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, 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

Hernandez Free at Last, Niko Knocks a Nookie

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

With VP of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita and about a dozen Cubs scouts in attendance, LHP Mark Pawelek threw three shutout innings of one-hit ball and Las Vegas Durango HS SS Niko Vasquez crushed a two-run homer onto 8th Street, leading the EXST Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the EXST A's at Fitch Park Field #3 this morning.

With a bevy of Cubs scouts hanging on their every movement, Cubs Extended Spring Training coaches worked-out Brookswood Senior School (Langley, B. C.) and Canadian Junior National Team 3B Brett Lawrie (rated pre-draft #37 by Baseball America) and Vasquez (rated #65 pre-draft by BA) in pre-game infield practice on Field #1 and then BP on Field #2, in preparation for this Thursday's Rule 4 Draft. Lawrie and Vasquez both showed a quick bat with plus-HR power in their BP sessions. Both are right-handed hitters.  

While Lawrie and Vasquez have signed National Letters of Intent with big-time college baseball programs (Lawrie with Arizona State and Vasquez with Oregon State), both are considered "signable." And based on where they are rated by Baseball America, I would think the Cubs are looking at Lawrie for maybe their Supplemental 1st round pick (#41 overall, compensation for losing Jason Kendall to the Brewers), and Vasquez perhaps with their 2nd round selection (#65 overall).

Naturally, the Cubs are almost certainly looking at other players, too, especially some of the better college pitchers and position players who may be playing in NCAA Regionals as we speak, but the fact that Lawrie and Vasquez were invited to Fitch Park for a pre-draft work-out--and the fact that Vasquez actually played in an EXST game--makes it appear that the Cubs are fairly serious about both youngsters. 

In EXST roster news, RHP Robert Hernandez has finally played his "Get Out of Jail - Free!" card and is headed for Peoria. Hernandez had been at EXST at Fitch Park for the past two months while serving a 50-game suspension after testing positive for steroids just prior to Opening Day. He has been pitching great in EXST games, and so it was only a matter of time before he was back in the Peoria starting rotation. And he did nothing to discount his rating as one of the Cubs top pitching prospects while he was at EXST, either. 

Headed the exact opposite direction from Hernandez is fellow-Venezuelan RHP Eduardo Figueroa, who received an unsatisfactory grade and has been sent back to the Cubs Venezuelan Baseball Academy. However, I suspect the 19-year old "Figgy" (as he was known at EXST)  will actually be diverted to one of the two Cubs teams in the Dominican Summer League (DSL Cubs #1 or DSL Cubs #2). 

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

LINEUP:
1. Cesar Salazar, CF: 2-4 (2B, K)
2. Marwin Gonzalez, DH #1: 1-4 (R, K)
3a. SLOT SKIPPED 1st TIME THROUGH ORDER
3b. Niko Vasquez, PH: 1-1 (HR - 2 RBI)
3c. SLOT SKIPPED AFTER PH BY VASQUEZ
4. Josh Vitters, 3B: 0-1 (R, 3 BB, K, SB, PO)
5. Nelson Perez, LF: 1-3 (3B. RBI, BB, K, SB)
6. Drew Rundle, RF: 0-4 (2 K)
7. Bryan Jost, 1B 0-4 (3 K)
8. Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 0-4 (2 K)
9. Alvaro Sosa, C: 0-3
10a. Niko Vasquez, SS: 0-1
10b. SLOT SKIPPED AFTER 1st AB BY VASQUEZ (see 3b)
11. Jose Made, DH-SS: 2-3 (2B, K, SB) 

PITCHERS:
1. Mark Pawelek - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HBP (57 pitches - 33 strikes, 5/3 GO/FO)  
2. Israel Camacaro - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP
3. John Muller - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
4. Yohan Gonzalez - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, (3/3 GO/FO)

ERRORS (2):
1. Niko Vasquez, E-6, overthrow at 1st base
2. Jose Made, E-6, overthrow at 1st base

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Alvaro Sosa, 0-2 CS and one PB

WEATHER: Temperature in the 80's, clear skies, light breeze

ATTENDANCE: 19 (plus about a dozen Cubs scouts and executives)

2008 CUBS EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING ROSTER (as of 5/30)

50 PLAYERS (38 ACTIVE)
36 ACTIVE ROSTER
2 ACTIVE REHAB
12 INJURY REHAB OR DISABLED LIST OR UNKNOWN 

* throws or bats left
# bats both

PITCHERS (28 TOTAL – 20 ACTIVE): 
Ryan Acosta (UNKNOWN – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Alberto Alburquerque (2008 SHOULDER SURGERY REHAB – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Jeffry Antigua
* Michael Bunton
Israel Camacaro
Rogelio Carmona
Rafael Dolis (2007 TJS SURGERY REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Yohan Gonzalez
Angel Guzman (2007 TJS SURGERY - ACTIVE REHAB)
Marcus Hatley
* Arik Hempy 
Chris Huseby
Kitt Kopach (2007 SHOULDER SURGERY REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Oswaldo Martinez (2007 TJS REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Jon Mueller
John Muller
Jake Muyco
Dionis Nunez
* Mark Pawelek
Julio Pena
Jose Pina (2007 TJS - ACTIVE REHAB)
Andres Quezada  (UNKNOWN - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Cedric Redmond (LABRUM INJURY REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Carlos Rojas
Miguel Sierra
Larry Suarez (2008 TJS REHAB – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Luke Sommer
Harol Tolentino

CATCHERS (5 TOTAL – 4 ACTIVE): 
Robinson Chirinos
Jose Guevara (HAND INJURY – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Carlos Perez
Roberto Sabates
# Alvaro Sosa

INFIELDERS (10 TOTAL – 9 ACTIVE):
Starlin Castro
John Contreras
# Marwin Gonzalez
* Bryan Jost 
Dwayne Kemp
Junior Lake
Jose Made
George Matheus
* Jeffrey Rea (QUAD INJURY REHAB – BP ONLY)
Josh Vitters

OUTFIELDERS (7 TOTAL – 5 ACTIVE):
* Kyler Burke
* Jeff Culpepper (SHOULDER INJURY – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Clark Hardman (UNKOWN -  LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY) 
* Nelson Perez
* Drew Rundle
# Cesar Salazar
Kevin Soto

Tags
Extended Spring Training
Mark Pawelek
Robert Hernandez
Josh Vitters
Niko Vasquez

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 05/31/2008 - 05:37 pm

Submitted by Raisin101 on Sat, 05/31/2008 - 3:23pm.

Does that mean Ryan Acosta is hurt? Thanks Phil!

It sounds like Lawrie has been risking into the first round in some mock drafts, so the Cubs might tab him even earlier.

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

RAISIN: Everybody is real hush-hush about Ryan Acosta. Some claim to have never even heard of the guy.

I can tell you that he has not pitched in an EXST game since being demoted from Peoria, but I don't know exactly why not. I don't think he's hurt, though. At least not the typical elbow or shoulder thing. But I refuse to speculate beyond that.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 05/31/2008 - 05:45 pm

Submitted by Jeff_Pico on Sat, 05/31/2008 - 5:20pm.

Hey did Vitters have a good eye or was he facing a pitcher who's control would make Nuke Laloosh look like Jon Leiber?

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

JEFF P: Vitters walked twice on 3-2 pitches, and the other walk was on a 3-1 pitch. So he actually worked the pitcher for his walks. And he made two throws to 1st base without throwing the ball over the 1st baseman's head, too.

Submitted by Raisin101 on Sun, 06/01/2008 - 06:30 am

Woa, I totally missed the great patience from Vitters (and the fact that he's healthy enough to swing the bat in-game!). Great to see. AZ Phil, do you know if the DSL started today (it's still Saturday on the left coast).

Submitted by Jumbo on Sun, 06/01/2008 - 06:07 am

June 2 version of SI has Dan Patrick interviewing Mark Cuban. Here's a select excerpt: DP: When you go to a Cubs game, do you go to be seen? MC: I go to have fun DP: But you still want to buy the team right? MC: Uh Huh DP: So how do you go about this? It's like there's a girl you want to notice you, she's expensive and you may not even have a shot at her. MC: Well I don't think that's the way the situation works. If there's a hooker you want, it all comes down to price, right? I think that's a better analogy. DP: So the Cubs are your hooker? MC: Well, yes, bad choice of words DP: Metaphorically? MC: Metaphorically. Oh that's just going to get ripped apart, I know. I want this guy owning the Cubs. BTW, this issue features a really nice story about Josh Hamilton. Go buy SI (hopefully that counteracts any copyright infringements)

Submitted by navigator on Sun, 06/01/2008 - 06:55 am

I didn't see any mention of it here, but Jake Fox played 3B a couple nights ago for AA Tennessee. (for only like the second time in his career)

Submitted by SheffieldCornelia on Sun, 06/01/2008 - 06:51 pm

AZ Phil, I see that Blake Parker at Peoria has put together a nice little start to the season, with a 1.59 ERA and lots of strikeouts (which is always a good sign for a minor-league pitcher). What's your opinion of him and whether he projects as an eventual big-leaguer? Was he one of the Cubs' plethora of catcher-turned-pitcher conversion projects? Thank you!

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 06/02/2008 - 06:29 am

Submitted by SheffieldCornelia on Sun, 06/01/2008 - 9:51pm.

AZ Phil, I see that Blake Parker at Peoria has put together a nice little start to the season, with a 1.59 ERA and lots of strikeouts (which is always a good sign for a minor-league pitcher).

What's your opinion of him and whether he projects as an eventual big-leaguer? Was he one of the Cubs' plethora of catcher-turned-pitcher conversion projects?

Thank you!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SHEFF: Blake Parker was a combination RHP-DH-1B-C-3B in HS, but played 3B at the University of Arkansas, and then was made a full-time catcher when he was drafted and signed with the Cubs in June 2006.

Parker played with the AZL Cubs at Fitch Park his first year in the organization in 2006, and then was at Extended Spring Training a year ago, in preparation for an expected assignment to Boise in mid-June.

About 2/3 of the way through EXST 2007 (I believe it was early May), Parker was just messing around, throwing off the mound one day after a BP session, and somebody clocked his fastball at 93. (It was kind of like that scene in The Natural, where Roy Hobbs is standing on the mound and one of his teammates is at home plate and says "Show me what you got, show me what you got," and Hobbs throws the ball past the hitter, so hard that the ball gets stuck in the back of the batting cage).

I believe Boise pitching coach Tom Pratt was the one who came up with the idea, but Parker was subsequently asked if he would perhaps be willing to try a move to pitcher, and he (somewhat surprisingly) agreed.

This was really a big surprise to the other players who were at EXST last year, because Parker was the EXST Cubs clean-up hitter and #1 power guy. In fact, he hit a game-winning grand slam HR his last EXST game as a position player before committing to being a pitcher!

As a likely future C-1B-3B, Parker projected as a Jake Fox-type player, with plus-power and the ability to play several positions, including catcher, although his defensive skills behind the plate were below average (except he did have a plus-arm). So I doubt that he would have agreed to the move to the mound if he didn't think it would give him the best shot to advance as far as possible.

As for what he throws, last time I saw him he had a 93 MPH fastball, a decent breaking ball, and a change that still needed to be perfected, but I don't know what he's throwing at Peoria.

Like other former catchers who become pitchers (Carlos Marmol, Randy Wells, Tim Lahey, et al), Parker has a "rubber arm" and can probably throw every day, mainly because he was already in the habit of throwing every day as a catcher. He would project as a reliever.

I would compare Blake Parker to Iowa RHP Randy Wells or Tim Lahey (the Rule 5 pick who was in big league camp with the Cubs this past March, but who is now back with the Twins in AAA). Like Parker, Wells and Lahey were also former catchers, and all are big guys, basically your typical "old school" catcher.

 

Recent comments

  • 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!

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    That’s just kinda how it works though, for every team. No team plays their best guys all the time. No team is comprising of their best 26 even removing injuries.

    When baseball became a business, like REALLY a business, it became important to keep some of the vets happy, which in turn keeps agents happy and keeps the team with a good reputation among players and agents. No one wants to play for a team that has a bad reputation in the same way no one wants to work for a company that has a bad rep.

    Don’t get me wrong, I hate it too. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

    On that topic, I find it silly the Cubs brought up Canario to sit as much as he has. He’s going to get Velazquez’d, and it’s a shame.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Of course, McKinstry runs circles around $25 million man Javier Baez on that Tigers team. Guess who gets more playing time?

    But I digress…

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Seems like Jed was trying to corner the market on mediocre infielders with last names starting with "M" in acquiring Madrigal, Mastroboney and Zach McKinstry.  

     

    At least he hasn't given any of them a Bote-esque extension.  

  • Childersb3 (view)

    AZ Phil:
    Rookie ball (ACL) starts on May 4th. Do yo think Ramon and Rosario (maybe Delgado) stay in Mesa for the month of May, then go to MB if all goes "solid"?
     

  • crunch (view)

    masterboney is a luxury on a team that has multiple, capable options for 2nd, SS, and 3rd without him around.  i don't hate the guy, but if madrigal is sticking around then masterboney is expendable.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I THINK I agree with that decision. They committed to Wicks as a starter and, while he hasn’t been stellar I don’t think he’s been bad enough to undo that commitment.

    That said, Wesneski’s performance last night dictates he be the next righty up.

    Quite the dilemma. They have many good options, particularly in relief, but not many great ones. And complicating the situation is that the pitchers being paid the most are by and large performing the worst - or in Taillon’s case, at least to this point, not at all.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Wesneski and Mastrobuoni to Iowa

    Taillon and Wisdom up

    Wesneski can't pitch for a couple of days after the 4 IP from last night. But Jed picked Wicks over Wesneski.

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