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

1st Round Pick Leads Cubs to Victory in 1st Pro Game

In his third AB in just his first professional game, Cubs 2012 1st round draft pick Albert Almora (Mater Academy - Hialeah Gardens, FL) blasted a two-run HR over the LF fence and onto the berm in front of the scoreboard to cap a three-run 5th, leading the AZL Cubs to a 7-3 victory over the AZL Brewers in Arizona League action tonight at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix.

In addition to Almora's heroics, Ben Carhart had four hits (all singles) and scored a run, and Shawon Dunston Jr singled, doubled, and walked, and scored twice.

box score

Almora played CF and batted 3rd in the lineup.

Hitting with a 0-1 count, the 19-year old RH hitter reached base on an E-3 (easy roller fumbled by the Brewers 1st baseman) with one out and a runner at 2nd in his first AB in the top of the 1st, and then he hit a soft line-drive back to the pitcher on an 0-2 pitch with a runner at 2nd base and two outs in the top of the 3rd, before connecting on his two-run blast off Brewers RHP Zachary Quintana on an 2-0 pitch with a runner at 2nd base and two outs in the top of the 5th.     

Almora looked a bit shaky in the outfield, however, fumbling a line-drive hit to CF (the ball was retrieved by RF Yasiel Balaguert and the runner was thrown out trying to take the extra base, so no error was charged), and taking a bad route on a line drive hit to his left that turned what should have been either a long single or possibly a double (with perhaps a play at 2nd base) into a stand-up triple.

Almora was removed from the game after the 5th inning (after he got three AB).

One night after hitting his first pro HR and knocking the Reds third-baseman out of the game with a bouncing rocket off the youngster's nose, Jorge Soler was the DH and hit 5th, and went 0-5.

He struck out his first two times up (the first time swinging on a 3-2 pitch, and the second time looking on a 1-2 pitch), before grounding out three consecutive times to SS (all three high infield choppers) in his final three AB (first pitch swinging on the first one, then hitting with a 1-0 count, and finally on a 2-2 pitch). 

Cubs 2012 5th round draft pick LHP Anthony Prieto (Americas HS - El Paso, TX) made his fourth pro start, and labored through one inning of work (30 pitches - only 14 strikes). He went to ball three on four of the five hitters he faced and walked two of them, but he also struck out two and did not allow a run, 

Although he had difficulty throwing strikes, Prieto had no trouble turning a couple of nifty back flips (a la Ozie Smith) in the outfield before he began his pre-game warm-up in the bullpen. The East German judge only gave him a 6.5, but Prieto is obviously quite an athlete (for a pitcher). 

Comments

ROTOWORLD: According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, Ryan Dempster felt "blindsided" when word of a trade to the Braves was leaked to the media on Monday. Dempster had given preliminary indications that he would accept a trade to the Braves. However, the veteran right-hander wasn't happy when word of a completed deal leaked out in the media before the Cubs had a chance to inform him. Dempster has 10-and-5 rights and can veto any trade, so he is currently mulling over the situation. He is scheduled to pitch Wednesday, so a decision is expected before then. If he agrees to the deal, the Braves would send 22-year-old right-hander Randall Delgado to Chicago.

Overall, it looks like the TheoCorp strategy is to keep stocking up on young pitchers. Zach Lee hasn't had a very good year, for example, but the scouts seem to like him. Volstad has some potential, but bombs badly at least one inning per game. Travis Wood is sometimes ok and might be an alright back of rotation guy someday. Schamardgia has the potential to be a top rotation guy I think. Delgado is another with potential. They just picked up Germano, and signed some other guy whose name escapes me, I think some Puerto Rican kid. That's the way to go I think. Pitchers get hurt so damn much you have to stock pile as many good arms as you can and hope one or two of them stick.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

"bombs badly at least one inning per game" Sounds like a euphemism for "can't pitch." Sooner or later they light you up, and you don't get a second inning to bomb badly. By the way, I would throw out two other names as starters next year or even later this season, names that I haven't seen mentioned: Lendy, who is starting in his rehab assignments; and Raley, who has gotten much better the past two seasons and passed up Rusin, for sure. Raley has better numbers at Iowa this season than at Daytona two years ago. His 7.2 K/9 is pretty good, and the best of his career. He has 70 innings, so it's not a small sample. Can't think of too many Cub pitchers who threw better when they got to Iowa. Samardzija? That would be a good precedent.

you have to stock pile as many good arms as you can and hope one or two of them stick --- Theo: (The Cubs) need waves and waves (of pitching prospects) coming through your system
As a whole, not specifically regarding these potential deals that are coming, we need to add a lot of pitching to the system. It's not enough to have a handful or two. You need waves and waves coming through your system, and we don't have that. We don't hardly even have one wave coming, so we need to rebuild a lot of pitching depth.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-18/sports/chi-epstein-cubs-n…

ROTOWORLD ESPN's Jayson Stark was told by a source that the status of the Ryan Dempster-to-Atlanta deal should be resolved "shortly." The Cubs and Braves reached agreement Monday on a trade that would send Dempster to Atlanta for 22-year-old right-hander Randall Delgado. However, Dempster is currently mulling over whether to sign off on the deal, as he would prefer to be traded to the Dodgers. Stark notes that the Cubs continue to talk with both the Braves and the Dodgers.

Kevin Goldstein twitter thread: Kevin Goldstein ‏@Kevin_Goldstein Ryan Dempster has every right to reject a trade. Sorry, folks. He doesn't owe the Cubs anything but his services as a pitcher. If that’s his choice, it doesn’t matter. “@_ryan_delgado: @Kevin_Goldstein Just very curious why he doesn’t want to go to Atlanta” Again, he owes them nothing. “@jbtweet22: @Kevin_Goldstein Ryan Dempster is costing the cubs a BIG prospect.” Reports don't owe the Cubs or Braves either. RT @krafty0808: @Kevin_Goldstein Insulting reporters who broke the story irks me too. Also, don't tell me Dempster said he'd help the team. Public statements = nada. You'd hate him if he told the truth and said he'd be picky. Amazing dynamic to watch. RT @NSelbs: For awhile, he was Ryan "Dumpster". Then he was the new Mr. Cub. Now he's a douche.

Patrick Mooney ‏@CSNMooney Dempster plans to start for #Cubs tomorrow and says he will take time weighing all his options before making best decision for his family. Somewhere, The Real Neal is calling Dempster a pussy for thinking about his family during this trade stuff.

"Ryan Dempster told reporters Tuesday that he will take "much of the next week" to decide on a potential trade." Screw you Dempster.......so its gonna take roughly 2 weeks for him to make up his mind? Fuck you Dempster.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

It is not all of that stuff that bothers any of us. Family is important and so are labor rights. It's the issue of why this wasn't decided upon one way or the another WELL before now. I mean seriously before the season even started everyone knew the Cubs would suck badly and that Demspter, being an impending free agent, would probably be dealt in July. Dempster and his family should have been thinking and talking about this for 6 months now. And while the team's management can't concede the season in January and start approaching Dempster about his 10-5 rights and trading, they certainly should have been doing so 6-8-10 weeks ago. There was ample time then for Dempster to say "no, I don't want to go to Atlanta, that would be too hard on my family, I would veto a trade to the Braves, trade me to a West Coast team." If he had said that a few weeks ago, fine, I would applaud him. The Cubs don't owe him anything, he has a right to invoke his 10-5 rights as he pleases, and I respect someone who looks out for their family. But how the hell did we get here? It seems unlikely that the Cubs would have negotiated with the Braves over these last two weeks without thinking Dempster would approve of the trade. Hell, the Braves were one of the team's rumored openly in the news for the past two weeks, so where was Dempster then calling the GM and say "I am hearing rumors of the Braves, you know I won't go there." I just don't get it. Either the Cubs ignored Dempster's requests or instructions or never even asked him; or Dempster was not very clear with his instructions to the team or is now re-thinking his position. Or maybe a combination of the two. Who knows. But it's annoying as hell to hear that he needs a week to think about it when he should have been thinking about it for a long time and made his position clear.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

You didn't read what I wrote. No, he should not "prepare himself to be traded to any team" WTF? He should think about what teams he would be willing to go to and let the team know, gee, I don't know, BEFORE the team engages in lengthy discussions and negotiates a trade. You are right, we don't know if he was amenable to going there. If he was not, he should have told the Cubs so we didn't arrive at this point. If he is, he should approve the trade. I repeat, I don't know who is the wrong, but this was something both sides new was going to happen long ago and they had ample time to get on the same page with which teams he would be willing to go and which he would veto. This shit storm we are in now means someone fucked up.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

To keep stressing my point, he and his family should have not been preparing for a trade. Hell, I would tip my hat to him if he said he didn't want to be traded at all for family reasons. I don't think he owes the Cubs a prospect or anything. I just think he and his family should have been preparing long ago for the *prospect that the Cubs would want to trade him in July* and thus communicated to the Cubs A) if he would be willing to be traded, and if so B) where he would be willing to be traded. So I still think the entire thing is odd and means someone screwed up somewhere. After this is all over we will start hearing leaks about what happened and I would bet it is either going to be one of these two stories: 1) Cubs were frustrated with Dempster. He told them that he preferred to be on the West Coast but would go to any contender and that they should go out and find the best deal. They did that, came back to him with the trade, and only then does he say "hold on, I don't want to go to Atlanta." 2) Dempster was upset with the Cubs' leadership. He made it clear he would go to a West Coast team and that any other team would require some more detailed discussion with his family and would only be approved under specific circumstances. He assumed this would mean that they would keep him in the loop regarding their negotiations, not confront him with a done trade. He felt they were trying to bully him into taking a trade he may not accept by giving it to him already done and already leaked to the media. I would guess in a week or two we get one of those stories. OK, those are my last thoughts on this. Sorry for the WTF.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

My wife works in healthcare and was saying when she heard about Dempster wanting to go to LA, that they have one of the best childrens' hospitals in the country. Maybe Dempster is also pushing to go to LA for his kid.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

WiscGrad is exaclty right. This should have been thought over weeks ago. Its not been top secret news that the Cubs are looking to trade Dempster. I mean really if Dempster is shocked about trade rumors surrounding him he must live under a rock or is a really stupid person. A deal is in place, you either want to go or not go. He has all the right in the world to wait his sweet ass time but like i said before if i was GM and am going to wait nearly 2 weeks to make up his mind....1) I don't really want him anymore and am looking for someone else on the trade market who wants to play for my team now not 2 weeks from now. 2) If he decides he wants to be traded and i still kinda want him then I am gonna pull my so called A offer and low ball the Cubs and tell them to take it or leave it. Because were not sure if we really want him or not. The game can be played both ways and either way Dempster still makes his money, its just he looks like a fucking tool now when this could have all been avoided.

I don't blame him, although the prior reports are that he was OK with Atlanta. If I'm the Cubs, I definately don't start him until he makes up his mind. That may further piss him off, but why take a chance on an injury ala Garza.

Family is important and so are labor rights --- Speaking of labor rights...Garza takes paternity leave. Won't be available to pitch until Monday. Let me remind everyone he's had 9 months to plan for this.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

I agree with WISCGRAD's points on this whole matter, and it's hard to pass any judgement because none of us were in the discussions with Theo/Jed and Dempster's agent. Very hard to believe the possibility of a trade to teams other than the Dodgers weren't discussed. Also, hard to fathom the Cubs having discussions these detailed with Atlanta without a prior understanding that Dempster would waive his 10/5 rights to go. But stranger things have happened in Cubbery. If I was Theo and didn't get the prospects I wanted from LA, I would offer Dempster the 1-yr $12.5M deal for 2013 and take the supplemental 1st round pick.

The Cubs don't HAVE to trade Dempster. They can hold onto him, and then make the "Qualifying Offer" (a one year guaranteed contract for 2013 with a salary at least equal to the average of the 125 highest MLB salaries in 2012 - expected to be somewhere around $13M) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the 2012 World Series, and if he accepts it (and he will have a week to decide), the Cubs get him for another year (2013) for around $13M, and if he rejects the Qualifying Offer (and he probably would, since post-2012 will probably be the best and possibly last opportunity he will have to get a multi-year mega-million dollar contract), the Cubs get a compensation draft pick immediately after the conclusion of the 1st round in the 2013 June Draft (at this point, it looks to be overall pick #32 or 33), once he signs with a new team. BTW, in this scenario, the signing team loses its 1st round pick, unless it's picking in the Top 10 of the 1st round, in which case the team loses its 2nd round pick. (This lost draft pick is not assigned to any other club. It just disappears). Also, if a club signs more than one Article XX-B FA who received a "Qualifying Offer" from his former team, the signing team loses picks in subsequent rounds beyond the 1st or 2nd rounds, for as many rounds as the number of Article XX-B MLB free-agents signed who received Qualifying Offers from their former club.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.