Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus one player is on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# 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 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Garcia and Los Tres Amigos Deliver the Message

Ramon Garcia tossed five shutout innings and Los Tres Amigos combined to reach base nine times, score three runs, and knock-in two more, leading the AZL Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the AZL Athletics in Arizona League action this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa.  

box score

With 18-year old Dominican OF Oliver Zapata, 18-year old Dominican INF Marco Hernandez, and 18-year old Venezuelan INF Gioskar Amaya hitting 1-2-3 in the order most everyday, Los Tres Amigos set the standard for the AZL Cubs on a daily basis, and today was no exception. Zapata (who leads the AZL in walks and is 4th in SB) walked three more times today, singled, stole a base, scored two runs, and knocked in another, Hernandez (who is 4th in the league in RBI and 6th in doubles) singled, walked, reached base on an HBP, and scored a run, and Amaya (who is 6th in the AZL in hitting) singled twice and collected an RBI. 

In addition to the Big Day from the Big Three, DH Brian Inoa (a Man in Search of a Position) doubled twice, scored twice, and drove-in one run, and super-sub Gregori Gonzalez (who played 3B today) singled three times with two RBI.  

19-year old Venezuelan RHP Ramon Garcia got the start for the Cubs and was masterful, throwing five shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four. He did all that on just 57 pitches (41 strikes), including throwing his first 16 pitches for strikes, something rarely seen in the AZL. Garcia probably could have continued well past the 5th inning, but AZL pitchers are limited to throwing five innings or 75 pitches (whichever comes first). Garcia is now 5-0 in AZL league play, and is tied for the league-lead in victories.  

Cubs 2010 #1 draft pick RHP Hayden Simpson followed Garcia to the mound, entering the game at the start of the 6th inning. Throwing nothing but fastballs (as was also the case in his previous outing), Simpson had an easy nine-pitch 6th (striking out the lead-off hitter looking), before allowing a lead-off single and a one-out Miguel Marte RBI double high off the CF "Green Monster" (Batter's Eye), just two pitches after Marte slugged a near-HR down the LF line (hooked foul at the last second before clearing the fence). Simpson was then removed from the game, after having thrown 26 pitches (17 strikes).

While he throws only fastballs in games, Simpson does throw a breaking ball and a change-up when warming-up. But he apparently is so messed up right now, the Cubs feel he needs to go back to square one and just try and command his fastball (which he was able to do today, and with perhaps a bit more velocity than he has shown previously), before adding anything else to his in-game regimen.

You can tell somebody of concern is in the game when the Fitch Park Sports Psychologist is sitting on the bench, and a Special Assignment Scout is running the radar gun from the tower (hiding the readings from the players). 

Cubs 2011 21st round draft pick LHRP Andrew McKirahan (U. of Texas) had another impressive outing, throwing 1.2 IP of shutout relief, getting four of his five outs on grounders and the fifth on a strikeout (swinging), while allowing just an infield single (swinging bunt). McKirahan is a polished, tested lefty reliever from a first-class D-1 program (he pitched in the College World Series last month), and so I would not be surprised to see him maybe get a "jump promotion" to Peoria in relatively short order.  

Comments

Z willing to leave if it helps Cubs... Z on rumors: I want to stay here. (But) if we want to win here, we nees to make some changes. If I have to go ... ... I have to go. But I'll still have the Cubs in my heart. If the change has to be me that's OK.

The Cubs are merely a microcosm of the entire United States. Cratered after 2008 and it just keeps getting worse, with no light at the end of the tunnel. /depressing thought of the day

when fukodome finds his new homey & batman colvin is thrown into the breach in rf, he will return w/ the staggeringly lopsided ratio of 55k's against 5bb's...the bat still pops though when it runs into anything - half his hits go for extra b's...

Trib states players to be received for Fukudome are Carlton Smith (rhp AAA reliever) and Abner Abreu (rhh OF at high Class A). Abreu appears to be the better prospect, though that may not be saying much. Here are numbers ** Abreu - 21 years old, high A ball: .244/.294/.429 Avg/OPB/SLG 16 doubles, 5 triples and 12 homers, with 19/22 SB. He is a free swinger and will fit in well with the Cubs -- 102 K/33 BB in 336 ABs. His current average may not be great, but this comes off of a .352/.405/.851 July, where he was twice player of the week. Never seen him play, stats seem to indicate he is a roll of the dice player who could become a Sammy Sosa pre-juice type or could struggle and never get past AA. An Indians minor league report/fan site (i.e. crazed fans with rose-colored glasses for the Indians prospects, so I relate!) had this to say about Abreu's hot month: "If you've followed my ATF's throughout the week, you already know how I feel about Abner Abreu's performance. He really has a chance to be something special if he can figure it all out. He hasn't had a stretch like he's been on since the start of June since 2009, and has certainly given pause to Tribe management, who have to be salivating over what he could become. If he has simplified his swing, as reports have indicated (and stats would back-up), he could be ready to take this system by storm. He absolutely has #1 prospect written all over him. Don't forget, he's one of the better outfield defenders in the system, and has good baseball speed." ** Carlton Smith - 25 years old, AAA 2-3 4.50 45 hits in 46 IP, with 20 BB and 46 K. .259 avg against. Doesn't appear to be too exciting of a prospect. Here is scouting report when he made the Indians fan site top 100 prospect list...in 2009 (so who knows how much is true, his numbers haven't been great. "Strengths & Opportunities: Smith pounds the zone and pitches to contact with his sinking fastball which hovers around 91-93 MPH and has topped out as high as 95 MPH. He complements the fastball with an above average slider, split-finger, and is still working on developing a changeup. He is quiet by nature and keeps to himself, and has an excellent work ethic that was instilled in him by his brother and father. Last year he showed signs of improvement with repeating his delivery, commanding the fastball, and throwing his secondary stuff consistently for strikes. He has gotten better mixing the speeds and eye level of his secondary stuff, which has set up his sinker well down in the zone."

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In reply to by big_lowitzki

$775,000 and two minor league guys could. Sure, if you accept the assumptions that the money will be put back into the product and that the minor leaguers will contribute. Based on the information we have, the minor leaguers that Hendry gets in these deals will not contribute, and we don't really know where the money will go, but there's a good chance it will go to the owner's, rather than to be squirrled away for 2012 payroll. I may be missing someone, or wrong, but I think on our 40 man roster, the guys we have gotten in this type of deal are Berg, Schlitter, Smit and Mateo.

Recent comments

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Use pitchers when you believe they're good. Don't plan their clock.

    I'm sorry. I'm simply anti-clock/contract management. Play guys when they show real MLB potential talent.

    If Brown hadn't been hurt with the Lat Strain he would've gotten the call, and not Wick.

    Give him a chance. 

    But Wesneski probably gets it

  • crunch (view)

    alzolay...bro...

  • crunch (view)

    wow.  what a blown call.  go cubs, i guess.