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

Would You Do It?

totally random trade thought if baseball was run on a PS3...

If you were the newly minted gonna-be-totally-awesome-and-do-everything-my-way GM, would you trade Starlin Castro for Jason Heyward? (Heyward is 7 months older than Castro).

I'm about 40/60 on that idea with a slight preference to keep Castro.

But what about Castro/McNutt for Heyward/Teheran?

the plot thickens...I'd have to say yes as Cub GM, although I imagine some romantic Cubs fans couldn't part ways with Darlin' Starlin.

Comments

Well if it was really an option...I'd be concerned with filling the hole at SS. Aren't outfielders easier to find? That's an interesting one Rob..

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

probably why I wouldn't do the straight up swap, throw in Teheran though and you perk my ears. That's a possible top of the rotation guy that's ready next season. Cubs have nothing but SS's in the system too and the slight possibility Castro won't be staying there.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Who are the other shortstops in the system? Lake is a third baseman, Watkins is a second baseman, and Flaherty and LeMahieu haven't been playing much shortstop. If we still had Hak-Ju Lee, then trading Castro and McNutt for Heyward and Teheran (and slotting Barney into SS for 2012) might make some sense. Right now there isn't a shortstop in the system (that I see at least) that either has a relatively high ceiling or is within a couple of years of the majors.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

move Barney over if you believe AZ Phil about his defense for now, Flaherty at 2B maybe. don't forget Castro was a 2.2 WAR (standard caveats about WAR implied) player last year cause of his defense. If you have faith it'll get better, sure, if you don't, he's gonna be moving positions anyway and becomes less valuable. LeMahieu isn't terrible and still just 23, Marwin Gonzalez sounds like he can play defense. Baez down the road. depends what you think of Heyward of course, down year last year and all, but think he certainly fits a more saber-friendly mindset for the future. It's like getting a left-handed hitting Justin Upton after a down year...well it could be. Never know for sure how these things shake out. But imagine Teheran/Heyward for Castro/McNutt, that's $2 for a $1.75 imo and those type of incremental improvements are what it's gonna take to get better, sooner. I also think with the lack of SP pitching available this offseason, Cubs could easily get back more for Garza than they paid.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I also think with the lack of SP pitching available this offseason, Cubs could easily get back more for Garza than they paid. Who did the Cubs get Garza from again? Aren't the Rays the new A's when it comes to organizational models? Even if the demand for Garza is higher than it was last off-season, something I am dubious about, the Hendry-Type GM's are a dieing breed.Which GM with a top-10 farm system is going to trade four of his top 15 prospects for Garza, now that Hendry is gone?

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Which GM with a top-10 farm system is going to trade four of his top 15 prospects for Garza, now that Hendry is gone how about just 1-2 actual good major league players that are closer to the majors? Cubs traded 2 good players in Archer and Lee, could they do better than that? I think it's possible. Montero and Baneulos(?) for example... granted I know shit about the Yanks system, but I'll take a couple of guys off BA top 100 list over 4 guys from an organizational top 15 list that has just 1 on the top 100.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

if the Cubs move Garza it would have to be a top 10 prospect type, another top 100 guy near the majors and maybe another B-/Guyer level type prospect. that's better than what they gave up imo...I know you disagree and we can leave it that. maybe Garza/Castro for Teheran, Heyward, Freeman + Minor and no I'm sure they wouldn't do it, just playing around with ideas.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I think you guys are way too deep into the barrel of Cubs Kool-Aid. There's no GM in baseball who's going to trade a top 10 prospect for 1 season of Matt Garza. The type of GM that gets jizz in his pants about Garza's SIERA from this year, passes out in rapture when he thinks about having a top 10 prospect under club control of six years. An Old School GM is going to see 10 wins and a pitcher who finished behind RA Dickey in ERA. Might as well talk about trading Marmol for Bryce Harper.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

well I think you're too busy still trying to convince everyone you were right about the trade last offseason. agree to disagree... doubt they're moving him anyway, all just hypothetical.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Well, I said at the time it was a stupid trade even if Garza won the Cy Young, so yeah, it was still a stupid trade. If your fantasy land scenario comes about and the Cubs get more back for Garza than they gave up for him, it would be a decent trade. Suggest you run out and get a lottery ticket when that happens. I am totally happy agreeing to disagree that Matt Garza is not going to fetch more on the trade market than Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay (wonder how I am going to convince everyone I am right about that too.)

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Well, I said at the time it was a stupid trade even if Garza won the Cy Young, so yeah, it was still a stupid trade. just cause you believe it, doesn't make it true. as for trade scenarios, that was just one scenario that would make sense for the Cubs imo. Getting 2 top 30 prospects would also make sense.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

...i'm piggybacking on a thread, not commenting on what you've said in this, btw...moving on... so much complaining about the best SP the cubs have picked up since 1/2 past forever. when trades like this are made, this is exactly the type of return you want. the dude was 1/2-price last year and the cubs get another year of him in this crap-ass 2012 SP market...more if they want to commit. archer's busy trying to prove he can throw 100 pitches in more than 5 innings, a low-power SS option is busy being years away, and a slew of bench guys are trying to prove they can be bench guys... every few months the "wow, look at that guy we lost" crew picks a new "wow" all the while garza is delivering "wow" on a MLB level everywhere but with his glove and bat.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Interesting question Neal. For the record, whether you'll remember or not, I said I liked Garza, but that it was an awful lot to give up for 1 pitcher, when your team is more than that away from contending. Now, I didn't think the Cub season would suck quite as mightily as it did, but I didn't think that they would seriously compete with Milwaukee, St.Louis, or even Cincinnati. Would having Fuld, Chirinos, Lee, Archer, and Guyer have helped this team in any way this season?

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

Would having Fuld, Chirinos, Lee, Archer, and Guyer have helped this team in any way this season? This season is 2012 or 2011? They probably could have gotten some use out of Guyer and Chirinos this year, but in 2012 it's not hard to see three of those guys contributing. And then in 2013 we won't have Garza (or at leat not for much below FA prices), and it's possible all four of those guys contribute for less than $2 million.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Submitted by The Real Neal on Tue, 10/11/2011 - 10:07am. Would having Fuld, Chirinos, Lee, Archer, and Guyer have helped this team in any way this season? This season is 2012 or 2011? They probably could have gotten some use out of Guyer and Chirinos this year, but in 2012 it's not hard to see three of those guys contributing. And then in 2013 we won't have Garza (or at leat not for much below FA prices), and it's possible all four of those guys contribute for less than $2 million. ==================================== REAL NEAL: Matt Garza isn't a free-agent until after the 2013 season, and depending on whether he is rated a Type "A or a Type "B" FA at that time, he should fetch one if not two draft picks if the Cubs don't re-sign him. The one I would be concerned about is Sean Marshall, who will be a FA after next season. I doubt that he would sign a long-term deal to be a lefty set-up man when somebody out there will probably be willing to pay him to be a starting pitcher. That's another reason why the Cubs should move Marshall to the starting rotation in 2012, so they can find out if he can be a rotation starter, and if he can, they might want to sign him long-term as a starter before he hits free-agency. And if the move to the starting rotation doesn't work out, then Marshall (and the Cubs) will know that his future is as a lefty set-up guy.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Yeah, and the bad thing is that I was told this before, but just can't seem to get it through my head. How does a guy pitch in the majors for two years with 24 starts and 133 innings and not accrue a year of service time? But the point about him making close to FA market money in 2013 remains. If he gets four arb years he's going to be making a lot of money.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Well, we have talent in the lower levels with Marco Hernandez, Carlos Penalver. Legit shortstops in the upper levels are a bit tougher to find. Marwin Gonzalez has the tools to be solid, but he's still developing offensively and defensively. I'm not completely sold he's going to be an everyday shortstop caliber defensive player, but the possibility is there. Lake probably needs to really tighten things up to have a shot to stick, but he's the most talented guy. I'm not a big fan of moving Starlin Castro off shortstop ... yet. That said, a Heyward/Teheran trade for Castro/McNutt is something I'd probably do. You give Marwin Gonzalez a shot at the shortstop job against Darwin Barney, go out and add a cheap veteran to compete, spend some resources to spruce up other positions. It wouldn't be easy, but Heyward's offensive potential is still great (I'm not that concerned yet about his performance this year), and Teheran has ace potential, which is tough to find. I say this as someone who still thinks there's a chance Starlin is passable enough at short through his cost-controlled years and continues to add power to his game without sacrificing the hit tool. That'd be a really talented, useful player, but Heyward and Teheran for Castro/McNutt? Probably.

[ ]

In reply to by toonsterwu

Just as an aside about Lake from watching him in the AZ Fall League game Saturday night -- you can really see the tools he brings to bear on the field. He pulled off some nice plays on defense Saturday night, looking real smooth and has a gun for an arm. Maybe (?) not equal to Dunston, Sr. (who is?) but can really pour it across with just a flip. This is not in contradiction of any of the opinions about his "polish" or "coachability" -- just that none of those issues showed up in the game he had Saturday night. I can see why the scouts would fall in love with his tools.

I don't think either team would do the Castro for Heyward swap, and I don't think either should. Heyward because of his health and a slightly more spotty track record is the riskier player. The type of player you want to throw on top of an 88 win roster to try to win your division and make a run into the playoffs. Someone who may give you a WAR like 1.0 one year, but could be an 8 WAR guy another year. Castro is probably a lot more stable, going to give you WAR's in the high 2's to low 4's for the next 4 years. In the position the Cubs are, they need to get some more reliable contributors, and shouldn't trade one. It would probably take new GM's in both places who don't have much affinity for "their guys" to get that trade done. What about Castro for Mike Trout?

A top shortstop is more valuable than a top right fielder. I wouldn't make the trade of Castro for Hayward. Young shortstops make errors. Castro will improve both defensively and offensively.

This just in (#2): from rotoworld... Robinson Chirinos will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after breaking a bone near his right wrist while playing winter ball in his native Venezuela. --- If he broke his navicular, it can heal with casting that includes the thumb but this is the same bone Patrick Kane had fixed with a screw. If it's his hamate bone, they usually just excise the broken fragment as it's tough to heal since it's a pretty small piece.

ha... super joe mcewing new 3rd base coach for the wsox. next stop, a mlb manager gig. really great guy...little dude commands respect.

nelson cruz sure does love being injured. rondell white approves.

I loved MVP Baseball '03 on PS one... You could take the time to turn the shittiest guy and continually trade him up to get to at least a mid level guy. Then you could do that a few times and turn those two mid-level guys into somebody legit. V. Wells and B. Kielty together could get you damn near anybody in the game... Side note. Take the absolute most-staunch Castro fan/supporter. How afraid is that fan of injury or impending doom, a la ANYBODY the Cubs have brought up in any recent year. I see what Castro has done, and I like him, but I don't know how much I believe in him long-term. I'm afraid the BA goes away, and then I'm not sure what we're left with, other than 'potential'. He's an awesome piece, but he's not a staff Ace, or a legit #3 hitter; I don't know if he anchors/captains the team over the long haul. Damn, I sound jaded.

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

High Heat for the PC will always be the best of the best. the PS one version wasn't too bad either.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

HH2003 for PC was on it's way to perfect...then came mlb exclusive licensing for video games...sigh oh well, 3DO was busy filing for bankruptcy, anyway... the graphics were worse than some other games, but that wasn't the point. it's user/team management features and sheer depth was amazing. you had control of players down to 3 levels in the minors and could trade any of them. the layout made it easy/fast to manage, too. it was easy to "get into" a long-term dynasty type play with HH2003 PC...good stuff.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

yeah, the only thing that drove me crazy was that you could bunt with a very fast runner and get a single 8/9 times out of 10 and it didn't matter how crappy his hitting projection/stat is. it's users that abuse that more than the AI, though.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I loved the original Earl Weaver baseball for PC's back in the late 80's. Great stuff. Funny story, one night I came home from work, big storm knocked the cable out. I went to radio shack to buy a TV antennae. Then I saw a box for Earl Weaver baseball, read the box, desperately wanted the game. It was on sale, and I ended up buying a Tandy something computer on the spot just for that game. It ran on DOS. I bought a few other games eventually but Earl Weaver baseball was a lot like Halo in that, once you had it, other games didn't offer much interest. I probably haven't played another game on Xbox longer than 2-3 hours total in the last few years, just the Halo ones. Earl Weaver baseball was like that on DOS, at least for me.

bases loaded, 0 outs, bottom of 9th, tie game.... 0 runs. Flyout to LF and a DP

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

What ever happened to Wes on this blog??? Don't feel like I have seen a post from him in at least a year...

Brett Jackson 3 for 5 with a home run today as U.S. beat Panama 5-0 and advanced to Round 2 of IBAF Baseball World Cup. Jackson 10 for 26 (.385) overall.

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).