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

Smokies Drop BayBears, But Aces Trump I-Cubs at Riverview

Jake Hannemann ripped an RBI triple and a single, walked, and scored a run, and Jeimer Candelario stroked a single and a solo home run and drove-in another run with a 3-1 GO, leading the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate) to a 6-4 victory over the Mobile BayBears (Arizona Diamondbacks AA affiliate) on Field #5, and Justin Marks tossed four shutout innings with six strikeouts, and Danny Worth and Peter O'Brien blasted solo home runs, as the Reno Aces (D'backs AAA affiliate) rallied to edge the Iowa Cubs (AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) 5-4 on Field #6, in Cactus League minor league game action this afternoon at Mesa Cubtown at Riverview Park. 

Brandon Drury belted an RBI double and a two-run inside-the-park HR for Mobile in a losing cause. 

In Cubs Spring Training roster news, NRI catcher (and 2014 #1 draft pick) Kyle Schwarber has been sent to Minor League Camp. He has been initially assigned to the Iowa squad (subject to change) and in fact was in the I-Cubs starting lineup as a DH this afternoon (he went 2-4 with two singles).

Also, Cubs 2012 5th round draft pick LHP Anthony Prieto (Americas HS - El Paso, TX) has retired. The 21-year old Prieto underwent Tommy John Surgery last season, and he was far enough along in his rehab that he was able to throw an inning against the Ontario Nationals (Canadian amateur team) this past Monday. But he needed 29 pitches to get through the inning, throwing more balls than strikes and walking the bases loaded, before evenually retiring the side.   

Prieto is the second Cub draft pick from the 2012 class to retire in the last couple of months, with 2012 6th round pick RHP Trey Lang (Gateway CC) having retired prior to the start of Minor League Camp. Lang had major command issues throughout his pro career and had been unable to escape Extended Spring Training and short-season ball.    

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played today at Riverview Park (Cubs players only):

FIELD #5 

TENNESSEE LINEUP
1. Jake Hannemann, DH #1: 2-3 (1B, F-8, BB, 3B, R, RBI)
2a. Victor Caratini, C: 1-2 (1B, F-8)
2b. Ben Carhart, C: 0-2 (4-6 FC, 6-3) 
3. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 2-4 (6-4-3 DP, HR, 3-1, 1B, R, 2 RBI) 
4. Bijan Rademacher, RF: 0-4 (F-7, F-9, K, L-8) 
5. Dustin Geiger, 1B: 1-4 (K, 4-3, K, 1B)
6. Pin-Chieh Chen, CF: 0-3 (P-6, BB, K, 3-U, R) 
7a. Wes Darvill, 2B-SS: 1-3 (F-9, 3B, 4-3, R, RBI)
7b. Miguel Rico, PH: 0-1 (6-3) 
8. Tim Saunders, SS-DH: 1-2 (K, F-8 SF, 1B, R, RBI, SB)
9. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 0-3 (K, 4-3, K) 
10. Danny Lockhart, DH-2B: 1-3 (5-3, 1B, F-7, R)

TENNESSEE PITCHERS
1. Daury Torrez: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 1/8 GO/FO, 60 pitches (47 strikes)
2. Justin Amlung: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 PO, 1/1 GO/FO, 35 pitches (21 strikes) 
3. Gerardo Concepcion: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 11 pitches (7 strikes) 
4. Jose Rosario: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (8 strikes)
5. Zach Cates: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 6 pitches (6 strikes)
 
TENNESSEE ERRORS: NONE 

TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE
Victor Caratini: 0-3 CS 

FIELD #6

IOWA LINEUP
1a. John Andreoli, CF: 1-3 (1B, K, 6-3)
1b. Kevin Brown, RF: 0-1 P-4)
2. Stephen Bruno, 2B: 1-3 (4-6 FC, BB, 1B, 4-3, R)
3. Kyle Schwarber, DH #1: 2-4 (K, 1B, 1B, F-8) 
4. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 0-3 (K, K, F-8 SF, E-4, RBI)
5. Rafael Lopez, C: 1-4 (4-3, 1B, 4-3,6-3 DP, R) 
6. Christian Villanueva, 3B: 0-2 (K, BB, 1-3)
7. Rubi Silva, RF-CF: 0-3 (K, 406 FC, 1-3, R) 
8. Elliot Soto, DH #2: 2-3 (1B, 1B, 6-3, RBI)
9. Jonathon Mota, SS: 0-2 (4-3, BB, E-9, R) 
10. Jae-Hoon Ha, LF: 1-2 (4-3, F-8 SF, 2B, 2 RBI)
11a. Taylor Davis, DH #3: 0-2 (P-4, 6-3)
11b. Ryan Dent, PH: 0-1 (K)

IOWA PITCHERS:
1. Corey Black: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 WP,  57 pitches (33 strikes) 
2. Carlos Pimentel: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 2/6 GO/FO, 59 pitches (34 strikes) 
3. C. J. Edwards: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 29 pitches (12 strikes)
4. Hunter Cervenka: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 7 pitches (5 strikes)

IOWA ERRORS: 1 
2B Stephen Bruno - E-4 (throwing error on infield single allowed batter & baserunners to advance an extra base) 

IOWA CATCHERS DEFENSE
Rafael Lopez: 3-6 CS 

WEATHER: Sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 80's 

ATTENDANCE: 49 


Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

HAGSAG: There were a number of pitchers moved down prior to and after yesterday's games: 

IOWA to TENNESSEE: Matt Brazis, Zach Cates, Fernando Cruz, P. J. Francescon, Felix Pena, and Ivan Pineyro 

TENNESSEE to MYRTLE BEACH: Francisco Carrillo, Juan Carlos Paniagua, Tayler Scott, Tyler Skulina, Daury Torrez, and Ben Wells 

MYRTLE BEACH to SOUTH BEND: James Farris, David Garner, Trevor Graham, Jordan Minch, Jeremy Null, and Tommy Thorpe 

SOUTH BEND to MYRTLE BEACH: Josh Conway and Brad Markey (not sure what's up with these two promotions)

Also, I have not seen Austin Kirk, Matt Loosen, or Jeff Lorick this week. 

"(Schwarber) was in the I-Cubs starting lineup as a DH this afternoon (he went 2-4 with two singles). " Of course he did.

Tim Wilken haunts me always. Every time I see something in a pre-TheoJed draft, with Tim Wilken attached I shudder. Last night I was reminded by the brilliant 2010 1st round pick of Hayden Simpson. Taijuan Walker was in that round (43), as was Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Drew Pomerantz, Matt Harvey (7th), Yasmani Grandal, Chris Sale (of COURSE the Sux went just in front of the Cubs again - fuckers), Christian Yelich, Aaron Sanchez, and...Mike Olt, plus other bona fide prospects. Maybe he was out drinking heavily the day before the draft? Or - DURING it.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

While I think McLeod is brilliant and far outpaces his predecessor with the Cubs, I can still summon the will to defend Wilken (whom, by the way, McLeod still employs). Wilken's better picks were traded. We didn't get much for Donaldson (Harden) or Harrison (Grabow, Gorzelanny). LeMahieu, a GG last year, was an unnecessary, I thought, throw-in in the Colvin-for-Stewart deal. Flaherty was pissed away. On the positive side, Cashner brought back Rizzo, and we appear to have done quite well in the Samardzija deal. Guyer and James Russell are in the majors, as is Baez, for the moment, at least. Cub fans are learning that you don't just draft a player, you also have to develop him. Whether Baez turns out to have been a good #9 pick might be entirely in Joe Madden's hands now. (I'm glad it's not Sveum's hands.) E-Man: you mention six guys who were drafted before Simpson in 2010, in a context where we are expecting a list of players drafted after him. Meanwhile, the following prospects drafted before Simpson in 2010 look like busts to me: Barret Loux, Karsten Whitson, Deck McGuire, Dylan Covey and Jake Scole.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

"Cub fans are learning that you don't just draft a player, you also have to develop him." Well said, but I might change that to you need to draft players that are likely to develop. As I think there are some fundamentals (plate awareness) that are hard to develop.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

From 2006-2011, Wilken's first-round picks were Colvin (13), Vitters (3), Donaldson (supplementary, 48), Cashner (19), Flaherty (supplementary, 41), Jackson (31), Simpson (16), Baez (9). Out of those players: Donaldson has turned out to be a very productive everyday player, albeit belatedly. Cashner is an effective but rarely healthy SP. Baez could be anything from AAAA to All-Star. Colvin looks destined to be a journeyman playing for contracts every year/NRI ST, as I would say will probably be the case for Flaherty. Vitters' best hope is to be Shea Hillenbrand. Jackson looks likely to be out of baseball soon. Simpson is already out of baseball. Color me unimpressed. It's a list of nothings, but Wilken doesn't look like a whiz. The picks since certainly appear to have brighter futures than the average from the above list. Of course, getting a pick in the top 10 or top 5 helps. The Hayden Simpson pick will nonetheless go down as one of the worst because Simpson never even pitched well in the minors. The failure of Vitters to develop, however, makes that pick the greatest loss because it was a #3 overall pick.

Regarding the C. J. Edwards outing yesterday: 

He was NOT removed from the game becuase he threw too many pitches in any one inning. He pitched 1.0 IP but the three outs were recorded over two separate innings (29 pitches total, only 12 strikes). Edwards relieved Carlos Pimentel (who went four innings in relief of Corey Black) and retired the first three men he faced easily on nine pitches (3-1, F-9, 6-3), before allowing two singles and three walks in his second inning. Eight of his last nine pitches were balls... then he was relieved by Hunter Cervenka, who got out of the inning (RBI FC and an inning-ending GO).  

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

E-MAN: Corey Black was as wild as ever, but he did not hit anybody. 

It's not easy to throw 57 pitches while allowing only one hit and getting just seven outs, but Black managed to do it. 

And yes, "Go Wildkits!"  

The Cubs have released six players from their DSL Cubs affiliate: 

RHP Luis Guillen, RHP Jeffry Hernandez, LHP Jesus Perez, C Martin Hodwalker, 1B Jhonny Pena, and OF Luis Acosta. 

Pena has accrued too much minor league service time to be able to play in the DSL (or VSL) in 2015 and he really wasn't a legitimate candidate for the AZL, either, Hodwalker (ex-OF) was a catcher conversion that didn't work out, Guillen has been on the Suspended List and/or Restricted List for most of the past couple of seasons, and the Dominican media have connected Acosta ($1.1M signing bonus in 2011) with an organized criminal gang allegedly responsible for a political assassination in the Dominican Republic. Which just goes to prove... money and politics don't mix. 

I believe it was then-Cubs minor league hitting coach Bill Buckner who a couple of years ago at EXST described Acosta (171/284/263 with 164 K in 430 PA in 112 career DSL games) as the worst breaking ball hitter he had ever seen. 

@CarrieMuskat #Cubs lineup Baez 2b Russell ss Bryant lf Soler rf Rizzo 1b Olt 3b Castillo c Jokisch p Szczur cf

Pitcher batting 8th...thanks Ricketts!!!

Carrie Muskat tweet in the left sidebar: "Lester threw 55 pitches in Minor league game. Ross said his arm wasn't tired but freckly" Carrie/Ross trying to be funny?

Cubs either cut 10 or 12 players sez the Twitter... Almora, Schwarber, B. Parker, J. Ortiz so far.

Cubs say Denorfia dealing with left hamstring injury, could play minor league games next week, guessing that means DL to start season and open roster spot for Sweeney or Baez or Welington.

Nothing against Fowler or Castro, but I could really get comfortable with today's lineup, especially if Baez discovers that you don't have to swing at stuff over your head and bouncing to the plate.

Who is this team ? What have they done with dumb,boring and slow Cubs of my youth ? /so happy

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.