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

Cubs 2015-16 International Signings

The Cubs have signed 27 International Free-Agents (IFA) since the start of the 2015-16 International Signing Period (ISP) that began on July 2nd.

The 2015-16 ISP concludes on June 15th.

The 27 IFA signed by the Cubs so far are from seven different countries, including ten from the Dominican Republic, six from Mexico, six from Venezuela, two from Panama, one from Cuba, one from Colombia, and one from Korea (ROK). 

It's notable that Cubs have signed as many 2015-16 IFA out of Mexico as they have out of Venezuela, as the Cubs continue to increase their scouting presence in Mexico. (The Cubs signed three players out of Mexico in the 2014-15 ISP--RHP Jesus Camargo, RHP Hector Garcia, and 2B Carlos Sepulveda--after signing only two players out of Mexico in the previous five years).

The percentage of Venezuelan IFA players signed by the Cubs (so far) in the 2015-16 ISP (only 25%) is lower than it has been in the last few years, which is perhaps related to the Cubs pulling out of the Venenuelan Summer League post-2015 (which led to the disbanding of the VSL).  

*  bats or throws left
# bats both 

NOTE: age listed is age the player was when he signed

PITCHERS: 10 
Jose Albertos (Mexico) - age 16 
Maikel Aguiar (Venezuela)  - age 19 
Javier Assad (Mexico) - age 17 
* Faustino Carrera (Mexico) - age 16 
Carlos Ocampo (Colombia) - age 17 
* Brailyn Marquez (Dominican Republic)  - age 16 
Hector Matos (Dominican Republic) - age 16 
Yunior Perez (Dominican Republic) - age 16
* Jose MacDonna (Dominican Republic) - age 19 
Edison Novas (Dominican Republic) - age 18

CATCHERS: 4 
Miguel Amaya (Panama) - age 16 
Henderson Perez (Venezuela) - age 16 
# Herson Perez (Venezuela) - age 18
Kevin Zamudio (Mexico) - age 17 

INFIELDERS: 6 
* Aramis Ademan (Dominican Republic) - age 16 
Luis Diaz (Dominican Republic) - age 16 
* Christopher Morel (Dominican Republic) - age 16  
Orian Nunez (Dominican Republic) - age 17 
# Yonathan Perlaza (Venezuela) - age 16
Isaac Paredes (Mexico) - age 16
NOTE: Five of the six 2015-16 IFA infielders were signed as shortstops (Nunez was signed as a second-baseman)

OUTFIELDERS: 7
# Jose Gutierrez (Venezuela) - age 16 
* Kwang-Min Kwon (South Korea) - age 17
Fernando Kelli (Venezuela) - age 17 
Eddy Julio Martinez (Cuba) - age 20
* Ruben Reyes (Mexico) - age 19 
* Abraham Rodriguez (Panama) - age 16 
* Jonathan Sierra (Dominican Republic) - age 16 
NOTE: Kwon and Sierra are strictly corner OF (and Kwon also plays 1B), while the other five can play all three OF positions

Albertos, Amaya, Ademan, Diaz, Paredes, Kwon, and Sierra attended Fall Instructs in Mesa last September, and Kwon won the Instructs HR Derby (Eloy Jimenez was asked not to participate, to give others a chance to win).

Comments

Thank you PHIL! That is interesting to hear about the Mexi-Cub connection. I hope one or two stick. Also, glad to see the Cubs are continuing with more Perez' success. It has been a long enough break since Neifi.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

E-MAN: I think what you are seeing is the Cubs attempting to take advantage of a perceived market inefficency by establishing and maintaining a much heavier scouting presence in Mexico than they have in the past, developing close relationships with Mexican League clubs and (more importantly) with Mexican minor league clubs, and then aggressively pursuing and signing the best Mexican IFA their scouts can find.

Whether this pursuit will bare fruit remains to be seen, but it's certainly worth a try.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

something has to give in mexico. it has a pool of talent that's very used to the game and internal player development, but it's not given the game many MLB quality players of note (or too many MLB players on whole, really). it's worth mentioning that venezuela didn't become much of a player source powerhouse until the mid/late-80s even though they've been playing quality organized baseball there since the 40s (even before then, really). now we just expect greatness to flow out of the area.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Soccer of course will always be more popular outside of the US for many reasons, one of which is that baseball is more expensive to play for kids but baseball in Mexico is quite popular. One rule that hurt the opportunity for Mexican players to come here was just eliminated: basically any player who signed with a us team before signing with a Mexican one was blacklisted from ever playing in Mexico. This allowed Mexican teams to basically sign players there at very early ages and then charge US teams a crap load of money to sign the player which they were only going to do for the best players. There's no free agency there so contracts in Mexico are for life. MLB finally convinced them to get rid of that as part of a plan to have more of a presence there so hopefully the combo will help.

took long enough, but the O's finally signed y.gallardo (pending physical) yesterday. it's commonly believed that once that domino falls, d.fowler will sign with the O's shortly afterwards.

[ ]

In reply to by azbobbop

AZBOBBOP: Although the Cubs have blown through their $3,230,700 2015-16 International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) to such an extent that bonuses they pay right now to International Free-Agents (IFA) who are subject to bonus restrictions feature a 100% tax  (for example, a $500K bonus costs the Cubs $1M), they can continue to pay top dollar (with the accompanying 100% tax) to any IFA they might wish to sign who wants to sign with the Cubs up through the end of the 2015-16 International Signing Period (ISP) on June 15th.

Unless the rules are changed in the next CBA (like if the long-anticipated "international draft" is implemented, even if it's just one or two rounds), the Cubs will be under severe signing restrictions in both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 ISPs such that they will not be able to sign any IFA subject to bonus restrictions for more than $300K for two full years, so they really should try and make the most of the remaining 3-1/2 months up to 6/15, and that would almost certainly involve pursuing most any decent Cuban IFA subject to ISP bonus restrictions who becomes available between now & then (since most-all of the best Dominican, Venezuelan, Central American, Mexican, and Pacific Rim IFA subject to ISP bonus restrictions have already signed). 

I love the fact that the Cubs are stockpiling a huge group of young Latin shortstops. Of course, not all will make it, but there is strength in numbers for sure. It will be interesting to see how aggressive they will be in the Cuban market.

I cant wait for AZ Phil's minor league reports. It should be an interesting camp.

Donnie's whining again Donald J. Trump Verified account ‏@realDonaldTrump I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

Manny Parra joins Munenori Kawasaki as post-2015 Article XX-B free-agents who have signed 2016 minor league contracts with Cubs. 

An Article XX-B MLB free-agent who signs a minor league contract at least ten days prior to MLB Opening Day and then is either not released by 12 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day prior to MLB Opening Day or added to an MLB Active List (25-man roster) or MLB Disabled List by 3 PM (Eastern) on MLB Opening Day automatically receives a $100,000 retention bonus, and the player can unilaterally opt-out of the minor league contract on June 1st if he has not been added to an MLB Active List (25-man roster) or an MLB Disabled List by that date.

"FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal confirms that the Orioles are concerned with Yovani Gallardo's physical." this could impact the O's going after d.fowler. O's and cle are linked to him (with the "loser" of that chase expected to snag a.jackson). O's were heavily favored to snag fowler since they'd get a draft penalty for signing gallardo as it is.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

ha. supposedly there might be some restructuring of the original agreed-to contract, but that seems to be speculation since it's not even being reported exactly what's irking the O's about his physical.

An MLB club that signs a Qualified Player forfeits its 1st round selection in the Rule 4 Draft, unless the club selects in the Top 10 of the 1st Round, in which case the club would forfeit its next-highest pick. NOTE: In determining whether a club would forfeit its 1st round draft pick, the ten "protected" picks at the top of the 1st round would NOT include any compensation draft pick received by a club for failing to sign a 1st round draft pick from a previous draft. 

The next highest draft pick (or draft picks) will be forfeited if the club signs more than one Qualified Player (one draft pick forfeited for each Qualified Player signed). Draft picks subject to forfeiture include the club's own Rule 4 picks, compensatory draft picks awarded to the club after losing an Article XX-B Qualified Player, and draft picks that were awarded as the result of the Competitive Balance Lottery or as the result of the Rule 4 SBP Forfeited Draft Pick lottery (including any lottery draft pick originally awarded to another club and then subsequently acquired in a trade). A compensatory draft pick awarded to a club for failing to sign a pick from a previous Rule 4 Draft is NOT subject to forfeiture. NOTE: A Rule 4 Draft pick forfeited as the result of a club signing a Qualified Player is not transferred to any other club (it just disappears).

If a Qualified Player signs a Major League contract with a new club after the MLB Rule 4 Draft, or if a Qualified Player signs a minor league contract with a new club and either remains in the minor leagues or is later added to the new club's MLB 40-man roster, the player's new club does NOT forfeit a Rule 4 Draft pick, and the player's former club does NOT receive Rule 4 Draft pick compensation. However, MLB clubs are not permitted to sign a Qualified Player to a minor league contract just to avoid losing a draft pick.

So the Cubs forfeited their 1st round pick when they signed John Lackey and they forfeited their 2nd round pick when they signed Jason Heyward, but they get the 2nd round pick back (which will be #68 overall as things stand right now) and instead will forfeit the compensatory draft pick they get for losing a Qualified Player (Dexter Fowler) as soon as Fowler's signing becomes official. 

Meanwhile, once the Fowler signing becomes official, the Orioles will forfeit their highest draft pick subject to forfeiture, but nobody gets that pick. It just disappears. Same goes for the Cubs 1st round draft pick and the Fowler compensatory draft pick the Cubs get (and then immediately forfeit). They just disappear, too. 

So I guess you can think of it this way... the Cubs traded Dexter Fowler and their 2016 1st round draft pick for Jason Heyward and John Lackey. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Dang PHIL. What happened to the good old days, Cir. 1965, where the "GM's" (were they even called that) would meet with cigars and scotch and the "January & June amateur Drafts" where players could sign for whomever gave 'em a contact? Of course in 1965 there were only like 20 teams too! Thanks again for the head-spinning details...

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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).