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

Byrd Flying East for the Summer

UPDATE #2: @Sean_McAdam: Red Sox will be responsible for only the pro-rated minimum - about $400K -- of Marlon Byrd's $6.5 million salary. Cubs eat the rest.

UPDATE: @Sean_McAdam Baseball source: Byrd to Red Sox for Michael Bowden and PTBNL done. Cubs will pick up "most'' of Byrd's $6.5 million.


Nick Cafardo was the first to report that the Cubs and Red Sox are working on a deal to send Marlon Byrd to the Red Sox. It would also make sense of the earlier roster move today where the Cubs called up Tony Campana to put Ryan Dempster on the disabled list since they still need to lose a body to make room for Randy Wells tomorrow.

Bruce Levine is saying the Cubs will get a left-handed reliever and a minor leaguer in the deal and it should be completed today. I'm presuming Cubs will pay a healthy portion of Byrd's roughly $6.5M salary as well, but no word on that yet. Franklin Morales and Justin Thomas are the 2 lefties on their current active roster. There's also Michael Bowden, a righty, that was DFA'd last week by them.

Lineups for today's loss after the jump...

Reds Cubs
Cozart, SS
*DeJesus, RF
Stubbs, CF
Barney, 2B
*Votto, 1B
Castro, SS
Phillips, 2B
*LaHair, 1B
Ludwick, LF
*Stewart, 3B
Rolen, 3B *Clevenger, C
Heisey, RF *DeWitt, 2B
Mesoraco, C
Mather, CF
Leake, P
*Maholm, P

Keep an eye out here for more updates on the trade.

Comments

nice little play by LaHair after Casto flubs again and Stubb reaches 3-2 count on Votto with 1 out, Maholm throws over and fools him and LaHair blocks Stubbs hand with his foot for the pick-off

Torreyes a 3/3 night with a walk and 3 runs scored (2 2B, 1 3B), also an error. Ha 2/3 with a BB Rizzo, Jackson, Castillo combined 0/11, although Jackson did have 2 RBI's. Iowa loses again, F. DeLaCruz and Caridad roughed up, B. Parker has a scoreless inning and has a 0.00 ERA on the year. Amazega and E. Gonzalez with multi-hit games. B. Raley goes 6 IP/2 ER/3 K but Rhoderick gets the win, Cabrera the save. Watkins and Apodaca with multi-hit games, along with Ha. Peoria loses 7-5, Willengton Cruz roughed up again as is Bryce Shafer. Yao-Lin Wang with a scoreless inning though and maintains a 0.00 ERA. Pin-Chieh Chen with the only extra-base hit of the night and 2 RBI's. A. Kirk goes 7 IP/1 ER/3 K for the win over Tampa, G. Rohan went deep again (4 on the year)

Coleman vs. Memphis (Cardinals) Struck vs. Chattanooga (Dodgers) Jokisch vs. Tampa (Yankees) Peoria has already started, M. Jensen going vs. Great Lakes (Dodgers)

Bruce Levine tweets... Bruce Levine ‏ @ESPNBruceLevine Epstein and Hoyer just went into clubhouse --------- C'mon, can't you do better than that Brucie?

WEEI Alex Speier posts a more detailed article...
Random aside: The structure of that contract suggests the makings of a deal that, hypothetically, could help the Red Sox' payroll as calculated for luxury tax purposes. If, for instance, the Cubs sent $5.5 million to Boston to offset the outfielder's salary, then it would actually decrease the Red Sox' payroll as calculated for CBT purposes, as that sum would be subtracted from Byrd's $5 million average annual salary.
http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21193346/valentine-good-…

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Sat, 04/21/2012 - 2:19pm — QuietMan "Timing issues remain." Anyone have an idea what that means? ============================= Q-MAN: Michael Bowden was Designated for Assignment on April 15th, so he has to be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers no later than 2PM (EDT) Monday 4/23 or else the Red Sox cannot outright him to the minors (presuiming he isn't claimed) on 4/25 (it takes 48 hours for a player get through waivers). So if Bowden is the player the Cubs will be getting back for Byrd, the deal must be completed prior to 2 PM (EDT) next Wednesday, but really more like by 2 PM (EDT) Monday or else the Sox would be stuck having to release Bowden if the deal falls through. BTW, Bowden is out of minor league options, so the Cubs cannot acquire him from Boston and then option him to the minors.

Scouting report on Bowden from sox prospects.com http://www.soxprospects.com/players/bowden-michael.htm
Bowden has an arsenal of four pitches: (1) an 88-92 mph four-seam fastball that can top out around 94 mph, (2) an average 12-6 hard breaking curve, (3) an excellent circle changeup, and (4) an 83-85 mph slider that he added in 2009, which he hopes to use as an out pitch down the line. Also developing a cutter in 2011. His main pitch - the four-seamer - has a late, heavy sinking movement, and he generally keeps it down in the zone. Bowden can also work in a two-seamer that is a few mph off of his four-seamer, with a bit more movement. His deceptive changeup sits in the low-80s, about 10 mph off of his fastball, with action moving away from lefties. His mid-70s curve is sharp and he keeps hitters at bay with it, but he definitely telegraphs it too often. Overall, Bowden has an excellent command of the zone. One aspect that should come with more experience is improved pitchability against advanced hitters. His mechanics are somewhat unconventional in that his delivery is quite compact and he doesn't pull back with a lot of torque. Relies more on arm strength than leverage. Still, he's able to maintain consistent arm action throughout his outings, so the Sox haven't messed with his delivery. Bowden is said to be a workaholic and just loves to pitch - another player who just lives and dies for baseball. Very athletic and focused and intense on the mound.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

To me, Bowden is their version of Jay Jackson, a guy who, as a starter, was flyball prone, lacked an out-pitch as he worked into the upper levels (as he scrapped the plus curve he once had because of mechanical issues), and eventually moved to the pen (which is where I think Jay Jackson's best shot is). With the fastball/cutter (and tossing in a few sliders), he still has enough stuff that he could be a solid middle relief type arm I'm not sure I really buy him as a late-inning type arm (I mean, is he significantly better than say, a Blake Parker, out of the pen?). All that said, in a Marlon Byrd trade/dump, this is a fine return.

Hopefully there's more to this than Bowden. If Cubs are not getting salary relief, not getting a real prospect, and not ready to call up Jackson, why bother?

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

the "conspiracy theorist" would say that they are going for as bad a team as possible to load up on the draft and international signing in 2013, as much as possible under the new CBA. the flip side is ... uh ... maybe they believe adding Campana gives them better defense and another top of the order option? If it wasn't for the fact that they DFA'd Bowden, much as I am not high on Bowden, Bowden for Byrd and cash to offset is probably an okay deal. A mildly intriguing, team-controlled upper level arm (plus the supposed LOOGY they are getting) for an older veteran that doesn't offer that much with the bat. Of course, that really doesn't address the "why bother" question you propose - just saying that the deal isn't that bad, and only sounds worse because Bowden was DFA'd.

[ ]

In reply to by toonsterwu

at least it's the 2014 draft class that this "awesome" draft pick should materialize...if they continue down this path of suck, that is. i'm not a huge fan of the 2013 draft class. it's not weak, but there's not that "woah" up top in the top-5 that you see in some years. that said, i don't know what the 2014 draft class holds, so i could be dead wrong about it being better. also, it's april and im talking about next years draft...bbl, suicide.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I'd be fine if they wanted to take a gamble on Giolito (if he fell there), provided the doctors said it was okay. I'd be curious about his teammate, Max Fried, although it feels a dash high at 6. I'm not the biggest fan of Appel, and I don't think Buxton is falling there. I doubt Zunino falls there either, but that'd be a nice pick if he somehow was available. I'm not sure how I feel about Gausman or Zimmer as of now. For the most part, I think we'll get a very good talent at 6.

Sveum on the post-game interview was asked about Campana, match him up not against power guys...will use him to start a couple of times a week and maybe more, "production is everything". asked about the Clevenger Steamer, said Soto will play tomorrow. said he doesn't talk to Castro after every one of their errors.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

soto, clevenger, and welly...at least they have surplus youth somewhere... =p if clevenger keeps hitting (even though he'll probably be jason kendall-ish at best) it could make the welly situation interesting. i'm already assuming this is soto's last season and he's trade bait mid-season or post-season. welly could probably start now and celvenger is making an early case he could, too.

Bruce Levine ‏ @ESPNBruceLevine Marlon Byrd confirms he has been traded to Boston. Deal will be announced after Boston game.

Alex Speier, WEEI updates his post...
While the identity of the player to be named is not known, a source said that it is not left-hander Andrew Miller (currently on the DL).
also he changed his info for those "luxury-taxologists":
One slightly obscure clarification: It was believed that the Sox could apply the money that the Cubs would send to them to improve their luxury tax situation, since the subsidy coming from the Cubs would exceed his average annual value. In the past, teams could end up with a lower payroll as calculated for luxury tax purposes after acquiring a player. However, according to an industry source, Major League Baseball closed that loophole in the last two years.
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2012/04/21/red…

So we have another roster move coming, right? Bowden gets placed on the 40 man roster since he wasn't outrighted by the Red Sox. He's out of options. So he stays on the 25 man roster unless the Cubs try to outright him. Wells geting recalled to start on Sunday. So that's one too many players.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

interesting wording in the article. Makes me think we'll get to pick a "Chris Archer", "Marcos Mateo", or "Jose Ceda" type of guy in the low levels, a lottery ticket arm of sorts, perhaps someone not as polished yet (as bad as he's been, I wouldn't mind trying to rehab Drake Britton, but he's on the 40 and there's probably better options out there. Maybe a Cody Kukuk). Also interesting that he loosely confirmed what I had been thinking - that there's a good chance Brett Jackson won't see Wrigley until late summer, if not the fall. Considering the direction of this season, okay.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

that'd be sort of ... funny. Honestly, much as I liked Kurcz, depending on the arms, I might be inclined to go for a lottery ticket type arm instead. There isn't that much ceiling with our starting pitchers in full-season ball (I mean, I am more gung-ho than most on Wells, but realistically, as of now, unless he really develops his breaking ball, it's more a mid-rotation ceiling). The next "wave" is fairly raw (Peralta/Paulino/Arias/Maples, those guys) and a lot can go wrong. Getting more options would be nice, as Kurcz's ceiling is what it is.

per Muskat...lineup Sunday: DeJesus rf, Campana cf, Castro ss, LaHair 1b, Soriano lf, Stewart 3b, Soto c, DeWitt 2b, Wells p

Nick Cough-Fart-Doo, ass-is-tant GM from mlbtr...
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe thinks that the Red Sox should put Bard in the role of closer and recall Aaron Cook from Triple-A to fill in the back of the rotation.
and then the real ownership speaks...
After last night's game, Cherington, president Larry Lucchino, and principal owner John Henry met with Bobby Valentine. Not much was said after the meeting but in a brief phone interview with Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com, Henry said "This is not a 14-game problem, this is 41-game problem (including the Red Sox' 7-20 mark last September). Our pitching has been terrible over the last 41 regular season games."
so the cubs have a 16,000 game problem?

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.