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

Cubs Batter Rockies at Fitch Park

Junior Lake doubled twice, singled, walked, stole a base, and scored three runs, Jeffrey Baez doubled twice, scored twice, and knocked-in a run, Shawon Dunston Jr belted a two-run triple, singled, stole a base, and scored two runs, Brad Zapenas drove-in three runs with a double and two sacrifice flies, and Xavier Batista hammered a solo home run (his third HR in two days), as the Cubs drubbed the Rockies 13-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #4 in Mesa,AZ.

The game was pre-planned as a ten-inning affair so that more pitchers could get game work.  

Junior Lake (fractured rib cage rehab) played CF for seven innings and batted five times, going 3-4 with two doubles (both rifled off the LF fence), a line-drive single, and a walk, plus a strikeout (swinging). 

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):



CUBS LINEUP
X. Junior Lake, CF: 3-4 (2B, 2B, K, BB, 1B, 3 R, SB)
NOTE: Lake batted five times, hitting 2nd in the bottom of the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th innings
1. Shawon Dunston Jr, LF: 2-5 (3-U, 1B, 4-3, 3B, 3-1, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB)
2a. Steve Clevenger, 1B: 1-2 (1B, F-9, BB, RBI)
2b. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 0-1 (F-8 SF, 4-3, RBI)
3a. Jose Morales, DH #1: 0-4 (5-3, F-9, 4-6-3 DP, K)
3b. Rashad Crawford, CF: 0-1 (3-U)
4a. Xavier Batista, DH #2: 1-2 (F-8, BB, HR, 2 R, RBI)
4b. Garrett Schlecht, PH: 0-1 (P-6)
5a. Justin Marra, C: 1-2 (F-9, 3B, R, RBI)
5b. Wilfredo Petit, C: 1-2 (1B, F-8, R)
6. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 2-3 (F-9, BB, 2B, 2B, 2 R, RBI)
7. Mark Malave, 3B: 0-2 (F-9, 5-3, BB, BB, R, RBI)
8. Brad Zapenas, 2B: 1-2 (F-9 SF, 2B, F-9 SF, 5-4 FC, 3 RBI)
9. Francisco Sanchez, SS: 1-4 (K, F-8, 2B, K, R, RBI)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. James Pugliese: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 6 K, 1 GIDP, 66 pitches (50 strikes), 5/4 GO/FO
2, Armando Rivero: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 22 pitches (14 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
3. Carlos Martinez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 34 pitches (22 strikes), 0/6 GO/FO
4. Mike Hamann: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 9 pitches (6 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
5. David Villegas: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 6 pitches (5 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO

CUBS ERRORS: 3
1. SS Francisco Sanchez - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely - eventually scored unearned run)
2. SS Francisco Sanchez - E-6 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely)
3. C Wilfredo Petit - E-2 (Catcher's Interference allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Justin Marra: 0-1 CS
2. Wilfredo Petit: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above)

ATTENDANCE: 11

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures 100+

 

Comments

AZ Phil: When management feels that Junior Lake is ready...will he be ready for Iowa? or Chicago? ...and where will he play in the field at that point? I'm expecting Iowa, but to Chicago after the July trade deadline to replace whatever OF(s) gets dealt. Brett Jackson seems to have his feet (and bat) stuck in the mud this year so Lake's bat will carry him ahead of BJax.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

CUBSTER: I would expect Junior Lake to go to Iowa when he completes his rehab at EXST, and once there to be moved around between 3B and the three OF positions.

IMO, Lake will eventually end up a RH platoon OF capable of playing all three OF slots, sort of like a Scott Hairston or somebody like that. 

I suppose he could be used as a supersub IF-OF at the MLB level, but he's a bit of a Bull in a China Shop when it comes to playing infield. I would say outfield will be his ultimate destiny, and depending on how well he hits, he could be more than a RH platoon OF. 

Like Josh Vitters, I expect Lake to be traded.

Two more two baggers for Cubbles for 3-1 lead /cubs lead mlb in doubles //go figure

Joe West is an idiot I know he didnt blow the call but under his leadership umpiring is sloppy and abrasive. He can be thanked when they are replaced by video cameras

carlos marmol's trade value is creeping just above a can of simoniz, but well below an infield rake...forget about the package of both. ...also, zach putnum sucks.

per sun-times/Ginetti: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/20475486-573/cubs-manager-… With two days off next week, the Cubs will give left-hander Travis Wood extra time off, skipping him until the home game Friday against the Pirates. ‘‘He’s pitched a lot of innings already [72] and thrown a lot of pitches in those games in a lot of stressful innings,’’ manager Dale Sveum said. ‘‘And he’s been on the bases a lot in the games he’s pitched.’’ --- Sunday- EJax; Monday-off; Tues/Anaheim-Feldmania; Wed-Garza; Thurs-off. The week with two days off also stretches Shark (actually everyone) out...Ninja won't pitch for a week (saturday to saturday)

Sure hope the Cubs never had an actual chance to get Dominic Brown for Soriano as was briefly rumored.

c.marmol out for the 8th after throwing 30 (mostly bad) pitches last night. this game sucks, btw...every time it looked promising the cubs screwed it up. marmol walks the leadoff hitter...and the following hitter... bb, bb, K, CS, bb, RBI single, K... 1ip 1h 3bb 2k ...34 pitches

more of the future (puts on shades)...Cougars win 3-2 in 10: Kane County Bottom of the 10th Pin-Chieh Chen flies out to left fielder J. D. Williams. Albert Almora doubles (6) on a fly ball to center fielder Jeremias Pineda. Tyler Jones intentionally walks Dan Vogelbach. Jeimer Candelario singles on a line drive to right fielder Adam Walker. Albert Almora to 3rd. Dan Vogelbach to 2nd. Rock Shoulders walks. Albert Almora scores. Dan Vogelbach to 3rd. Jeimer Candelario to 2nd.

the ramon ortiz experiment in TOR may be over...though it probably shouldn't have existed in the first place...he was pitching worse than he was when he was a cub in 2011. 3rd pitch of the 3th inning...he walked behind the mound...spiked his glove down...trainer out...pointing to his pitching elbow...in tears walking off the mound. though i'm sure he was hurting, it was tears of a game/season/career not ending on his terms more so than pain. it was just 2 weeks ago he got his 1st win as a starter since 2007. 40 years old...sucking before this happened...buh-bye guy.

[ ]

In reply to by Koyies Bansaw

Five pitchers were shut-down during the course of Minor League camp last March and haven't pitched since:

Marcelo Carreno
Gerardo Concepcion
Michael Jensen
Jin-Young Kim
Casey Weathers

There are a couple of others who were throwing at Minor League Camp, then went active for a while at EXST, and are now shut-down again: 

Dayan Diaz (forearm strain)
Andrew McKirahan (2012 TJS) 

Tthere are those who were active with full-season teams or at EXST and are now shut-down at EXST:

Daniel Adrian (knee)
Josh Conway (fractured elbow)
Ryan McNeil (May TJS)
Starling Peralta (unknown)
Dae-Eun Rhee (unknown)
Ryan Searle (sprained elbow UCL)

These two are throwing "sim" games and could appear in an EXST game this week:

Carlos Gutierrez (2012 shoulder surgery rehab)
Chang-Yong Lim (2012 TJS rehab)

The following position players are at EXST but are not playing in games: 

Stephen Bruno (unknown)
Trey Martin (left shoulder surgery rehab)
Greg Rohan (back surgery rehab)

It is not unusual for pitchers who are diagnosed with elbow or shoulder injuries that do not require surgery or biceps or triceps tendonitis to be shut-down for two or three months, as happened with Ben Wells (sprained elbow UCL) and Zac Rosscup (biceps tendonitis) last season. That coiuld very well be the case with Carreno, Concepcion, Jensen, and/or JY Kim,

I guess we can't know until the year has run its course, but the Castro and Rizzo contracts are going to be significant indicators of the success of the TheoCorp regime and its strategy for building the team. They were both risky maneuvers, in my opinion. Doling out huge wads of cash for unproven players just seems like a risky strategy. Castro for me is the biggest concern. He looks like a singles hitting Vlad Guerrero - swinging at everything near the plate but not having anything to show for it. I don't think it makes sense to give up on a guy who has shown as much hitting potential as he has - this could be just a nasty, protracted slump, but it does make the overall contract strategy pretty interesting. Rizzo, despite his occasional 0 fers, is a lot less of a concern for me. He's got some nice numbers for a 23 year old, especially considering what a terrible start he had to the year and then his post contract slump. I guess for me, the Rizzo contract made a lot more sense than the Castro one did, especially considering all the shortstops bounding about in the Cubs system. On a side note, I kinda wish they'd release Marmol. I doubt the Cubs need any Simoniz.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

If this is the new norm for Castro, then the contract will start sucking very soon. If he puts up numbers similar to his 2011 and 2012 seasons, then the contract is just fine. It doesn't reach 8 figure annual salary until 2018. I'm hoping he ends up at 2b. I hope they just cut ties with Marmol too. I think it's time to start throwing shit at the wall in the bullpen to see what sticks. Any random AAA or AA guy can walk the bases loaded too.

Cubs Draft... I think I'd like to see the Cubs take one of the third basemen. I don't know anything about them, though, so maybe I'm hoping they are taking another Junior Lake (see AZ's description of his infield skills above) and don't even know it. But top round pitchers make me nervous the way top free agent pitchers do. They are a puffy tendon away from being a total waste. Better to build your staff by picking a bunch of potential guys in the lower rounds and seeing what sticks.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

if you're talking about Kris Bryant, I haven't seen any real conviction that he'd stay at 3b. He's probably begin there, but seems like he's destined for the OF or 1B.

 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

moran will most likely stick at 3rd (though there's been some (imo) weird rumblings about him not being able to play well there that seem out of place given his arm...footwork can be improved), but he's more of a gap power guy than a true power hitter...some believe it will develop, though...and he's a good hitter. not many are high on bryant staying at 3rd even if someone lets him try to initially make it there.

Bruce Miles‏@BruceMiles2112 #Cubs say DFA'd reliever Alex Burnett has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Class AAA Iowa.

Baez in BA Notebook

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-notebook-javier-baez-pow…

Baez has tantalizing bat speed and power potential, but his free-swinging approach has started to eat into his on-base percentage this year. We talked about this on the Prospect Handbook Podcast, but sometimes the best way for an aggressive hitter like Baez to become a more disciplined hitter isn’t by having the organization mandate he start taking the first pitch or emphasizing walks. Sometimes a young hitter just has to swing at bad pitches, then learn that those are the pitches he needs to lay off because he can’t do damage with that slider that dives off the plate or that tempting fastball above the strike zone. Some players never make the adjustment, but the talented ones learn from their mistakes. With Baez, the adjustments are already starting to come as a 20-year-old in high Class A Daytona. On Saturday Baez went 5-for-6 with three doubles and a home run, then followed that up yesterday with a 2-for-4 day to bring him to .281/.322/.519 with nine walks, 56 strikeouts and nine home runs. Baez is going to have to put in major work to clean up his defense, though, as he’s looked out of place at shortstop with 24 errors in 51 games.

Mock Draft at BA

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2013-experts-draft/

2. CUBS (Jim). You’re not going to draft for need at the top, but the Cubs’ biggest need dovetails nicely with the elite prospects in this year’s draft. They need pitching and there are two obvious frontline starters in this crop. I’m mildly tempted by Bryant, but the choice comes down to Gray and Appel, and the Astros have made it easy here by taking Gray off the board. I like Gray a little more because I think his stuff is more electric when he and Appel are at their best, but I’m happy with Appel at No. 2. He has more polish, a deeper repertoire and a longer track record, and he has dominated this season like scouts always hoped he would: MARK APPEL.

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...