Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus one player is 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 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* 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: 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 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Heartbreak: A Pitcher Trapped Inside a Catcher's Body

What does a Cubs player do when he realizes that he is a pitcher trapped inside a position player's body? Well, he goes to Fitch Park for a Transpositional Assignment Conversion. 

How does it work?

Well...

Although hormones are usually not required, the former position player does have to throw away his bats and batting gloves, and (in the case of catchers) his shin guards, chest protector, mask-helmet, and industrial-strength protective cup.

The player (er, pitcher)  then has to start running. A lot. And then he has to learn to bitch and moan about having to run. But it's all part of the transition from position player to pitcher.  

And so in the grand tradition of Carlos Marmol, Randy Wells, Blake Parker, Adalberto Mendez, Leonel Perez (and others), still another Cubs minor league position player will be making the conversion to pitcher.

And, no, it's not Ryan Harvey (yet).
 
With the best arm among the catchers in the Cubs system, Jake Muyco consistently throws out 50%+ opposing base-stealers each season. But he also struggles to hit .200 and has no power (although he makes up for it by being a slow runner).

So tomorrow 23-year old Jake Muyco (2005 8th Round draft pick out of NC State) will be arriving at Fitch Park (Extended Spring Training) to begin life as a pitcher.

As part of the move sending Muyco to EXST to become a pitcher, C-1B Steve Clevenger has been promoted from Daytona to Tennessee, C-1B-3B Blake Lalli moves up from Peoria to Daytona, and 2B-LF Elvis Lara (supposedly) will be going from EXST to Peoria. To that end, the Cubs had Lara play 2B today (he was moved from 2B to LF at the start of EXST), presumably because he will be playing some 2B at Peoria.  

2B-OF Jeffrey Rea (rehabbing a sore arm at EXST since the end of Minor League Camp) was supposed to get the promotion to Peoria, but he strained a quad running the bases in a game on Tuesday and so he will apparently be remaining at Fitch Park until he can get that problem resolved. 

Also, 18-year old Korean RHP Dae-Eun Rhee is supposedly in Chicago getting an MRI on his sore arm, after which (depending on the outcome) he could return to Peoria, or (more likely) he could be diverted to Mesa for a rehab stint at EXST. Hopefully he won't need surgery.

As fans of Cubs Extended Spring Training well know, Thursday is Camp Day, which means an early morning work-out followed by an intrasquad game of indeterminable length.

Rehabbing RHP Billy Petrick (shoulder) threw an inning today, and got hit fairly hard. RHP Chris Huseby (at EXST to work on his mechanics) made his first game appearance of EXST, and looked OK (not great, but OK). And RHPs Billy Muldowney and Todd Blackford (both rehabbing from 2007 TJ surgery) threw two innings each, and Blackford was especially sharp today (he couldn't throw strikes last time out). I would think it's quite possible that Blackford could replace Rhee at Peoria if the Cubs wish to maintain a 13-man pitching staff there. 

Today's intrasquad game was kind of weird and complicated, because there weren't enough healthy position players to field two teams (Rea is out with the quad strain, Bryan Jost is down with a groin injury, Gian Guzman is sick with the flu, Brandon Guyer still can't throw, and one or two of the catchers were constantly busy warming-up pitchers in the bullpen for most of the game). I offered to play LF in exchange for a free dinner at the Olive Garden, but they said they don't give away gift cards this time of year.  

So although the pitchers threw for either Squad "A" or Squad "B," the position players rotated back and forth from the field to the bench. There was really only one "team" and no "batting order" as such (or maybe I should say the batting order changed with each inning). For what it's worth, Squad "B" beat Squad "A" 4-3.

So here is a goofy looking abridged box score, but it's the best I can do given the circumstances:

POSITION PLAYERS:
Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 0-1 (2 R, BB, HBP, SB)
Starlin Castro, SS: 1-3 (R, BB, K, GIDP, SB, CS)
Luke Sommer, 1B-LF: 0-3 (R, BB, K)
Nelson Perez, RF: 2-3 (2 RBI, R, SB) 
Luis Bautista, 1B: 0-3 (K)
Drew Rundle, CF: 1-2 (3B, RBI, 2 BB)
John Contreras, 3B-1B: 1-4 (2B, 3 RBI, 2 K)
Elvis Lara, LF-2B: 2-2 (R, HBP, 2 SB)
Jose Made, 2B-SS: 1-3 (CS)
Roberto Sabates, DH: 0-4 (K, GIDP)
Junior Lake, SS-3B: 2-4 (K, CS)
Andres Quezada, CF: 0-3 (K)
Kevin Soto, RF: 0-4 (2 K)
Alvaro Sosa, C: 1-2 (CS)
Carlos Perez, C: 1-2 (R, BB)
Jose Guevara, PH: 0-1

PITCHERS:

SQUAD "A"
1. Chris Huseby - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP
2. Billy Muldowney - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3. Rogelio Carmona - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP
4. Carlos Rojas - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
NOTE: Rojas outing cut-short with three runs scored & no outs in inning 

SQUAD "B"
1. Billy Petrick - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K (15 pitches - 3 BB/12 K)
2. Dionis Nunez - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
3. Cody Hams - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP
4. Todd Blackford - 2.0 IP,  0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

ERRORS:
1. Jose Made fumbled ground ball at SS 
2. D. Nunez overthrew second base on pick-off attempt allowing baserunner to advance to 3rd.
3. Hams threw pick-off attempt over first-baseman's head allowing runner to advance two bases

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
C. Perez: 2-4 CS
Sosa: 2-5 CS

WEATHER: Hot and sunny again (and it will probably stay like that until November)

ATTENDANCE: 2  (me and some other guy)

Comments

AZ Phil - thanks for the updates, as always most appreciated. Quick question - are the Cubs the leaders in doing these kinds of transitions with their players? I know other clubs have converted position players into pitchers, but it seems like the Cubs have more experience with it than most.

Submitted by Dmac on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 2:55pm.

AZ Phil - thanks for the updates, as always most appreciated.

Quick question - are the Cubs the leaders in doing these kinds of transitions with their players? I know other clubs have converted position players into pitchers, but it seems like the Cubs have more experience with it than most

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

DMAC: I believe so.

As you said, other teams do it, but the Cubs seem more willing to do it (and do it a lot more often), especially with catchers.

BTW, Rule 5 RHP Tim Lahey (who was in big league camp with Cubs in Spring Training, although he is now back with the Twins) was also a converted catcher.

And Cubs Player Development Director Oneri Fleita was also a catcher in his playing days at Creighton (where his coach was... Jim Hendry!) and later in the Baltimore Orioles system. Maybe he secretly wishes he had become a pitcher.

I like the fact that the club is willing to spend time and money on the chance that prospects not working out in their original intent may be able to contribute in another role. For all the grief we've given the Cubs for their farm system in the past, this seems like an innovative way to maximize your resources.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Unless he becomes Mariano Rivera or the Cubs make him a starter again, it seems like a bit of a stretch for him to win a Cy Young. He'll be competing in his prime with guys like Zambrano, Yovani Gallardo, Cole Hamels, Oliver Perez, Chad Billingsley, Adam Wainwright, Aaron Harangue, Dan Haren, Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jake Peavy. So even if we assume he's going to be by far the best reliever in the majors, which is not exactly a safe bet (though so far he has been great and will likely continue to be great), he'd have to also prove more valuable than any of the rest of those starters, plus any young guys who might emerge on the scene. Delivery Man of the year? That seems more within his reach. He's definitely handicapped in the Cy Young contest by being a reliever, and a setup man at that. Not to mention he might pitch 120 innings out of the pen this year and screw up his arm because Piniella loves him so much.

woah...muyco pitching? it makes a lotta sense, but it should be interesting. i dont recall him pitching at NCSU, but that's not unusual for these transition guys. it's a huge change...but so is not playing organized baseball because you've dead ended in your traditional area.

I am sorry to report that Will Oh-Man currently has a 1.13 era. - sigh -

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

If it's any consolation, Corey Patterson and Jerry Hairston J(uice)r. got picked off first base yesterday.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

No worries, E-Man. We dumped not only him, but also Infante, for a kid with a really, really, live arm.

"With the best arm among the catchers in the Cubs system, Jake Muyco..." With all due respect, I believe that distinction goes to Wellington Castillo. I've seen both players extensively at Peoria and there is no question that Castillo has the superior arm. In fact, Oscar Bernard had a better arm than Muyco. I guess that's why the Cubs tried converting him to a pitcher as well.

Recent comments

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I think if you had ranked players by how much the team could ill afford to have them miss significant time, Steele would be right at the top of the list.

  • crunch (view)

    steele MRI on friday.  counsell expects an IL stint.

    no current plans for his rotation replacement.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Use pitchers when you believe they're good. Don't plan their clock.

    I'm sorry. I'm simply anti-clock/contract management. Play guys when they show real MLB potential talent.

    If Brown hadn't been hurt with the Lat Strain he would've gotten the call, and not Wick.

    Give him a chance. 

    But Wesneski probably gets it