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

Game 9 Open Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (3 of 3)

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

SP *Rich Hill
SP
Matt Morris
  0-0, 3.00, 4 K, 3 BB
0-0, 5.40, 2 K, 2 BB
       
LF Alfonso Soriano CF *Nate McLouth
2B
*Mike Fontenot
2B
Freddy Sanchez
1B
Derrek Lee LF
Jason Bay
3B
Aramis Ramirez 1B
*Adam LaRoche
RF
*Kosuke Fukudome RF
Xavier Nady
C
Geovany Soto C
Ronny Paulino
SS Ryan Theriot 3B
Jose Bautista
CF *Felix Pie SS
Brian Bixler
P
*Rich Hill P Matt Morris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 27 innings of baseball in two games, I think the Cubs should just get credit for the third game and call it a sweep. It is three full games of baseball afterall.

Lou thought about switching up the rotation a bit and giving Marquis the start tonight, but he was still feeling the effects of the flu. So Rich Hill stays in his spot and as long as the rain stays away, I'm sure there's not a happier guy in Pennsylvania right now. Hill, a flyball pitcher, gets the cozy left field dimensions of PNC Park and the punchless Pirates instead of the hitter-happy Citizens Bank Park and the powerhouse Phillies lineup.

Lou was pondering tinkering with his lineup as well, teasing us with playing Fukudome in center and Ward in right or Pie in center, Fukudome in right, and giving Fontenot a start at second to take advantage of the righty/lefty matchup with Matt Morris on the mound. Eventually he settled on rewarding Pie for his game-winning hit yesterday and giving a spot start to Fontenot, as you can see. Of course, Morris has shown little difference in his three-year splits (775 OPS vs lefties and 769 vs. righties) and was actually better versus lefties in 2007 (784 OPS compared to 828 OPS vs. righties).

The weather block on the left of the site says 30% chance of showers tonight and the map looks even more ominous, although it appears the green blob might stay north of the city the entire time.

Be sure to visit TCR tommorrow, as Mike Wellman of Road to Wrigley will have the first of his eyewitness accounts from Prinicipal Park in Iowa. He'll be stopping by here after each Iowa homestand, and will have some other articles throughout the year.

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Comments

"After 27 innings of baseabll in two games, I think the Cubs should just get credit for the third game and call it a sweep. It is three full innings of baseball afterall." I think you mean three full GAMES of baseball.

I think Godenot has been resurrected. Actually, I think Fontenot is potentially the best hitter out of Theriot, Cedeno, and DeRosa. DeRosa has him beat on walks, but I think Mighty Mike actually has more pop. And, as we all know handedness is the most important factor, Fontenot has the edge in hitting from the correct batter's box.

let me take a stab at this... tomorrrow Lou will be quoted that Hill wasn't sent down because he walked a zillion batters in 3 innings...and that they needed a lefty reliever in the bullpen, so they brought Pignatello back up (since they already have Marshall stretched out). on another note...Nice work Jon Lieber.

The Pirates aren't a great team and the Cubs squeeked out a couple but sweeping any series is always a bonus. Now just pull out 1 or 2 in Philly and its a nice little road trip.

1. i wonder what that lou and hill conversation was about in dugout hill did not say anything lou did all the talking. 2. i would have made hill sit on bench and watch lieber pitch first pitch strikes are huge. 3. coincidence that pie made last out in 3rd and lou made the double switch i think lou is getting a hardon for johnson,we know he will start on saturday but will it be pie or johnson on friday?

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Pie looked awful in his 2nd AB (the only one I saw). Matt Morris, an over-the-hill righthander, just toyed with him -- slow curve, slow curve, fastball right down the middle. Strikes 1, 2 and 3. No chance. Ugly. Given Pie's reaction, I think he is stressing a fair amount. Hendry's two "shrug" additions -- Liebs and Johnson-- are paying big early dividends. Without Lieber, I think they lose yesterday's game -- Hill spits the bit after a 15-inning, bullpen-drainng marathon. Is Hill too comfy? Does he need a little pressure and sense of urgency to perform well? Jason Kendall hitting .538 for the Crew.

Hey people, don't forget to pitch in a few bucks to support TCR. PS digging the "sweep" graphic.

Love the sweep graphic. Looking forward to updates from Road to Wrigley. Nice to see Soriano starting to hit. Looked like Lee lost his hot-streak...maybe Zach Duke has a lasting effect on a guy. Tough road trip to Philly early in the year, Go get 'em Cubbies!

Samardzija (W, 2-0) 7.0 4 0 0 1 5 0 0.75 Second strong outing for Samardzija at Tenn. Very encouraging.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

That is ridiculous. Rich Hill is too good to not be given a real opportunity to work through some of his issues. If anyone thinks that John Lieber will have a better year than Rich Hill, they are crazy.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Eventually Hill will have a better year than Leiber, but that doesn't mean trotting Hill out to the mound every 5 days will solve his problem. Clearly Hill has been struggling with his control, and its been that way since spring training. If he has the same problem again his next start, something will probably have to change, either sending him down to Iowa for a few weeks or declare that some mystery injury is what's causing the problem and sit him down for 2 weeks of "rehab." Right now, the Cubs have two capable 6th starters in Marshall or Leiber, theres no reason not to use them if there is something wrong with Hill.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Dave, if he'd like to show ANY improvement over the last 6 weeks worth of throwing, that would be great. He's not learning anything. He's not fixing anything. He still can't throw his curveball for a strike, so everybody's teeing off on his fastball. Coincidentally, he's also having problems throwing his fastball for a strike. Seems to me the new delivery concocted by Rothschild isn't working for him. I don't really care how many guys steal off of him if he'd actually get some guys out.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

i believe you would be hard pressed to find anyone who has categorically stated that "jon lieber will have a better year than rich hill in 2008". i don't read every comment on here; i may be wrong. there has been no change in hill since pitchers and catchers reported. maybe he has an injury, maybe he has mentally hit the wall. maybe he has hit his ceiling altogether. that cannot be known yet. but there is no reason to put the club at a disadvantage by putting hill out there, when he cannot find the plate. 75 or so pitches in 3 innings is not acceptable; what sort of hue and cry would be on here if it were zambrano going 75 in 3? or lilly? or heaven help us dempster? you can holler "it's only 2 starts" as loudly as you would like, and you would be factually correct; it's lou's ear you need to reach. meanwhile some nice hitting from the un-stars salvaged a win and a sweep. shouldn't team wins be the measure?

[ ]

In reply to by dc60124

i believe you would be hard pressed to find anyone who has categorically stated that "jon lieber will have a better year than rich hill in 2008". Fair enough. But I don't think that sending Hill down to dominate in AAA is really going to help him much. maybe he has hit his ceiling altogether. His ceiling? Right not certainly isn't his ceiling, so that doesn't make much sense. If he "his his ceiling," he would be pitching like he did last April. what sort of hue and cry would be on here if it were zambrano going 75 in 3? or lilly? or heaven help us dempster? It probably wouldn't be as bad as people have been saying about Hill. First of all, I don't think anyone is saying that Hill is okay with his 75 pitches in 3 innings. That is awful. But second, I can guarantee you that if Z or Lilly threw 75 pitches through 3 innings, no one would be talking about sending them down. Hell... if Rich Hill continued pitching like he has through April (i.e. 5.00 ERA, 1.55 WHIP), he would still have a better April than Z had last year. shouldn't team wins be the measure? Sure... if a team's success, but that is often irrelevant to an individual's performance.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

His ceiling? point taken. no one would be talking about sending them down. i think i am more in favor of sitting him down than of sending him down. not forever. only a period of time (2 weeks?). if there is any inkling of a physical malady (of which none of us have heard or read anything), get multiple opinions immediately. he is somewhat like pie, nothing left to prove in aaa, but needs to press "re-start" on 2008. with the cubs. if Rich Hill continued pitching like he has through April (i.e. 5.00 ERA, 1.55 WHIP), he would still have a better April than Z had last year. i am more interested in how rich hill progresses vs rich hill 2007, not hill vs zambrano 2007. right now there has been regression, not progression. but only one man's opinion.

[ ]

In reply to by dc60124

I don't disagree with about being interested in the progression of Rich Hill. I am just making a point that Z was this awful, or worse, last April, and there was little/no talk about taking him out of the rotation.

People forget that Hill was given a chance before to work out control issues while still on the big league roster - no reason to send him down again at this point. And how about Lieber? The guy specifically didn't want to work out of the pen when he signed, but he's handled it like a professional and now may be close to getting a chance to start. Marquis, please pay attention.

Lou needs to take the kids gloves off and give these guys some time. If you are going to commit to Hill, Soto, Pie, etc. then give them some time. Threateing to bench them, pull them or whatever after only a few games is only going to make them press and that isn't good for anybody involved. If Lou thought these guys gave them the best chance to win this year, thus making them starters, then let them be starters for more than a few games and see what they can do. Now if any of them are struggling still by the end of May then a change should be looked at.

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.