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 @ Pirates: Arrieta vs. Cole (Game 163; NL Wild Card Game)

This is it--one game, four years in the making.

CHC (97-65): RHP Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77)
PIT (98-64): RHP Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60)
First pitch: 7:00pmCT

Arrieta is 3-1 with a 0.75 in his five starts against the Pirates this year--that is, 3 ER in 36 innings. They are batting .151 with no HRs in those games. He’s 2-0 with a 0.82 in the three games at PNC. For his career, these Pirates are 31-176 (.176) against him. McCutchen is the only real threat (8-23, .348).

Cole is 2-1 with a 2.13 in four games against the Cubs this year, three of which were at Wrigley. They are batting .225 against him. The Cubs are 36-126 (.286) against him, overall: Fowler (3-14, .214), Schwarber (1-5, .200), Bryant (3-9, .333), Rizzo (6-17, .353), LaStella (1-6, .167), Castro (6-17, .353), Montero (3-5, .600), and Russell (2-7, .286).

Arrieta has not pitched in the postseason. Cole pitched twice in the NLDS in 2013, going 1-1 with a 2.45 against the Series-bound Cardinals. (He won Game 2 and lost Game 5.)

If the Cubs win, they’ll play in St. Louis on Friday. If they lose, they’ll be playing in March in Arizona.

Parachat will be happening--leave your shoes and sense of decorum at the door.

Go Cubs!

 

Comments

I love arriving here first thing in the morning, adding a few moronic posts (moranic for any Cardinals fans who may be trolling), and reading the sage posts of all you guys. Most knowledgeable fans on any forum, by far. So post like crazy today and help give TCR some visibility! I told my wife last night that I'm going to need a support system for tonight's game. Tonight is going to be a lot harder on me than it is going to be on these rookie bad asses.

Woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep in excitement/anticipation. Go Cubs Go!

Good Lord this season has flown by so far. I need more Cubs gifs--the four on the MLB.com article today are not enough. I need a 100 best moments of the season listicle of gifs. Rizzo: The slide, the catch. Russell: All the defense. Bryant: Pelting the video board. Soler: 125 MPH ground balls. Schwarber: DINGERS, surprising LF catches. Fowler: Walks, the many walks he should have had on 3-2 BS strike calls. Baez: That 3B play. Ross: Walk-up music? Bullpen appearance? Denorfia: Walk-off. Castro: Walk-offs. Herrera: Gum bucket hat. Strop: Pitch rhythm assortments and high-stepping. Arrieta: The whole season. Super cut of Ks. His two HRs. Hammel: Early season hitting. Coghlan: Various SMDH responses to umpires. etc. etc. Lots of stuff to remember about this season so far.

CHEERS to CT Steve for keeping this alive in 2015. Who would have thought that the season would have been so successful to this point? Thank you CT STEVE! I think I may be too nervous to watch the entire game. I will probably watch in bits and pieces - and constantly check MLB App. I will be like Blockhead: Nervous Nellie.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

I can relate to that, E-Man. I don't think I'll enjoy watching a high-stakes away game like this on TV. I've watched a lot of games this season after they ended or at least after the Cubs got out to a decent lead. Since they usually win, I've gotten to see a lot of baseball. But in this case I think we should probably all watch the game live, and not let the pressure exceed the pleasure.

Yes, cheers to me! I've noticed a fairly strong correlation between my tenure and Cubbie victories. 

And thanks to Michael for our new diggs--and to y'all for sticking around! 

[ ]

In reply to by CTSteve

Which means if you shut this place down, and the Cubs go back to their old ways, we will all have to hunt you down, kidnap you, and strap you to a chair to listen to Tim McCarver and Joe Buck repeatedly, with dollops of Hawk Harrelson thrown in for good measure.

Sports symmetry in Chicago tonight -- Cubs begin what will hopefully be an extended period of playoff appearances; Blackhawks open their season by raising their 3rd championship banner in 6 years. Similar models -- years of badness, built a young core and got a good coach -- here's hoping. Also -- the city has added a bunch of cops around Wrigley, anticipating a small-scale riot if the Cubs win. I am excited and nervous, but, I mean, It's a Wild Card game.

Cubs players, coaches, instructors, trainers, and staff attending instructs will be watching the game as a group in the auditorium at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa this evening (starting at 5 PM Arizona time).

A number of scouts and members of the Cubs Player Development Department will also be there.

The instructs schedule was changed from the normal morning workout to an afternoon workout, with everybody invited to stay late for pizza and to watch Cubs baseball on an EXTREMELY large screen TV.

The players seemed unusually stoked & animated during baserunning & bunting drills this afternoon, and Eloy Jimenez hit at least seven 450+ foot bombs onto the roof of the UAPC beyond the LF fence on Field #3 during BP.

So as you're watching the game tonight, think about the 150+ screaming Cub fans at Riverview Park who are joining you in cheering on their team.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Very fun PHIL. In some way, I am sure you are seeing some of your "kids" out there in the National. Prime-Time spotlight. I hope they can keep it going past tonight. I always think of your opinion on Castro being a better 2nd baseman. Quite a turnaround for the kid this year.

Good luck tonight Cubbies! I won't be here for everyone's play by play, but I am with y'all in spirit. Or spirits.

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).