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

Designated hitter, the Cubs, and Stanley Kubrick

You know the head vs heart thing.
My heart loves the NL game.
The thinking, the double-switching, all the stuff you normally think about but... also I just like the NL game because when pitchers bat you just never know what's gonna happen.
And you said, "Well... of course you know what's gonna happen - they'll strike out." 
Right?
Which is why it's so much more "you never know what's gonna happen" when a sub-Mendoza pitcher actually does something good with his bat.
Last season it took Cub pitchers 60 games to get their first sac bunt, and the batter that game happened to be Kyle Hendricks.
He of the .050/.066/.067 slash.
He was also the same guy who, in the second inning of game two in last year's Cubs/Cards NLDS, squeeze bunted in the first Cub run, causing Jaime Garcia and then pretty much the entire Cardinal team to scream "I'M MELTING! MEEEELTIIIIING!"
And they gave up 5 runs before that third out was recorded.

Did you know that was gonna happen?
No?
That's why it was such an unbelievable and uniquely NL-style thing.

But my head...
Different story.
Head says look at all the big bats the Cubs have been stockpiling.
How much more valuable is Dan Vogalbach if he doesn't have to pick up a glove?
(Lots put Kyle Schwarber in that camp, but it's waaay too early to make that judgement.)
I can get by all the arguments against the DH if I think it gets the Cubs a World Series.
It's that simple.

I have learned to stop worrying and love the DH.

Comments

AGREED!

Yeah. I guess. But it's weird to watch an AL game, with a team down, say, 2-1 in the 7th inning, with the #9 (or, for Maddon, #8) spot coming up with a man on first.....and the manager just sits there.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

i hate the DH...i find it boring...but i accept it's gonna happen. it seems inevitable at this point given shifting attitudes and lack of strong player objection. having that "dead spot" for the pitcher hitting opens up a lot of lineup strategy possibilities. i'm in the camp that appreciates more out of the game than "pitcher pitches/hitter hits/defense defends." besides, who wants to live in a world where randy johnson doesn't get to comically swing a bat and bartolo colon doesn't get to run the bases? that's not a world i want to live in.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Yes, you could say that AL baseball saps the purity and essence from the natural fluids of baseball. The double-switching, bunting, and lineup strategy is part of what makes the NL interesting, but clubs spend too much money on pitchers. They won't want them getting hurt running out a bunt. MLB also has an interest in doing what they can to improve offense in the post-ped, defensive analytics era.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

The NL should just go ahead and out-DH the AL. If one DH is good, then 9 DH's would be even better. Expand rosters (union would love that) and have 9 hitting specialists, 9 fielding specialists. Who needs well rounded players when the game is supposedly so much better with narrowly defined specialists. There are all of these slick fielding players we never see because they can't hit a lick but instead we have to watch Schwarber in LF tackling fly balls. Think of all the time these amazing fielders spend trying to learn to hit when they could just be focusing on fielding. Players are wasting so much time developing all 5 tools when they could just be maxing out 1 or 2 tools. I see your one DH and raise you 8 more!

Think how much more valuable Lester contract looks if he doesn't ever have to do that mockery of hitting thing he does!

[ ]

In reply to by johann

but then d.ross wouldn't have someone to pitch around him or IBB him to put him on base...it's almost moot...almost...not really...but almost...kinda... just checked...7 IBB last year...hard to tell how many times he was pitched around, but even assuming it's 0 that brings his ob% to below .230 with a sub-.500 OPS.

The Cubs have claimed C.J. Riefenhauser LHP on waivers from the Orioles. Edgar Olmos was again DFA.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

pretty much...also agree that it wouldn't surprise me to see him land with the cubs, too. the trade to free up room for him would be interesting. it would help if he didn't play such a mixed-bag CF. he's anything but sure out there with his wacky routes. the O's are favored because of links for weeks and they're about to land y.gallardo (giving up that draft pick).

holy crap...j.mejia got busted AGAIN for PEDs. 3rd time...lifetime ban. at one point he was the "closer of the future" (and the actual closer) for the mets. 26 years old. unreal.

wow, billy joel isn't just playing wrigley in-season...it's like 8-10 ballparks or something. maybe this will once-and-for-all end this stupid practice once the condition of many playing fields after these concerts are questioned...or maybe they'll learn how to fix fields quicker than they have in the past...or maybe no one will care because revenue is king. whatevers.

Average IP per season per starting pitcher based on a four-man rotation, a five-man rotation, and a six-man rotation, with average 6.1 IP per starter and with each SP making all of his scheduled starts:  

250-260 IP (four-man rotation, pitching once every fourth day - Old School) 
200-210 IP (five-man rotation, pitching once every fifth day - accepted standard) 
165-175 IP (six-man rotation, pitching once every sixth day - the future?) 

Of course a six-man rotation requires six competent starters and a seven-man bullpen, but the Cubs are probably one of the few MLB clubs that would actually be in a position to run a six-man rotation (Arrieta-Lester-Lackey-Hammel-Hendricks-Warren) and a seven-man bullpen (Rondon-Strop-Grimm-Wood-Cahill-Ramirez-Richard), if the goal is to reduce the workoad for starters (at least until the stretch-drive in August & September) without burning out the bullpen or operating at a competitive disadvantage. 

An added advantage of a six-man rotation is that starts can be easily skipped, switched, or moved around, to accomodate short-term injuries that do not require a DL stint, match-ups, and opponents. 

[ ]

In reply to by matthewcooksie

MATTHEW: I'm just noting what I believe is gradually becoming and will continue to become a trend among MLB clubs to try and reduce workoad for starting pitchers by minimizing IP, either because a club has a young rotation with SP not used to throwing a high number of innings, or because a contending team is attempting to reduce IP in order to keep the club's best starters fresher for the stretch-run and post-season when they absolutely need to throw their best games. 

One way to reduce the workoad for the starting rotation is to run a traditional five-man rotation and expect the SP to go only 5+ innings and throw maybe 80-90 pitches and then go to the bullpen, and the other way is to pitch a SP less often (with five or six days rest) but without any special restriction on the number of innings (or even on the number of pitches-per-game) a starter throws when he does pitch. 

One way (let's call it the the KC Royals approach) requires five OK starters plus a deep bullpen with at least four one-inning lock-down power-relievers who can throw most every day, and the other way (let's call it the NY Mets way) requires a deep rotation with six average to above-average SP but with less of an emphasis and/or reliance on the bullpen. 

The main problem with the five-inning SP & lock-down bullpen approach is manifest when the bullpen is needed to protect leads for four innings four or five days in a row, and the main problem with the six-man rotation is finding six decent starting pitchers to fill the slots. Actually a six-man rotation isn't as big a deal for rebuilding teams because the starters don't have to be good (they just need regular work to gain experience), but for contending teams like the Mets or Cubs, all six starters have to be pretty good or it won't work. 

Remember, most MLB starting pitchers were SP in HS and/or college where they started once a week (in fact, a college team's #1 starter is called the "Friday starter," because he pitches every Friday, and the Friday game is almost-always the opener of a three-game series that usually pits two good teams against each other, with each team's #1 SP facing-off against the other #1 on Friday, while the mid-week games are typically games against lesser opponents from outside the conference, often a team from a lower division). 

BTW, implementing the DH in the N. L. will be almost a necessity once all teams go to 13-man pitching staffs (which I think is inevitable, and sooner rather than later), because with the DH a club doesn't really need pinch-hitters. With a nine-man batting order that includes a DH, a club would only need a back-up catcher, a utility infielder, and a 4th OF on the bench, allowing for the 13-man pitching staff.  

Again, I'm not saying it's good or bad (heck, I grew up watching four-man rotations and ten-man pitching staffs in the 1960's), just that I believe reducing the workload of starting pitchers to keep them fresher for the post-season (or reducing the workload of young SP on rebuilding clubs who aren't used to the demands of an MLB season) is a 21st Century trend that will likely continue to grow in popularity.   

just got an email from MLB properties about the mlb.tv class action settlement. here's a pastebin for those interested... http://pastebin.com/m72Zyi5U key points for MLB.tv subscribers... - MLB will lower the price of MLB.TV to $109.99 for 2016 (from the 2015 price of $129.99). MLB will be prohibited from increasing the price by more than 3% (or the federal Cost of Living Adjustment ("COLA"), if higher) per year through 2020. - Single-Team Packages: MLB will offer packages of single teams' out-of-market games through MLB.TV (for example, a stream of just the Kansas City Royals' games for out-of-market subscribers). This product will cost $84.99 for a full season in 2016, with MLB allowed to raise the price by no more than 3% (or COLA, if higher) for each of the next four years. other interesting points... - In-Market Streaming: MLB will seek to reach agreements with Comcast, Root Sports, and Fox regional sports networks to offer live in-market streaming of their telecasts. If in-market streaming is not available for all of the teams whose games are broadcast by those networks by 2017, MLB will be prohibited from increasing prices for any of the above MLB.TV products through 2020. - Unserved Fans: MLB will offer live streaming of any in-market team's telecasts produced by Comcast, Root Sports, or Fox regional sports networks to any customer who is unable to obtain multi-channel video provider distributor service or virtual multi-channel video provider distributor service at his or her residence. given that i live in an area in NC where WAS games are considered within a regional territory, but NO cable/satellite packages offer the channels that show WAS games...the Unserved Fans point could be a nice perk if properly implemented.

What is it about Cub CFs? Fowler and Austin Jackson remain unsigned -- 2 of only 3 espn "top 30" FA still on the board (hello, Ian Desmond). Amazingly, espn had Jackson ranked 15th among all FA. They ranked $110M Jordan Zimmermann 3 spots behind Jackson.

Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projection was released today. Take it with a grain of salt of course. But it is predicting that all 5 Cubs SPs will be in baseball's top 40 pitchers, with both Arrieta and Lester in the top 5. So basically, we're doomed.

redsox pull a reverse theo...picking up a (former) cubs castaway... c.marmol on a minor league deal.

via rotowurld... "ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Orioles are discussing a potential contract with Dexter Fowler in the vicinity of 2-3 years, $12-13 million annually."

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat Maddon says Heyward/Zobrist are candidates for #Cubs leadoff man. "Once you decide on that, I think everybody falls into place" Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat #Cubs Heyward does not expect any problems playing CF. "I know the basics and how to do it. After that, it'll become home." also... #Cubs sign RHP Aaron Crow to Minor League deal #Cubs released LHP Luis Cruz, who failed his physical. Crow is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

even though heyward is a GG RF'r...if they want him to stick in CF his open market "value" comes closer to what he's getting paid (some of us don't like WAR for player value, especially the sloppy defensive WAR aspect, and very especially when there's other personally preferred batting + D evaluation advanced stats). that said, who cares about value when they got the loot to spend. heyward/zobrist/rizzo/bryant/schwarb/soler/montero/russell... unf.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

What batting + D evaluation advanced stats do you prefer? I like the idea of WAR but feel they may have over-corrected when trying to account for the traditionally under appreciated defense and baserunning aspect of a player's value. Side question, has there been any talk from the nutty professor about if the pitcher will continue to hit 8th. Seems to me that having a more prototypical #2 hitter like Zobrist instead of a slugger would make the reasoning for it moot.

[ ]

In reply to by Sonicwind75

with batting i strongly prefer wRC+ when looking at what a player is/can-be capable of. i know WAR is technically measuring something different, but it is very commonly used as a flat evaluation stat these days. as far as D stats, there's none i'm a huge fan of, but i have a lot of faith in statcast technology opening up a new era of better evaluation in that department. when it comes to defensive WAR people can't even have consensus on what other stats should build that evaluation and you'll end up with different values depending on who's version you like to use. also, you can end up with competing WAR values that vary greatly even outside of D variables, such as fangraphs vs baseball-ref's 2009 season for ricky nolasco.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

I think if Almora shows this year that he can post a >.700 OPS in the big leagues, he will go to CF and Heyward to RF, and the organization would figure out what to do with Soler and Schwarber. It kind of blows my mind how the analytics have shifted, but when you look at what FanGraphs thinks about Ender Inciarte, we may be into a whole new world about defense. (Cue "A Whole New World")

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

if the focus, especially as it currently seems, is to slot heyward in CF and keep soler in RF...they got extended time to see what becomes of almora. if almora quickly improves his development and soler doesn't crash, soler probably nets the club a future SP/C/2nd (based on need going forward) while returning heyward back to his natural position in RF. it also provides a bit of insurance if heyward improves his power and it looks like he may opt-out after a couple years. either way, the cubs bats seem to be in a good position for 2016 with open options in 2017 and their asses covered for 2018. we just gotta hope that positive progression is gonna happen with what's here and everyone stays healthy while the minor league kids emerge, creating further positives.

getting Opening Day tickets at Angels Stadium took me 5 minutes on Ticketmaster today...Wrigley Field it is not.

My only other Opening Day was the Tuffy Rhoads game...you have a lot to live up to as-yet-to-be-named-leadoff hitter.

Wow - an 11-day long lede header? Is that close to a TCR record? CT Steve do you need articles?

I was in New Orleans on a business trip--and I'm still working off my hangover from whatever the hell happened on Friday night. (I don't remembering ordering the last martini--not good.)

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).