Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-23-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 9 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 





Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Select Kyle Schwarber

So the big 3 pitchers went to the first 3 picks - Aiken to Astros, Kolek to Marlins and Rodon slips to White Sox. That left the Cubs in the position to do pretty much whatever they want. The reality is that after the first 3 picks, there was no obvious #4, or 5 or 6 or 7. Some guys really liked Nick Gordon and Alex Jackson, but they're projectable high schoolers and if they were sure things, let's face it, they'd be going top 3. No one passes a sure thing bat for pitching unless it's Strasburg coming out for the draft and that's what the 3 teams just did ahead of the Cubs.

So the Cubs had their pick of the rest of the bunch and they ended up taking the player they "claim" to be #2 on their draft board in C/OF/1B Kyle Schwarber (#1 was Aiken). Draft junkies aren't buying that, but hell with them. If baseball teams ran their teams by mock drafts and twitter they should all get fired. Here's what we know about Schwarber and that is that he can rake...a left-handed hitter with a good power/patience profile. College stats don't mean much, but they're as ridiculous as you expect. Now is the bat just good enough for a catcher or is it good enough to play the outfield or first base? Well that's the question because there are very few that believe that Schwarber will stay behind the plate and he doesn't seem to be the physical specimen that would make much of an outfielder although being a catcher and all, he should at least have a solid arm out there.

McLeod talked up his bat, calling him the surest bet in the draft, someone who does all the things the Cub want from a hitter in terms of controlling the strike zone, hitting for power and hitting for average and said his make-up is off the charts which has been a reoccuring theme with their other 2 top picks (Almora and Bryant). Added bonus is that the Cubs will likely save a little on this pick once Schwarber signs and that'll give them a chance to get a little higher upside arm in some of the lower rounds.

Comments

speaking of leaps, Brewers took Kodi Medeiros at #12, Callis and BA had him as a late first rounder

when they put in the DH after the next CBA, Cubs will be looking good with Schwarber and Vogelbach :)

Kind of a meh pick, but it was a meh draft. Ahh, Cubbery. Nobody does it better.

KKKKKKK-not Well, if my math is right he only struck out less than 12% of the time this year in 228AB's. No way he fits the team profile with that much of a low percentage of K's. I don't know - solid college players have way more success than high school draftees, according to James. And, everyday ones move to the top of that list when compared to college arms. This team still has zero #1 pitchers in the entire system and I really was hoping they would get a big college arm regardless of picking 4th.

@ESPNChiCubs

McLeod, after talking with Schwarber before the draft, etc. : “We expect him to sign really quickly.”

Call him up :)

Keith Law scouting report on Schwarber

Schwarber may have the most raw power of any prospect in the class, showing plus-plus power to right field thanks to tremendous lower body strength and strong wrists. He transfers his weight well and has the type of raw power that could produce 30-plus homer seasons if he's able to play every day. He shows good feel at the plate, and a willingness to work pitches and get on base via walk, but doesn't have elite bat speed and there's a lot of swing-and-miss in his bat as well.

Padres take Trea Turner at #13, Tyler Beede goes #14 to Giants. Leaves Erick Fedde left as guys the Cubs may have had any interest in..

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Hmmm...seeing the Giants taking Beede? Very surprised our former Vandy pitching director couldn't convince TheoJed to draft Beede. Not like the Giants have had shitty home-grown pitchers over the last 10 years or anything... Beede right now may have been the #1 pitching prospect in the Cubs system - or maybe 1-B. Cubs are so goddamn pitching prospect poor. But, catching too I suppose. Wonder what those MLB draft war-rooms are like.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

it is highly likely LF or 1st is his future...though he'll probably get a chance to catch to start his career. it's not just his slight bulk that's the issue, it's his overall skills behind the plate. unfortunately, he's also a rather slow runner. that said, he's supposed to be a "nick swisher" type as a supposed ceiling...

Another thing really gets me - that has been discussed here frequently - is that "Competitive Balance" pick. How the fuck did MLB let this happen? What a joke. It should just be called the "Yankees Retribution" pick. So, in essence, the teams with money cannot spend more than "slot" - yet at the same time they get penalized b/c they are in a "larger" market?! Just bullshit to allow the Cardinals to win more Pennants and World Series. Fuckers...

#21 pick is Bradley Zimmer, OF from U of San Francisco, Cubs selected him in Round 23 of 2011 draft.

I like our draft pick! Captain happy is still an asshat. That's all for now.

RHP Jake Stinnett, senior from Maryland is 2nd pick, they usually sign for under slot. 

College seniors have done well with the new Draft rules as teams try to find ways to strategically use their bonus pools. Stinnett has the chance to be the first senior to come off the board in 2014. Originally a two-way player who played third base for the Terrapins, Stinnett started focusing on pitching only as a junior in 2013. He's really taken off this season, showing a jump in velocity up into the mid 90s with plenty of sink. His slider has greatly improved, flashing as a plus pitch. His changeup is behind the other two, but he has shown some feel for it. The focus on pitching has helped his command, and he's able to pitch to both sides of the plate. There is some effort to his delivery, but not enough to make a team think he can't start. College seniors typically are value picks, but Stinnett has the chance to go in the early rounds based on his size and stuff alone.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

i was hoping they'd go for nola...that said it's a decent pick with the only major possible flaw being that he's probably a LF/1st type. the cubs have 1st locked up to the end of the decade and LF posibilities are starting to look a bit crowded unless bryant can manage to stick at 3rd (and olt doesn't develop enough bat to stay there). schwa will probably get a chance to catch out of the gate in the minors, but his D/skills there aren't praised much. either way, quality youth bats can always be traded if there's a logjam.

Even after reading all the lipstick applied to this pig of a pick, I feel underwhelmed. Kyle Schwarber is the reward for watching an atrocious 2013 season of baseball. Repeat to myself: "Trust in the plan, trust in the plan, TheoJed know what they're doing."

[ ]

In reply to by Sonicwind75

Well if Jason McLeod, director of scouting, is right and Schwarber is the "best hitter -- hands down -- in this year's draft" I am happy to kiss that pig. On another note, do people think the Cubs will begin to sign bigger name free agents this off season?

Made my first trip to Wrigley last night -- by far, the most popular jersey worn was....good old #23. A few Rizzos and Castros, but not an Eli Whiteside in the bunch. Contrast that to a Hawks or Bears game, where most (or at least a lot of) people are wearing the jerseys of current players (ex. Walter, perhaps), and you get a sense of the fan connection to the current team. I must say, though -- I am liking the young bullpen.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    welp...

    bellinger...fractured rib.

    that's all.

  • crunch (view)

    i have no hard data, but i'm seeing the same thing.

    there used to be some parks where that was rampant (colorado during the todd helton days comes to mind), but i'm seeing it all over the place the past couple seasons.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I’ll spare the details which I’ve stated before but, in short, the Cardinals have lost their sight of their successful identity and strategy over last several dominant decades. From the beginning of the season I saw the Cardinals being in last place or near it again this year, and my prediction is that Mozeliak will be gone after the end of the season.

  • Bill (view)

    I would have kept Cooper rather than Wisdom, but at least I can understand why they did it.  In a team that lacks dominant power hitters, Wisdom can be a dominant power hitter, at least in streaks.  I suppose that there is always the possibility that the streaks longer in both duration and frequency.  I will be content if they essentially make a 100 % DH commitment to Mervis against righties and Wisdom against lefties.  When a regular needs rest, give them total rest, rather than a DH rest.  Do this for at least 2 months, and then re-evaluate at that point.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    This is Cubs adjacent but…


    Jordan Walker just was optioned by the deadbirds. For all the talk of the Cardinals development machine, they’ve really missed on a lot of can’t miss superstars lately. Walker has struggled. Gorman has been okay. They’re already trying to push Carlson out the door. Their pitching system has been so bad they had to go out and sign basically a full rotation over the last two offseasons.

    They’ve still developed a few of those pesky solid players, like Donovan, Edman, and Nootbaar. Their two best prospect to MLB players have been Adolis and Arozarena, neither of which is a cardinal.

    I hope they never figure it out again. Cardinal failure brings me such joy.
     

  • Raisin101 (view)

    Thank you so much! I really appreciate not only all your posts but how eager you are to respond to our questions.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Is it just me or does it seem that official scorers are becoming less likely to call a misplay an error? 

     

    Guess I've hit my cranky old-man phase in life.  "I remember back in the day when an error was an error.  Official scorers have gone soft.  Now where did I put my readers?!!??"

     

    Sidenote, maybe Bellinger should be a little more careful against the Astros.  That was the series last year that a play at wall put him on the IL.   

  • crunch (view)

    i hated the almonte pickup, but he's 9-10 out of 12 for good outings, following a great spring.  hope he can keep it up.

    i already miss cooper, but yeah...the thin OF roster backup the team seems to want to carry probably got wisdom preference over cooper.  i could live without seeing wisdom at 3rd unless it's a blowout, though.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Things I've been wrong about:

    -Tauchman is fine as a 4th OF. I knew that. I just want a better LH DH option and he was really the DH for us until Seiya got hurt. I'm glad Mervis is getting a chance at it. Caissie is coming for that job for sure. But Tauchman continues to be highly useful as a 4th OF with Seiya being hurt

    -I wanted Yency to go to get guys at Iowa a chance. Guys like Palencia and Sanders or RileyT. Maybe even Hodge! But Yency has been better the last two plus weeks. He did hit 96 the other day. He was 93 in Texas to open the season.

    -Leiter has his split working enough. It just needs to stay there

    -I was surprised Jed picked Wisdom over Cooper. I wonder if this happens if Seiya wasn't hurt. Wisdom has more power. Cooper is the better hitter. Jed picked Wisdom and Wisdom had an option left as well.

    -Palencia just doesn't miss enough bats. Similar to ManRod, just two yrs younger. ManRod is killing AAA for TB right now!

    Things I got right so far:

    -Hendricks. Sorry Kyle. You got paid though!

    Jed, you missed there.

    -Smyly. If Jed could've traded him before or during ST, then he should have and saved some cash.

    -Mastro.  Not a LH DH. Pinch runner. Defensive utility. Maybe he's better than Madrigal but didn't get a legit chance to prove it.

    -Luke Little is good. He's had one bad outing. That's it. Needs to get better entering with guys on base. But he needs to stay in MLB.

    -Oh yeah....Morel is doing fine at 3B! He'll get better as well!!

  • crunch (view)

    bellinger "right rib contusion"