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

Petrick Rehab Progressing Onward at Fitch

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Luke Sommer slammed an RBI triple to left-center to drive in the first run in the 4th, Josh Vitters lined a game-tying RBI single to right in the 6th and Nelson Perez hammered a game-winning bases-loaded triple down the right-field line in the 8th, as the EXST Cubs defeated the EXST Angels 5-2 at Fitch Park Field #3 this morning.

Billy Petrick got the start for the EXST Cubs, throwing a shutout/hitless inning in what could be one of his final rehab outings before he is ready to join the AAA Iowa Cubs.

Although he struggled a bit with his command (16 pitches, only eight strikes), Petrick seemed to throw the ball with better velocity than he did his last time out on Thursday. 

The four pitchers who followed Petrick to the mound all had good outings, too, especially RHP Todd Blackford (Daytona rotation starter in 2007), who is in the final stages of rehab after undergoing "Tommy John" elbow ligament transplant surgery last May.

Blackford worked an easy 1-2-3 9th with two strikeouts, and it's probably just a matter of the weather improving back East before he gets assigned to a full-season club.

In addition to the key RBI hits by Sommer, Vitters, and N. Perez, Leon Johnson had a very good day at the plate, reaching base all four times on three hits and a walk, while scoring twice.

Johnson, the younger brother TB 3B Elliott Johnson, is at EXST rehabbing from a finger injury suffered near the end of Minor League Camp last month. He looks about ready to get moved out of Fitch, probably to Peoria.  

While the Cubs were playing the Angels on Field #3, LHP Arik Hempy (2007 17th round pick out of the U. of South Carolina) was throwing a two-inning (30 pitch) "simulated game" on Field #2.

Facing EXST Cubs who were not in the regular game's starting lineup, Hempy looked very sharp, especially when throwing his breaking ball.

Hempy is at EXST trying to improve his arm strength (he had TJ surgery in 2006) so that he can join a full-season club (he was assigned to the Daytona group for most of Minor League Camp).

And RHP Rafael Cova finally got his "visa problem" ironed out in Venezuela, and has reported to EXST. In his first "live" BP session, he threw 25-pitches on Field #2 to the same hitters Hempy faced, and appeared to have plus-velocity.

Some of you may remember Cova as a hard-throwing relief prospect with the Mets a couple of years ago, good enough that he received an NRI to ST with the big club in 2006. But then he got suspended after he refused to report to a minor league club, leading to his release. 

The 26-year old Cova pitched in the Mexican League in 2007, before signing with the Cubs as a FA last July. He then spent September-October with the Cubs AZ Instructional League club at Fitch Park, and threw the ball very well.

I know the Cubs were looking forward to seeing Cova in Minor League Camp in March, and he was even a candidate to get an NRI to '07 ST with the Cubs, but at least he has (finally!) arrived. He will probably get assigned to AA Tennessee once he's ready.

Here is today's EXST Cubs abridged box score (Cubs players only):

LINEUP: 

1. Leon Johnson, CF: 3-3 (BB, 1B, 1B + R, 1B + R)
2. Starlin Castro, SS: 0-2 (L-9, 5-3, 1-4 SH, BB + R)
3. Josh Vitters, 3B: 1-3 (5-3, P-4, 1B-RBI, BB + R)
4. Nelson Perez, RF: 1-4 (4-3, 3-U, 5-3, 3B-3 RBI)  
5a. Carlos Perez , C: 2-3 (1B, 1B + R, F-7)
5b. Jose Guevara, C: 0-0
5c. Jose Made, PH-2B: 0-1 (1-3)
6a. Luke Sommer, 1B: 2-3 (1B, 3B-RBI, 4-3)
6b. Bryan Jost, PH-1B: 0-1 (K-c)
7a. Gian Guzman, 2B 0-2 (L-8, 5-3, BB)
7b. Luis Bautista, PH-C: 1-1 (1B)
8. Elvis Lara, LF: 0-2 (6-4-3 GIDP, BB, 4-3)
9a. Junior Lake, DH-1: 0-2 (K-c, 6-4-3 GIDP)
9b. Dwayne Kemp, PH: 0-1 (F-9)
10a. Kevin Soto, DH-2: 0-2 (5-3, F-7)
10b. Alvaro Sosa, PH: 0-1 (K-s)

PITCHERS:
1. Billy Petrick - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (2/0 GB/FB)
2. Marcus Hatley - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3  K (3/2 GB/FB)
3. Ryan Searle - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 GIDP (4/1 GB/FB)
4. Yohan Gonzalez - 2.0 IP, 1 H,  0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (2/3 GB/FB)
5. Todd Blackford - 1.0 IP, 0 H. 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

ERRORS (1):
Vitters (throw)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
C. Perez: 1-2 CS

WEATHER: Sunny in the 70's, VERY breezy

ATTENDANCE: 14

====================

And contrary to what you might read elsewhere on the web, here is the REAL Cubs Extended Spring Training roster:

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS
Francisco Acosta
Alberto Alburquerque (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
* Jeffry Antigua
Todd Blackford (ACTIVE REHAB)
* Michael Bunton (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Rogelino Carmona
Rafael Cova
Rafael Dolis (ACTIVE REHAB)
* Scott Eyre (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Eduardo Figueroa
Chad Fox (ACTIVE REHAB)
Yohan Gonzalez
Angel Guzman (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Marcus Hatley
* Arik Hempy (ACTIVE REHAB)
Jim Henderson (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Robert Hernandez (RESTRICTED LIST - 50-game prohibited substance suspension)
Chris Huseby
Grant Johnson (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Kitt Kopach (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Kevin Kreier
Oswaldo Martinez (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Scott Meyer (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Jon Mueller (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Billy Muldowney (ACTIVE REHAB)
John Muller
Dionis Nunez
* Mark Pawelek (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Julio Pena
Billy Petrick 
Jose Pina (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Cedric Redmond
Carlos E. Rojas 
Ryan Searle
Jose Severino
Miguel Sierra
Larry Suarez (LIMITED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)
Scott Taylor (RESTRICTED LIST - 50-game prohibited substance suspension)
Harol Tolentino

CATCHERS:
Jose Guevara
Carlos Perez
Tony Richie (ACTIVE REHAB)
Roberto Sabates  
# Alvaro Sosa

INFIELDERS:
Luis Bautista (1B-C)
Starlin Castro (SS-2B)
John Contreras (3B)
Gian Guzman (SS-2B-3B)
Dwayne Kemp (2B-OF)
* Bryan Jost (1B)
Junior Lake (SS)
Elvis Lara (2B-OF) 
Jose Made (2B-OF)
* Jeffrey Rea (2B-OF – ACTIVE REHAB - DH ONLY)
Josh Vitters (3B)

OUTFIELDERS:
Brandon Guyer (ACTIVE REHAB - DH ONLY)
* Leon Johnson (ACTIVE REHAB)
# Andres Quezada
* Nelson Perez
Kevin Soto 
* Luke Sommer

Tags
Extended Spring Training
Billy Petrick
Rafael Cova

Comments

Submitted by Alex Dimm on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 04:58 pm

Great post, Phil! I love hearing what's happening in Arizona. Is Hatley targeted for a starting spot? Vitters sounds like he is positively struggling (throwing error today). Is it that he's simply too young? Glad to hear that Cova is back. Any word on other MIA's (Albuquerque, Bailey, Culpepper, Hardman or Sawyer)?

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 04:59 pm

Submitted by Timmer on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 2:54pm.

Phil: how has Vitters looked defensively at third?

Do you think he's a future 1B or corner OF?

=============================

TIMMER: Hard to say. He does appear to have all the right "actions" of a third-baseman, and his older brother plays 3B, so I can see him remaining there.

BTW, the error he made today was on a one-hop bouncer where he had all the time in the world and then he threw the ball away.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 04:07 pm

Submitted by Alex Dimm on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 2:58pm.

Great post, Phil!

I love hearing what's happening in Arizona.

Is Hatley targeted for a starting spot?

Vitters sounds like he is positively struggling (throwing error today). Is it that he's simply too young?

Glad to hear that Cova is back. Any word on other MIA's (Albuquerque, Bailey, Culpepper, Hardman or Sawyer)?

==========================

ALEX: Vitters has good ABs and bad ABs. Likewise with his defense. He APPEARS to have the potential to be a good middle-of-the-order hitter (he seems to bear down with men on base) and a decent-enough defensive third-baseman (he has a tendency to make bad throws rather than fielding errors, but his arm strength is good).

Hatley is a big dude and he has the arm to start or relieve. Depends on where he's needed.

Alburquerque is hurt (but I don't know what's wrong), Bailey got released, I haven't seen Culpepper since Minor League Camp (when all he was able to do was take BP), I don't know what happened to Hardman, and Sawyer just never reported (either he's still in school at Yale or he retired)

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 04:28 pm

PHIL: Since the HS players have been signed missed playing college ball, how does their development experience that they get in rookie league, or EXST, compare with that of someone coming in who has played in several years of Div. I NCAA baseball? Also, are the Cubs counting long term of hoping Vitters is ready when A-Ram's contract is up? If not, which player that you've seen would have a chance as the next starting 3B?

Submitted by Ryno on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 04:28 pm

From previous thread: navigator: 9th inning, two out, runner in scoring position, SF trailing StL by a run and PUJOLS lets a ball roll right through his legs. Tie game. Very un-Pujolsian even though the scorer has it down as a hit. We'll have an extra inning ball game today in SF. Well, how many times has Pujols beaten D Lee for golden glove? Meh. I know things happen to everyone from time to time, but Lee is a far superior defender.

Recent comments

  • 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)

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    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!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

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