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

Eloy Goes Deep and Strop Continues Rehab at Diablo Park

Raul Linares ripped a game-winning walk-off RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, as the Angels rallied from a four-run deficit to edge the Cubs 7-6 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Diablo Park Field #7 in Tempe, AZ.

Eloy Jimenez belted a three-run home run and an RBI single, Jeffrey Baez singled twice, walked, stole a base, and scored three runs, and Kevin Brown singled twice, walked, and scored two runs to help the Cubs take an early 4-0 lead, and Nataniel Delgado doubled twice and scored and Trevor Gretzky laced a two-run triple to aid the Angel comeback.  

The Angels collected six doubles and one triple among their nine hits.

RHRP Pedro Strop (on Cubs MLB 15-day DL - groin) continued his EXST rehab with a shutout inning (18 pitches - 10 strikes). Strop was not as sharp this morning in Tempe as he was on Saturday in Scottsdale, as he walked one and was behind in the count on just about every hitter, but he did not allow a hit, he struck out two, and he got the third out on a broken bat 5-3 GO. 

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

CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Jeffrey Baez, CF: 2-2 (BB, 1B, 1B, 3 R, SB)
1b. Rashad Crawford, CF: 0-1 (K)
2a. Kevin Brown, LF: 2-2 (1B, BB, 1B, 2 R)
2b. Oliver Zapata, LF; 0-1 (K)
3. Eloy Jimenez, RF: 2-4 (HR, K, 1B, F-8, R, 4 RBI)
4a. Justin Marra, 1B: 1-2 (BB, 3-U, 1B)
4b. Alberto Mineo, 1B: 1-1 (1B)
5. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-4 (F-8, E-5, K, 6-4-3 DP)
6. Mark Malave, DH #1: 0-4 (6-4 FC, 5-3, L-6 DP, 1-3)
7. Zak Blair, 2B: 1-4 (K, 1B, 4-3, F-7)
8. Erick Castillo, C: 1-4 (4-3, 1B, 4-3, 6-3)
9. Varonex Cuevas, SS: 0-3 (F-7, P-6, F-7)
10. Shamil Ubiera, DH #2: 0-3 (F-9, 5-4-3 DP, F-7)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Frailyn Figueroa: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 21 pitches (13 strikes)
2. Pedro Strop: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 18 pitches (10 strikes)
3. Trevor Clifton: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 8/1 GO/FO, 63 pitches (37 strikes)
4. Adbert Alzolay: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 31 pitches (12 strikes)
5. Victor Salazar: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 31 pitches (18 strikes)  

CUBS ERRORS: 1
SS Varonex Cuevas: - E-6 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS CATCHER DEFENSE:
Erick Castillo: 1-2 CS

ATTENDANCE: 5

WEATHER: Sunny & a bit breezy with temperatures 100+

Comments

Speaking of Ninja, teams that could/should cough up 2 top prospects.

Orioles, Blue Jays, Yankees, A's, Rockies

Rangers, Angels, Mariners, Braves, Giants would be the second tier in my opinion, maybe Cardinals and Brewers if they go down that road,

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I'm convinced that the Cards' front office includes at least one practitioner of the Dark Arts and that if the Cubs were to trade Shark to them, their prospects would turn into pumpkins and Shark would turn into a sex robot with a laser canon for an arm a legit ace upon completion of the transaction.

in case it went unnoticed, Cubs slipped to worst record in baseball last night, and Astros winning again today.

still a decent -6 run differential but a 3-10 record in 1-run games.

@hangingsliders

This is Lincecum's first start this season where his ERA heading into the game was lower than the opp pitcher's ERA.

John Baker single with one out in 7th ends the no-hitter. Cubs down 2-0 (Colvin double led to one run), but have 2 on, 1 out in 7th now.

"fun" facts:

Bonifacio first 8 games:500/537/579

221/264/305 since (39 games, 36 started)

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Good for about a week. Shitty since. I was just saying, even good isn't as good when you're making boneheaded baserunning plays. :)

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Derek Jeter never hit 40 homeruns in a season because he respects the game too goddamn much. In heaven, Derek Jeter will play poker with Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio for eternity. He will never tell a dirty joke, but he will smile knowingly at all of theirs. Following Derek Jeter's retirement at the end of the 2014 season, all baseballs on the planet simultaneously committed suicide. They just no longer saw the point.

Olt made a nice defensive play on a Pagan bunt attempt and then whiffed on an easy chopper by Posey that scored a run. Called it a hit though.

#enjoythebench

*changed to error apparently

Or the Cubs could not sign their 1st round pick (#4 overall) this year and instead get a comp pick in next year's draft (would be #5 overall) when the draft might have five players at the top of the draft who are actually worth taking that high. 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

There has been chatter on the web that the Cubs might select a "signable" player at #4 who is not actually a #4 talent-wise, if the player they pick agrees in advance pre-draft to accept an "underslot" bonus such that the Cubs can then spread the money they save from paying their 1st round pick "underslot" money over picks 2-10.

IMO, if you are picking at #4 overall and a premier impact talent is not on the board when you pick at #4, than punt (select somebody you know you can't sign) and take your chances next year with the #5 overall pick. It can't be any worse than picking a "signable" player and then signing him to an underslot bonus at #4 this year. 

The Cubs don't need to select & sign another good player with the #4 overall pick (the system is full of guys like that). They need a high-end impact talent that you should be able to get only by drafting at #4 overall.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

maybe, if that underslot is Jeff Hoffman at #4, then I'm all for it. Astros picked Correa at underslot at #1 a two years back and used it to get McCullers. No one seems to be complaining now. Don't think it's a bad strategy as long as Wilken isn't doing the picking and grabbing Hayden Simpson :)

Actually, picking Samardzija in the 5th round is looking quite brilliant even with Colvin as a nearly bust, but it's the same principle. No one hits 100% on the draft, you just place your bets accordingly and some people are just better at it than others.

And you can't have enough good players, no matter how stocked anyone thinks the system is.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

When a team has the #4 overall selection in a draft, it should be an opportunity to not just add another "good" player to an already strong system full of good players, it should be an opportunity to select a premier impact talent that is (most years) only available to a team with the #4 overall pick. Unless there isn't a #4 talent available when the team picks at #4 (as might be the case this year), in which case punting and trying your luck next year at #5 overall might be a gamble worth taking.  

Of course adding more good players is fine, but a #4 overall pick should be better than good. When the Astros selected Carlos Correa with the 1st overall pick in the 2012 draft, Correa was considered (pre-draft) to be a premier impact talent and one of the two or three best players in that draft (although not #1), and it also so-happened that Correa was willing to sign for below-slot money, too, which helped the Astros out. But it wasn't like the Astros used their #1 overall pick to select a Max Pentecost or a Michael Conforto. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

failing to see how the gamble of punting for a possible better #5 pick next year that they would have to sign is any better of a gamble than getting a previously unsignable player with extra bonus money in round #2 or #3.

Regardless, some mid-first round talent at #4 would disappoint me as well (Pentecost for example), although not as disappointing if they land someone thought to be unobtainable with their later picks.  If they get Hoffman for cheap or one of the other top 8-10 talents it wouldn't upset me as long as they believe in his talent. (Aiken, Colon, Kolek, Gordon aren't coming cheap and probably not Jackson, but maybe Nola or Freeland).

We'll see what happens...

PS - not sure whom they could pick here and not sign withouth looking either stupid or cheap, maybe Kolek if he drops presuming Rodon and Aiken are gone. Don't see Jackson or Gordon passing up slot money ($4.6212M, Cubs have $8.352M total for first 10 rounds or over $100K).

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2014-draft-assigned-pick-values-fo…

$1.25 M for 2nd/#45

$715K for 3rd/#78

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

ROB G: If the Cubs were to punt their #4 overall pick in 2014 and get the #5 overall pick in 2015 and then don't sign him, either, they would get the 6th overall pick in the 2016 draft.  Then if the Cubs do not sign the second compensation pick (the #6 overall pick in the 2016 draft), then they would not get a compenation pick in 2017. NOTE: This rule was modified in the 2012 CBA.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

ah thanks, thought it only carried over for one year. Regardless, after #5, your chance of "impact talent" goes down significantly.

Whom do you think they could draft at #4 and get away with saying they couldn't sign him? Regardless of the soundness of the theory behind it, there's a real PR issue that they would have to deal with.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

In the past 22 years, the only 3 overall #4 picks who have put up at least 6 career WAR are Kerry Wood, Gavin Floyd, and Ryan Zimmerman. #3 pick: 8 guys with at least 6 WAR. #5: 7 guys (with one barely qualifying). Throw out the last 4 years (guys are still too young). So of the 54 guys taken #3, 4, or 5 overall between 5 and 22 years ago, 18 of them (1/3) have at least 6 career WAR. At this point in the draft, it's kind of a crap shoot, and a little off-base to be talking about can't-miss impact talent. For impact talent, you have to go to #2 (13 of 18 guys once Pedro Alvarez gets 250 more ABs) or #1 (12 of 18 guys).

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

In the entire 49 year history of the MLB Rule 4 Draft, here are the number of 6 WAR players selected with the Top 15 overall picks in the 1st round: 

1 - 29
2 - 25
3 - 18
4 - 17
5 - 11
6 - 12
7 - 12
8 - 14
9 - 12
10 - 16
11 - 7
12 - 14
13 - 11
14 - 14
15 - 9

The pick you want to stay away from is the 11th overall pick, but #10 is better than picks #5-9, and it's almost as good as #4, and the 14th overall pick is better than 5-6-7, as good as 8, and better than 9 & 11. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Overall then, I'm not convinced, but at least your idea of punting is an interesting idea. I'd say if one of the top three pitchers isn't available the Cubs should grab the best position player, maybe Jackson or Zimmer. Yeah, they already have plenty of young not ready talent, but that could come in very handy when the Cubs start looking for a real major league caliber outfielder to trade for.

btw, here's a Pentecost write-up

http://www.amazinavenue.com/2014/5/28/5735386/2014-mlb-draft-profile-ma…

..."scouts have reservations about how Pentecost's body will hold up to the rigors of catching one-hundred-plus games...most see him as possessing below-average power, with the potential for that to improve if he can develop additional strength...defensively Pentecost does not grade poorly, but his bat is his calling card. He possesses average arm strength, and his pop time is consistently MLB average or even slightly better, but he has inconsistent throwing mechanics that hurt his accuracy"

yes, I'd be disappointed if they took him 4th

 

Hopefully Brady Aiken and/or Carlos Rodon will somehow fall to the Cubs so that they will get "full value" (an elite pitching prospect) out of the 2014 #4 overall pick. After what Cub fans went through last season, using the #4 overall pick the Cubs got for sucking to select Michael Conforto or Max Pentecost would be very demoralizing.  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

for most Cubs fans it won't matter a lick to be honest, for the vocal minority fans like us, maybe so

I'd be amazed if Aiken or Rodon fall, not sure the deal on Kolek, people seem to be weary, could be a make-up issue and Cubs F.O. seems to take that seriously with their top pick at least.

Jackson, Gordon, Nola, maybe another name or two that eludes me at the moment wouldn't upset me at all.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • 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.