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

Nobody Knows Nuthin': The Roberts Rumor Mill Churns On

Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, appearing Monday night on WGN Sports Central with Dave Kaplan, said he expects the Cubs and Orioles to reach agreement on a trade involving Brian Roberts in "a week to ten days."

Zrebiec disagreed with Kaplan's suggestion that the talks have "heated up" in the past few days; he thinks the discussions have been on a steady, low simmer since they began. Bottom line: Zrebiec said he's confident Roberts will be in Cub blue by Opening Day.

As to who the Cubs might be shipping east or at least whom the O's might want, the usual names were brought up: Gallagher, Cedeno and/or Patterson, Pie, Ceda. (No mention of Donald Veal.) Zrebiec said the O's are especially high on Gallagher and see him as a potential #3 or maybe even a #2 starter. No such love for Matt Murton, however. According to the writer, the Orioles think Murton will require 400-500 at-bats a season to be an effective MLB hitter, which he won't get in Baltimore if he's part of a platoon arrangement with, say, former Astro Luke Scott.

On an unrelated front...

Kaplan also spoke tonight with Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin. In the course of that conversation, Kaplan said his sources tell him that the Cubs are talking deal with a major, Chicago-based corporation which would pay less than the $40 million bandied about for naming rights. The company would be paying for "significant" signage all over the ballpark but would voluntarily forego renaming the park and in a selfless gesture of corporate goodness, allow the place to remain "Wrigley Field."

Nice folks, those selfless, major Chicago corporate guys.

 

Comments

"Nice folks, those selfless, major Chicago corporate guys." Sounds like in this case, you are right. I hope this is true.

[ ]

In reply to by Little Nate Lewis

I was being sarcastic (my usual state). It strikes me as a rather brilliant solution to the problem any company would face if they were the ones to soil the character of Wrigley Field by rebranding it. Of course, Walgreen's or McDonalds or whoever will spare no expense or forego any public relations opportunity to let us know how swell they are.

feels like it's lasted longer than the whole Santana and Bedard trades put together.

I'm still peeking at the MVN blog to see if there are a few stragglers over there, but I think we've been able to pull them out of the water and brought them over here. Mostly just flies there now.

I wish they'd hurry up and get this trade done, no way we can play this season with only 5 second basemen. Do we know how he fits into the team or are we just obsessed because it's a trade? I'm cool with that, I just want to know. Obviously, the point of the trade is for his bat, since we're not exactly hurting at 2B, does Derosa move to SS? Roberts to CF?

If we end up giving Cedeno, Marshall/Gallagher, and EPat/Veal, then I'd be okay with that. Gallagher would be nice to hang on to but you have to give up something to get it. EPat's great but he's blocked in OF and can't play 2B in the Cubs' mind. If it's more than that, we ought to pass. I think Roberts would upgrade the team noticeably in terms of his speed and the resulting readjustment of the lineup, but I don't want to give up Pie or any other key part to get him. I think this team still could use a bit more of an offensive upgrade, but I think SP may be our weakness this year.

Pinhead starting to realize at 10 HR high OBP guy is better at #2 than #3 in the lineup... Guess he got 'comfortable' quick. http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080303&content_id=24… The best thing about the Roberts trade is that it will keep Theriot and Pie down at the bottom of the lineup, when Theriot does play. You would have to think that Patterson at second was for the Orioles scouts. Cedeno and Patterson as the keystone combo would at least make fans happier about losing Robertson (hey, we got two starters for 1!), and I think in that relatively low pressure situation the two of them will do well, so Manny can complain more about Hendry. Maybe Fox is on their radar with the way he's hit so far in the spring. He doesn't seem to have a place to play with us, but Baltimore could get him time at LF/1B/DH if they like him.

How's her arm? Well - it has taken me a while, but I now would agree with most of your assessments - Ryan Theriot is not very good. Between he and Cedeno, as it stands, he'll make less mistakes in the field. Probably, batting 8th he'd be ok. As for Pie, he STILL is not ready for Prime Time. My guess: HEndry is trying to make a deal for Crisp. Perhaps Marquis would be the guy to go?

[ ]

In reply to by Wes

No, she's a righty. That's why she's out of a job. Now if she was a lefty, I'm sure she'd be in someone's rotation at this point, despite being 50+ years old.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

"As for Pie, he STILL is not ready for Prime Time. My guess: HEndry is trying to make a deal for Crisp. Perhaps Marquis would be the guy to go?" I am not a Jason Marquis fan but we need to be careful about trading him right now. I hated his comments the other day, but there is no denying that he helped carry our SP staff last April and May. We also don't know what we are going to get out of Lieber and Dempster in the starting roles. We also don't know if Marshall's stiff shoulder will hold up for an entire season...plus we already have two lefties with big breaking balls and a high fast ball

E-Man: "Well - it has taken me a while, but I now would agree with most of your assessments - Ryan Theriot is not very good." Welcome to the club. Let's just all hope that if we do trade for Roberts, Piniella realizes that DeRosa is the better option at SS.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

That makes a lot of sense except DeRo can't play SS! DeRo is what 33 y/o and has less range than he had with the Braves where he occasionally played SS. He is a poor defensive second baseman and now we will ask him to man the SS position. I am suprised that you did not suggest Murton over Theriot.

[ ]

In reply to by Rory

Rory: "That makes a lot of sense except DeRo can't play SS!" Theriot is below average at SS, both defensively and offensively. It is tough to think DeRosa would be more anything more than a slight downgrade defensively, if that, but a clear upgrade offensively, more than making up the possible defensive downgrade.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Manny - that's very logical! So basically there is no basis to your conclusion just that you think that DeRo can't be worse than Theriot. Look I know you hate Theriot and I am not here to defend him because its useless but unless we have someone better to play SS I don't see what all this crying is going to get you.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

How many times do we have to have this same conversation? I mean seriously, what's the point? Is it your goal to bash Theriot as much as possible? Do you think you will eventually wear everyone down and convince everyone who visits TCR that you are right? Even if you do that, what do you really gain? Just remember last year you were saying the same stuff about DeRosa. You hated the signing, said he should never be a starter, thought he would contribute to a very weak bottom third of the order, etc. And I'm not criticizing you for being wrong. We've all been wrong. It's just that after being wrong most of us realize there is that possibility when talking about the next guy. You act like Theriot is the worst offensive and defensive shortstop we could find and that you will 100% be proven correct as the season goes on. I for one hope he has a tremendous year.

[ ]

In reply to by Rory

He is a poor defensive second baseman
Since when is DeRosa is a poor defensive 2b?

...as the White Sox radio color analyst. Chris Singleton is going to Baseball Tonight and Steve will be taking over for him.

Stone with Ozzie and the White Sox = a match made in heaven!!

Out for what could be two weeks or more. I knew when i found out in Parachat that he broke part of his finger he would be out longer than the 5-7 days they initially reported. You just can't mess with the fingers on a batter, it screws up how they swing the bat and it needs to heal. 5-7 days much less 2 weeks isnt going to heal this type of injury.

Can he play 2B?

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Favre and Samalamadingdong playing catch at HoHoKam...priceless.

So in basically one year, Korey went from being the target of Disty's ire against youth and now is a "proven veteran" with speed and "intangible" skills...Because, y'know, that Jay Bruce guy is kinda unproven. The Reds could have been a dangerous team in this division if they committed to Phillips, Votto, Bruce, Encarnacion in the field and Bailey and Cuerto as starters. But it looks like a slow-motion train wreck.

[ ]

In reply to by DC Tom

Talk radio here in the Natti is questioning the signing because Norris Hopper and Ryan Freel have higher OBP and are both speedy. I'm not sure where Hairston fits in except maybe to give BPhillips a day off here and there...

[ ]

In reply to by CincyKid

Rest assured. Freel will see plenty of time ahead of Encarnacion, and Hopper will handle left when Dunn goes to 1st base to play ahead of Votto. This is just Dusty covering his bases. Has anyone seen Wayne Krivksy and Jim Hendry in the same room yet? They might actually be the same guy.

Should we start a contest, trying to find out what "major Chicago-based corporation" is? I'm thinking it's Ferrara Pan Candy. Lemonheads Park at Wrigley Field. The Atomic Fireball Bullpen. The Jaw Busters Broadcast Booth. The Black Forest Gummies Ivy.

[ ]

In reply to by SheffieldCornelia

Really can't wait for the Trib/Zell to get the hell out of the picture. Having an owner that isn't at all culpable to the fan base (or the future of the team) isn't a good thing.

[ ]

In reply to by Rory

Dark horse: Boeing. Trying to prove how much they love their new hometown. Kaplan also mentioned Walgreen's, but I couldn't tell whether he was letting the cat out of the bag or if the name just popped into his head because the WGN street-level studio looks out at a Walgreen's on Michigan Avenue.

[ ]

In reply to by Timmer

Allstate might make sense, but they already have the naming rights to a stadium here in Chicago, Allstate Arena in Rosemont (used to be the Rosemont Horizon, and I still call it that).

[ ]

In reply to by SheffieldCornelia

I really wonder about the economics of stadium naming deals. It's hard to believe that putting $20MM/year into a stadium name is better marketing than putting the same $20MM into traditional advertising campaigns -- particularly with a stadium like Wrigley where purchasing the naming rights is likely to buy you more bad press than good.

[ ]

In reply to by vorare

I have to believe that it's a corporate pecker contest. They have money to burn and so they make themselves feel important by putting their name on big buildings.

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

Good point Chad! And they get the VIP treatment with skyboxes, tickets, meet & greet with players, etc. for them, their families, their employees and clients.

Krane Kinney was on ESPN 1000 Can't promise that Wrigley Field will be part of new name if they sell name rights. Zell appoved -Z's contract -Field fix up -Fukudome contract Cubs have hold up on two trades (one for you know who) both are being held up by odd circumstances (looking at you Angelo). He wouldn't name names obvisouly so don't know about the second trade.

I agree 100% vorare. Sadly, it doesn't look like he is in any hurry though. They announced this last year on opening Day i think, and I was hoping it would be all done by this Opening Day, but now I am hoping it could be done by the end of the season. We already will be having a lame duck GM possibly making trades at the deadline, let's hope we get new ownership in by the end of the year, so we can have a set plan, personnel and management going into the offseason.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Cubster: "Hendry did have an option that was possible based on completion of the Tribune sale, so his contract goes through 2009. That was reported by Bruce Levine during one of his AM 1000 radio reports." That is not what the Sun Times said a couple days ago. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/814483,CST-SPT-cubnt27.art… Basically it says that the team would need to be sold, which it has not yet. So if it takes till after the season, Hendry's contract would expire and the option disappear. But I guess we can thank the lovely McFail for that doosy of a option. McFail is the gift that keeps on giving. You'd think giving him a gift extension on his way out would have been enough. I wonder what other little surprised there are. But all that being said, I would be pleasantly surprised if they do in fact not extend Hendry for 1 year if no new owner is set by year's end.

Rory: "but unless we have someone better to play SS I don't see what all this crying is going to get you." We do, it is DeRosa, and I am not "crying". Not yet at least, but maybe another year of Theriot at SS will get me there...:)

I read that Reds article and you got Jay Bruce believing he has going to get a legit chance to win an OF spot. And then you got Dusty all complaining how Corey was rushed. So Jay Bruce at age 20, competition for the OF is over for you now that Corey and Hairston are on the team. So sorry, dont want to rush you, like Dusty said. Votto, 24 Bailey, 21 LOL...Gonna be fun watching Dusty find excuses not to play them.

Recent comments

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.

    He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

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