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 

 



 

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Rule 5 Draft 
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NL Central Smackdown: 2nd Basemen

1st Basemen | Poll

I started off with the first basemen yesterday and I'll leave the poll up until I get through all the positions. If you need a primer on all this, be sure to check out that first post as well on the first basemen.

Today though we move to the second basemen. While Hendry tries to win by sheer numbers, it's about quality, not quantity. Your contestants after the jump....

Player 3-Year Warp-3 Average
3 Year Warp-3 Projection
Rob's Ranking
Mark DeRosa
3.7 2.4
4
Rickie Weeks
3.2 4.27
2
Adam Kennedy
2.97 1.1
6
Kaz Matsui
3.03 2
5
Brandon Phillips
6.1 (2 years)
4.7
1
Freddy Sanchez
5.73
3.73
3


 

 

 

 

 


The Justification: Another no-brainer at the top spot, as Brandon Phillips 30/30 numbers last year and 27 years of age make him the clear leader of the pack. It gets a little dicey after that. Freddy Sanchez has had two straight big seasons with Pittsburgh and can play a few positions, but at age 30 and now with a bum shoulder I knocked him down to the three spot. Weeks is off to another slow start and making me seriously reconsider my rankings. But he came on strong at the end of last year and at age 25, still seems like a good bet going forward. And as I mentioned, I did these before the year started. That leaves DeRosa at the fourth spot, although his versatility and good start to season are making me believe that 2005 was the turnaround of his career, not the apex. Once again, I think you could almost flip a coin for the 2-4 spots. Matsui is back from his homoerotic adventures, sorry, anal fissures, but let's say that's one signing I'm glad the Cubs got outbid on. Adam Kennedy's claim to fame was his 3-homer game in the ALCS - in 2002. It's gone all downhill since.

There's another poll for you guys to fill out below this and I'll leave the old polls open until we finish this.

Please note, you do have to register to vote. This isn't some scheme to solicit registrations, it's just an anomaly of the site and the poll software that's built in. Trust me, I'd love to fix it, but I haven't found another piece of integrated software that does these ranking polls which I really like. Plus if you register, you get a better user experience as I tend to test everything as a registered user and you get an uncached version of the site. You can also view the results of the poll after you vote, instead of having to wait until I close it. It takes all of two minutes to register and unlikes some sites, I'll be more than happy to cancel your account if you wish. You'll never receive any spam from us either...promise.


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Comments

I tried to pick someone else for '1st' so I wouldn't look like a homer, but I just couldn't put Phillips on top. Also, I had to do this one in reverse order for some reason. Mark DeRosa Brandon Phillips Rickie Weeks Freddy Sanchez Adam Kennedy Kaz Matsui Adam Kennedy's claim to fame was his 3-homer game in the ALCS - in 2002. It's gone all downhil since. There was also the time he broke up a Freddie Garcia no-hitter in the 8th or 9th, I forget which. *giggles* Matsui is back from his homoerotic adventures, sorry, anal fissures lol Not that there's anything wrong with that.™

pitcher James Russell already up to AA. I know AZ Phil did a write-up on him, but 14th round pick last year is already in AA. 6-4", 205, 22 years old lefty was 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA at Hi-A Daytona, 27.1 IP, 25 H, 14 K, 7 BB, 2 HR as a starter.

I have to go Brandon Phillips on top, he is faster with more power than DeRosa. Phillips DeRosa Sanchez Weeks Matsui Kennedy I could see Sanchez over DeRosa, and Weeks could pass them both if he gets it together. DeRosa is the steadier vet of the two. Looking ahead to the other positions, I think the Cubs have only 1 winner in the whole division (A-Ram), maybe 2 with Soto if we think his early promise will carry the day over a pretty weak group of catchers.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

i can see the age thing but Rickie Weeks has been a full time player (close to) for three full years as has Sanchez. In that time Sanchez's number bury Weeks. Sanchez's doubles weeks in RBIs and scores the same amount of runs. So even if Sanchez doesn't steal bases there is no advantage for Weeks. It doesn't lead to more runs. And yes, I know, team dependency. But we are talking about the Pirates versus the Brewers here.

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

well lineup and team dependency...Sanchez has been batting third for the Pirates, a prime RBI spot and ahead of some decent hitters. As I said, it's a toss-up, but I sort of think Sanchez is a bit of a fluke and on his way down. I think Weeks is on his way up.

And the shoulder surgery seems to really have affected Sanchez...I don't think at this point he could play 3b like he use to which knocks him down a bit as well.

 

By the way, you could argue Ryan Freel should rank ahead of Kennedy. Though Freel is in Dusty's doghouse, probably because he gets on base too much and doesn't suck from both sides of the plate like a Macias or Neifi-caliber player can.

Both offensive and defensive numbers make Phillips the obvious top dog (though he should be playing SS anyway). Between DeRo, Sanchez, and Weeks, I'd say it's a tossup. I think Sanchez is a fluke, but his numbers in recent years have been nice. Weeks is a risk as he hasn't yet proven he can hit or field as a major leaguer, but I suspect the bat will come around even if the glove doesn't. DeRo pretty much is what he is, and that's a solid 2B guy who can move all around the field if you need him to. Actually I'd say he's a light-hitting, great fielding 3B guy who can move all around the field if you need him to. I'd rank Mike Fontenot, Ronny Cedeno, and Albert Pujols above Adam Kennedy at this point. What? Pujols played some innings at second.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    agreed and agreed.

    he walked off on his own, but we may not find out for a few days how this will impact the club.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    Looked like a hamstring rather than a knee, not sure if that’s better or worse. 

  • crunch (view)

    steele leaves the game with a hamstring or knee injury.  sigh.

  • crunch (view)

    ...and a madrigal "non-error" leads to a sac fly for a tie game.  nice.

    having a ball clank off your glove, but still getting it count as a hit because it was hit hard is a nice stats gift.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    For sure. This lineup isn’t exactly stacked as is, and subbing out a Cooper or even a Tauchman for Madrigal won’t do it any favors.

  • crunch (view)

    the ESPN bottom graphic taking up 1/8th of the screen sucks.

    i only use ESPN during baseball season and i'm forced to watch a baseball broadcast designed to be broadcast in sports bars and betting parlors where the news/scores of other games is as important as what you're actually tuned in to watch.

  • crunch (view)

    morel triple to start the season....yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    LHP Blake Weiman appears to have been the last cut from the AAA Iowa roster. He is with the Tennessee group at Minor League Camp.

     

  • crunch (view)

    bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements.  his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.