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

Darwin Barney's Pacific Coast League (PCL) Sprain

Darwin Barney went on the DL this week spraining "the other" cruciate or Posterior Cruciate knee ligament.  I'm sure the Cubs called Iowa Cubs manager Bill Dancy to let him know that his Pacific Coast League (PCL) Iowa team might shortly be getting another middle infielder on rehab assignment for his lineup. Barney sustained the injury to his right knee on the play at home plate on Monday night, scoring the Cubs only run in a 1-0 victory. It looked like he bounced his knee in the dirt during a head first dive and he did stumble a bit getting up from his dive. The MRI showed injury without stretch (grade 1) to his Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL). This is considered fairly minor but probably needs to be protected from further injury for about 2-3 weeks.

"As soon as I slid into home plate last night, I knew something was really wrong," he said. "The whole knee went numb. I had an MRI today and it revealed that Grade 1 strain in my knee." (editiorial note: ligament injuries are sprains, muscle injuries are strains)

Right now Darwin Barney can't jump, but you can. So read more after the jump.

There has been plenty of media attention paid to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) which when torn in a high performance athlete is treated with reconstructive surgery but little is written about in the media when the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is injured. The Posterior Cruciate is structurally the more robust of the two cruciates and isolated PCL injuries can occur but are less frequent and usually produce more subtle symptoms. If both the Anterior and Posterior Cruciates are torn, more drastic instability can occur including knee dislocation but fortunately that is not very common. Most people hear about the fairly common patella (kneecap) dislocation but a true knee dislocation (tibia-femur) is a severe injury and acute knee dislocations can even have nerve and artery damage.

The PCL attaches behind the knee on the tibia and goes to the medial (inner) side of the central notch on the femur. The ligament prevents posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur above and also provides central rotational stability. Here is an excellent 3D modeling video of the PCL including how the ligament works in flexion and extension of the knee.  The Anterior Cruciate (ACL) attaches to the anterior tibial spine near the front of the knee and goes to the lateral (outer) part of the femoral notch. The ligaments cross (hence, cruciate) each other and protect and stabilize the knee when working in tandem from excess rotation and translation. 

Before MRI imaging was available, grade 2 vs 3 PCL injuries were sometimes subtle to diagnose on exam with what was called a "posterior sag" sign with the knee extended or a "posterior drawer" sign with the knee flexed. The PCL does image well on MRI studies (see "P" on image), so seeing injury to it (because the tissue signal is altered in injury) is straightforward making even subtle grade 1 injuries possible to diagnose these days.

The most common mechanism of injury is a direct blow to the front of the upper tibia, which is what seemed to happen to Barney's leg in the head first dive at home plate.

Certainly, a grade 1 strain should respond to rest and rehab in a few weeks but when the PCL has a third degree injury and the knee has instability there are arthroscopically assisted surgical reconstructive techniques (see video) available. These have evolved and are significantly improved over the last 2 decades and much of the technology has been based on arthroscopic considerations for the ACL which is now a frequently performed surgery. Brewer ace Yovani Gallardo tore his ACL in May 2008 (against the Cubs avoiding contact with Prince Fielder on  a Reed Johnson bunt) and was able to come back to pitch in late September and started a playoff game vs the Phillies that season.  The injured PCL has better blood supply than the ACL and therefore can heal without subsequent instability. The PCL is much less frequently reconstructed (than the ACL) and often has several other associated injuries including the ACL and meniscal tears making any associated instability more extensive, so the results are more difficult to assess and should not be compared to the more common anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction outcomes. I don't know of any major league players that have needed PCL reconstruction although I would be interested to hear if any mlb player has had this done.

I wonder if Doc Gryzlo will recommend a few games of rehab in the PCL for Barney's PCL once the swelling and soreness improves.

Comments

JoseCanseco Jose Canseco Love my Yuma Scorpions offense and with improved bullpen we can win this league JoseCanseco Jose Canseco OUr new centerfelder Joey Gathright is electric and reminds me of rickey

Speaking of random topics......How was Russ Canzler not good enough over the legendary Brad Snyder after last season? I'm not saying to start at 3B or anything like that....but as a bench guy? he put up decent #'s at AA last year...and in AAA this season is hitting .298/.410/.498 with 8HR and 19 doubles in 250 PA's

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In reply to by Dusty Baylor

Submitted by Dusty Baylor on Fri, 06/17/2011 - 9:15am. Speaking of random topics......How was Russ Canzler not good enough over the legendary Brad Snyder after last season? I'm not saying to start at 3B or anything like that....but as a bench guy? he put up decent #'s at AA last year...and in AAA this season is hitting .298/.410/.498 with 8HR and 19 doubles in 250 PA's ---------------------------------- DUSTY B: Russ Canzler was a Rule 55 minor league free-agent (6YFA) after last season, and since he had yet to play above AA in seven seasons with the Cubs, he probably decided it might be in his best interests to try his luck with another organization. Generally the Cubs invite all of their minor league free-agents to return for another season, leaving it up to the player whether to return or not. Obviously Canzler decided to look elsewhere. Besides Canzler moving over to Tampa Bay, Mitch Atkins signed a minor league contract with Baltimore, Jeff Gray signed a minor league deal with the White Sox, and Scott McLain and Jeff Reed retired, but otherwise everybody else came back for 2012 (with Mark Johnson returning not as a player but as the Boise manager, and Jason Dubois sticking around as the AZL Cubs hitting coach). BTW, after a long career as a slugging 3B in AAA and in Japan, Scott McLain is now the U. S. Scout for the Hiroshima Carp.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.