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

A's Ride Extra-Base Hit Attack to Victory at Fitch Park

The EXST Athletics banged-out four doubles, a triple, and a home run, and coasted to a 7-1 victory over the EXST Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.

Tennessee OF Ty Wright (sprained ankle) and INF Augie Ojeda (back) continued their Extended Spring Training rehab in today’s game, with Wright playing LF for seven innings and going 0-2 at the plate (a walk and two strikeouts, both swinging), while Ojeda played the first four innings at SS and then the next four at 2B, going 1-4 (F-7, E-5, 2B, 4-3).

With Augie Ojeda on the field, it’s probably not too surprising that the Cubs were able to turn five double plays, and Augie was in the middle of four of them. If not for that, the final score would have been a lot uglier.

Here is the abridged box score from today’s game (Cubs players only):

LINEUP:
1. Augie Ojeda, SS-2B-DH: 1-4 (F-7, E-5, 2B, 4-3)
2. Wes Darvill, DH-2B: 0-4 (K, F-8, E-5, F-8, SB)
3a. Ty Wright, LF: 0-2 (BB, K, K)
3b. Xavier Batista, LF: 0-1 (K)
4. Brandon May, DH #2: 2-4 (1B, L-8, 6-3, 1B)
5. Wilson Contreras, 1B: 0-3 (3-U, K, HBP, 9-6 FC)
6. Rafael Valdes, 2B-SS: 1-4 (6-3, 3B, K, F-9, R)
7a. Johan DeJesus, C: 0-2 (K, P-2)
7b. Carlos Romero, PH: 0-0 (HBP)
7c. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 0-1 (4-3)
8. Eduardo Gonzalez, CF: 0-2 (F-9, F-7 SF, 6-3, RBI)
9. Dustin Geiger, 3B: 1-3 (1-3, 1B, F-8)
10. Oliver Zapata, RF: 0-3 (P-4, K, K)

PITCHERS:
1. Luis Liria: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HBP, 1 GIDP, 53 pitches (30 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO
2. Alvido Jimenez: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 33 pitches (16 strikes), 4/0 GO/FO
3. Ryan Hartman: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K, 2 GIDP, 39 pitches (17 strikes), 4/0 GO/FO
4. Santo Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 18 pitches (14 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
5. Yilver Sanchez: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 14 pitches (9 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO

ERRORS: 1
2B Wes Darvill - E4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
RF Oliver Zapata threw-out runner 9-5 trying to advance from 1st to 3rd on a single to RF

ATTENDANCE: 4

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80’s

 

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Let me stipulate that I AM NOT A DOCTOR (but I play one on tv)...so my opinions are just based on long miserable experience with the Cubs. Garza's injury is being reported as a "bone contusion." Cubster can correct me if wrong but in my experience that's the same as saying he has a bone fracture except the fracture has no deliniation. Also, it's in his elbow so that implies that it involves cartilage as well as bone. This doesn't sound like something that heals in a week. Contusions often take longer than outright fractures to get better. If the Cubs bring him back after missing one more start...look out. re:Soto. What kind of rehab starts on Thursday and ends on Friday? re: Cashner Reading this stuff is like deja vu all over again with Kerry Wood and his rotator cuff. If the Cubs aren't out of their fricking minds, they'll drop this starter thing and relegate Cashner to the pen. re: Byrd Please don't even think about baseball until that eye and face are 100%. Seeya next year. re:Schlitter Who knew he was still on the payroll?

Garza's injury is being reported as a "bone contusion." Cubster can correct me if wrong but in my experience that's the same as saying he has a bone fracture except the fracture has no deliniation. Also, it's in his elbow so that implies that it involves cartilage as well as bone. This doesn't sound like something that heals in a week. Contusions often take longer than outright fractures to get better. If the Cubs bring him back after missing one more start...look out. ----------------- In Garza's situation, a bone contusion is clearly an MRI diagnosis. I do have some issues with them using this term here. This diagnosis means that his XRays are negative for a fracture and the MRI does show an abnormal signal in the area involved but there is no linear signal (fracture line) seen in that abnormal signal pattern. The abnormal signal is in bone (in this case the distal humerus) and not in the soft tissues adjacent to the joint, otherwise they would be worried more about the ligaments (the medial elbow (medial epicondyle), includes the flexor/pronator tendon attachments and ligaments (often referred to as golfers elbow) and the UCL or Tommy John ligament; the lateral elbow (bone is the epicondyle) attachments would be what is commonly called "tennis elbow" or the extensor tendon origin). For the diagnosis to be a contusion there has to be a history of direct trauma to the area (when did that happen? Garza does not seem to indicate there was a direct trauma as his quotes below indicate). Their docs may be thinking it's a repetitive stress injury but are not willing to call it a stress fracture based on the abnormal uptake pattern on the MRI being more diffuse (rather than focal or linear) but don't have a better term for the signal abnormality. If this is the case the term contusion is misleading and it might be that they are interceding before the problem formally becomes a more definite stress fracture. This would be analogous to a leg injury often called "shin splints" which if it continues to get exposed to repetitive stress can becomes a formal stress fracture of the leg/tibia or fibula. It's unlikely that there is any cartilage involvement in a bone contusion unless the direct trauma also affected the joint (that would make the dx of an articular fracture) and one would see fluid in the joint on the MRI to make one consider that being the case. I recall Prior's "bone contusion" to the elbow when he was hit by a line drive by Brad Hawpe in 2005. They actually called it a "compression fracture" so it was more extensive than a "bone bruise" and with Prior, it was the lateral or outside of the elbow. http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050528&content_id… --- http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-elbow-bone-bruise-…
"It's just one of those things that happen, more wear and tear. Like, if you're a runner and your knees are sore, that's usually what it is -- a bruise."
The above quote bothers me though as a contusion means some direct trauma and "wear and tear" is more of a repetitive stress problem. --- http://chicago.sbnation.com/2011/5/24/2187830/matt-garza-injury-cubs-st…
he also thinks that the injury is just the result of throwing in cold weather, something that he was not really used to while playing with the Tampa Bay Rays. He expects the elbow to loosen up a little bit when the weather gets warmer.
Again, repetitive stress injury, not contusion. ------ Finally, I remember former Brewer-WSux-Cardinal pitcher Cal Eldred who had a diagnosis of "stress fracture" of his pitching elbow. He started the 2000 season with a 10-2 record with the Sox but due to the stress fx, in August of 2000 he had a screw placed across the stress fx to try and heal it. He was mostly out until 2003 when he tried another comeback with StL before ending his career in 2005. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-04-12/sports/0104120179_1_cal-e… So, in summary, I'm not sure what kind of estimate to recovery Garza has. If it's a "pre stress fx", it might be just the 2 weeks on the DL and he's back in the best case scenerio and the warmer weather by then works in his favor. If not...lets hope it' doesn't become a recurring problem because a stress fracture at the elbow can be a bear to get to resolve.

Knoxville News reporting that Adduci had recent hand surgery and is probably out for the season. Affects Ha/Perez since one spot will remain open in the Tennessee outfield; and might affect who goes to Iowa to replace Montanez.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Perez, yeah, fine with me, but Hendry traded for him and would probably say he's still rehabbing. Ty Wright, another outfielder, was DL'd a few weeks ago from Tennessee but now that he's healthy, they plug him in yesterday at Iowa, where there always seems to be room for a marginal prospect. Chris Robinson is another one. Not that I'm unsympathetic to giving these guys a dozen chances, and it's not terrible to have very intense competition at AA. Hendry may be an unusually soft-hearted GM in not wanting to foreclose on these Iowans. Bobby Scales, Matt Camp, etc. LaHair, though--he has twelve home runs, and Carlos Pena isn't setting the bar very high for the 1B who follows him.

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).