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

Carlos Pena Claimed On Waivers

Buster Olney tweets that a claim was awarded on Carlos Pena. Depending on when that actually happened, the Cubs and the mystery team at the moment have about 48 hours to work out a deal. If nothing can be hammered out, the Cubs can pull Pena back off waivers or they can just let him go to the team and save the remaining salary left on his contract which includes the $5M deferred money he's owed on January 1st, 2012.

While Pena is now on track to be a Type B free agent and there's certainly plenty of value in the possibility of getting a supplemental round pick for him (although no sure thing), there's probably more value at the moment in saving the $5.5M or so he's owed, regardless of the prospects they may get back.

Possible Correction: It seems there's a bit of a confusion that if Pena is just given away, the Cubs could still be on the hook for the $5M in deferred money. Not sure why it works that way or how, but that's the current rumor by MLB Trade Rumors and Arizona Phil.

Update: Rosenthal tweets:

Pena claimed, but #Cubs likely to pull him back. Need 1B for 2012, want to keep options open. Did not get good offers before 7/31.

Considering Hendry's claim that he didn't want to make too many deals before the deadline, hopefully the thinking has changed.

Update #2 from Rosenthal:

#Cubs Pena has 5M deferred, payable 1/12. If trade occurred, Cubs would pay pro-rated portion - almost all. Again, deal unlikely.

This has gotten about 90% less exciting than it was an hour ago. My math tells me then that the claiming team would be on the hook for about $1.67M if the Cubs just let him go.

Update #3 from Jon Heyman says it was the Yankees. I assume they're just happy to take on the money then.

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Dr. aaron b

Submitted by Dr. aaron b on Wed, 08/24/2011 - 12:28pm. Just save it for future payroll in general. MLB trade rumors is saying Cubs will still owe deferred money. Not sure how that works? ======================================== DR AARON B: I'm pretty sure that a club that claims a player off waivers is not responsible for deferred money owed to that player. So the Cubs would only save about $1M if they do not withdraw the waivers. My guess is that the Cubs are not much concerned about saving money, and will want a player or players back if they trade Pena.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I love this line:
It's equally hard to imagine the Cubs, hapless as they are, waiting another two months to make their moves.
Good thing it is clear that they have actually no clue about what they are talking about in terms of what the Cubs are thinking, considering that Ricketts has explicitly said that it is likely that they will wait until after the season ends.

also, I can't find this now, but I thought the deal was $3M was a signing bonus, $2M over the season and then the $5M deferred bonus. If that is the case, the other team would be on the hook for about $1.1M or so if the signing bonus doesn't count. I could be misremembering that.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

It certainly makes it less of a black and white decision, because now you lose a potential 2nd (really third) round pick, save $1.1 and get to see LaHair give it a shot, or keep him and risk offering him arbitration, to try to get that pick. If he accepts and you still sign Fielder, then you're gonna have to cough up some money to trade him to another team.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

it is risky, but Cubs should have some wiggle room next year and especially after 2012 that they could take the risk on Pena even if he accepts. It's not like he'd get much more than a $10M payday in arbitration. That being said, Pena doesn't strike me as a guy that would accept to sit on the bench if he knew the Cubs were pursuing someone else and he wasn't wanted or if the Cubs already signed a deal with the Fielder or Pujols. And if the Cubs don't sign Fielder or Pujols, Pena again is perfectly fine.

I'm OK with Pena being our firstbaseman next year if we seriosly go after Fielder and Pujols and lose. If we do not go after those two and just sign Pena, I am not happy. I also would like to see LaHair given a chance the rest of this year, so let Pena go now. LaHair didn't do horrible in his short stint in Seattle and some guys develop later, i.e., Jim Hickman. Question, who will be the Cubs minor leauge pitcher of the year? Does anyone really deserve it?

[ ]

In reply to by TJ

"who will be the Cubs minor league pitcher of the year? Does anyone really deserve it?" Great question. If it's a reliever, Rhoderick or Beliveau, but they were just setup men at Tennessee for Dolis, the closer, who does not deserve the prize. If it's a 100-inning guy, then three lefties, Kirk, Jokisch or Rusin. (These numbers are a couple of days old.) Beliveau (24, day-tenn): 64.2 inn, 41 h, 18 bb, 82 k, 0.91 whip Rhoderick (22, day-tenn): 63 inn, 41 h, 36 bb, 69 k, 1.24 whip Kirk (21, peo): 134 inn, 115 h, 29 bb, 109 k, 1.07 whip Jokisch (21, peo-tenn): 122.2 inn, 114 h, 34 bb, 105 k, 1.21 whip Rusin (24, tenn-iowa): 112.1 inn, 117 h, 22 bb, 83 k, 1.24 whip I'm going to say Jokisch, for his age and the double promotion, assuming he finishes strong at Tenn. Second choice Rhoderick, for his age and the fact that he skipped Peoria. And I appreciate all mentions of Hickman, #28, my old hero!

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Submitted by VirginiaPhil on Wed, 08/24/2011 - 4:33pm. "who will be the Cubs minor league pitcher of the year? Does anyone really deserve it?" ===================================== VA PHIL: Rob Whitenack was well on his way to winning the Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award until he blew out his elbow, so now it probably will be Eric Jokisch, because Jokisch is the only 10-game winner, and he leads all Cubs minor leaguers in K. Nick Struck would be #2. The Cubs don't care about peripherals, so Austin Kirk won't win it because he has won only five games. And Bryan LaHair will almost certainly be named Cubs Minor League Player of the Year, because the award isn't the Best Prospect Award.

Wrongway trying to start something Interesting waiver situation ... #cubs mulling a claim on Gavin Floyd that could could start talks on a multi-player trade w/ #whitesox.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 08/24/2011 - 3:58pm. http://mlbbuzz.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/ya... Rosenthal's take on Pena to Yankees, says they have until noon CST to get deal done. =============================== ROB G: The window to make a trade for a player claimed off Trade Waivers is 48 hours, unless the 48-hour period overlaps a weekend (Saturday & Sunday are not considered MLB business days), in which case clubs would have 96 hours to make deal. A player who is placed on waivers remains on waivers for two business days minus one hour (Saturday & Sunday are considered business days only during Spring Training). The waiver list goes out on eBis at 2 PM (Eastern) every business day, and a waiver claim can be made anytime while a player is on waivers, which is anytime up until 1 PM (Eastern) on the second business day (which would be 47 hours if the player is placed on waivers on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, or 95 hours if the player is placed on waivers on Thursday or Friday). When a player is claimed off Trade Waivers, another 48 hours (or 96 hours) is tacked onto the process to allow clubs to work out a trade, with the whole process ending no later than 1 PM (Eastern) on the 4th business day after the player was placed on Trade Waivers.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Then what was the point of putting him on waivers? Really, Bush is no better than Hendry. I also think all this talk about how everyone is OK with Pena returning next year should have a qualification added. One, he's not worth $10 million per year or anywhere near it. $5 mil on a 1 year deal would be my max. Two, he's not a clutch hitter. Another reason not to shell out big money and definitely not a multi-year deal. And three, we're not going to contend next year unless the new GM pulls some rabbits and a herd of leprechauns out of his/her ass. There's no reason to spend big bucks on 1 year free agent deals when the team can't compete.

meh...as soon as hendry was gone both aram and dumpster made noise about leaving the organization. there should be plenty of money and plenty of holes to fill. fun times.

good trivia question on twitter, although poorly researched Konerko is the 6th active player with 2000 hits and 400 HR (BR.com and ESPN says he has 393), so he will become the 6th active player soon enough might be better.... Name the other 5...

now irrational pissed off conservatives who think they're constantly under attack have taken up "the good fight no one else but them is fighting" at the ballpark...because they're too afraid of their own country to realize what a joke is...again. of course this is going down in texas, rangers fans...and yes, it's over "the wave." --- "The latest uproar began when new messages about the wave were posted on the ballpark's video board and caught on TV cameras and broadcast across the country. The messages were in jest, Morgan said, warning that doing the wave could throw out a rotator cuff or result in children being sold to the circus. But some fans and viewers were outraged, and even accused the Rangers of trying to trample wavers' constitutional right of free expression." http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/24/us-baseball-wave-idUSTRE77N85… it's very hard being middle class and white these days. ah, 1st world problems and the constitution being trampled every single day by everyone but the victims...omfg help.

h.bell (SD) on twitter says he's not traded...fwiw. also, wtf is OAK doing with all those FA types and holding onto them? they only traded zeigler that i know of. i think the real market for all these players on teams who could be sellers might be extremely more depressed than fans give it credit for.

Campana batting 7th, isn't that the worst place to hit a SB threat? he takes second, it's a guaranteed IBB to the 8th hitter.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

quade marches out some weird lineups. people joked about dusty and lou, but there was a method behind their construction (especially dusty's even if people didn't want to believe it...it was shockingly simple). quade usually learns a lesson about where guys should be, but it takes him a while to do it. ...and of course soto is 8th and t.kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkolvin hitting 5th. before people get upset over "kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkolvin"...tyler groundsoutweaklyafteracrapswingovlin doesn't have a good ring to it.

from heyman hearing rick hahn and josh byrnes for cubs gm job. cashman/beane/epstein long shots to go, friedman not 2 likely either

lol...soto had to call time cuz castro was out of position with the pitcher ready to go. he was talking to aram and grooming a hole in the left side of the infield. no biggie...just a little "doh."

starting to feel bad for colvin...he looked really dejected after his last out of the last inning. freeman was playing the line and colvin lined hard out for a double play (really hard hit, aram running from 1st). he not only has had a horrible MLB season, his assignment to AAA to work things out went like crap, too. that's a guy that's ready for a hot september to go home on...or 2012 spring to get here already.

chip caray singing the 7th...got a good pop/welcome from the crowd. enthusiastic...wearing the fake harry glasses..."root root root for the bravos"...good ovation from the fans when finished..."we love you ron santo, we miss you"

r.wells continues his "decent" second half for an end-rotation starter. hope he continues...hope he finds a few more mph to his fastball, too...been sitting at 90-92 a lot recently rather than touching 93/94...oh well, as long as his changeup stays sharp.

Ok....and please feel free to remind me that I'm just bitching to bitch....BUT: Justin Sellers is playing a little SS for the Dodgers, only 12 games so far, and only putting up .267/.327/.422...0 errors This is a guy the Cubs couldn't even deem worthy of a look 2 years ago? Seriously? So they traded Michael Wuertz for...a guy who's out of baseball, and a guy who is getting a cuppa coffee with the Dodgers.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

True....but giving away a decent reliever, at least in 2009, for absolutely nothing? I guess that's more my....hmm...conniption point? Wuertz was decent with the Cubs, and really good in 2009 with the A's..and we got a broken bat, and a bag of balls that we didn't even take out of the box before giving away. Now I'll bitch about not getting Campana more playing time =)

i-cubs in midst of 9 game series w/ okey city; first 4 were @ home; now playing 5 on road...la hair had 4 doubles [of the team's record-tying 10]night before #'s 35 &36...story problem for the sabremetricians: when was last time league leader in hits neither scored a hundred nor finished in top 10 in BA?

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

How quickly they forget. Juanderful Pierre lead the league in hits in 2006, and managed to score 87 runs, while finishing .029 out of the top 10.

BTW, related to last night's telecast, Selig basically said that extra playoff teams and realignment will happen...just a matter of when.

: Park Ridge officials want to take down Honorary Jim Hendry Way signs on Northwest Highway, which were authorized in 2009 by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Mayor Dave Schmidt said the request is nothing personal against Hendry, a Park Ridge resident, but the city never wanted the signs mounted in the first place.

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • 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...