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

We Shall Rumor On...

- Ricky Nolasco got shelled versus the Padres last night, one of the teams rumored to be in on him in trade talks...whether that will stunt his value or not remains to be seen, but it certainly didn't help it in any way.  After Garza got himself injured before the Cubs could deal him last season, you kind of hope a deal could be had before Garza's next start on Wednesday versus the A's.

- Buster says the Dbacks and Cubs did talk Jeff Samardzija and the Cubs asked for Archie Bradley and/or Tyler Skaggs and then the talking was done. I presume it must have been both, as he then tweets that the "perception" is that the DBacks would move Tyler Skaggs in the right deal.

- The Cubs were among many teams scouting Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez...rumors be it'll cost upwards of 4/40M (or more) to sign the 26-year old Cuban lefty. The Red Sox and Dodgers seem to be the main competition.

- Speaking of international signings, Baseball America has been big on suggesting the Cubs will look to add some international pool money in some of these trades. Theo said it's something that could happen, but the Cubs' international signing "plan" doesn't require it.

- Nick Cafardo says 3 teams are showing interest in Carlos Marmol. There's always the possibility the Cubs may get someone else's cast off while still paying Marmol the rest of his salary minus the pro-rated version of the minimum.

- Last and certainly least, the Giants are looking for a RH outfield bat...someone like Alfonso Soriano circa 2012.

 

Comments

Jon Heyman‏@JonHeymanCBS #orioles are interested in garza now after being lukewarm earlier, but so far they believe price is 2 high. #cubs ---- Orioles not interested in including anything of real value. So no surprise.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I think the O's are nuts to not take Garza and, say, Russell for Bundy, another decent prospect (maybe Josh Hader, maybe someone a little lower) and a few mid-level prospects. Bundy is now undergoing TJ surgery, there is never a guarantee he will be the same. Personally if the Cubs could deal Garza, one (or more if needed) of Feldman/Wood/Gregg, Samardzija and Russell and end up with Bundy and Bradley (assuming AZ backed out because we asked for both), the upside would be amazing. Obviously teams don't give up Bundy and Bradley easily, but Samardzija is relatively young and performing well (and has some club control) relative to normal prospects traded and Bundy is undergoing TJ surgery. I don't actually think this is impossible and, if it were possible, our potential upside if Bradley hits his potential and Vizcaino and Bundy came back at full strength from surgery would be a mighty top 3 staff.

I still hate Saturday blackouts. I'm still happy this is the last season for Saturday blackouts.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

per Roto...
Ryan Sweeney left Saturday's game against the Mariners with rib soreness. Sweeney hurt his ribs when he crashed into the outfield wall in the third inning of Saturday's game. The Cubs say he's day-to-day, so it likely won't require a DL stint.

The Giants are looking around for a RHed hitting outfielder. ----- when I first read the above I thought it meant red-headed hitting outfielder and immediately thought... Matt Murton is available.

if DFA's Marmol for Francoeur happens, Jedstein will be criticized for collecting OFs. Collect em all! Bogey throws out the ancient Mariner at the plate. On to the 9th.

Walk to Hank White? Extra innings. At least they have to bat the pitcher and have no one left on the bench. What could go wrong?

[ ]

In reply to by johann

He says all the right stuff but you can't help but feel some added pressure -it's just human nature. I feel pretty confident he'll sort it out. I'm much more concerned about Castro than Rizzo. Having said that, Castro still is young, and his current metamorphosis into Neifi Perez is hopefully just a result of him trying a little too much night life.

Nick Cafardo/Boston Globe, Sunday baseball column...Quite a Large Cub related portion:
DEAL WITH IT Epstein has the pieces to make things happen Theo Epstein’s Cubs may be in the best position to make deals at the deadline, but it appears he is ready to strike with Matt Garza sooner rather than later. Given the way Garza has pitched lately (two earned runs in his last 22 innings over three starts), it appears he will be dealt well ahead of the deadline, according to major league sources. The Orioles seem to be a very good fit, given that Garza is battle-tested in the AL East. The Cubs were hoping to trade Garza by spring training, but then he suffered an oblique injury and couldn’t start the season on time. He had to go through rehab starts, and then go out and show he was healthy. He’s shown that, and it might behoove the Cubs to deal him before there’s another setback. One NL GM said, “There’s a lot of competition for him. I think Theo is getting inundated with calls for him, so he’s probably the hot name.” Garza should bring the Cubs three players, including two top prospects.
Besides Garza, there’s been a lot of interest in Nate Schierholtz, who entered Saturday with a .284 average, 11 homers, 33 RBIs, and 19 doubles. Schierholtz also has played an excellent outfield. The Cubs signed Schierholtz to a one-year, $2.25 million deal last offseason, and it appears the flip price is going to work in their favor. The Cubs also have veteran righthander Scott Feldman, whom they also plan to trade after signing him to a one-year, $6 million deal. Feldman is 7-6 with a 3.46 ERA. Look for the Orioles to be a bidder for his services. And there’s always Alfonso Soriano and David DeJesus, and out of the bullpen, Kevin Gregg and James Russell. You don’t hear much about Soriano anymore, but he’s in the mix if someone wants him. The Cubs are hoping to get pitching prospects in these deals. While they appear to be set for good positional players in the minors, they lack pitching depth, and that’s where Epstein would like to score a bonanza with his veteran players.
Apropos of nothing 1. Ryan Sweeney has hit four homers for the Cubs.
Update on 9 2. Carlos Marmol, RHP, Cubs — The Cubs had received a few nibbles on Marmol after designating him for assignment. According to one National League GM, “A change of scenery would do him good. He was being booed quite a bit in Chicago and he had to get out of that environment. He still has very good shutdown stuff that could play well in another environment.”
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/06/29/alex-rodriguez-what-have-y…

R.Sweeney fractured ribs...15 day DL...expected out 4-8 weeks. borbon and bogus manning CF until dejesus/sweeney gets back...wonder who's gonna get called up...probably sappy.

Navarro is DH today. Any idea who backup catcher is? I vote for Borbon - maybe we can discover something he's good at.

I'm not sure we ever really kept close track of it. Try Cot's contract if it's still free.

this bullpen is dildos. 7-6 game...bottom 8th, 0 outs. s.camp is still a cub...c.marmol gets DFA'd because some drunk assholes won't quit boo'ing every time they see him.

anyone get the sense the White Sox will trade half their team tomorrow? They tend to a commit to a direction pretty quick.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Always good for a non-contending team to hang onto a player having the best year of his career whose performance never indicated he will ever have these numbers or trade value ever again because he is eligible for arbitration next year. Perhaps Sully got this from a source and is trying to justify it, but truly this makes no sense to me. If someone is willing to pay decent value for Schierholtz, I would hope that his arbitration in 2014 would not be a factor, at any level, as to whether we keep him or trade him; I would much rather see a decent prospect we get for Nate (perhaps a set-up man to fill Camp's role) and Brett Jackson/Junior Lake/anyone else playing Nate's OF role in August than Schierholtz putting up a fine season to drive the Cubs into a strong 4th place finish.

[ ]

In reply to by springs

Wait, are you trying to say that Todd Hollandsworth did not repeat his .939 OPS 2004 season in 2005?!?!? WHAAAAT?!?!? That being said, I like Schierholtz. He won't repeat this performance next year, but he seems to play decent baseball without doing anything stupid on a daily basis. In other words, he feels like anti-Cubbery, and he is cheap, and it might be good to have that around next year as the Cubs continue to develop some of these young guys. But if they trade him and get something, I have no problem with that either.

[ ]

In reply to by springs

I'd consider Sullivan's body of work in evaluating his evaluation. Schierholtz seems like a great guy for a contending team to have around. He's the type of guy who might be one of those unknown playoff heroes that seems to pop up every year. If I had a contending team and I needed an outfielder, I'd definitely roll the dice on this guy.

Chris Cotillo‏@ChrisCotillo Hearing from #Cubs source that they are talking to two teams about Carlos Marmol, trying to get a deal done. ---- Cubs pay all of Marmol's contract and get Internation Free Agent cap space in return?

Q-MAN: Yes. The Cubs could trade Carlos Marmol for another club's ISBP Signing Bonus Value (SBV) and agree to pay all of Marmol's remaining salary as part of the deal. 

An SBV can only be traded for a player or players. It cannot be sold or exchanged for cash or other considerations. However, cash can be exchanged if it is used to offset the salary or salaries of players acquired in return for the SBV.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the first day that a 2013-14 SBV can be traded because July 2nd is the beginning of the new International Signing Period, and an SBV can be traded only during the International Signing Period (July 2nd through June 15th of the following season) to which it has been assigned. 

BTW, the 2013-14 International Signing Period is the first one where SBVs can be traded, which is why there have not been any trades involving ISBP SBVs yet. 

Remember, when a club acquires an ISBP SBV and increases its ISBP for that Intenational Signing Period, it only acquires the right to spend that money (the value of the SBV) without penalty, not the money itself. 
 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Thanks Phil. I hope you're doing okay in all the heat down there. Heyman saying the same thing as the kid reporter's tweet. Jon Heyman‏@JonHeymanCBS heard there are "three or four" teams showing some interest in carlos marmol. actually wasn't terrible in non-closer role

Q-MAN: The biggest obstacle in trading Carlos Marmol is that he has a limited NTC that allows him to name (in advance) five MLB clubs to which he will accept a trade. So even if the Cubs find a trading partner, that club would have to either be one of the clubs to which he will accept a trade, or he would have to waive his NTC.

And there really is no reason for Marmol to waive the NTC, because having been Designated for Assignment, he knows (as a player with at least five years of MLB Service Time) that he can't be sent to the minors without giving his permission in advance (so outrighting him and hoping he will elect free-agency and give up what remains of his contract isn't an option), which means either he gets traded or he gets released (and if he is released, the Cubs are on the hook for what remains of his 2013 salary minus the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary if and when he signs with a new club).

Also, if he gets released he can take his time and shop around and then eventualy choose which team to sign with (instead of the Cubs making the decision for him), and maybe even score a 2014 contract (not very likely but still theoretically possible) as part of the deal.  

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • 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.