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

Final Tune-Up for Garza Sucks Gas

A. J. Pollack reached base five times on four singles and a walk, Kelly Johnson had four hits including a double and a three-run HR, ex-Cub Xavier Nady had four hits (including a grand slam HR) and scored three runs, and David Winfree had three hits including a solo HR and a three-run HR, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 15-8 drubbing of the Cubs in what was the final Cactus League game for the Cubs (although they will be playing what's billed as an "intrasquad charity game" tomorrow morning at Dwight Patterson Field before flying to Chicago later in the day).  

box score

RHP Matt Garza got the start for the Cubs today, his final Spring Training tune-up. And he did not have a good day, allowing seven runs on 11 hits (including one double and one HR) and two walks in 3+ innings of work (92 pitches - 63 strikes). The one positive note was seven strikeouts in just 3.0 IP, and he did make some good pitches every now & then, but he was mostly pitching out of the stretch all day.  

Four of the first five D'back hitters singled in the 1st, but Arizona could only plate one run thanks to a diving stop by 2B Jeff Baker behind 2nd base that kept the bases loaded ("Keep it in the infield!" as the coaches say), allowing Garza to pitch out of the jam by striking out the side, although he did throwc 24 pitches (17 strikes) in the process.  

After throwing a scoreless 2nd inning (two two-out singles around an F-7, a K, and and an L-7), Garza had troubles again in the top of the 3rd, as Xavier Nady and Ryan Wheeler singled and David Winfree lined a three-run HR over the LF fence to give the Diamondbacks a 4-0 lead. 

The Cubs came back in the bottom of the 3rd against AZ starter LHP Joe Saunders, putting up a five-spot and taking the lead. With one out, Reed Johnson was hit on the foot by a pitch, and moved up to third when Starlin Castro ripped a double down the LF line (it hit the 3rd base bag). Jeff Baker grounded a single to left to score Johnson, and then Aramis Ramirez roped a line-drive single to score Castro. Geovany Soto grounded a single to left to load the bases, before Carlos Pena came through with a bases-clearing three-run double into the left-center alley to give the Cubs the lead.

But the D'backs came right back in the top of the 4th, loading the bases against Garza on a Kelly Johnson double and two walks (Garza was obviously tiring once he hit 80 pitches). LHP Scott Maine (up from Minor League Camp) relieved Garza and had a REALLY bad inning, giving up a towering grand slam HR to Nady, another long ball (solo shot) to David Winfree,  and finally, after Aramis Ramirez made a lazy throw to 1st base resulting in an E-5 that prolonged the inning, a three-run HR over the right-centerfield fence to Kelly Johnson (batting for the second time in the inning). In just 1.0 IP, Maine allowed five runs (although technically only two were earned) and four hits (including three HR). Maine also threw 31 pitches (20 strikes) to get through the one inning, an inning he will likely try very hard to forget.

Now down 12-5, the Cubs back again in the bottom of the 4th against Joe Saunders, as PH Nate Samson (up from Minor League Camp) reached base on an E-5, Starlin Castro drew a one-out walk, and Jeff Baker lined an RBI single to left. Aramis Ramirez walked to load the bases, Geovany Soto hit a sacrifice fly to CF to score Castro from 3rd, and after LHRP Joe Paterson hit Carlos Pena with a pitch to re-load the bases, all the runners moved up (and PR Darwin Barney scored) when Paterson committed a bases-loaded balk (something you don't see everyday).  

So the Cubs were back in the game, down just 12-8, going into the 5th.

RHP Jeff Samardzija (who had been pitching better lately) relieved Maine to start the 5th inning, and immediately got into trouble, allowing back-to-back lead off ground ball singles to Miguel Montero and Xavier Nady. Ryan Wheeler walked to load the bases, but Samardzija struck out David Winfree, who had already hit two HR in the game. However, The Shark's control just wasn't there when he needed it, and he walked Cody Ransom with the bases loaded to force-in a run, before surrendering a SF to plate a second run. Samardzija then walked the bases loaded again, before retiring Kelly Johnson on a line drive to CF.

Samardzija threw a whopping 42 pitches (only 23 strikes) in just one inning of work, and Geovany Soto caught 177 pitches through just the first five innings! (Give that man a Dr. Pepper, please).   

RHP Esmailin Caridad (up from Minor League Camp threw two decent innings (6th and 7th), allowing a run on two hits and an HBP with one strikeout (28 pitches - 21 strikes, 2/3 GO/FO), and both Sean Marshall and Kerry Wood threw 1-2-3 innings (both with one strikeout and a 1/1 GO/FO).

But the Cub offense went silent after scoring in the 4th, getting shut down on just one hit (a Matt Spencer line-drive single to right-center with two outs in the bottom of the 9th) over the final five innings. Even though they scored eight runs, the Cubs did so on only seven hits, although they did draw six walks along the way.  

Comments

Garza came out and spoke about pitching in AZ. Said it was like throwing in slime because it's so dry (kind of an oxymoron there). It was his first spring in AZ where breaking balls don't break a lot. Even with the Twins, Garza has always started off the year in the heavier FL air. I hope he finds the Windy City air more to his liking. Anyway, another Spring Training is over, another Cubs manager has brought a new attitude, another lineup has been posted, and another 162 games are coming. It's always good to have Cubs games on the day's dockett. Plus, I love following the minor league teams. Always fun to look forward to what might be. Go Cubs, I-Cubs, Smokies, D-Cubs, Chiefs, Hawks, AZL Cubs, and DSL Cubs. Hey AZ Phil, thanks for all the write-ups this month. I've been reading them for over two years now. Pretty cool stuff.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

I am actually strangely optimistic, in particular about the offense. I think the chances are pretty good that 3 of the Soto/Pena/Ramirez/Fukudome/Soriano group will have solid years, which should make the offense decent, and the aceless rotation has got four who should keep the ERA below 4. If the Cubs can stay relatively healthy none of the other NL Central teams are going to run away from them. It would be nice if we had a backup catcher who hits better than our pitchers and a 6th starter, though. If Reed and Koyie combine for 500 PA's count on the offense finishing in the bottom of the pack again.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Chalk me up in the pessimistic column. Yes, I know baseball is weird and sometimes the sum of a team is greater or less than the whole, but I would call a 500 season a success at this point. The main reason is defense. On paper they might be a C+ defense team or whatever, but I think in reality they'll be one of the worst defensive teams in baseball. When the other team has four outs to score runs and you only have three, that puts you at a huge disadvantage.

Chicago Cubs catcher Erick Castillo and pitcher Amalio Reyes were suspended for positive drug tests. They are both on the roster of the Cubs' team in the Dominican Summer League. Nice program you've got down there Rickasses. Whatafuckeduporganization.

Wow - if two of the 50 kids were suspended because of drug tests, that proves that the Cubs have a bad organization. The reason isn't exactly clear, but I assume that Navigator will enlighten us.

If Max Ramirez was placed on Outright Waivers on Monday, he will clear waivers at 1 PM (EDT) today (in about an hour), and then we'll find out if he got claimed. If MaxRam somehow makes it through waivers without being claimed, he will be outrighted to Iowa and will be the #2 catcher there, and then either Chris Robinson and/or Blake Lalli (who are presently competing for the I-Cubs back-up catcher job) could end up as an inactive "player-coach," placed on the 7-day with some vague injury that can't be proven or disproven, and then activated whenever a position player goes on the minor league 7-day DL. The Cubs usually have at least one veteran minor league position player (preferably either a catcher or an IF-OF utility guy) at Iowa, Tennessee, Daytona, and Peoria functioning as an inactive player-coach so that they don't have to sign a minor league free-agent for a week every time a position player goes on the minor league 7-day DL. Position players at Extended Spring Training generally don't have enough experience to play at AA or AAA, even as temporary injury replacements. Also, MLB and the MLBPA have approved the special 7-day DL for MLB players suffering a concussion.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/4554907-419/cashnersworklo… “It’s more so based on the number of pitches and how hard he’s working each game vs. the number of innings,’’ pitching coach Mark Riggins said. “Also, it’s how a guy bounces back. Some guys can handle a heavy workload and recover in four days, and some guys don’t recover, as well. He recovers very well. . . . “But obviously we get to midseason, and we’ve got to see where his innings are. We’re constantly watching that.’’

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In reply to by Rob G.

via ye olde world de roto (hat tip to crunch) Cubs sent C Max Ramirez outright to Triple-A Iowa. Given his history on the waiver wire, it's at least a little bit surprising that he passed through successfully. The 26-year-old backstop would likely be the first catcher called up to the big leagues in the event of an injury to Geovany Soto or Koyie Hill. Mar 30, 1:59 PM According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Cubs have placed catcher Max Ramirez on waivers. The Cubs would like to send Ramirez to Triple-A Iowa, but because he is out of options, he must be exposed to waivers. Though the 26-year-old backstop hasn't enjoyed much success in limited opportunities at the major league level, he should draw some interest. Source: Ken Rosenthal on Twitter Mar 28, 10:29 PM http://www.rotoworld.com/playernews/mlb/baseball

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In reply to by VirginiaPhil

How many of them don't hit or throw better than Hill, who's just so-so at blocking pitches? I wasn't worried about Ramirez either way, really. He's probably better than Hill, but that can be said about probably 80 catchers in the MLB system and another 20 that play elsewhere in the world. Hill ranked 42 in MLB at CS% last year, 38th in fielding percentage and according to Fangraphs cost the Cubs 3 runs more than the average catcher defensively. If you sort fangraphs by WAR he comes out 44th of 44 catchers who had more than 200 PA's last year. His bat was only 42nd of 44, so yeah there's two worse hitters.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

I'm all for a Koyie Hill upgrade, just wasn't too worried that another team was going to nab him. He already passed through waivers twice during the offseason, so I don't think teams were going to take a chance now that they went through spring training and had their own catchers get familiar with their own pitching staffs. He didn't have much of a shot with the Cubs because even if they decided to dump Koyie, they'd have a hard time justifying not giving it to Welington.

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In reply to by Rob G.

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 1:35pm. k... first time 9 Al teams passed him up, 2nd time the rest of the AL passed him up and 3 NL teams just not gonna get a lot of interest at the end of spring training on a backup catcher ====================================== ROB G: In the case of Outright Waivers, there is no distinction made between a claim by a team in the player's own league or the other league. Worst record always gets the claim (first 30 days of the regular season the previous season's standings apply, then after that the current standings as of the day the claim is awarded applies. I believe you are probably confusing Outright Waivers with Trade Waivers (needed to trade a player after the July 31st trade deadline). In the case of Trade aivers (and ONLY in the case of Trade Waivers), the player must be "waived out of his own league" (that is, no club from within the player's own league makes a claim) before a club from the other league can be awarded a Trade Waiver claim.

Thanks for a great spring of reports, AZ Phil! The last two months of winter are always a lot better for many of us because of your work.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.

    He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • 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.