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

Last Night's Cubs Game with Visual Aids

Submitted by Rob G. on

By now, most of your are familiar with Fangraphs fantastic Win Probability Added charts that chart the chances for a team to win a game in real-time. Here's last night's exciting, albeit ultimately disappointing loss:

Cubs-Cardinals WPA graph

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That though misses the big story of Alfonso Soriano's escapades and his effect on us fans watching the game. So we're introducing TCR's CFPA (Cubs Fan Popularity Added):

CFPASoriano050208

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cubs fans were displeased enough with Soriano to start the game after his 0-4 return from the DL and questionable defense in the 9th. He didn't do much to help by swinging at the first pitch against Wainwright last night. Things started turning around with an RBI fielder's choice in the third, but then it fell apart in the 7th. He misplayed a pop-fly by Pujols and then missed another that lead to the Cardinals third run, putting him into the "Neifi Rage" range, which by TCR calculations has only happened about twenty times in Cubs history. The most prominent being Neifi's entire career with the Cubs and the last season of Dusty Baker. But things can change quickly in baseball, and when he obliterated an Isringhausen fastball to tie it into the ninth, most was forgiven.

Tags
Recap
Cubs Fan Popularity Added
Win Probability Added
Graphs
Alfonso Soriano

Comments

Submitted by Cubnut on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:56 am

Love it. I'm going to guess that if you created a long-term graph of Cubs fans' feelings about Soriano, it would never settle on the "Content" line. A function of his being so hot and cold and alternately doing marvelous, game-changing things and doing ridiculous, hard-to-believe-you're-seeing-it things. Also the big paycheck is certainly a factor in how he's judged. Well done, Rob.

Submitted by Rob G. on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:59 am

from Rotoworld... James Russell made his Double-A debut on Friday and allowed one run in six innings for Tennessee. Russell nearly matched Clayton Kershaw, who allowed an unearned run in 6 2/3 innings for Jacksonville. The son of former closer Jeff, Russell was a 14th-round pick last year, though he got third-round money to sign. He was 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA, 25 H and 14/7 K/BB ratio in 27 1/3 IP for Single-A Daytona before moving up. His excellent changeup gives him something he can use to combat right-handers, so he's a solid prospect even if he doesn't get many strikeouts.

Submitted by Charlie on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:08 am

I think we'd all be more willing to accept his very, very inconsistent offensive contributions if he were more consistent at what players are supposed to be consistent at, defense for one. He's been in left field for over two years now, why does he sometimes look so awful out there? I love his arm, but other than that his defense leaves a lot to be desired and it may have cost the Cubs the game last night. When you get paid like a superstar fans expect you to perform like a superstar whenever it is within your control. Now, it's completely unreasonable to ask him to go out and hit a homerun every game, but work on his defense and get someone to help him learn to read fly balls?

Submitted by Rob G. on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:14 pm

http://deadspin.com/385574/friday-night-blights For those caught up in the Bissinger vs Leitch fiasco...thought this was a good take. One more thing: Hopefully, last night's train wreck will finally put an end to this whole sports media/mainstream media battle against the sports blogging community. This has always been, in my opinion, a completely rudderless debate from both sides: These are two entirely seperate media. Bloggers are not putting newspaper columnists (or print media) out of business — bad newspapering is. These two worlds don't have to co-exist and were never intended to be that way. To me, blogging and internet writing, by and large, is rooted in comedy and opinion. That's it. One doesn't invalidate the other. Personally, never got too caught up in the whole debate. Newspapers and beat writers are just upset because they're losing money and there's more than 2-3 opinions out there now. Mostly I feel that they expect what they write to be accepted as canon on the subject and aren't use to criticism, especially the instant criticism that happens on the Internet. And I don't ever care to do what Sullivan or Miles do and I'm sure they don't care to do what I do.

Submitted by Mike Vail on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:30 pm

I know this is a little premature but wow,do you think Dusty is wanting maybe a little revenge on us? The Reds flew in Mario Soto (nice vote of confindence for Dick Pole), to help Johnny Cueto who has been moved to start against us on Monday. The Harangutang pitches Tuesday vs. Z, and I think The Rock Star is pitching Wednesday's day game. Much is being made of this series in Cincinnati. All this attention is kinda making the Cubs seem gosh, important to Marty, Dusty and the boys. I will be at the games. No, I won't boo Dusty or C-Pat because I don't care. But I might just blow kisses to Marty. Here's hoping Cubs fans fill their stadium despite it being a weekday series. Afterall, we're just a bunch of unemployed drunks.

Submitted by Dmac on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:29 pm

I got into it awhile back with Rick Telander, who usually comes off as just another Medill doofus with illusions of grandeur. The responses he gave back concerning the many inaccuracies he regularly posts in the Sun - Times are truly hilarious; the guy's a walking dinousaur, and doesn't seem to be aware of it. Leave them to their own devices, no need to help them seal their own demise.

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: I think there was an issue with Luke Little coming into a game with men on base. He seems to need a "clean" inning to be dominant. So he is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AAA. Same goes for Michael Arias. He needs to come into a "clean" inning, and is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AA. Porter Hodge is a more versatile pitcher, a better version of Keegan Thompson (multi-inning RP). But Little, Arias, and Hodge (probably in that order) are the Cubs top three RP prospects (all three are Cubs Top 15 prospects).

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    So, let’s do a little war gaming. Taillon is back for tonight’s game. He pitched two rehab games, just a few innings each, and not especially sharp. Let’s face it, he hasn’t been lights out since the Cubs gave him the big contract. In other words, as flat out bad as Hendricks has been, the chances of Taillon being the savior don’t look exactly promising.

    If Taillon is equally ineffective or perhaps even worse, what’s the next move? Winning teams can often find a way to work around a dud fifth starter - kinda. Two dud starters make things much more difficult.

    I believe the biggest reason for the recent bullpen moves was dissatisfaction with the recent blowing of big leads and the recognition that the bullpen wasn’t all it was thought to be. In other words, they are exploring alternate options and configurations. If similar juggling becomes necessary (even more so than it already is), what kind of reasonable maneuvering do we think could be explored?

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