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 
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Game 1 Recap - So Yeah, That Happened

I can't really afford the time to pour into these game recaps as I'd really like, so I'll just comment briefly on the bigger WTF moments.

Today, the honor goes to Kerry Wood and Dale Sveum in the 8th. Granted, I got called to a meeting just as Wood was imploding, but let's take at the play-by-play.

- K. Wood relieved R. Dempster
- I. Desmond stole second
- R. Zimmerman walked
- I. Desmond to third, R. Zimmerman to second on wild pitch
- A. LaRoche walked
- J. Werth walked, I. Desmond scored, R. Zimmerman to third, A. LaRoche to second


So after not paying attention to the tying run, then a walk, a wild pitch and another walk of a guy that had already struck out 3 times versus a righty, who in the ballpark was thinking Wood was suddenly going to find his groove to shut this thing down?

Raise your hand, Dale Sveum!

Comments

actually, kerry wood should have struck out at least one of the walks if the umpire had not screwed up the call. Funny the game ends on a called strike that was exactly as close as at least 2 of wood's pitches. He got royally screwed IMO.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2012 Chicago Cubs. Ringing in the new era with a loving retrospective on Cubbery. At least we know the new leadership is a quick study.

Signing Wood was stupid. For a big market team, the Cubs are way too sentimental, assuming they want to win. Being sentimental with a millionaire because you remember when he was terrific and could have taken the team to the promised land only helps him, not the team. (And he doesn't need the help. He's got plenty of money). Assuming, again, that they really want to win. Reminds me of them bringing Sandberg back after his "retirement." Yuck.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

That is also true. But watching Woody for his whole career it seems to me he is trying to be too fine ALWAYS. Trying to sit on the outside bottom corner - or drop it off the table. RARELY will you see him challenge the hitter. He has been that way his whole damn career. What about heater at the eyes down the middle once in awhile. Mano y Mano. But no Kerry has to try and hit a minuscule spec on the edge of the planet. that said he will be one of our better pen arms. But I cannot watch him. His posture and his wildness are forever etched in my brain. For me it is not fond memories, it's PTSD!

over/under on Rob G's game recaps before he goes insane? ~all is well baseball network showing dodgers vs pads with vin on the mic~ Reminder you get free baseball on extra innings this opening week.

In trying to be objective, and it is hard sometimes, this is only Game 1, Woody did not get much ST action, they played a better team with a real bullpen, and probably 1/2 of this squad will not be here next year. The "little things" preached all spring meant nothing this game. Every "aggressive" play backfired, and Baker is as bad as always playing defense. - sigh - Hopefully there will be some bright spots we can be excited about in the months to come.

Iowa 5-3. RWells gave up another HR (solo) Iowa loaded the bases (Sappelt double, Vitters and Tolbert walks) then runs on a Campana SF scoring Sappelt and a BJax rbi single (your turn Rob, gotta go meet someone at the airport)

Corpas in the 8th, trying to protect a 2-run lead N. Struck with 5 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 8 K in AA heading to the 6th K. Burke threw a scoreless frame for Peoria

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

It's a one-game sample size obviously, but I was very disappointed with Stewart's approach yesterday. I didn't see any patience from him or the other guy that was supposed to bring more discipline to the lineup, DeJesus. Everybody was hacking early and mostly putting the ball in play very weekly (Stewart twice hit grounders that couldn't make it to the pitcher). With a hurricane coming directly in from CF, why not make the pitcher throw more pitches? Bob praised DeJesus or doing it late in the game on a 7-pitch AB, but maybe they ought do have to done it during the first 2 times through the lineup.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Probably right. I was just frustrated to see him go through the first few innings throwing so few pitches. Seemed like the Cubs were swinging at the first pitch that was close and usually hitting it weakly. I expect it from Soriano, Barney, and to some degree Castro. I didn't like to see DeJesus and Stewart contributing to the problem. It was only one game against possibly the most overpowering pitcher in the league. I just hope "swing early in the count" wasn't a gameplan. Probably wasn't.

The Cubs blew a game! The sky is falling!!!! Did anyone actually expect them to beat with Nationals with Dempster going up against Strasburg?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I totally agree Rob. Hopefully we all know it is one game, early and for a team with low expectations. But why not examine the details, they are still there for the picking'. All in all they did what they said they'd do and weren't terribly good at some of it (aggressive baserunning, fielding, patience at plate). But according to Dale a lot of this was adapting to a pitcher who is not likely to be wild. All in all it is a new team and they werent very good at any of the new finesse yet, but had some talent (Dempster etc). Takes time to get good! Our AAA lineup IS where the excitement is tho. No doubt!

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • 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.