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

The Best Trades We NEVER Made

Time will tell if the Cubs just lucked out by not acquiring Brian Roberts. His strength wouldn't have been in the field as we already have a solid second baseman in Mark DeRosa. Roberts would have given the Cubs a leadoff switch-hitter with a track record of well above average OBP and basestealing ability. Not making the trade keeps the Cubs farm system talent pool of near MLB ready talent available for the future, whether it be a different transaction or if those prospects develop further, maybe a spot on the roster if an injury occurs. Could Sean Gallagher replace one of our 5 starters if more than one breaks down? Will Eric Patterson become a bona-fide mlb leadoff hitter? Can Jose Ceda or lefty Donald Veal become the power arm that teams drool over with just a little more seasoning? Will Roberts back spasms limit his playing time this year devaluing his baserunning skills and therefore his trade value on a team which needed to completely rebuild with young talent?

I tried to think of deals that were rumored but never happened, but ultimately worked out better than if the trade had occurred. Last year Jacques Jones was almost dealt to the Marlins while being nearly useless to the club the first half of 2007. After that "almost trade" he started hitting again and some would say that was the difference the team needed to make the playoffs.

I'm sure Cubs history is full of rumored deals that never happened giving credence to the cliche that "not making that trade was the best thing that could have happened". So here's a chance for TCR readers to chime in on trades that almost happened (but never did) and the historical hindsight that goes with it.

Comments

One of the Best Trades We NEVER Made was definitely when Mary Rowengartner blocked the trade of her son and cubs star pitcher Henry Rowengartner to the Yankees. Henry was a 12 years old star prospect known for his 103 mph fast ball, great locker room personality and historic hidden ball trick. Without Henry Rowengartner we never would have taken the mets for that divisional championship.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Not sure I agree with you on this one, Cubster. Despite all of his home runs, the Cubs might have been better off after 2000 without Sammy Selfish. Also, the irony is there on a number of levels. That "the Cubs insisted on five players" for Sosa sure sounds like MacPhail's handiwork. It's what he tried to get for Roberts the last couple of months.

[ ]

In reply to by Timmer

I agree it's not the ideal example of being better off for not making the trade. Unloading Sosa's contract at that point would have saved the Cubs a ton of aggravation. Still, with what they are paying Soriano it's ultimately a wash (or maybe worse). Also the outfield in 2003 might have been Soriano in LF and Alou in RF (very ugly), assuming they could have gotten Soriano to move from 2B. Or Soriano at 2B might have affected the move of unloading Todd Hundley for Grudzielanek (and Karros).

So this doesn't exactly fit since it wasn't a trade, but I think we can all agree the original 3/44 was a great signing that never happened.

All right, I'm not playing by the rules again, but here's an interesting one: Not signing Jim Thome a few years ago when he stated he would like to play for the Cubs. At the time, the Cubs were still clinging to Hee Seop Choi, but then he turned into D-Lee. I could be getting my years mixed up, but Thome might have made the difference for us in 2004 when we just missed the playoffs; however, he'd be an albatross now compared to Lee.

Based on what we know now of Palmiero, I'd put Jim Frey's not trading Mark Grace -- and trading Palmiero instead -- on this list.

I posted this in the previous thread but was hoping to get some more exposure in the new thread: I've been running a Home Run Pool for the last 5 years. You pick 11 players from 4 groups of players. But, you also get to write in 4 players that aren't on lists - a lot of people really like this strategic aspect. There is a total of 15 players selected plus 1 tiebreaker. It costs $20 per entry and all money is returned to the pot. Last year there were 80 participants. The 4 highest HR totals payout. I expect the same level of participation this year but am always hoping for more! If you're interested send me an email at [email protected] and I'll send you an entry form. The deadline to submit picks is March 30th at 11:59 PM CST so act quickly!

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

What if I wish to post for face value only? If people can recruit to "profit" from a gambling pool, and the top four winners share a pot of $20 per participant, where is the line here, ROB G?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

you know what? good point...
my ticket mention yesterday was a favor for someone and something I don't intend to do much of again. I don't really care about Stanley mentioning his little pool, but I don't really care to make a habit of it either. And I definitely don't want folks to hawk their tickets for profit on here...
So yeah...everyone knock it off! :)

P.S. - it was Davey Martinez who was traded for sleeping with Sandberg's wife. But, didn't Duane Kuiper claim Mrs. Sandberg was actually his 2nd MLB HR?

Cubs placed LHP Scott Eyre on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, with a sore left elbow. Eligible to come off around 4-7, so he misses at least the opening two series.

Does anyone know where I might be able to get into a HR Pool of some sort?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

my response: One of the best Cubs blog period (along with VFTB), end of story. The fact that it was not included makes me think that y'all fear "The Cub Reporter." TCR is one of my 1st choices for Cubs news. i am guessing the trib is jealous of TCR, i mean lets face it, rob does incredible work, azphil is the roster/minors god, we got the doctor explaining all things doctory, cubnut, well is cubnut, the godfather ruz, manny is the typical idiotic troll and trans likes DS9...

Not really a trade, and, actually, in the opposite spirit of the thread, but: I really think the Cubs made a mistake when they signed Piniella instead of Girardi.

I wish the Fred McGriff acquisition didn't happen. Was he traded to us? I remember he resisted coming here and then when he did, it was too late to make a difference.

Back on topic... I don't think the Cubs ever actually tried to trade him, but keeping Aramis at the 2006 trade deadline was wise...

It was a long time ago, but Leo Durocher recounted in his book ("Nice Guys Finish Last") that he attempted to trade Billy Williams to Baltimore at one point.

I should add that the player in question from Baltimore was not anyone good - no Frank Robinson or Jim Palmer in the mix.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • 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.