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

Brewers Rally Late to Edge Cubs at Fitch Park

Tyler Roberts blasted a solo HR over the LF fence and onto 8th Street to ignite a two-run 9th inning, as the Brewers scored two in the 8th and two in the 9th to overcome a 3-0 deficit and edge the Cubs 4-3 in Arizona Instructional League action this afternoon at Fitch Park Field #4 in Mesa. 
The game was scoreless through the first 4-1/2 innings, before the Cubs plated two runs in the bottom of the 5th to take a 2-0  lead. Jeimer Candelario ripped a lead-off triple down the RF line and scored the Cubs first run on a Yasiel Balaguert RBI GO, and then after Shawon Dunston Jr and Kelvin Freeman reached base on one-out singles (super drag bunt hit by Dunston), Wilfredo Petit drove-in Dunston with a two-out RBI single. 

The Cubs scored again in the bottom of the 7th. Balaguert led-off the inning with a line-drive double into the LF corner, and after moving up to 3rd base on a Trey Martin line single to left, scored the Cubs third and final run of the day on a Ben Carhart RBI GO.

The Cubs did threaten to score again in the bottom of the 8th, as Mark Malave and Danny Lockhart singled with no outs and moved-up to 2nd & 3rd on a sacrifice bunt, but Malave was thrown-out at the plate (2-1) while trying to score from 3rd on a WP, and Jesse Hodges flied out to deep right to end the inning.  

Four Cubs pitchers combined to throw a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts through the first seven innings (the one hit being a broken bat single), but then the Brewer offense woke up as the Cub bullpen imploded. Trey Lang surrendered two runs on three walks and a single in a 32-pitch 8th (Lang had major control issues, throwing just 12 strikes), and lefty reliever Sam Wilson gave up the game-tying Roberts HR on an 0-1 pitch leading off the 9th and then allowed the go-ahead run to score when he threw a two-out WP (and forgot to cover home) after the Brew Crew loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. 

This was the first 2013 AZIL game for the Cubs, but it was the 8th game for the Brewers. (The Cubs started Instructs later than usual this year).  

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

CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 0-1 (BB, K)
1b. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 1-2 (K, 1B)
2a. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 0-2 (3-6-3 DP, 3-1)
2b. Rashad Crawford, CF: 0-1 (K, 3-U SH)
3a. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-2 (K, 3B, R)
3b. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-2 (6-3, F-9)
4a. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 1-3 (L-9, 5-3, 2B, R, RBI)
4b. Jose Dore, RF: 0-1 (K)
5a. Shawon Dunston Jr, LF: 2-2 (1B, 1B, R)
5b. Trey Martin, LF: 1-2 (1B, K)
6a. Kelvin Freeman, 1B: 1-2 (6-4-3 DP, 1B)
6b. Ben Carhart, 1B: 1-2 (6-3, 1B, RBI)
7a. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-2 (5-3, F-8)
7b. Frandy de la Rosa, SS: 0-2 (K, K)
8a. Wilfredo Petit, C: 1-2 (6-3, 1B, RBI)
8b. Erick Castillo, C: 0-0 (BB)
9. Charcer Burks, DH #1: 1-3 (1B, K, 3-U, CS)
10. Mark Malave, DH #2: 1-2 (3-1, BB, 1B)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Jose Arias: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/4 GO/FO, 25 pitches (18 strikes)
2. Trevor Clifton: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 33 pitches (18 strikes)
3. Dillon Maples: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 19 pitches (15 strikes)
4. Johermyn Chavez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 20 pitches (9 strikes)
5. Trey Lang: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 2/1 GO/FO, 32 pitches (12 strikes)
6. Sam Wilson: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 28 pitches (17 strikes)
NOTE: Top of the 9th inning was stopped with two outs when Wilson reached his pre-planned max pitch limit

CUBS ERRORS: 1
SS Carlos Penalver - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Wilfredo Petit: 0-1 CS, 1 PO
2. Erick Castillo: 0-5 CS

ATTENDANCE: 24 (mostly scouts)

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 80's  

 

Comments

Az Phil: Obviously Arias, Clifton and Maples pitched well. Any comments on how they actually looked? P.S. ...and I'm sure I'm speaking for many, it's really great to read your AZ Instructs writeups once again!

Twins lose, Cubs lose...2 left and still tied.

rays, Indians now tied for AL wild card...rangers one back.

Wait, Crunch thinks managers are unimportant and overpaid? And just when you think you have seen everything...

Bruce Levine bombshell. He ends his "Talking Baseball" show saying it's his last show on ESPN1000. The show started 22 years ago and has run weekly for all that time. He says it's not a retirement, so apparently he's leaving the station. Gives thanks to the litany of co-hosts, producers and friends. Sorry to see the weekly show go away. Leaves XM radio as the only other off-season radio baseball outlet. He will remain in the twitterverse for now but didn't announce future plans beyond that. new twitter address... Bruce Levine@MLBBruceLevine

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

if pence is worth that much loot, i can't imagine what choo is going to get. also, why pay the extra millions for a guy that part of his price-package includes a great RF'r arm when 1/2 his games are going to be played in a short RF? ...sabean...18m for pence...unreal. if i had to guess how much he would be worth on the open market i would have been surprised to see him snag more than 14-15m over 3-5 years at most...5/90...wow.

rays lost...tex won...cle won 91-70 cle 90-71 tb/tex ...evidently CLE is in (according to STL announcers) no matter what, so TB/TEX games matter tomorrow.

Barney with the amazing double play at bat to end the game. Woo! Unexpected! Why did he bat in that situation . . . Musta been no one on the bench?

"Edwin Jackson left Saturday's start against the Cardinals with mild lat discomfort." ...to add injury to the insult of his 2.2ip of 6er ball. 4.98 era 1.46 whip to finish up the year.

another day, another Twins and Cubs loss...one game to go and they remained tie. Cubs loss or Twins loss gives Cubs 4th spot in draft.

your rooting interests for tomorrow are Twins, Rays and Rangers...would give us a 3-way tie for the AL Wild Card.

i like deadspin, but i wish they'd quit doing shit like this... "Terry Pendleton Roughed Up Chris Johnson For Sliding Into First Base" too often they declare something based on assumption and pass it off as 100% defacto truth. nevermind the fact he threw his helmet and had it bounce around in the dugout hitting pendleton with it...it's gotta be the slide. yeah, that's it.

i think I was saying something about the Bears defense not being able to stop anyone...ugh.

also Jay Cutler...ugh.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I don't think this loss tells any more of a story than the wins, but it certainly highlights the problems this team had even in the wins. I think the offensive line got too much credit because of the emphasis on short passing. Cutler is stil getting a ton of pressure and there still isn't great blocking in the run game. The defense certainly can't stop the passing game without tons of blitzes, which is a big problem in the end. I'm not sure why there wasn't more of the passing to Forte in this game because that has been one of the best things I've seen different on offense so far this season. All this said, it's a completely new system that has been described as very complicated with two new o-linemen in a very loud, hostile environment so I think some struggles are acceptable. Defense though is going to be a problem for us though.

[ ]

In reply to by johann

I couldn't see the game out here but I'm it looked again like the other team was moving the ball pretty much at will? Looking at the gamecast on espn I kept seeing this: Detroit: ------------------>--->TD! Bears: ---->TURNOVER Detroit: ------------------>--->TD! in the first half. Dejected was I. Good to see Alshon Jeffery have a game and it sounds like he was open on an interception. Guess we had the bad Jay yesterday.

Twins are losing 5-1 to the Tribe, top 9th. So the Cubs should get the 4th draft pick via their tie-breaker edge Michael Bourne pulls up lame trying to steal 2nd in the 9th. Hamstring (or maybe just a cramp).

Soto with a big 2 out double to drive in a run for the Rangers in the bottom of the 6th to take a 3-2 lead over the Angels. Both Rays and Indians already won today. Rangers trying to hang . . .

Geo Soto doubles in the bottom 6th to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead over the Angels. Tribe win 5-1. Rays won 7-6 Rangers win leads to this: If, Tribe, Texas and Rays all win. --Cleveland is the first Wild Card and would host the Wild Card Game on Wednesday --Texas and Tampa Bay would play a one-game tiebreaker on Monday in Arlington at 7:07 p.m. CT with the winner being the second Wild Card. Ranger loss means the Indians host the Rays on Wednesday in the Wildcard game.

I'm sure this has been explained . . . If so sorry . . . But what is determining factor in tiebreaker between Cubs and Twins? Thanks.

StL gets the top seed and play the winner of the Pirates/Reds wild card game. All in the division, hmmm. Dodgers vs Braves should be fun.

Way to get no-hit heading into the postseason, Detroit. I think they're 1-and-done.

m.rivera didn't pitch today...14 innings @HOU...yanks took a 4 run lead in the top 14th. d.robertson closed out the non-save game. he finishes his career @home (9/26). 2.21/1.00 era/whip - 652 saves ...not counting his 1st season (where he was used as a starter for 10 of 19 games) he only had an ERA over 3.00 once (3.15, 2007, 37 years old). hell, he only had an ERA of 2.35+ three times in his non-starting career over 18 years. his highest WHIP in any of those seasons was 1.19 (1997) and he only had a 1.10+ WHIP in 2 of his 18 non-starting years. crazy good. about the only thing to ask at this point is...can craig kimbrel or kenley jansen stay healthy and effective for the next 15-ish years?

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).