no evidence on either side of the discussion because it's never been studied.

For AZ Phil (or whoever)-- Is Gorz really worth more to the team than Sean Marshall?? I don't see it. My other question, I guess I don't mind Baker, but wouldn't somebody at league min (Barney, hell, Bobby Scales) be just as "versatile" or "good"? Especially on a team that's realistically shooting for, what, .500 next year? (Realize for that second question, "good" means something completely different in Cub-ese than it does in the rest of the english language) Follow up--(pretty much specifically for AZ Phil)-- Say the Cubs sign Baker to a "reasonable" contract, can they then immediately flip him to a "contender" for a (semi-) decent prospect? Or does that fall into the "not until May 15 of the following year"? (I don't remember...)

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

Submitted by Tony S. on Wed, 12/01/2010 - 9:04pm. For AZ Phil (or whoever)-- Is Gorz really worth more to the team than Sean Marshall?? I don't see it. My other question, I guess I don't mind Baker, but wouldn't somebody at league min (Barney, hell, Bobby Scales) be just as "versatile" or "good"? Especially on a team that's realistically shooting for, what, .500 next year? (Realize for that second question, "good" means something completely different in Cub-ese than it does in the rest of the english language) Follow up--(pretty much specifically for AZ Phil)-- Say the Cubs sign Baker to a "reasonable" contract, can they then immediately flip him to a "contender" for a (semi-) decent prospect? Or does that fall into the "not until May 15 of the following year"? (I don't remember...) ====================================== TONY S: Because everything is based on comparable salaries for players with similar service time who play the same position, starting pitchers make more than relief pitchers (non-closers) in the arbitration process. That's why Sean Marshall keeps saying he wants to be a starter, and why Tom Gorzelanny doesn't want to be a reliever. So while you and I wouldn't trade a Sean Marshall for a Tom Gorzelanny, the fact is Gorzelanny will make more money than Marshall as long as Gorzelanny remains a starter and Marshall remains a reliever (unless he becomes a closer). As far as whether the Cubs can sign and then trade Baker, they can. Per the CBA, the only players who get "no trade" rights through June 15th are Article XX-B MLB free-agents who sign a major league contract after the conclusion of the "Free-Agency Filing Period" (even if the player signs with his previous club). Prior to this season the "Free-Agency Filing Period" was the first 15 days following the conclusion of the World Series, but now players eligible to be Article XX-B MLB free-agents automatically become a free-agent the day after the conclusion of the World Series (they don't have to file), and so I don't know whether free-agents get a "no trade" if they sign anytime after the World Series or if it's still only after the first 15 days (even though there is no longer a "Free-Agency Filing Period"). This will have to be clarified in the new CBA (the current one expires next December).

Ok, the whole ADHD issue... As a child I was diagnosed, but my parents refused to put me on medication, regardless of how many teachers begged and pleaded. After about 5 years in the Navy, I decided to go get checked out on my own. Wife and kids, working, and going to college in the evening creates quite a distracting environment. I was put on Dextroamphetamine. Needless to say, I was locked in, all the time. Dropped from 230 to 190 in 6 months, Hit my first 5 homers in slow pitch sofball, and destroyed two doors at home. (It didn't help my anger issues) I decided to change to a different medication shortly there after. Homerless and back to 220... I can see why MLBers are getting on ADHD meds. I am just saying from my own experiences...

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Let me first say I LOVE the idea of Berkman at 1B for us. I like his body type, his age, his desire to prove he doesn't totally suck, etc etc. That said, I don't see any way the Cubbies afford him. So moving on. Am I the only one who thinks Pena is a good idea? He'll be pretty cheap, he's somewhere between passable and good defensively (?? Don't ask me, I've read all kinds of crap, actually from he's not that good to super-awesome), and it's almost impossible for him to hit below the mendoza line AGAIN. And he'll be cheaper. My biggest surprise is that nobody's talking about him coming from the dreaded AL East. Am I the only one who thinks he gets 10-20 pts on his avg. from that move alone? Hell, with the Cubs, he'll probably hit at LEAST .240 (methinks more like .260), back to 40 or so bombs, etc. I think it's almost a no-brainer, if he's cheap enough....

A's seem to be close on Beltre and still focusing on Berkman Heyman echoes Dunn to WSox sentiment Bobby Jenks non-tendered

ADHD is the same family as Asperger's and autism and drugs used to treat it, focus on brain chemicals. I have a hard time seeing how that makes anyone's muscles react faster*. A matter of fact, untreated ADHD is associated with slower reaction times. The severity of ADHD obviously varies in individuals, but it can be pretty debiliating and I have a hard time believing that professional baseball player would have made it that far without a diagnosis. Also, I have a hard time believing they would have made it to pro-ball if they truly had untreated ADHD, unless they are pitchers and catchers, because waiting around and not being part of the action would be unbearably difficult. Either you would have been labeled a troublemaker or they would have tried to figure out why you can't stand still and you would have been diagnosed already. The athletes would have more likely veered towards a more fast pace sport (football, basketball, tennis, soccer, etc). I also find it difficult to believe that players were self-medicating themselves, cause as far as I know just taking a stimulant isn't going to make it better and I have my doubts they were on Ritalin or Adderal. But I'm not there, I can't say for sure.** Also, since these are exceptional athletes, they were likely given more chances and people find ways to cope even if they don't know what's going on. Now it's possible, some of these cases of ADHD are just ADD and the reporting is lazy. I think it's more likely that many of these millionaires are trying to beat the system. That all being said, a jump in numbers should be expected once testing went in place, I find it difficult to swallow the jump being so drastic. ---- *disclaimer, I'm no doctor and I don't play one at home. I would be interested in Dr. Hecht's take even if this isn't an area of expertise for him. **looking forward to Neal's respectful and gracious reply

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

imo...speed in baseball as "something that's done" wins out over the competitive value it actually gives. it's been "done" a long time. it used to be "greenies" and now it's Adderall. there is a near-amazing amount of adderall abuse in baseball on all levels. that pumped feeling from the speed goes right along with the culture that chewed tobacco at a larger amount that the normal population as well as the new "sunflower crew" (can't get it? stick to gum, rookie). imo, it's needless and useless...and kids really get in trouble when they decide to use it for weight control as well as getting pumped.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Correlation is not causation. You are also baffled by why NBA players suffer from sickle cell anemia at twice the national average, I suppose? You didn't refute the self-medication theory. The treatment is stimulants. Baseball players have always used stimulants. If you take away some of the stimulants that they relied on to self medicate, like people with anxiety self medicate with alchohol, they're going to look for something else which may include prescribed medications. Which part is inplausible to you?

close to deal with Padres. Arroyo signs 3/35 extension with Reds.

to Red Sox getting some buzz http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/news/story?id=5880440 While their pursuit of free agents Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth has grabbed most of the attention, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has quietly been laying the groundwork for what could be the team's biggest offensive acquisition since Manny Ramirez.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Submitted by Rob G. on Fri, 12/03/2010 - 6:47pm. Hoyer's is one of Epstein's disciples of course, so he knows the system. I'm gonna guess Bucholz, L. Anderson and Casey Kelly are at the top of the list. ================================================= ROB G: I would think RHP Casey Kelly, SS Julio Iglesias, and 1B Anthony Rizzo would be the package. They are considered to be the Red Sox top 3 prospects.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

Submitted by John Beasley on Fri, 12/03/2010 - 8:23pm. AZ, do you think the Cubs would do a package where they offer any three prospects, such as McNutt, Archer, and Vitters, or maybe a Jackson? In your opinion, would it be worth it for one year of Gonzalez's service in a year where the team will still have big holes? ==================================== JOHN B: I don't know if Hendry would do it, but I would at least offer the Padres a package of three young players for Adrian Gonzalez, as long as the Cubs are committed to offering Gonzalez salary-arbitration post-2011 (so that they can replace two of the players traded) if they can't sign him to a contract extension and he leaves as a free-agebt after next season. While I think the Padres are probably partial to Red Sox prospects, an offer of Tyler Colvin (to immediately replace Gonzalez in the lineup), Andrew Cashner (who would be a 2011 rotation starter with SD), and either Brett Jackson, Chris Archer, Josh Vitters, Trey McNutt, or Hak-Ju Lee (for the future) might be more appealing than a package of three top Red Sox prospects (Kelly-Iglesias-Rizzo) whare all three are at least a year away. If the Padres trade Gonzalez to the Red Sox for their top three prospects, there is no way they will be a contending team again in 2011.

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.