Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 





Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

White Sox @ Cubs: Ranaudo vs Hammel (Game 100)

Bah.CHW (50-50): RHP Anthony Ranaudo (1-0, 17.18)
CHC (59-40): RHP Jason Hammel (9-5, 3.35)
First pitch: 7:05pmCST

Hammel and his potato chips won in Milwaukee on Friday (5 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB). The White Sox are 23-77 (.299) against him. Cabrera is 5-16 with 2 HR.

Jacob Turner, who evidently pitched for the Cubs for a half season when nobody was watching, was scheduled to start for the Sox but has been moved to the bullpen.

Instead, we get Ranaudo, who’s been called up from AAA. Acquired from the Rangers in May, the 26y/o New Jersey native is 5-4 with a 6.33 ERA in 9 starts and 13 career appearances with Texas and also Boston over the last couple of years. Zobrist, the only Cub to have faced him, is 1-7.

Edward Scissorhands (14-3, 3.18) versus Lackey (7-7, 3.79) at 7:05pmCST to end the “Classic.”

Go Cubs!

Comments

Apparently the Yankees had the choice of either Gleyber Torres or Eloy Jimenez in the Chapman deal, and they chose Torres. 

link 

Some perspective (mostly for my own benefit): Dan Straily beat MadBum 2-1 today as the Reds took 2 of 3 in SF. Giants are 2-9 since the break and their lead over LA is down to 2.5 games. So, yeah...baseball. It'll drive ya nuts.

Here are the ERAs for the last five starting pitchers: 3.40 3.64 4.28 4.68 9.45 At what point does the manager note it's not the "other pitcher"? And why does he start Montero in the middle of a downturn?

bryant's back! no-doubt HR towering to CF...tie game.

Familia blows his first save of the season -- gives up 2 in 9th to the Cards. Not much going our way these days.

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaez! cubs take a 2 run lead in the 7th. sweet.

Javy! Javy! Javy! How sweet was that - Cranked it! 393 happy feet

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

You don't think he's improved? He looks completely different out there than he did when he first came up. The last I checked his K rate was in the low 20% range - 22-23 or so. When he came up it was 40%+. To me, what is scary about him if I'm the other guy is that he IS learning the strike zone. This guy could easily be the MVP someday.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

He certainly looks better, no doubt, and is a different player than what we saw when he first came up. Full credit to him for changing his approach and saving his career. But he has zero walks in 35AB since the break, and 10 in 251 AB all year. He does seem to be able to hit some pitches out of the zone, but, a guy with his pop should be drawing more walks. However, it's easy to forget he is still only 23, and probably trying to make an impact to prove he should be an everyday player.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

I think Javy is learning--but he's learning to make contact, not learning to lay off pitches out of the zone. A quick glance at his plate discipline numbers on Fangraphs shows that his contact rate is up, especially his contact rate out of the zone, but his swing rate is up too, especially his swing rate out of the zone. My impression is that his somewhat cut down swing makes him more able to make contact, but it hasn't yet allowed him to lay off of bad pitches. If he could just get his walk rate up to say 6% (for comp, Aramis Ramirez walked at a 7% rate for his career, Soriano was at 5.9%), he could be a pretty valuable #5-6 hitter. And if sometime he hit 35-40 homeruns, yeah, he might be in MVP conversations.

11 hits off Wainwright tonight. Everything going right for the Cards right now. Motherfucking motherfuckers.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

The usual suspects, Molina and Wong. Gyorko drew a walk with two outs, none on. I recall us (particularly Szczur and Bryant) swinging at everything Familia threw. I think the Cards' secret--although it's not exactly a secret--is that they play microscopically. From the start of the game, they argue every ball-and-strike call they don't like. They hire managers with the harshest glare--or is it "glower"?--in the business, like Matheny and LaRussa. Molina will embark soon on an illustrious career as a manager, hopefully in the AL. He sets up outside, frames the ball perfectly, and the ump is not supposed to notice that the catcher asked for a pitch several inches outside. By the end of the game, if you're the opposing pitcher, you better throw it "fat," or they won't swing, and you won't get the call. Fat pitches lead to "clutch" hits.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

...and Familia with back-to-back blown saves. Blows a one-run lead vs. Rockies today, gets his 2nd consecutive loss. I am OK with the Mets missing the playoffs and suffering crushing losses at home --- just want them to beat St. Louis. He played with fire twice agains the Cubs -- unfortunately, the Cubs couldn't stop swinging.

Got to admit it - it was comforting seeing Rondon come out for the eighth after just taking a two run lead ... And put the hammer down with a 7 pitch inning. Good stuff

Sure is fun to watch them score finally. To think they were no-hit until the 7th...

If Jason Hammel doesn't get a potato chip sponsorship deal, somebody messed up. Attaboy, Jason!

So, playing .500 for the rest of the year puts them at 91 wins. You would think there is enough talent to do a little better than that, right?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Amazing how much lower the production gets when Bryant runs into a mini-cold streak. He doesn't stay cold for long. If just one of Zobrist or, gulp, Heyward, gets hot, they oughta have one more really nice winning streak in them. Having a closer that you have absolute confidence in can't hurt. Did anyone notice all the guys, especially Arrieta, standing on the dugout steps studying every pitch Chapman threw? In an 8-1 game. Of course, part of it was that they were still jacked from the late HRs. I never really paid a lot of attention to his delivery, but man, that's a work of art, how his entire body stretches from end of the mound to the other seamlessly as he is firing that thing. Every pitch I was thinking to myself, "I really hope he's not an asshole. I really hope he's not an asshole."

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

I have basically written off Heyward for this year -- if you are working on major swing changes in late July, you are going to struggle. Hopefully, he can be more productive at the plate next year. It will be interesting to see what they do with him if the Cardinals keep winning and close the gap. Heyward is dead last in the NL in slugging and in the bottom 5 in OPS -- yet still has a positive WAR. Hunh. They certainly have the talent to play over .500 for the next 62 games, but, in a "through the looking glass" scenario -- my biggest concern is their top 3 starters. Hendricks and Hammel seem to be in good shape and able to give a competitive start on a regular basis. Hopefully, the extended bullpen can make Lackey a 6-inning pitcher -- his ERA just keeps going up. With fewer pitches per start, he should be able to pitch like a decent #3. But, a team needs an ace or two to carry it through the rough times -- Jake and Lester seem like big question marks right now. No doubt they can be good -- but can they win 2-1 games against other top pitchers?

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Regarding Heyward-- He'll play regardless of what he does, just like Soriano played for seven years before they finally ditched him. What can they do? All I can think of is they can keep hiring and firing hitting coaches until they find one who can get him to stop hitting balls with the handle of the bat. (All those broken bats added to his paycheck is just a bit much.)

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Lester has given up one run or fewer in 11 starts this year. So I'd answer yes. Three of his last four starts were duds, yes. Not worried about him at all. Arrieta is concerning, to be sure. I look it at as, what he was doing was historic, so the regression was bound to happen. He showed in his start against the Mets that he's still capable, and I'd bet on him regaining his form.

AZ PHIL- You have kept a close watch of the Rule 5 Draft eligible Cubs and who you think'll make the cut, one guy I think gets overlooked is John Andreoli. You could say he is a relative clone to Matt Szczur, but he has more power (11 HR) and speed (30sb), a year younger, and would now have 3 options vs Szczur 0. Opinions?

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).

    he will be reevaluated tomorrow.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB 

    Just a difference of opinion

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.