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, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* 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
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

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




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft Negotiation List (Updated 7/8)

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft (MLB Rule 4 Draft) are placed on a club's Negotiation List.

The Cubs signed 29 of the 41 players they selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft (MLB Rule 4 Draft). 

In most cases, a player selected by a club in the Rule 4 Draft will remain on the club's Negotiation List until either the player signs or until the signing deadline (whichever comes first), and if a club does not sign a Rule 4 Draft pick by the deadline (5 PM Eastern on Friday 7/7 in 2017), the player is removed from the club's Negotiation List and becomes eligible for selection again in the next Rule 4 Draft in which the player would be eligible for selection. The exception to this rule is any college senior with no baseball eligibility left. This class of player remains on the club's Negotiation List until the player signs or until one week prior to the next Rule 4 Draft (whichever comes first). The Cubs signed all of their 2017 draft picks who have no college eligiility left, so no players will remain on the Negotriation List beyond July 7th.   

A player selected in the Rule 4 Draft will be declared a free-agent if he is not offered a contract by the signing deadline.

Also, any player eligible for selection in the Rule 4 Draft who is not drafted ("Non-Drafted Free-Agent" or "NDFA") can sign with any club after the conclusion of the draft any time up until one week prior to the next Rule 4 Draft, unless and until the NDFA enrolls in a junior college or four-year college, in which case MLB Rule 4 Draft eligibility rules apply.

A player selected in the MLB Rule 4 Draft or a Rule 4 eligible NDFA cannot be signed to a Major League contract.

A player selected in the MLB Rule 4 Draft or a Rule 4 eligible NDFA can be "Signed for Future Service" (contract is for the following season) if the player signs a contract after July 1st.

CUBS 2016 RULE 4 DRAFT NEGOTIATION LIST (updated 7-8-2017):
Brendon Little, LHP (FSC - Manatee-Sarasota) - JC SOPH - SIGNED
Alex Lange, RHP (LSU) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Cory Abbott, RHP (Loyola Marymount) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Keegan Thompson, RHP (Auburn) - COLLEGE SR (REDSHIRT JR) - SIGNED
Erich Uelman, RHP (Cal Poly - SLO) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Nelson Velazquez, OF (PJ Education School - Carolina, PR) - HIGH SCHOOL - SIGNED
Jeremiah Estrada, RHP (Palm Desert HS - Palm Desert, CA) - HIGH SCHOOL - SIGNED
Ricky Tyler Thomas, LHP (Fresno State) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Austin Filiere, 3B (MIT) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Chris Carrier, OF (U. of Memphis) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Brian Glowicki, RHP (U. of Minnesota) -  COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Rollie Lacy, RHP (Creighton) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Ben Hecht, RHP (Wichita State) - COLLEGE SR (REDSHIRT JR) - SIGNED
Austin Upshaw, 1B (Kennesaw State) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED 
Luis Vazquez, SS (Alberto Melendez Torres School - Orocovis, PR) - HIGH SCHOOL- SIGNED
Jared Young, 2B (Old Dominion) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Brandon Hughes, CF (Michigan State) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED 
Peyton Remy, RHP (Central Arizona JC) - JC SOPH - SIGNED
Casey Ryan, RHP (U. of Hawai'i) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Chris Singleton, CF (Charleston Southern) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Brendan King, RHP (Holy Cross) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Sean Barry, RHP (U. of San Diego) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED 
Skyler Messinger, SS (Niwot HS - Niwot, CO) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND U. of Kansas 
Brady Miller, RHP (Western Oregon) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED
Braxton Light, RHP (Wallace State CC) - JC SOPH - SIGNED
Mitch Stophel, RHP (King University) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Bryce Bonnin, RHP (Barbers Hill HS - Mont Belvieu, TX) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND U. of Arkansas 
Darius Vines, RHP (Oxnard JC) - JC FR - WILL RETURN TO Oxnard JC 
Kier Meredith, CF (Robert B. Glenn  HS - Kernersville, NC) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND Clemson  
Jake Steffens, RHP (Santa Clara) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Cam Balego, SS (Mercyhurst) - COLLEGE SR - SIGNED
Ramsey Romano, SS (Long Beach State) - COLLEGE SR (REDSHIRT JR) - SIGNED
Hunter Ruth, RHP (Buchholz HS - Gainesville, FL) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND U. of Florida
Joe Donovan, C (Westmont HS - Westmont, IL) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND U. of Michigan 
Andrew Karp, RHP (Florida State) - COLLEGE JR (REDSHIRT SOPH) - WILL RETURN TO Florida State 
Ben Ramirez, 3B (Eastlake HS - Chula Vista, CA) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND USC 
Tanner Allen, CF (UMS-Wright Prep) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND Mississippi State 
Alex Cornwell, LHP (Maranatha HS - Pasadena, CA) - HIGH SCHOOL- WILL ATTEND USC
Russell Smith, LHP (Midlothian HS - Midlothian, TX) - HIGH SCHOOL - WILL ATTEND TCU 
Cooper Coldiron, 2B (U. of Houston) - COLLEGE SR (REDSHIRT JR) - WILL RETURN TO U. of Houston 
Jeffrey Passantino, RHP (Lipscomb) - COLLEGE JR - SIGNED   

Tags
2017 Cubs First-Year Player Draft

Comments

Submitted by The E-Man on Fri, 06/23/2017 - 06:21 am

Answering my own Lange question. Duh He pitches this afternoon at 2:00. So unsigned until his team is eliminated...

Submitted by Childersb3 on Fri, 06/23/2017 - 06:52 am

Az Phil: what cubs milb player promotions do you foresee coming up? Spingola already was moved up to AA. Eloy to AA? Alzolay to AA? Anyone to AAA? Burks? Clifton? Or do they stay at MBeach and win another title? TN could make playoffs in 2nd half with those callups.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 06/23/2017 - 06:38 pm

CHILDERSb3: RHRP Daury Torrez and RHP swingman James Pugliese are eligible to be minor league 6YFA post-2017, so the Cubs need to find out ASAP if they can get outs at AAA. I'm fairly certain the Cubs would offer both of them a 2018 minor league successor contract, but the player does not have to sign. The only way a club can be sure to retain a minor league 6YFA is to add the player to the MLB 40-man roster by 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series (as the Cubs did with Jose Rosario last year).  

RHSP Adbert Alzolay, OF Charcer Burks, RHSP Jen-Ho Tseng, and 3B Jason Vosler are not eligible to be minor league 6YFA, but they are eligible for selection in the December 2017 MLB Rule 5 Draft. Therefore, all four are squarely "on the bubble" as far as being added to the MLB 40-man roster post-2017 (or not), so if the opportunity presents itself any or all of the four (but especially Alzolay to AA) could get moved up a level to see how close they are to the big leagues.

Also, because of their post-2017 roster status, I would expect both Burks and Vosler to be among the position-players the Cubs assign to the AFL post-2017. (Same goes for RHRP Dillon Maples, who has already been moved-up to AA from Hi-A... he could get some Rule 5 Draft interest if he isn't added to the 40 by 11/20, so pitching in the AFL could help the Cubs decide his immediate future).  

OF Eloy Jimenez is a lock to get added to the 40 post-2017, but a promotion to AA to face more-advanced pitchers wouldn't hurt if the Cubs are convinced he has mastered Hi-A. He could even go back to the AFL again if the Cubs feel he needs more reps against better pitching to help make-up for time lost due to injury in April.  

RHSP Trevor Clifton is a virtual lock to get added to the MLB 40-man roster post-2017 as well, but I'm not sure he would get moved up to AAA this season because he doesn't need to prove that he can get outs at AAA before he is added to the 40. Same goes for RHSP Oscar de la Cruz (presently on the DL at Hi-A). Both will almost certainly get added to the 40 by the 11/20 deadline no matter where they finish the 2017 season. 

Submitted by tim815 on Fri, 06/23/2017 - 06:41 pm

Please consider trading for Mason Melatokis. I'd consider offering as much as Jason Vosler.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 06/24/2017 - 06:59 am

That's really sad news. 

Ex-MLB INF Keith Lockhart is the Cubs GA-SC Area Scout, and I had the pleasure of talking with him a couple of times back when his son Danny was in the Cubs organization. (Danny was selected by the Diamondbacks in the Minor League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft last December). 

Keith is very proud of his sons (and not just because they play baseball). Hopefully Jason will fully recover. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 06/27/2017 - 06:25 pm

Ben Badler at Baseball America has ranked the Top 50 international prospects eligible to be signed in the 2017-18 International Signing Period (ISP) that begins on 7/2, and (probably not too surprisingly) the Cubs are linked to the top two Mexican players, 17-year old RHP Florencio Serrano and 16-year old SS Luis Verdugo.

Serrano is under control of Toros de Tijuana (Mexican League) and Verdugo is under control of Diablos Rojos de Mexico (Mexican League), and because of a provision in the signing bonus rule that allows MLB clubs to sign players under control of Mexican League clubs for a bonus as much as four times above the club's signing bonus limit (which is $300K per player for the Cubs in the 2017-18 ISP), the Cubs can offer Serrano and Verdugo as much as $1.2 M each (with 75% of the bonus going to the player's Mexican League club).

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 06/29/2017 - 06:24 pm

2017 13th round draft pick Austin Upshaw hit two HR for the AZL Cubs in his pro debut last night vs AZL Dodgers at Camelback Ranch.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 07/01/2017 - 07:11 pm

OF Brandon Hughes (16th round draft pick - Michigan State) and INF Ramsey Romano (31st round draft pick - Long Beach State) were in uniform and on the bench with AZL Cubs last night in Tempe, so they have officially signed.

Also, 3B Austin Filiere (8th round draft pick - MIT) was not in the AZL Cubs lineup but he left the bench mid-game and was driven back to Mesa by one of the coaches (he wasn't sick because they took their time leaving the stadium). That's usually an indication that a player needs to pack and get ready to go to the airport.

INF Austin Upshaw (13th round draft pick - Kennesaw State) continues to mash in AZL, so it's only a matter of time before he gets moved-up to Eugene or possibly even to South Bend. Upshaw is a Jason Vosler clone, and (like Vosler) he projects as a corner-INF long-term, although he has been playing 2B the last few games (a "position of need" for the AZL Cubs).   

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 07/04/2017 - 07:12 pm

Having had a chance to watch 2017 30th round draft pick INF Cam Belego a bit, I can see that he has the versatility to play SS-2B-3B, but I also see a possible catcher conversion in his future. He reminds me a lot of Ben Carhart.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 07/04/2017 - 07:30 pm

No question the most-improved player at AZL Cubs is SS Delvin Zinn.

A star baseball and basketball player at Pontotoc HS in Mississippi, Zinn was drafted by the Cubs in the 28th round of the 2015 draft out of HS but did not sign (he had a strong college commitment to attend Mississippi State) and then again in the 23rd round of the 2016 draft out of Itawamba CC (he transferred to ICC after only one semester at MSU), finally signing in 2016.

Making his debut with the AZL Cubs last July, Zinn was clearly over-matched at the plate and was erratic defensively in the field, but this year he has been flashing the leather and showing good range at shortstop and his bat has come alive with consistent hard contact AB to AB.

Zinn suffered a stress fracture in his foot at Minor League Camp in March and missed most of Extended Spring Training, but he has been making up for lost time since returning to action in late May. If top SS prospect Aramis Ademan wasn't already at Eugene, Zinn would probably be a good candidate for a mid-summer promotion to the Emeralds.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 07/06/2017 - 07:50 am

Players signed after being selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft  (MLB Rule 4 Draft) must be either placed on a minor league active list or inactive list (DL or Temporariliy Inactive List) within 15 days after being officially signed or when the player appears in a minor league game (whichever comes first).

The Cubs officially signed 13 players on 6/22, so these 13 players must be either activated or placed on the DL or TIL no later than tomorrow. INF Cam Balego, 3B Austin Filiere, and INF Austin Upshaw were assigned to AZL Cubs a couple of weeks ago, and Upshaw has already been moved-up to South Bend and Filiere has been moved-up to Eugene, so that leaves ten. (There are at least nine more draft picks signed after 6/22 who will need to be rostered later in the month).     
 
As a result, there will be a number of roster moves at AZL Cubs and Eugene (and possibly involving South Bend as well) today and tomorrow, and in fact RHRP Brian Glowicki (10th round pick) and RHRP Casey Ryan (18th round pick) were assigned to Eugene today and RHSP Jose Albertos was moved up to Eugene from AZL Cubs. Glowicki and Ryan were in Mesa the last couple of weeks throwing side-sessions and "live" BP, but they did not appear in any AZL games. (This is not unusual for college seniors).   
 
Also look for some promotions and demotions and DL stints and a couple (or more) players to even get released over the next few days to make room on the short-season rosters for the draft picks. The Cubs will need at least another 17 slots, and there are only 11 slots open (combined) right now between AZL Cubs and Eugene. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 07:02 am

Today (Friday) is the deadline to sign (most) players selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Rule 4 Draft). NOTE: College seniors with no eligibility left remain on a club's Negotiation List until one week prior to next year's draft, but the Cubs signed all of the college seniors with no eligibility left that they drafted in 2017. CUBS 2017 FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT SIGNING BONUSES: Brendan Little - signed $2.2M ($173,300 underslot) Alex Lange - unsigned ($2,184,300 slot) Cory Abbott - signed $901,900 (slot) Keegan Thompson - signed $511,900 (slot) Erich Uehlman - signed $382,300 (slot) Nelson Velazquez - unsigned ($285,800 slot) Jeremiah Estrada - unsigned ($222,600 slot) Ricky Tyler Thomas - signed $175,500 (slot) Austin Filiere - signed $148,500 (slot) Chris Carrier - signed $5,000 ($132,500 underslot) Brian Glowicki - signed $5,000 ($126,300 underslot) AVAILABLE UNDERSLOT TOTAL FIRST TEN ROUNDS: $432,100 plus 5% = $453,705 BONUSES FOR PLAYERS BELOW ROUND 10 NOTE: Any bonus amount above $125,000 given to any one player counts against pool Rollie Lacy - signed ($125,000) Ben Hecht- signed ($125,000) Austin Upshaw - signed ($100,000) Luis Vazquez - unsigned Jared Young - unsigned Brandon Hughes - signed ($125,000) Peyton Remy - signed ($125,000) Casey Ryan - signed ($3,000) Chris Singlleton - signed ($100,000) Brendan King - signed ($1,000) Sean Barry - signed ($5,000) Skyler Messinger - unsigned Brady Miller - unsigned Braxton Light - signed ($50,000) Mitch Stophel - signed ($1,000) Bryce Bonnin - unsigned Darius Vines - unsigned Kier Meredith - unsigned Jake Steffens - signed ($3,000) Cam Balego - signed ($1,000) Ramsey Romano - signed ($10,000) Hunter Ruth - unsigned Joe Donovan - unsigned Andrew Karp - unsigned Ben Ramirez - unsigned Tanner Allen - unsigned Alex Cornwell - unsigned Russell Smith - unsigned Cooper Coldiron - unsigned Jeffrey Passantino - signed ($10,000) TOTAL OVERAGE ROUNDS 11-40: NONE So the Cubs will be able to go overslot in the amount of $453,705 (total) for all remaining unsigned players, unless unsigned Top 10 Round picks Lange, Velasquez, and/or Estrada sign underslot (that amount would be added to the $453,705). Remember, if a player selected in Rounds 1-10 does not sign, that bonus slot $$$ goes away and cannot be used to sign another player. Also, if a player selected in the first three rounds does not sign, the club receives a compensation pick in the 2018 draft as along as the club offered the player at least 40% of the bonus value of the slot. There is no compensation if a club fails to sign a player selected below Round #3.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 07:28 pm

E-MAN: Alex Lange was at the Cubs game at Riverview Park on Tuesday morning, but he hadn't officially signed yet because he was waiting for the physical/drug screen results to come back. I don't know what the hang-up would be (if there is one), but if the two sides can't come to an agreement by 5 PM (Eastern), Lange cannot be signed and he will presumably go back to LSU for his senior year, and the Cubs would get a comp pick (#31 overall) in next year's draft (presuming they offer Lange at least 40% of the slot value -- which would be about $875K).

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 07:42 pm

CRUNCH: It's really good for the Cubs if Lange agrees to sign under-slot, because then the Cubs would have more pool money available to sign a HS kid like Jeremiah Estrada, or maybe one of the talented HS draft picks from the later rounds who otherwise would be very difficult to sign due to a strong college commitment.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 07:19 pm

jon heyman now speculating lange may return to LSU. so much posturing going on right now. there's an "issue" but it's not public what the "issue" is, but it's supposedly an "issue" that wouldn't keep him from pitching next year for LSU as a senior without losing value. hmmm. *shrug* if they can snag a banged-up lange and turn it into one of those HS kids as a bonus signing, too...i'll take that.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 07:36 pm

It's interesting that college football and college basketball players with eligibility left have to declare for the draft and once they do declare they lose their eligibility even if they do't sign a pro contract, but college baseball players can get drafted, negotiate with the club on a bonus, and then if things don't work out, they just go back to the same college and they don't lose their eligibility (presuming they have eligibility left).

Submitted by QuietMan on Mon, 07/10/2017 - 07:29 am

Keith Lockhart‏ @klocky7 So happy to report that after 7 surgeries and 21 days in the hospital, Jason is finally heading home! #answeredprayers

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 07/20/2017 - 07:04 am

The Cubs have released 2014 17th round draft pick RHRP John Michael Knighton (known as "Bama" to his teammates) from South Bend, as 2017 12th round draft pick RHRP Ben Hecht (Wichita State) was moved-up to Eugene from AZL Cubs and RHRP Jhon Romero (2014 IFA) was moved-up to South Bend from Eugene. This will probably be the last release related to making room on minor league rosters for 2017 draft picks (5th round pick OF Nelson Velazquez and 14th round pick SS Luis Vazquez -- both from Puerto Rico -- made their pro debuts Wednesday night at Sloan Park with the AZL Cubs).

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    masterboney is a luxury on a team that has multiple, capable options for 2nd, SS, and 3rd without him around.  i don't hate the guy, but if madrigal is sticking around then masterboney is expendable.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I THINK I agree with that decision. They committed to Wicks as a starter and, while he hasn’t been stellar I don’t think he’s been bad enough to undo that commitment.

    That said, Wesneski’s performance last night dictates he be the next righty up.

    Quite the dilemma. They have many good options, particularly in relief, but not many great ones. And complicating the situation is that the pitchers being paid the most are by and large performing the worst - or in Taillon’s case, at least to this point, not at all.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Wesneski and Mastrobuoni to Iowa

    Taillon and Wisdom up

    Wesneski can't pitch for a couple of days after the 4 IP from last night. But Jed picked Wicks over Wesneski.

  • crunch (view)

    booooooooooo

    also, wisdom and taillon are both in chicago.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Tonight’s game postponed. Split games on Saturday.

  • crunch (view)

    cubs getting crazy good at not having player moves leak.

    taillon we 100% know is pitching tonight.  who he's replacing and any additional moves are unknown as far as i can tell.

    p.wisdom was not in today's lineup in iowa (rained out) and he was removed from the game last night mid-game, but not for injury.  good bet he's with the team in the bigs, too.

  • Bill (view)

    A good rule of thumb is that if you trade a near-ready high ceiling prospect, you should get at least two far-away high ceiling prospects in return.  Like all rules-of-thumb, it depends upon the specific circumstances, but certainly, we weren't going to get Busch for either prospect alone.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

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