Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

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

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Negotiation List

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)

Comments

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.

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.

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).

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?

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.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

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.

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.

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.

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.

[ ]

In reply to by Mike Wellman

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).  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

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.

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?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

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...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

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.”

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

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.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

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.

[ ]

In reply to by johann

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.

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

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).