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

Why Does Bill James Hate The Cubs?

For the second year in a row, Bill James has ranked the Cubs in the lower third in his top young talent inventory. Last year, the Cubs were 29th, this year they jumped all the way to 26th. He didn't even have the decency to rank Geovany Soto in the top 25 players under 30.

Bastard.

Here's the top 25: 1. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman, age 24 2. Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins shortstop, age 24 3. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants pitcher, age 24 4. David Wright, New York Mets third baseman, age 25 5. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers left fielder, age 24 6. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox second baseman, age 24 7. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder, age 23 8. Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels pitcher, age 26 9. Jose Reyes, New York Mets shortstop, age 25 10. Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles right fielder, age 24 11. Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals pitcher, age 24 12. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals third baseman, age 23 13. Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, age 24 14. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies shortstop, age 23 15. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners pitcher, age 22 16. Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox pitcher, age 24 17. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman, age 22 18. John Danks, Chicago White Sox pitcher, age 23 19. Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres first baseman, age 26 20. James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman, age 24 21. Stephen Drew, Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop, age 25 22. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves catcher, age 24 23. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers first baseman, age 25 24. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians center fielder, age 25 25. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds first baseman, age 24 My understanding, like all things James, is that he uses some statistical formula that incorporates age along with minor league and major league numbers and it doesn't seem like there's any room for defense in there (he uses Runs Created). Soto is probably still being penalized for just having one good minor league season, while some of the others on that list had more distinguished minor league careers. McCann would finish ahead of him just on the strength of already having a couple of plus major league seasons under his belt. As for the Cubs 26th ranking, well don't fret, James has a ready-made excuse for the Cubs.
As James has noted often, “Competitive teams don’t have as much room to let young players thrash around, and consequently most of the top teams don’t show as having a lot of young talent. They may have the young talent; it just isn’t in the lineup yet.”
I believe James gives the players letter grades but I think you need to get the Bill James 2009 Handbook for that. So I'll give you my own... Geovany Soto - A Carlos Marmol - A Rich Harden - A- Carlos Zambrano - B+ Jeff Samardzija - B+ Felix Pie - B Rich Hill - B- Sean Marshall - B- Micah Hoffpauir - B- Angel Guzman - B- Chad Gaudin - C+ Ryan Theriot - C Casey McGehee - C- Kevin Hart - C- Ronny Cedeno - D+ I used the tried and true tested, "off-the-top-of-my-head" algorithm made famous by anyone who has ever gotten in an argument at a sports bar.

Comments

Of course his best player under 30 is a one dimensions tub of lard. oh, he sucks too. Fielder is a horribly incomplete player, who, when not hitting home runs is rendered useless.

This is a rather ridiculous enterprise. Let Bill James be more accurate and call it the top 30 players under 26. If you are indeed penalized for being closer to 30, as clearly seems to be the case, then the rubrik James presents is worthless. I'd find an top 5 for each age a more interesting list. Give me the top 5 players that are aged 27, then we'll have a more interesting list.

Maybe I just haven't been paying attention, but is Dustin Pedroia really that good? I just attributed most of his hype to the fact that he plays for the Red Sox. And Joakim Soria seems a little out of place among this group. Again, perhaps because of the team he plays for, although in the opposite way from Boston.

Nice to see you give Ronnie the "+". An outright D would have been harsh. I am shocked and stunned -- Ryan Harvey and Mark Pawelek didn't make James' list? It's a sham of a mockery of a travesty.

This list is a total joke. No Kinsler? Fielder over Han-Ram, Wright and Howard? I find it hard to believe that James even watched Baseball this year.

Surprising that Pie gets a B. He's above average defensively, but the rest of his game has been a C at best. And Guzman's thrown so few innings I think a B- is generous, too.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

One result of which is that Daytona won the Florida State League championship. James wasn't looking at high-A talent. I just looked at the list of draftees in the three years (2003-2005) prior to Wilken's arrival, and among draftees actually signed I recognized the names of three major leaguers, two of whom (Gallagher and Blevins) are with Oakland. The lone Cub product of those three years is Sean Marshall, who frequently comes up in trade rumors. The barren-ness of those three drafts is the reason the Cubs were low on talent at the double- and triple-A level this past season. The talent void was camouflaged at Iowa by a group of well-traveled players who could hit but are not really prospects. The Cubs do tend to trade their younger players, with a lot of encouragement from bloggers. They have already traded Josh Donaldson, one of Wilken's five first-round and supplemental-round picks.

If MLB put all the players back into a draft and conducted it this offseason, Fielder should be happy to go late first round. Absolutely not the best young player in the game. He might not even be No. 1 on a list called Pure Power Hitters Under 30, though an argument could be made.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

You're right, I suppose the list is just poorly named. Runs Created before Age 30 or something like that would've been both more accurate and less attention-grabbing. I have no doubt that he is an elite power hitter with Soriano-like team-carrying ability. Your Photoshop of the power of the man's bat sums it up perfectly. With rumors of his availability, it's a shame there's zero chance he gets traded to the Cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

well thanks for not answering my question, but exactly what are the dimensions that you speak of and which ones does Manny have over Fielder (power, speed, contact, etc?)

this just sounds like another I hate this guy rant, I'm not going to bother being objective about it

   Ramirez Fielder
AB/HR
 14.4  15.7 BB/PA .135
 .113 ISOP
.279 .255
XBH
72.1
 72.3 BB/SO
 .73 .59

For XBH, I just did an average skipping Fielder's 2005 season and Manny's first two seasons. If you take out Fielder's 2006 season when he was just 22, those numbers are going to look even a lot damn closer.

I'm just curious what complete here is. Besides hitting for a better batting average (about 30 pts for his career), they look about the same to me. 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

no you need to do more than just that. Adam Dunn doesn't carry a team. Ryan Howard doesn't carry a team. Dave Kingman never carried a team. you need to be a complete hitter. also it HELPS if you are a good fielder (not a necessity but if you lack a bit with the bat but make great defensive plays, you team will rally around you). I know this is not the case for Manny. But when a guy like soriano nails the go ahead run at the plate, it pumps up the team.

Hanley was robbed! Bullfuckingshit. No wonder Bill James didn't do shit for me fantasy-wise. He can play the slobbery blues on my meat-whistle for all I care.

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

sadly, I don't see the Cubs even bothering unless Dempster backs out.

obviously not a decision I agree with, but Cubs seem to like him as much for his ability as his clubhouse presence.

a rotation of Z, Harden, Dempster, Lilly, and one of

Marquis, Hill, Marshall, Samardzija, Atkins

will still be one of the best in the league.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Dempster has to atleast be asking for 48/4, given that Lohse just got 41/4 so why not get Peavy for 56/3* then? I think this Dempster is staying talk was because outside of Sabathia and Lowe their just was not alot out there. Now that Peavy is on the market, they is are is a better option than Dempster with Dempster's price tag. Hopefully this thought has crossed Jimbo's mind. a Peavy,Giles, and Bell for Vitters, Marshall, Pie, Ceda, Hill, Atkins and Cedeno trade really benefits both clubs. We let Demp and Woody go in FA and use the draft picks to restock the system.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

i still don't know how WARP can be trusted too much given how it's formula is proprietary...and that it keeps changing (at least it changes when people point out the flaws instead of being some immovable object). it seems to be an aggregate of known stats weighted with adjustments. either way, it's generally correct in pointing out the good from the bad though i wouldn't put too much weight in it for an arguement. hell, you'd think aram had "issues" in 06 rather than it being his best season in that entire list of values. as far as wright vs. aram, though...wright, easy...still, can't go wrong with either, imo.

Hi, Neal. Thanks for writing and for your patience while we checked it out. Our tech crew agrees with you that we have an issue affecting DP% and netDP. They've identified the cause and will get it resolved, although we don't have a specific time frame. We appreciate the head's up on the discrepancy. Thank you for reading BP!

Also Cole Hamels at 13 is a joke. My guess is of 25 if you asked GM and directors of pro personal which guy you would pick if you had to start a team from scratch, he would finish 2nd behind Braun.

[ ]

In reply to by Chifan

Ryan Braun over Hanley Ramirez? I think not. But maybe that's just me. Hamels at 13 seems a little underrated, but not drastically. Fielder at 1 I think shows, however, that the uses of James's list are extremely limited. Plenty of guys I choose over him. If this list were more relevant Kinsler, Hamilton, and probably several others that James's model doesn't include and I'm forgetting would be there. Also, K-Rod probably drops way down, Tulo drops way down or off the list, and Zimmerman drops way down or off of the list.

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...