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

Ruggiano & Conway Return to Game Action at Riverview Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Jesse Hodges reached base three times (two-run double, RBI single, and a walk) and drove-in three runs and Charcer Burks belted an RBI triple and a double and scored a run, leading the Cubs to a 6-1 victory over the Rockies in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #6 at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Wilin Rosario (on Colorado Rockies MLB 15-day DL - viral infection) served as a DH and singled twice and hammered an RBI double for the Rockies in a losing cause.

OF Justin Ruggiano (on Cubs MLB 15-day DL since 4/24) returned to game action for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury while attempting to make a diving catch in the RF bullpen in the 9th inning of the Wrigley Field 100th Anniversary Game versus the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 23rd, serving as a DH and getting four Plate Appearances. Facing RHP Tony Bryant in all four of his AB, Ruggiano struck out (swinging) his first two times up in the bottom of the 1st and bottom of the 2nd (and looked bad in the process), but then he smacked a lead-off double off the CF fence in the bottom of the 3rd inning, before grounding out 6-3 in his final AB in the 4th. He was definitely not running at fuil-speed (he was removed for a "designated pinch-runner" after his double), but then he wasn't limping, either.

RHP Josh Conway (Cubs 2012 4th round pick - Coastal Carolina U.) saw his first game action in more than a year, getting the start for the Cubs and pitching one inning (17 pitches). His fastball was clocked at only 89-90 MPH (he was peaking at 94 last year), but his two-seamer had good sink and his hard-slider was dive-bombing the lower part of the strike zone. 

Conway underwent "Tommy John Surgery" (TJS) after suffering a torn UCL in a game against Liberty University prior to being drafted by the Cubs (a "2nd round talent" who supposedly fell to the 4th round only because of the TJS), and after spending the 2012 season on the 60-day DL he came back strong and was without question the most-impressive pitcher at Minor League Camp in 2013. He continued his outstanding work into Extended Spring Training, and he appeared to be about ready to join the Kane County or Daytona starting rotation (he had thrown 5.0 IP and 80 pitches in his previous start), when he suffered a season-ending elbow injury (described at the time as a stress fracture) while pitching in an EXST game at the Brewers Maryvale Baseball Complex on May 4, 2013 (see link). 

In EXST Cubs roster news, veteran MLB RHP Joel Pineiro has been moved up to AA Tennessee from Extended Spring Training, where he will replace RHP Ivan Pineyro (placed on Tennessee 7-day DL with a forearm strain) in the Smokies starting rotation. The 35-year old Pineiro was signed as a free-agent by the Cubs on March 30th, and has spent the last six weeks at Riverview Park getting "stretched-out" as a starting pitcher. (Prior to signing with the Cubs, Pineiro hadn't pitched since playing winter ball in Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente in Puerto Rico last off-season). 

Although it was announced at the time the Cubs signed Pineiro that he would be at Extended Spring Training for "about ten days" and then be assigned to AAA Iowa, it soon became clear that that just wasn't going to happen. For one thing, Pineiro really hasn't pitched that well (see below), and secondly, with Chris Rusin, Kyle Hendricks, Eric Jokisch, Dallas Beeler, and Tsuyoshi Wada filling the five slots, there is just no room for him in the I-Cubs rotation.

THE PITCHING LINES FROM JOEL PINEIRO'S SIX 2014 CACTUS LEAGUE EXST OUTINGS: 
4/12 - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 8/0 GO/FO, 64 pitches (48 strikes)
4/17 - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 PO, 7/2 GO/FO, 66 pitches (43 strikes)
4/22 - 4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R (7 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 3/3 GO/FO, 76 pitches (51 strikes)
4/28 - 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 4/4 GO/FO, 60 pitches (45 strikes) 
5/3   - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 2 GIDP, 10/4 GO/FO, 62 pitches (42 strikes)  
5/9   - 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 3 GIDP, 12/2 GO/FO, 77 pitches (50 strikes)  
TOTAL: 28.2 IP, 33 H, 19 R (17 ER), 7 BB, 22 K, 1 HR, 4 WP, 1 PO, 5 GIDP, 44/15 GO/FO, 72% strikes, 5.34 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, .289 OppBA

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

CUBS LINEUP:
Xa. Justin Ruggiano, DH #1: 1-4 (K, K, 2B, 6-3)
NOTE: Ruggiano batted 3rd in the bottom of the 1st & 2nd innings and 1st in the bottom of the 3rd & 4th innings) 
Xb. Bryant Flete, DPR: NO AB (R)  
1a. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 0-2 (6-3, F-7)
1b. Arnaldo Calero, RF: 0-2 (4-6-3 DP, L-6)
2a. Rashad Crawford, CF: 0-2 (3-1, F-8)
2b. Charcer Burks, CF: 2-2 (3B, 2B, R, RBI)
3a. Oliver Zapata, LF: 1-2 (P-5, 2B, R)
3b. Shamil Ubiera, LF: 1-2 (K, 1B, RBI)
4. Eloy Jimenez, DH #2: 0-4 (5-3, E-5, K, K, R, SB)
5a. Varonex Cuevas, 2B: 1-2 (2B, L-8, R)
5b. Zak Blair, 2B: 1-1 (1B, BB)
6. Gleyber Torres, SS: 0-3 (1-3 SH, 6-3, 6-U FC, K)
7, Jesse Hodges, 3B: 2-3 (2B, 1B, BB, L-9, 3 RBI, CS)
8a. Roney Alcala, 1B: 0-1 (3-1)
8b. Kevin Brown, 1B: 0-1 (BB, 3-U, R)  
9a. Mark Malave, C: 0-1 (5-3)
9b. Erick Castillo, C: 0-1 (BB, K)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Josh Conway: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, ! K, 2/0 GO/FO, 17 pitches (11 strikes)
2. Michael Heesch: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 18 pitches (12 strikes)
3. Jose Paulino: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 2/5 GO/FO, 48 pitches (30 strikes)
4. Hector Perez: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 2/2 GO/FO, 30 pitches (20 strikes)
5. Greyfer Eregua: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 3/2 GO/FO, 18 pitches (15 strikes)

CUBS ERRORS: 2
1. SS Gleyber Torres - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. SS Gleyber Torres - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely - eventually scored unearned run) 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Mark Malave: 0-1 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 11

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80's

Tags
Cubs Extended Spring Training
Justin Ruggiano
Josh Conway
Jesse Hodges
Charcer Burks

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:20 pm

night 2 of y.molina vs his pitchers... cubs benefit. top 1st runs rule. 1-0 cubs on a passed ball. ...make that 2-0...castro triple ...make that 4-0...olt HR

Submitted by Carlito on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:29 pm

Is there any way to back up time and get Olt out of the lineup tonight? He seems tired, or at the very least inexperienced.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:37 pm

3h HR j.lake. 7 hits, 7 runs...1 out in the top 2nd. t.lyons is the sux tonight.

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:48 pm

yahoo boxscore has T. Lyons pitching, think he died in 1986, at least this guy on the mound is pitching that way

rain allegedly on its way, Cubbery law says it hits before the 5th inning

Submitted by johann on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:26 pm

I truly don't get people who don't like replay. The time taken is far less than all the time taken with just pitchers being slow and batters constantly calling time and it's a chance to actually reward players for their play and not screw them over for bad calls.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:09 pm

...and "old school mentality" stupidity takes over in the 6th. t.wood (who hit 2 batters in the 5th) comes up and gets hit by the 1st pitch of the inning...putting the closest thing to an automatic out on base for 2-2, 1bb boni...who gets a single. sac fly moves wood to 3rd...next sac fly scores wood...boni is still on 1st. 10-5 chc/stl hey stl...you're down by 4 and both batters t.wood hit were not "messages" being sent. way to give away a run.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:09 pm

barney with back to back 2-hit days...ha. ...and d.barney gets his 3rd hit of the game in the 9th. he's raised his average 61 points in the past 2 days (5 for 9) to .188 ...also boni with his 3rd 4-hit game of the season.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 05:15 pm

choate out...no pitcher up in the pen...POSITION PLAYER PITCHING ALERT. ...and d.descalso it is. spotted 2 outs and inheriting a man on 1st.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 05/13/2014 - 05:26 am

brian wilson continues to have a hellish season...gives up 2 more runs tonight in 0.2ip...a 2-run HR to reed johnson (yes, reed johnson...his 1st HR since may 30th, 2013). he makes 10m this year...player option for 9m next year. 10.32 era - 2.38 whip in 15 appearances 11.1ip 16h 11bb 14k 3hr...yow.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 05/13/2014 - 05:43 am

JACOS: You think Albert Almora will be ready for MLB by next summer? I'm thinking it will probably be more like 2016 or even 2017, and when he does arrive he will probably be hitting 8th for a while. 

I think it's more likely that Jorge Soler will be up by July 2015 and playing RF, with Kris Bryant in LF and maybe Junior Lake in CF. (In the case of Bryant, moving from 3B to LF is easier than moving from 3B to RF, because an ex-3B playing LF sees the ball off the bat the same way he did when playing 3B, it's just that he's playing a VERY deep 3B). 

BTW, Jorge Soler will get a 4th minor league option in 2015 but then he will be out of options in 2016, so the Cubs can't take their time with him (as they can with Baez, Bryant, and Almora). Soler needs to move through the system at a steady pace and be MLB ready absolutely no later than 2016. The Cubs cannot afford to have his progress derailed by another injury, otherwise it will be another Wily Mo Pena situation (out of minor league options before he is MLB ready). Also keep in mind Soler will be making $2M in 2015, $3M in 2016 and 2017, and $4M in 2018, 2019, and 2020, with a player option to opt out if he is eligible for salary arbitration (because he will be out of options in 2016, he will be eligible for salary arbitration no later than post-2018).

And if the Cubs stay 100% "in house" as far as position players are concerned, their future lineup will be very RH, which actually would be good for Anthony Rizzo because the Cubs will likely see a steady diet of of RHSP. I believe having a lineup that is "too right-handed" is better than having one that is "too left-handed" (the 1984 & 2008 Cubs being a couple of good examples), since generally speaking RH hitters have less-difficulty hitting RHP than LH hitters do hitting LHP. A RH-heavy lineup would also mean the Cubs would want to carry at least three or maybe even four LH hitting or switch-hitting back-up guys on the bench.

Submitted by jacos on Tue, 05/13/2014 - 05:18 pm

Olt on bench tonight Barney, Shitholts and Valbuana in. So Barney has better chance then Olt? Got it.

[ ]

Submitted by Carlito on Tue, 05/13/2014 - 05:08 pm

see the scary part is Ricky might think his "pacing" of Olt is working and helping Olt with his 'success'. its like a self perpetuating delusion. if Valbuena is so damn good against Wainwright that he has to be in the game (and Olt of course has never faced him) then get the other bozos a seat on the bench. Got something against scoring runs Ricky Happyass?

Submitted by fullykräusened on Tue, 05/13/2014 - 05:26 pm

You know, the Cubs might do just fine tonight, but I have no desire to watch Valbuena, Barney, and Shierholtz in the same lineup. Going up to Beloit anyway to see Kane County play the Snappers in the old-school austere ballpark they have there. Plus it's $1.50 Leinie night and dollar hot dog night. Gonna be a wee bit chilly, though. Daury Torrez is scheduled to pitch. I'll see if I can give a Will Remillard/Yasiel Balaguert report tomorrow. Go 2018.

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Submitted by fullykräusened on Wed, 05/14/2014 - 05:24 am

Here's my report, as promised: Remillard smoked a double and looked good defensively behind the plate. Penalver is at least as skinny as Alcantara was when he was in A ball, but is a graceful shortstop. Torrez looks like Carlos Marmol, but has a nice clean delivery and good stuff. He's auditioning for Samardzija's gig, pitching six scoreless innings but getting a ND due to bullpen implosion. Shawon Dunston wraps the bat so far back over his left shoulder and back that it looks like he's swatting flies on his T11 vertebra. A good game, well-played, Cougars couldn't quite pull it out in the ninth. My $9 box seat put me in the second row, and I had three little 12-oz Leinenkugel Canoe Paddlers, three hot dogs (small, old-fashioned franks, and they had sauerkraut on the condiment table) and a small popcorn (hey, I was hungry) for, wait for it, a total of $8.50. Plus free parking, and you got to walk past the Park District softball game on the way to the ballpark. Attendance was something like 490. It was College Night--get in for a buck with a college ID-- so the place was infested with Beloit College kids who mostly watched the game as a break from their smartphones. Cheap beer night and college night together? They should have given out a free fake ID for the first 100 admissions... Anyway, great place to watch a game-- when the chatty girls in front of us were quiet, you could hear outfielders call for the ball.

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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