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

Game 2 NLDS / Dodgers @ Cubs

 

SP Chad Billingsley   SP Carlos Zambrano
  16-10, 3.14, 201 K, 80 BB, 200.2 IP  
2008   14-6, 3.91, 130 K, 72 BB, 188.2 IP
  0-0, 0.00, 3 K, 0 BB, 2 IP
Post   0-1, 4.37, 20 K, 6 BB, 22.2 IP
         
SS
#Rafael Furcal   LF
Alfonso Soriano
C
Russell Martin
  SS
Ryan Theriot
LF
Manny Ramirez   1B
Derrek Lee
RF
*Andre Ethier
  3B
Aramis Ramirez
1B
*James Loney
  2B
Mark DeRosa
CF
Matt Kemp
  CF
*Jim Edmonds
2B
*Blake DeWitt
  C
Geovany Soto
3B
Casey Blake
  RF
*Kosuke Fukudome
P
Chad Billingsley   P #Carlos Zambrano

 

It has taken a good 21 hours of self pity and a bracing White Sox defeat to clear my head and even let me think about previewing Game Two.

Yes, last night went down harsh, but from reading Rob's post and many of the ensuing comments earlier this afternoon, it is clear that there are still some optimistic souls in Cubdom. All I can say is, God bless you all.

 

Starters' Records Since 8/1/08

    W  
 L   
IP   
 H/9  
 K/9  
 BB/9  
 ERA  
 HR/9  
 No-Hitters Thrown
Billingsley
5 1
62 10.2 8.1
3.5 3.34 .73 0
Zambrano 2 2 47 8.6 6.5
5.0 7.28 1.80 1

 

Billingsley pitched twice against the Cubs this season. On both occasions, he matched up with Ryan Dempster. Once, Billingsley threw well (7 K, 2 ER in 6 IP); the other time, he threw not as well. The Cubs won both contests.

Among Cub hitters, only Jim Edmonds has more than 10 career plate appearances against the 23-year-old Billingsley, though Fukudome, Lee, and DeRosa have all tagged him for homers.

Zambrano, meanwhile, pitched twice against the Dodgers in 2008. In the series the Cubs swept at Wrigley, he held L.A. to a single run over eight innings, but was only spared a loss when the Cubs pushed across a run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, 1-1, before winning 2-1 in ten innings. Then in June, in L.A., Z was rocked for 7 runs and 13 hits in 6.2 IP as he took what was then just his second loss of the season. Five Dodgers had two or more hits that day, but Russell Martin was the chief trouble-maker, connecting for three hits, including a long homer.

Career-wise, Martin (8-for-13, 1513 OPS) and Andre Ethier (1038 OPS in 14 PA's) have battered Zambrano in limited exposure. Manny Ramirez faced Zambrano in 3 AB's when the Red Sox visited Wrigley in '05, and Carlos fanned him twice.

Do I need to point out that the Cubs have now lost seven post-season games in a row—a new franchise post-season futility record— and are 0-4 in post-season play under Piniella? No, I didn't think I did.

Finally, if it has ever occurred to you that divine intervention might get the Cubs to a World Series, you can forget it. Turns out this is all a big joke to Him.

Comments

I tuned into TBS hoping to watch the team with the best record in the NL this year. What the fuck is this shit?

An absolute EMBARRASSMENT!!!!!!!!! Should be three errors as Theriot's play was an error. Theriot can't get runner over. What a joke!!!! I am actually embarrassed to go to work tomorrow with people knowing I am a Cubs fan. Maybe Year 101 is our year...

What's Theriot doing not at least trying to run to first on his strikeout in the first that got away from Martin. I thought he was all about the intangibles and grit. I demand his SCRAP card be revoked.

I said earlier today, the Dodgers can now play loose and the Cubs will likely be tight. But I don't think anyone thought they would be this tight. They looked scared.

What a pathetic series of defense for the Cubs that inning. I am surprised Z didnt murder each one them. He pitched a damn good inning giving his defense easy plays and comes out of it down by 5 runs. Un-fucking-real.

even for the chicago cubs, this is special. usually, it's just one guy who costs them. plenty of gagging to go around tonight.

An outfielder in the game largely for his defense isn't appropriate down five runs in a must-win game; pinch hit for Kosuke Fukudome his next at bat.

I thought the Cubs would shit the bed tonight and REALLY wanted to be wrong. I could have never imagined this is how it would go down. I figured Z would melt down...not the entire infield. Everyone of those fuckers have gotten into this shit act. Can this be considered any thing other than a choke job?

[ ]

In reply to by Bleeding Blue

Good point BB, he did hit a HR today with a 5-run lead, but last night he hit the HR with only a 4-2 lead. And while it might not have been a "pressure situation" today, hitting well in the postseason is pretty impressive considering the stakes. But that still doesn't take away the fact I wish we had a stud player like him.

[ ]

In reply to by Bleeding Blue

I'd say the all-time leader in postseason home runs is probably pretty clutch, and I think it all stems from how he appears completely indifferent in every situation. It could be the 3rd inning of a Spring Training game or the bottom of the 9th in game 7 of the World Series and his demeanor appears exactly the same. I can't say the same for the swinging-out-of-their-shoes Cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by Doug Dascenzo

I wasn't saying that he is or isn't clutch overall, I'm just saying the situations where he's gone deep in this series haven't been what I would call clutch situations. In both situations, he hit them against a Cubs team that had already called it quits for the night. I'm not saying that if he is in a clutch situation he won't come through, just that he hasn't gone long against the cubs in a clutch situation yet.

Okay, who took the "Cubs won't even be competitive in two home playoff games" bet in Vegas? Both last year and this, I was happy with Cubs playoff draw. Looks like both years will be laughers for the other guys. Amazing. If the White Sox go farther than the Cubs, I'm moving to Alaska. At least they have a hot governor.

This is so utterly painful. Our team looks destroyed. They are hacking at pitches, driving them into the ground, and not taking any pitches. Z looks dominant one minute and replacement level another. Oh how this team can break my heart year in and year out.

I am so surprised anyone was happy with out playoff draw. With LAs pitching in a 5-game series it terrified me.

This is absolutely fucking atrocious baseball. Started in the 1st, Soriano on 2nd nobody out and nothing. I just don't fucking get it. Regular season turns to the playoffs and we don't take pitches, don't hit the other way, don't steal, don't hit and run, don't play defense. I mean, it's still baseball, play the same game.

i am tired of cubs making it look like there playing cy young in last 5 playoff games sooner or later we have to hit hopefully before march

it's amazing how much energy and emotion we put into following this team for 6 months...and just like that, it's coming close to a crashing and sudden halt. Well, the bad news about a short series is you have no margin of error. Good news is, you win 1 game and you are right back in it.

Got to give it to Z - he pitched well and is the only leader on the team who stepped up. I'm so sick of seeing the pained expressions on the face of Lee or Ramirez after trying to pull yet another outside pitch. It's not exactly rocket science how to get them out when they're doing that.

If they cannot advance, with the best NL record, no significant injuries, most runs scored, and all those great stats that get posted here ad nauseum, then get a GM who will DUMP some of these CHOKE-ASS MOTHERFUCKING "Nice Guys", and get top-shelf younger, faster, cheaper, and dumb about Cubdom - keep only the best of the best - the few that produce (although NONE of them seem to be able to in the Post Season). Strangely Confident - my ass.

Zambrano was great tonight. The errors were bad. Also the Dodgers executed two great plays, the hit and run and the bunt by Furcal. Zambrano made two mistakes on pitches, the double by Martin (right into a hole in our outfield defense) and the Manny dinger. He deserved better. He was relatively composed, had good velocity and his control was pretty good. Baseball is a funny game sometimes. The Cubs need to absorb this and bounce back.

it's amazing how much energy and emotion we put into following this team for 6 months...and just like that, it's coming close to a crashing and sudden halt. No shit..... I hate October.

if your gonna blow something up you can start with a new 1st baseman next year one of the mainstays has to go lee is my vote

Bounce back. That'd be nice but just can't see it. I don't think any one could have predicted that Fukudome would be such a disaster. Think of all the AAAA players that could do what he's done for 500k. I was happy that Hendry landed him but damn, he's been worthless for months. I'd love to see him as a 12 million dollar 4th outfielder next season. Next season because this one has all but hit the shitter.

look at the dodgers -- can't help themselves from laughing at this shit. i'm looking forward to seeing who can deliver the best post-game platitudes.

Fun fact: Only one team has come back from losing the first two at home. Also, Racer X is Speed's long lost brother Rex... Can I kill Stockton now? Please??!??

Wow, Lou. From the postgame conference: "Yeah, you know what? From now on, I don't want to hear about Fukudome anymore as far as whether he's gonna play or not. I'm going to play Fontenot or Reed Johnson or somebody else and that's the end of that story. The kid's struggling and there's no sense sending him out there anymore."

[ ]

In reply to by nohit

Its a great quote, but from the actions speak louder than words file, if he recognizes that Fuk is struggling, then why didn't he pinch hit for him? I'm not saying it would have changed the outcome, but at least the offense was starting to show a little life late in the game, until Fuk stepped up to the plate and K'ed looking at a down the middle pitch. It would have been nice to have at least a small late inning rally to build some sort of momentum heading out west.

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...