Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Negotiation List

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft (MLB Rule 4 Draft) are placed on a club's Negotiation List.

In most cases, a player selected by a club in the Rule 4 Draft will remain on the club's Negotiation List until either the player signs, or until 5:00 PM (EDT) on the Friday that falls during the week July 12-18 (whichever comes first), and if a club does not sign a Rule 4 Draft pick by the deadline, the player is removed from the club's Negotiation List and becomes eligible for selection again in the next Rule 4 Draft in which the player would be eligible for selection. The exception to this rule is any college senior with no baseball eligibility left. This class of player remains on the club's Negotiation List until the player signs or until one week prior to the next Rule 4 Draft (whichever comes first).

Also, any player eligible for selection in the Rule 4 Draft who is not drafted ("Non-Drafted Free-Agent" or "NDFA") can sign with any club at any time up until one week prior to the next Rule 4 Draft, unless the NDFA has college baseball eligibility remaining and is presently enrolled in a junior college or four-year college or enrolls in a junior college or four-year college subsequent to the Rule 4 Draft), in which case the July signing deadline applies.

A player selected in the MLB Rule 4 Draft or a Rule 4 eligible NDFA cannot be signed to a Major League contract.

A club is not permitted to select a player in the Rule 4 Draft two years in a row, unless the player gives his approval in advance.

CUBS NEGOTIATION LIST (updated 6-8-2013):
1. Kris Bryant, 3B (U. of San Diego) - JR
2. Rob Zastryzny, LHP (U. of Missouri) - JR
3. Jacob Hannemann, OF (BYU) - draft-eligible FR
4. Tyler Skulina, RHP (Kent State) - JR
5. Trey Masek, RHP (Texas Tech) - JR
6. Scott Frazier, RHP (Pepperdine) - JR
7. David Garner, RHP (Michigan State) - JR
8. Sam Wilson, LHP (Lamar CC) - JC3
9. Charcer Burks, OF (William B. Travis HS - Richmond, TX) - HS (NOTE: U. of Florida recruit)
10. Zack Godley, RHP (U. of Tennessee) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
11. Jordan Hankins, C (Austin Peay) - JR
12. Trevor Clifton, RHP (Heritage HS - Maryville, TN) - HS (NOTE: U. of Kentucky recruit)
13. Trevor Graham, RHP (Franklin Pierce) - JR
14. Daniel Poncedeleon, RHP (U. of Houston) - JR
15. Michael Wagner, RHP (U. of San Diego) - JR
16. Cael Brockmeyer, C (Cal State - Bakersfield) - JR
17. Kelvin Freeman, 1B (North Carolina A&T) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
18. Giuseppe Papaccio, SS (Seton Hall) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
19. Will Remillard, C (Coastal Carolina) - JR
20. Zak Blair, 2B (Mercyhurst College) - SR-5th - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
21. Josh McCauley, RHP (Shepherd U.) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
22. Kevin Brown, LF (Bryant U.) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
23. Tyler Ihrig, LHP (Marin CC) - JC2
24. Tyler Alamo, C (Cypress HS - Cypress, CA) - HS (NOTE: Cal State - Fullerton recruit)
25. Marcus Doi, OF (Mid-Pacific Institute - Honolulu, HI) - HS (NOTE: U. of Hawaii recruit)
26. Carlos Pena, C (Southwest Miami HS - Miami, FL) - HS
27. Tyler Sciacca, 2B (Villanova) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
28. Brad Renner, RHP (Florida State College) - JC2
29. John Garcia, CF (Denbigh HS - Newport News, VA) - HS
30. Zak Hermans, RHP (Princeton) - SR - NO COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY LEFT
31. Sean Johnson, RHP (Iowa Western CC) - JC1
32. Keaton Leach, RHP (Glendale CC) - JC1 (NOTE: Fresno State recruit)
33. Chris Madera, CF (Northwest Florida State College) - JC2
34. Jake Thompson, RHP (Siuslaw HS - Florence, OR) - HS (NOTE: Oregon State recruiit)
35. Ramsey Romano, SS (Valhalla HS - El Cajon, CA) - HS (NOTE: U. of Michigan recruit)
36. Derek Campbell, SS (U. of California) - JR
37. Jeremy Martinez, C (Mater Dei HS - Santa Ana, CA) - HS (NOTE: USC recruit)
38. Zack Brown, RHP (Seymour HS - Seymour, IN) - HS (NOTE: U.of Kentucky recruit)
39. Josh Greene, CF (Forest HS - Ocala, FL) - HS (NOTE: High Point U. recruit)
40. Bubby Riley, LF (Delgado CC) - JC2 (NOTE: NC State recruit)

Tags
Rule 4 Draft

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:21 am

fwiw, it's very unlikely b.riley(40th) doesn't choose to play for NCSU. strong kid, btw. you can tell he doesn't skip the gym too much. he's got a bit of speed and good arm (can easily play RF) to go with his decent (though not mind-blowing) power. he turns 21 soon...he should raise his draft value easily next season. if the cubs snag him it's a sneaky nice pick that late in the draft.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:53 am

Most of the HS & JC players selected in the 30's drop because they have strong commitments to a 4Y college. 

39th round pick Josh Greene says he has no intention of signing with the Cubs.

link

Seems he wasn't happy about being picked in the 39th round, and so he says he will honor his NLI with High Point University.

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:58 am

Cubs sign 12th round pick, Trevor Clifton, Highschool RHP, Knoxville TN; 6'5" 185#. Supposedly a tough sign because of his commitment to Univ. of Kentucky...hence the "3rd round money".
“It was a dream come true,” Clifton said about being drafted. “I got the money I wanted, and playing professional is a dream.” Clifton didn’t disclose his asking price but said he asked for third-round money. “And that’s what I got,” he said.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jun/08/heritages-trevor-clifton-selec… Clifton will report to AZ Phil in Mesa (in a week).

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:28 am

a bit dated but I read this brief note on pg.5 of the Baseball America magazine from May 28th-June 11th (Draft Preview issue with Clint Frazier on the cover):
Paniagua Locked Out One month into the minor league season, Cubs righthander Juan Carlos Paniagua had still not received his visa to travel to the US. Paniagua signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.5M last year in July, hd his contract approved and even pitched in teh US breifly after signing. However, the US Consulate has been requesting documents from Paniagua--including school records and identifying documents from his siblings--before issuing him a visa. There's no clear time-table for when Paniagua might arrive in the Us to begin his first full minor league season. Paniagua has a checkered history with MLB investigations, having failed two of them previously and served two separate penalties that banned him from signing for one year.
I think I read some comment that he might play in the Dominican league while waiting for his Visa. Anyone hear anything else?

Submitted by Raisin101 on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:36 pm

Huh, until now, I was never aware that an undrafted junior at a 4-year college could sign as an NDFA once his junior season is over.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:08 pm

Q-MAN: Correct.

Jesse Hodges was an 18-year old NDFA who had not yet enrolled at Grayson JC (which he was planning to attend), and that's how & why the Cubs were able to sign him last September (two months after the signing deadline that applies to all drafted players who have not exhausted their college eligibility) after he starred for the Canadian Junior National Team in South Korea. 

If Hodges had been drafted in June 2012 and did not sign by the July deadline, the Cubs would not have been able to sign him in Sepember. It was only because he was not drafted and was not presently enrolled in a JC or four-year college that the deadline did not apply.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:01 pm

e.jackson throwing his best game since his 1st game as a cub...and still losing. 6ip 4h 1bb 6k, 1r/er - 76 pitches hitting 96mph on the radar at the high end of his velocity...more often 94mph.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:09 pm

rizzo cracks his bat...and unlike almost all of MLB...though it's suggested/advised by MLB...he has a replacement waiting for him in the on-deck circle. ...and cody ransom goes 1st to 3rd on a groundout to 1st thanks to the shift on rizzo leaving no one covering 3rd. lulz.

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:27 pm

anyone know what's with Mike Olt? He's hitting .162 (according to the box score vs I-Cubs today). About 110 at bats...he catch Ian Stewart disease? The Round Rock lineup sported Robinsin Chirinos leading off and Jim Adduci batting 2nd. Junior Lake continued his hot hitting and went 3-5 including a double, 2 runs and 1 rbi. Daytona won 8-2 with Baez and Solar hitting doubles, Geiger with 2 hits and a HR. Patrick Kane Co. Cougars lost but Vogelbomb had a double and a HR and Almora had two more hits.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:46 am

As I've mentioned here before, Junior Lake plays infield like the proverbial Bull in a China Shop.

While I think the Cubs would like Lake to be a multi-positional IF-OF "supersub," I believe he will end up being exclusively an outfielder, capable of playing all three OF spots. 

Lake would appear to project to fit into the roster slot currently held by Scott Hairston, the RH platoon OF who (theoretically) murders LH pitching but struggles to hit RH breaking balls. That description fits Junior Lake to a "T." Put that together with his plus-plus arm (the best arm among position players in the organization) and with the speed & range to play CF, and you have an ideal RH platoon OF.

Whether Hairston's roster slot will continue to be used for a RH platoon OF once RH hitting outfielders like Jorge Soler and Albert Almora emerge (presuming they develop into everday MLB players) is very questionable, which is why I think Lake will probably eventually get traded.

But Lake is NOT an infielder. He needs to play OF full-time and get as many reps as possible out there so that he will have sufficient experience as an outfielder once he gets called up. (And that will happen whenever Scott Hairston gets traded).  

[ ]

Submitted by John Beasley on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:55 am

The Cubs also have Jae-Hoon Ha as an all-outfield right-handed hitter who I project to be eventually good enough for an MLB job. Presumably, the Cubs would only carry one of him or Lake. I hadn't really considered the effect that Soler and Almora would have on the roster makeup, but presumably there would be at most one roster slot for a guy like Lake or Ha.

Submitted by Rob G. on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:30 pm

1. Go Blackhawks

2. I don't get the Bears trading Carimi for a 6th round pick, well I get it, better to get something than nothing, but seems like it would be worth seeing if he's recovered from the knee injury.

3. oh yeah Cubs, wtf is up with Castro?

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 06:56 pm

i wish they'd give castro a day off rather than pretending he's going to be the next cal ripken jr. dunno how much it would help...but he's playing really tired baseball. he's had 1 hit this month... i've never expected much out of him except to be a .280/.330 avg/ob% type hitter with 30+ doubles, a handful of triples, and 15+ HR (which isn't bad for a SS). still...he's not even scraping that since april, though he did hit a decent amount of doubles in may...

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:57 am

well he sounds hopeless...

“Every time I’m going to be aggressive,” Castro said. “To go up there and take a walk – not everybody has that ability. I want to go up there and swing. And when I look at the video, (I’m doing) the same thing I did before (when I hit .300). I’m just a little bit slow. I keep working. I know I’ll get out of it, especially now, maybe hitting seventh (will help). If (this goes) good, then it’s back to second and stay hot again.”

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Submitted by crunch on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:12 am

we're talking about a guy who struggles to walk 35 times a season. he didn't walk in the minors...he's not going to start now. the ability to take a walk (or not) never has been part of his game and probably never will be...quality contact and bit of luck hitting the ball where the defenders aren't is the type of hitter he is. if anyone was expecting him to progress in this part of his game based on his age, i dunno what to say. that's not his approach...he thinks he can square up anything...he doesn't have that "wait for my pitch" plate approach. i doubt seriously he could learn how given the stuff he swings at...both what goes for a hit and what gets hit into an out.

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Submitted by Old and Blue on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:14 am

I agree completely. He models himself after Vlad Guerrero, which is fine if you hit like Vlad did for awhile. But as soon as you lose bat speed, which Castro doesn't seem to have done, or your mechanics are off, which they seem to be, you're hosed. Randall Simon had an exaggerated version of the Castro approach and had a nice year with the Cubs. Man, that guy swung at pitches even more out of the zone than Castro and clubbed some shots. It was almost funny.

[ ]

Submitted by John Beasley on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:16 am

I just did the math and found that if his BABIP had been .300 this season, assuming no other changes, his WHIP would be 1.35 instead of 1.57. Sequencing would still be a key factor in determining his ERA, but simply on a scaled measure, his ERA would drop from 5.76 to 4.95. All this says to me that he has been unlucky, yes, but also not as effective as a $13 million pitcher should be despite that.

Submitted by The E-Man on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 06:09 pm

Jim Callis: A for Cubs. FWIW Callis on 670 The Score really liked the Cubs draft including the pitchers right behind Bryant whom he deemed great value picks. Gave the Sox a B- He said he recommended Gabe Carimi to Jerry Angelo, too. I made the last one up.

Recent comments

  • Bill (view)

    A good rule of thumb is that if you trade a near-ready high ceiling prospect, you should get at least two far-away high ceiling prospects in return.  Like all rules-of-thumb, it depends upon the specific circumstances, but certainly, we weren't going to get Busch for either prospect alone.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

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