Cubs MLB Roster

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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, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024
 
* 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
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

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




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Eyre Follows Fox Out of Town

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Veteran LHP Scott Eyre (on the 15-day DL with a sore elbow since 3/23) completed the Extended Spring Training (EXST) portion of his rehab this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, throwing one inning (18 pitches - 14 strikes) in the EXST Cubs 7-3 loss to the EXST A's.

Although Eyre did allow a run (a one-out broken bat single to center followed by an RBI double crushed off the centerfield "Green Monster"), he also struck out the side. His fast ball topped out at 91, and his slider was VERY sharp.

While Eyre was pitching, all of the young Cubs pitchers not scheduled to pitch today (who would normally sit in the grandstand and watch the game from there) crowded into the enclosed "bird cage" behind home plate to get a better look at a major league pitcher in action. They were pretty excited, especially since Eyre actually talked to them (unlike a certain now ex-Cubs pitcher who was rehabbing at Fitch Park for most of last season who shall remain nameless). .

RHP Chad Fox (elbow) completed the Fitch Park portion of his rehab on Saturday,moving his rehab to Daytona after proving he could throw two days in a row.

It's unkown for sure where exactly Eyre is headed to continue his rehab. The Cubs might want him to pitch in Florida (Daytona) where the weather is warmer than it is in Tennessee, Iowa, or Illinois, but they also might not want two rehabbing major league relievers at the same place at the same time. 

As is the custom when a Cubs player completes his rehab at Fitch Park and moves on, there were lots of handshakes and hugs as Eyre headed for the clubhouse. (I tried to give him a big hug, too, but I think he might have taken it the wrong way...) 

In addition to Eyre's final EXST outing, four other pitchers who are rehabbing also pitched today (and so naturally the Cubs team physician was in attendance).

RHP Billy Petrick (at EXST trying to stengthen his shoulder) worked two innings (28 pitches), and he threw the ball very well. He gave up back-to-back doubles with two outs in the top of the 1st inning, but one of the two-baggers was misplayed into a double by neophyte LF Elvis Lara (he was moved from 2B to LF last month at Minor League Camp), and the other was a blooper that fell into the "Bermuda Triangle" between SS-2B-CF.   
 
Tennessee RHP Jim Henderson worked one inning, and struggled a bit with his control. He allowed one run on a walk, a stolen base, and an opposite-field line single to RF.

Daytona RHP Jon Mueller worked two innings and threw the ball better than his line might otherwise indicate, striking out three with a heater that had a lot of zip, and a nice overhand breaking ball that acted like a splitter.

Mueller worked three effective innings in the Camp Day intrasquad game last Thursday in his first 2008 game action, and so he could get out of Fitch Park sooner rather than later.

Daytona RHP Todd Blackford (2007 TJ surgery) had a very poor outing, walking four hitters in his two innings of work. He didn't allow a run, thanks to a CS and a GIDP, but he couldn't find home plate, either.

Up until today, it appeared that Blackford was the most advanced of the Cubs minor league pitchers rehabbing at EXST and might be the next pitcher to get his "Letter of Transit" out of Fitch Park, but if he can't throw strikes, he isn't going anywhere.

Pitching Coach Rick Tronerud did not hide his displeasure with Blackford's performance when he made a trip to the mound after Blackford walked the bases loaded in the 7th. (Tronerud did ALL the talking).    

The one EXST Cub pitcher who got into today's game who was not rehabbing was RHP John Muller, who worked the 9th. But as is typical for a closer who pitches when the game is not on the line, he got hit fairly hard (three singles in addition to a walk), although he did strike out the last two hitters he faced with his killer slider.

Prior to the game, prized 6'7 RHP prospect Chris Huseby threw a 25-pitch "live" BP session on Field #2 to the Cubs position players who did not play in the EXST game on Field #3. Huseby has yet to pitch in an EXST game, as the EXST pitching coaches (Tronerud and Pratt) are trying to fix his severely messed-up mechanics that caused him to be left behind at Fitch Park when the Peoria Chiefs departed Arizona at the end of March. 

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

LINEUP:
1. Elvis Lara, LF: 1-4 (1-3, 5-3, 1B-RBI, 4-3)
2. Drew Rundle, DH #1: 2-4 (2B, Kc, 1B + R, Ks)
3. John Contreras, 3B: 0-4 (4-3, Kc, 5-3, 5-3)
4. Luke Sommer, RF: 2-4 (F-8, 2B, 2B-RBI + CS, F-7)
5. Carlos Perez, C: 1-2 (BB, F-7,  BB, 1B)
6. Andres Quezada, CF: 0-2 (BB, 1-3, Ks, BB)
7. Junior Lake, DH #2: 1-4 (F-9, 2B + R, P-6, 6-3)
8a. Bryan Jost, 1B: 0-2: (4-3, BB + R, 4-3)
8b. Luis Bautista, 1B: 0-0
9. Starlin Castro, SS: 1-2 (1B, BB, P-4)
10. Jose Made, 2B: 0-2 (6-4-3 GIDP, F-7 SF-RBI, F-8)

PITCHERS:
1. Billy Petrick - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP (28 pitches - 18 K, 3/2 GB/FB)
2. Jim Henderson - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1K (2/0 GB/FB)
3. Scott Eyre -1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K (18 pitches - 14 K)
4. Jon Mueller - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K
5. Todd Blackford - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP (4/0 GB/FB)
6. John Muller - 1.0 IP, 3 H. 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K

ERRORS (2):
1. Andres Quezada (fumbled ball in CF allowing runner to take extra base)
2. Jose Made (bobbled RBI ground ball allowing batter to reach 1st base)
 
CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Carlos Perez: 2-4 CS

BASERUNNING ADVENTURES:
1. Drew Rundle was thrown out 9-4-5 trying to stretch a double into a triple with one in the 1st.
2. Elvis Lara was thrown out 8-3-6 to end the bottom of the 5th, when he tried to take 2nd base on an RBI single where the throw home was cut-off by the first-baseman.
3. Luke Sommer was thrown out at 3rd base on a 3-2 pitch "strike 'em out out, throw 'em out" to end the bottom of the 6th inning. 

WEATHER: Warm and not a cloud in the sky, temp in the 80's

ATTENDANCE: 6

Tags
Extended Spring Training
Chad Fox
Billy Petrick
Scott Eyre

Comments

Submitted by Raisin101 on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 04:37 pm

Great to see Huseby throwing even if it's not in a game yet. What are the chance he gets to Peoria this season?

Submitted by Raisin101 on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 04:41 am

Per Daytona's local rag, Eyre and Fox are both headed to Daytona. Fox will start on Tuesday and Eyre will pitch on Wednesday.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 04:18 am

Submitted by Raisin101 on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 8:37pm.

Great to see Huseby throwing even if it's not in a game yet. What are the chance he gets to Peoria this season?

--------------------------------

RAISIN: If Chris Huseby can get his mechanics fixed, he'll be a rotation starter at Peoria sometime in 2007. If he can't, then I guess he'll probably end up at Boise where the 30-man roster makes it easier to carry pitchers who aren't ready to pitch in games. Same goes for Mark Pawelek.

BTW, Pawelek's rehab is currently limited to "live" BP only, because while his ankle doesn't hurt him when he throws off a mound, it does hurt when he has to field his position, like covering 1st base on a ground ball hit to the first-baseman.

Also, I mentioned last weekend that IF-OF Ryne Malone was removed from Daytona's roster when Jonathan Mota got promoted from Peoria to Daytona, and it is now confirmed that Malone has been released. RHP Ryan Meyers (one of two players acquired from the Mets for Angel Pagan) has also been released from Daytona.

And RHP Rafael Cova (who spent a couple of days at Tennessee after Michael Cooper went on the DL, but got dropped when Juan Mateo was demoted from AAA Iowa) has been assigned (loaned) to Los Potros de Tijuana (Mexican League). Cova spent last season pitching for Tijuana.

It's not well-known, but the Cubs have established an informal working relationship with Los Potros de Tijuana over the past couple of years. The Cubs signed Mexican catcher Enrique Lujan in 2005 and immediately assigned him ("loaned" him) to Tijuana (Lujan was subsequently released), Tijuana LHP Marco Tovar and RHP Alan Guerrero were invited to attend the Cubs AZ Instructional League camp at Fitch Park last Fall (both are currently pitching for Tijuana), and the Cubs purchased Cova from Tijuana last August.

Among other things, the "working relationship" with a Mexican League club gives the Cubs another option when there is no room for a player at Iowa, Tennessee, Daytona, or Peoria. As long as the player is willing to accept the assignment to the Mexican League (as Cova did), the Cubs can keep a player they like under contract and in their organization instead of having to release him. (And even Anglo players can be assigned to the Mexican League, as long as it's OK with the player).

So while the Tijuana club in the Mexican League is technically not an affiliate of the Cubs, the informal "working relationship" between the two clubs is a way for the Cubs to extend their international scouting presence into Mexico, as clubs like the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks have been doing quite successfully for years.

If the Cubs can sign and devlelop a future major leaguer like Fernando Valenzuela, Oliver Perez, Erubiel Durazo, Vinny Castilla, Antonio Osuna, or Oscar Villarreal out of Mexico even only every five years, it will be worth the effort.

Recent comments

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18.  We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
    But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
    I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
    Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
    I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
    Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
    With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

    My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
    It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
    I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
    We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
    But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.

    If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.

    Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

    Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose  that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.

    Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!

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