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

Cubs Minor League Camp Rosters - Updated

Following the most-recent cuts from big league camp and reassignments (demotions and outright releases) at Minor League Camp, here are (best as I can determine) the current rosters at Fitch Park:  

MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ROSTERS:

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS

IOWA:
Jose Ascanio
Matt Avery
Cory Bailey
Justin Berg
* Edward Campusano
* Neal Cotts
* Derrick Ellison
Jesse Estrada
Sean Gallagher
Jim Henderson (limited physical activity - unknown-type injury)
Mark Holliman
* Geoff Jones 
Juan Mateo
* J. R. Mathes
* Ryan O’Malley
Billy Petrick
Rocky Roquet

TENNESSEE:
Mitch Atkins
Esmailin Caridad 
Jose Ceda
Adam Harben
Grant Johnson
* Scott Koerber
* Casey Lambert
Alessandro Maestri
Marcos Mateo
* Jeremy Papelbon
Gregory Reinhard 
* Jayson Ruhlman
Jeff Samardzija
* Chris Shaver
* Donald Veal 
Tanner Watson

DAYTONA:
Alberto Alburquerque
Todd Blackford
Marco Carrillo
Michael Cooper (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
* Darin Downs
Dumas Garcia
* Arik Hempy
Robert Hernandez
Ryan Meyers
Billy Muldowney
Leonel Perez (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Mike Phelps
Jose Pina (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
* James Russell
Joel Santo
* Chris Siegfried
Stephen Vento

PEORIA:
* Zach Ashwood
* Michael Bunton
Alberto Cabrera
Rafael Dolis (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Marcus Hatley
Chris Huseby
Jordan Latham
Matt Maradeo
Scott Meyer
Jon Mueller (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
John Muller
* Mark Pawelek
Cedric Redmond 
Dae-Eun Rhee
* Dustin Sasser

BOISE/MESA:
Francisco Acosta
Ryan Acosta
* Jeffry Antigua
* Luis Astorga
Rogelino Carmona
Eduardo Figueroa
Yohan Gonzalez
Kitt Kopach (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Kevin Kreier
Oswaldo Martinez (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Craig Muschko
Blake Parker
Julio Pena
Hernan Ramos
Carlos E. Rojas 
Audy Santana
Ryan Searle
Jose Severino
Miguel Sierra
Larry Suarez (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
Scott Taylor (serving 50-game illegal substance suspension)
Harol Tolentino

CATCHERS

IOWA:
# J. D. Closser
# Koyie Hill (C-1B)
Jake Muyco
Tony Richie

TENNESSEE:
Welington Castillo
* Steve Clevenger (C-1B)
Chris Robinson

DAYTONA:
* Blake Lalli (C-1B)
Mario Mercedes
* Mark Reed

PEORIA:
Luis Bautista (C-1B)
Josh Donaldson
Carlos Perez
Roberto Sabates 
 
BOISE/MESA:
Carlos Guevara 
* Alvaro Sosa

INFIELDERS

IOWA:
# Andres Blanco (SS)
# Matt Craig (1B-3B)
* Kyle Reynolds (3B)
* Alan Rick (1B)
# Bobby Scales (2B)
Joe Simokaitis (SS)
 
TENNESSEE:
Robinson Chirinos (2B)
Brian Dopirak (1B)
Josh Lansford (3B)
# Matt Matulia (SS)
Carlos R. Rojas (SS)
Issmael Salas (3B-1B)
* Nate Spears (2B)

DAYTONA:
Darwin Barney (SS)
Russ Canzler (1B)
* Dylan Johnston (SS-2B)
* Ryne Malone (3B-1B)
Jonathan Mota (2B-SS)
Marquez Smith (3B)
Tony Thomas (2B)
 
PEORIA:
# Marwin Gonzalez (SS)
Gian Guzman (SS)
* Jeffrey Rea (2B)
Jovan Rosa (3B)
* Drew Rundle (1B-OF)
Nathan Samson (2B)
Josh Vitters (3B)

BOISE/MESA:
Starlin Castro (SS)
John Contreras (3B)
# Dwayne Kemp (2B)
* Bryan Jost (1B) - limited physical activity - knee surgery rehab
Junior Lake (SS)
Elvis Lara (2B) 
# Jose Made (2B-SS)

OUTFIELDERS

IOWA:
* Matt Camp
Jake Fox
* Josh Kroeger
# Andres Torres

TENNESSEE  
* James Adduci
Yusuf Carter
* Corey Coles
* Tyler Colvin 
Ryan Harvey
* Jonathan Wyatt

DAYTONA:
* Kyler Burke
* Jeff Culpepper (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
* Leon Johnson 
Ty Wright

PEORIA:
* Cliff Andersen
Brandon Guyer (limited physical activity – injury rehab)
* Nelson Perez
* Luke Sommer
# Min Kyu Sung (player-coach)

BOISE/MESA:
# Andres Quezada
Kevin Soto 
Jesus Reyes

WHEREBOUTS UNKNOWN (by me):
Hung-Wen Chen, P
Rafael Cova, P 
# Luis Figueroa, INF
* Clark Hardman, OF
Yuri Higgins, P
Chris Rivera, P
* Marc Sawyer, 1B
Chi-Hsiang Wen, OF

NOTE: As far as I know, Chen, Cova, Sawyer, and Wen never reported. I suspect Sawyer MIGHT be finishing his senior year at Yale and will report late. Figueroa probably either got released or quit after he got sent down from big league camp, and I don't know what happened to Hardman, Higgins, and Rivera. They were at Fitch Park for a while, but have since disappeared, so either they are hurt to the extent that they can't perform even limited activities on the field, or they quit, or they got released.

Comments

JOE: I deleted the original post so I could replace it with one that was readable. Your comment getting deleted was simply a casualty of war, my friend. "Colateral damage" I believe it's called.

Jeff Samardzija will start the 2008 season at AA. He still needs to perfect his slider and a workable off-speed pitch.

LHP James Russell has looked VERY good. He was a 2007 14th round pick (dropped due to signability issues) out of the U. of Texas and he signed late, so he is essentially making his pro debut this year.

Word was Russell was going to return to school with fellow Longhorn (and Team USA) catcher Preston Clark (Cubs '07 33rd round pick), but the Cubs showed Russell some extra $$$ at the last minute and got him to change his mind.

Russell will probably be the #1 starter at Daytona in 2008 and could move very quickly through the system. He is the son of former MLB closer Jeff Russell.

Welington Castillo has been promoted (mid-ST!) from Daytona to Tennessee, so he must have REALLY impressed Oneri Fleita and the Cubs minor league people to do that. He is a catcher in the mold of the Flying Molina Brothers, and has developed some HR power to go along with a solid bat and plus-arm.

It looks like 3B Kyle Reynolds (son of ex-MLB SS Craig Reynolds) has made the jump to AAA. He's always been a pretty good fielder, but he developed HR power last year, and has basically morphed into Scott Moore Redux.

Dunedin HS teammates Brian Dopirak and Ryan Harvey have been reunited at AA Tennessee, and they have been mashing the ball all Spring. If they can stay healthy, Tennessee could have a very powerful middle of the order in '08, with Tyler Colvin, Brian Dopirak, Ryan Harvey, and Welington Castillo hitting 3-4-5-6.

Daytona should have a good team, too, with '07 draft picks SS Darwin Barney (Oregon State), 2B Tony Thomas (Florida State), 3B Marquez Smith (Clemson), LF Ty Wright (Oklahoma State), and either Leon Johnson (BYU) or Jonathan Wyatt (Georgia) in CF, plus Kyler Burke (acquired from SD for Michael Barrett) in RF. All are definite MLB prospects.

RHP reliever Alessandro Maestri (Team Italy) and LHP Jeremy Papelbon (who will apparently be converted into a starter) have been impressive, too, and both could well make the jump from Peoria to AA. 

2007 1st round pick Josh Vitters is locked in a battle with Jovan Rosa for the starting 3rd base job at Peoria. The loser goes to Extended Spring Training and then to Boise.in June. 

Az Phil: Matt Camp split most year a (low A) Peoria/Daytona (high A) with a brief showing at Tenn (AA). So what did he do to deserve the promotion to start the year in the Iowa OF? Do you think Carmen Pignatello has earned a mlb roster spot based on his spring? I know...some guys are blocked by veterans with big salaries on the team, but it must be tough when you don't give up a run all spring for a team with only one veteran lefty reliever who is coming off of a pretty inconsistent 2007. I'm not so sure I like the argument that the rest of the bullpen righty's can get out left handed hitters.

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 7:34pm.

Az Phil: Matt Camp split most year a (low A) Peoria/Daytona (high A) with a brief showing at Tenn (AA). So what did he do to deserve the promotion to start the year in the Iowa OF?

Do you think Carmen Pignatello has earned a mlb roster spot based on his spring? I know...some guys are blocked by veterans with big salaries on the team, but it must be tough when you don't give up a run all spring for a team with only one veteran lefty reliever who is coming off of a pretty inconsistent 2007. I'm not so sure I like the argument that the rest of the bullpen righty's can get out left handed hitters.

==============================

CUBSTER: The Cubs like Matt Camp as a utility player (2B-LF-CF). He has plus-speed and is a good base-stealer. Although he doesn't play SS, offensively he's in the mold of a Ryan Theriot-type player. Right now he's with the Iowa squad, but once Sam Fuld and Eric Patterson get sent down, Camp should end up at Tennessee as the starting LF and lead-off hitter there.

As for Pignatiello, I believe he is the Cubs best bet for a lefty reliever in 2008. I don't know if Uncle Lou sees it that way, but I think it's pretty obvious.

Scott Eyre certainly isn't the answer, that's for sure.

Ideally, the Cubs will get George Sherrill as part of the Brian Roberts deal. Sherrill is probably the #1 lefty reliever in baseball.

AZ, I thought among your mind bogglingly detailed posts I saw that we lost Brian Dopirak. No? Or did I just lose track of him in my head because he didn't seem to be panning out?

And Lou Piniella confirms: when he said he'd have a rotation announcement by Friday, he meant it, dammit. It's now Saturday where I am. Did he say which Friday, dammit?

AZ Phil: Assuming McGehee is sent back to Iowa, what happens to the Third Base logjam there? And who do you like most as an ML-contributer-- McGehee, Reynolds, or Craig?

Submitted by Romero on Sat, 03/22/2008 - 8:26am.

AZ Phil: Assuming McGehee is sent back to Iowa, what happens to the Third Base logjam there?

And who do you like most as an ML-contributer-- McGehee, Reynolds, or Craig?

===========================

ROMERO: I think it's very likely that Reynolds will be the #1 3B at Iowa, McGehee will play some 3B, some 1B, and will catch once or twice or a week, and Matt Craig is a likely candidate to get released before Opening Day, since he will be a six-year minor league FA after the 2008 season.

I believe Reynolds could be a starting or platoon 3B in the big leagues at some point, while McGehee willl probably be a C-3B-1B-RHPH. I don't think Craig will play in the big leagues, but if he does it will be as a DH. He is a lousy defender at 3B.

Submitted by Hagsag on Sat, 03/22/2008 - 7:50am.

Az Phil, I seem to remember the Cubs signing a young OF named Haesung Kook. I see he is not around Fitch either.Do you know where he is at?

===============================

HAGSAG: He got released. 

Submitted by Old and Blue on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 9:00pm.

AZ, I thought among your mind bogglingly detailed posts I saw that we lost Brian Dopirak. No?

Or did I just lose track of him in my head because he didn't seem to be panning out?

====================================

OLD & BLUE: Brian Dopirak will be the starting 1B at AA Tennessee in 2008.

He will be a six-year minor league FA after the 2008 season if he's not put back on the Cubs 40-man roster by the end of the World Series. But he'll have to have a MUCHO big-time "break-out" season at AA for that to happen.

My prediction for the most-likely Dopirak Destination this time next year? 

Baltimore Orioles sign him to a minor league contract and he gets an NRI to ST.

Submitted by Romero on Sat, 03/22/2008 - 11:09am.

Thanks, Phil.

Didn't the organization experiment with converting Craig into a catcher a couple of years ago? I'm assuming that experiment didn't take. And why would the Cubs release Craig? Couldn't we just trade him to Baltimore for something of use? Perhaps throw him into the Roberts booty?

 ==================================

ROMERO: The experiment lasted about a week.

There are a lot of guys who get released the last week of Minor League Camp where you would think they would have some value in a trade, but they just don't. A lot of times a club will release a player at the end of ST when the player gets caught in a "numbers game" (Iowa and Tennessee have only 24-man rosters, so there's room for only four players on the bench), even though it,means the club gets nothing back. And that's especially true if the player will be a six-year minor league free-agent after the season anyway, as is the case with Matt Craig.

So unless something bad happens to Reynolds, Hoffpauir, Lansford, or Dopirak before the start of the season, Craig has zero future in the Cubs organization in 2008 and will likely get released next week. Then he can sign someplace else and get a fresh start, preferably as a DH.

AZ Phil, What do you make of Brian Dopirak's 2004 statistics? Aberration, or did someone simply steal his mojo after the season ended? Has anyone else followed the Brian Dopirak career path, and if so, how did their careers end up--MLB regulars or unknown minor leaguers?

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Not AZ Phil, but I saw Dopirak play in a few games that year, and he appeared to be a man among boys in that league. You could tell, though, that he had trouble with off-speed stuff. It looks like, at this point, if a pitcher gets behind and comes in with a fastball Dopirak's got a chance. Otherwise he gets a steady diet of garbage and K's.

Any idea where these guys are (if in fact they are still in the organization) RP Tim Lahey (not Layden) RP John Webb RP Mike Nannini 2B Gary Cates SS John Nelson

Did the Cubs finnally decide to get rid of Alfred Joseph? i can't seem to find what happend to him. I've knew he always had a little bit of an attitude problem.

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).