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

Closure For Billy Buck?

Former Cub Bill Buckner threw out the first pitch before the Red Sox home opener Tuesday against the Tigers. In a tearful press conference--lot of that going around this week--Buckner said he had finally been able to forgive the media for the brutal treatment he and his family had received following Buckner's fateful error in Game Six of the Sox' 1986 World Series loss to the Mets.

For a whole generation of fans, Buckner's connection to that Mookie Wilson-hit ground ball has obscured the fact that the guy was a terrific baseball player. The onetime Dodger played seven full seasons on the North Side after the Cubs had acquired him and Ivan DeJesus in a January, 1977 trade for Rick Monday.

Buckner played on some terrible Cub teams between '77 and '83, and he played for some terrible managers, including Herman Franks and Lee Elia. In fact, Buckner's first season with the Cubs was the only one in which the club finished .500. But Buckner hit better than .300 four times for the Cubs and won the NL batting title in '80 with a .324 mark. He managed to do that while limping around on chronically sore ankles that required extensive treatment and taping before each and every game.

The Cubs eventually traded Buckner to Boston in May of '84, a deal that opened up an opportunity for young Leon Durham to play first base full-time and brought Dennis Eckersley to Chicago. Durham and Eckersley were key figures in the Cubs' 1984 NL East championship. (Durham, of course, had an unfortunate post-season encounter of his own with a ground ball.)

Buckner was not as productive in Boston has he had been with the Cubs, though he did collect better than 100 RBI in his two full seasons with the Red Sox. Then Mookie Wilson happened to him. And the jokes. And the bitterness.

Buckner, who ended his 22-year career in 1990 with 2715 hits and a .289 lifetime average, was one of my favorite Cubs in the years he played here. And I am happy to see that on Tuesday in Fenway Park, where he received a long standing ovation as he hobbled out to the pitching mound to throw that ceremonial first pitch, Buckner seems to have closed a miserable chapter in an otherwise distinguished Major League career.

For the record, Buckner's numbers in his seven full seasons with the Cubs ('77--'83):

G AVG
H
HR
RBI
953 .301 1127 81
514

Buckner's contemporaries included the likes of Steve Garvey, Ken Griffey, Eddie Murray, Pete Rose, Robin Yount, and Dave Winfield. And in the years Buckner was a Cub, he had a higher batting average than all of them.

 

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Comments

And it's total BS he was even blamed for that game anyway. At the time he made the error, the game was tied anyway. No chance the Mets don't finish it off at that point. Bob Stanley and Rich Gedman were the real goats, and no one says boo about them. What an awful catcher Rich Gedman was.

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

Buckner is easily in my favorite Cubs list. Mike and Mike were trying to make the comparison between BB and Bartman this morning on ESPN (which reminded me why I stopped listening a couple of years ago. I was just flipping channels. honest!). They said something along the lines of "Hardcore Cubs fans still won't forgive Bartman." Idiots. From what I see, hardcore cub fans never blamed Bartman after that fateful game. Just the casual fans who needed talking points did.

You're right. I think it's just that the press always saw that error as a perfect metaphor for the Red Sox' failures, so they hammered on it and hammered on it.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubnut

Yeah, the press can never just blame the team or a group of players or plays - it's always one guy as a scapegoat for a meltdown (see Bartman). I really like those ESPN shows "The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame ________" - they usually do a good job of showing that there is a great deal of suck and choke from a lot of people that went into those catostrophic collapses.

about time...day games are nice and all, but i'm ready for some end-of-the-day cubs baseball on TV. btw...great bunch of articles posted lately, including this one.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

It's absurd, I haven't seen a first pitch yet this year. I haven't seen more than a few innings. Between crap going on over the weekend, the opening day blackout (seriously, wtf?), and all the day games I've pretty much missed the entire first week. In fact, I would support a shorter MLB schedule if it meant: * Starting the season in a little bit warmer weather. * More night games. * No blackouts. And tonight the game is on CSN+, so I don't even know if I get it. Last year Ft. Wayne Fios TV didn't have CSN+, but I think they do this year. I'm not getting my hopes up, though, I think there's a conspiracy against me to prevent me from watching my Cubbies. Okay, I'm done bitching.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Now here's the way I understand this deal with providing CSN+. Since you're in the Cubs market (Ft. Wayne, Indiana I presume), I believe they are required to provide it to you. It shows up on my cable only on days when the Cubs or Sox are on CSN+. Any other day the channel doesn't exist. As far as I know, games on WCIU are exempt from that, since it's not a cable channel.

Ok, so I went to look at the standings. Notice a trend? Our pitching has been a real problem. Funny at face I thought we weren't hitting, but pitching seems to be a real issue. Looking at all the standings the common theme of 1st place teams is low runs against. We are very lucky to be over .500, this staff needs to get it straight. I thought bad weather schedules were suppose to help pitching?

[ ]

In reply to by Bigz

The only "trend" bothering me is Ted Lilly, and Bobby Howry. OF those RA stats, they are probably responsible for 10-14 of those. The team pretty much should be 5-2 now. But, I expect that they'll get back some of the games grabbed from the jaws of victory when the team's other two stars start hitting, and when Theriot sits more.

I believe that Darrell Johnston was the BoSox manager at the time, and he was the true idiot in this scenario. All year long he had used another 1st baseman as a defensive replacement for Buckner, but for this critical moment he leaves the poor guy in, gimpy legs and all. Predictably the ball ate Buckner up, and Johnston never offered a credible answer for his decision - nice way to throw your own player under the bus.

if anyone is getting a free pass for 2003 it that stupid shortstop gonzalez i think, he is the one who made the big error.

[ ]

In reply to by rokfish

Gonzo error, Dusty sitting in the dugout while Prior labored, and Farnsworth serving up the back-breaking, 2-out, 3-run double to a dink-hitting Marlin (Mike Mordecai?) when the score was 4-3. I'm sure Dusty thought he had no better option than Prior -- given what happened to Farnsworth, he was probably right.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Not to mention the poor pitch selection following the Bartman incident. As I recall, Prior had two strikes on Castillo and was trying to finish him off by blowing fastballs by him, which Castillo was barely getting a piece of him. For some reason, though Castillo was clearly barely staying alive, Prior or Miller decided to deviate from the string of fastballs, and Prior bounced a curveball to walk Castillo and let Pierre get to third. The inning devolved from there.

if anyone is getting a free pass for 2003 it that stupid shortstop gonzalez Yep. It was a "tailor made" double-play ball. It also didn't help that Dusty sat on his ass in the dugout after the Bartman play, when he should have gone out and calmed his pitcher down. And Prior lacked the mental toughness to ignore the play and just pitch.

I think the moral to the Billy Buck and Bartman stories is that getting angrier at the guys who are involved in the mistake made in a game than the people who hound them and their family afterward is ridiculous. Bartman made the dumb mistake of reaching for that ball, just like a bunch of other people in the stands, and Buckner's body failed him on the ground ball, but it was malicious to hound these guys.

I blame Bartman more than Gonzalez. :P If Alou makes that catch, Gonzo doesn't have to rush to try to turn two and he doesn't make that error. :P :P

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

"Cubs recall Marshall, send Pignatiello down April 9, 2008 Recommend FROM SUN-TIMES STAFF REPORTS The Cubs recalled Sean Marshall from Class AAA and assigned Carmen Pignatiello. Marshall becomes the Cubs' only left-handed reliever." What a dumb line. He becomes the Cubs' only left-handed reliever? He replaced a left handed reliever.

After the Bartman thing, people would always ask me what I thought, while telling me that it wasn't Bartman's fault the Cubs lost. I agree. It was not Bartman's fault. HOWEVER, that incident changed the complexion of the inning, and even Bartman's staunchest defenders can't deny that.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

i think non-cubs fans loved it and followed it more than cubs fans. bartman right or bartman wrong most cubs fans i ran into found it stupid/unfortunate/etc. but generally just in passing. many other team's fans jumped on it as if bartman ran onto the field and took alou's knees out with a baton. Z, prior, wood...couldn't get it done. agonz plays a full season with hardly an error and makes the error of his career...

i also blame dusty for not going to a starter out of the pen in game 7 instead we had dave veres i think in there while marlins manager used josh beckett,needless to say dusty was once again out managed.

since i think dempster is gonna win 15 games this year here is my prediction 6.1 innings 3 earned runs i see a 5 to 4 game . hopefully my prediction is a little closer than the ted lilly fan club

Recent comments

  • 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).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.