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

Revenge of the Voodoo dolls

Although life is grand after a 7-0 homestand that saw sweeps over the severely injured Dodgers (Furcal, AJones, Garciaparra, LaRoche and 3/44) and the severely injured Rockies (Holiday, Hawpe, Tulowitzki and Barmes), I'm sensing strange karma that may be responsible for some weird happenings that are in the news.

To quote Ricardo Montalban, "Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold."

Former Cub, Shawn Estes got his only win so far this season as well as the Padres only win against the Cubs. He was slated to open the upcoming series in San Diego vs the Cubs monday night until he fell going from the clubhouse to the dugout friday in San Francisco, breaking the thumb on his left pitching hand. He will be replaced by Cha Seung Baek a 28 yr old Korean and former Mariner minor leaguer.

So if the Estes news is a bit odd, what do you make of the Mark Prior news?

If you haven't heard, Prior apparently has agreed to have more right shoulder surgery after esteemed Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. James Andrews diagnosed a tear in Prior's anterior shoulder capsule. This time, the surgery will be done in San Diego at the Scripps Clinic (by Hans and Franz...well actually Padres team physicians, Drs. Heinz Hoenecke and Dr. Jan Fronek). The surgery date will be set when he sees his doctors this monday. Prior started having a return of shoulder pain during his ongoing rehab in extended spring training in Arizona around May 10th and had to shut down his rehab followed by an MRI and a trip to Dr. Andrews about 2 weeks ago.

As you recall, Last April 2007, Prior has an anterior capsular tightening by Dr. Andrews although reports I've seen have varied as to the operative details of that surgery. From an AP story on 4/27/07:

According to a team statement, Andrews performed a debridement of Prior's rotator cuff and repaired labral and capsular injuries in the shoulder.

"It stayed in the arthroscopic stage. But I think he had some touch up work in a lot of places," Hendry said. "But at the same time there didn't seem to be anything so significant that it would require more than the scope. It didn't have to be opened up and have extensive surgery."

If Prior does have a tear in the anterior shoulder capsule, it means the tightening procedure he had back in 2007 has had a tissue failure in an area most likely to be near where it was previously tightened. Things like that happen, but what to do about it gets more complex if it's bad tissue and not looseness of the shoulder that's his problem now.

When Hendry and the Cubs cut ties with Prior, it wasn't as if they hadn't tried to re-sign their first round (2nd pick) draft choice of the 2001 amateur draft. Hendry had two options, one was to offer Prior arbitration which would have amounted to another year of rehabbing for $3-plus million salary for 2008. The other option was to negotiate a new deal that would keep Prior as a Cub for two years but at a discount compared to the 2008 arbitration salary possibilities while he was rehabbing from surgery and a club option for 2009 (if his rehab was reasonably successful). Hendry offered a deal that would have given Prior more money than he ultimately signed for in San Diego (which was $1M). The proposed 2009 club option was based on medical advice that pitchers who underwent the type of surgery Prior had often need 2 years to recover fully. The Cubs had been paying Prior $3.1M in 2004, $3.5M in 2005, $3.65M in 2006 and $3.575 M in 2007. Considering he didn't pitch in 2007 and only pitched 43 futile innings in 2006, Hendry must have been thinking that's alot of green to spend for a pitcher that wasn't able to pitch and probably wouldn't be competitively healthy again until 2009.

Prior apparently was advised he would be better off (financially) as an unrestricted free agent for the 2009 season assuming he showed any semblence of his old form as a starter. It would also be easier to recover in laid back San Diego without the Chicago media to unearth every bit of minutia that happened along that road to recovery. After signing with the Padres, he expected a full recovery and even had predictions he'd join the Padres staff by June 1. Oddly, today's announcement came on that date. It was a calculated risk on his agent's part and it has just turned sour.

So now what?

The Cubs have finally and it appears happily moved on. Having the best record in baseball as of June 1st and knowing that they haven't achieved such early success since 1908 will give the media plenty of fodder for the moment. Without Prior, yet getting strong contributions as closer from a so far so good and healthy Kerry Wood makes a Star Wars, Episode VI ending seem possible. Moving on meant giving Kevin Hart jersey #22. The Cubs don't owe Mark Prior a penny for 2008 (or 2009). The Padres just flushed One Million Dollars down the proverbial toilet. Sure that's peanuts to a ballclub, but it couldn't have happened to a nicer club (so says Lee Smith, Leon Durham and Rick Sutcliffe). Mark Prior is moving on to his second shoulder surgery and what HE gets to expect will not be sorted out until they re-explore his shoulder.

He won't even be the Padres concern come October.

 

Comments

Sucks about Prior. Even if he's not with us anymore I feel for the guy - he was the best in the biz, arguably, in late 03. On to brighter news - 1st time in 1st in league on June 1 since 08? Lovin' it!!!! Guess I'd better get back to reading Crazy 08 after all.

prior learned the hard way there's a difference between hiding a blister from the medical crew/trainers/coaches and hiding minor foot/shoulder problems. there's a time to "man up" and a time to get ready to go to work. april isn't the playoffs. hopefully the cubs learned a lesson, too, about taking a kid's word vs. checking a kid out if they think there might be a medical problem. at least it's not the cubs' problem.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

for those two links. I vaguely remember Cait Murphy being interviewed on one of the Chicago radio stations a year ago or so as well, but that interview is really good. I like those historically contextual-type books, so I think I'll like this one if I ever get time to read it.

He certainly wasn't much of a teammate to the minor - leaguers while he was on his many rehab stints here. In fact, he came across as a major - league jerkhole. Nothing wrong with that - it's a business after all, but it's hard to feel anything for the guy at this point.

[ ]

In reply to by dB

No, I just read about Gunness, so I'm up on Chicago Politics, dB. But you're not the angry, brilliant young mind you once were, just itching to vent your frustrations. Once RobG told you it wasn't your fault, you lost the edge, dB. You stopped hitting the books with a vengeance, and now I've read stuff you haven't even heard about yet. Face facts, my friend--love made you soft, unable to stand up to an academic showdown, like you used to. You're just no longer that good--dB Hunting. Now how do you like them apples? (no, really, I don't know why I spent 15 minutes looking for and editing that from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. There is something wrong with me, something very very wrong with me. Above post was all in jest)

[ ]

In reply to by dB

ouch man! I was only kidding around. You're post made me think of that scene so I played on it. I didn't mean anything by it at all. And Kevin Smith rules (used to). Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back sucked. As did Clerks 2. but Clerks, Mallrats and Dogma are great. And Tina Fey rules too. 30 Rock is the funniest show on TV. And that comes from a converted Tina Hater.

I can't say I feel anything for Prior any more, either. I laughed my ass off when I saw this news this morning. Not after all the stories of his general attitude. Was there any mention of checking his vagina while they were already operating on him?

Taking posts #3 and #12 together, Prior is a soft pussy who was an idiot for trying to pitch through pain. Makes sense.

We'll never know to what extent his injuries and willingness/unwillingness to pitch through them encompassed. The team kept everyone in the dark about his many physical problems, and Prior kept mum about them as well.

[ ]

In reply to by nohit

I disagree, and I actually had to COACH the White Sox last year. Our league went to minor league team names for a couple of years, and while some of the uniforms are pretty cool (we were the Burlington Bees one year), the kids were totally bummed. They don't care whose teams they're on, as long as they look like major leaguers.

[ ]

In reply to by garsky

Cool. I suspect that's true with the vast majority of kids. A year or two ago, I heard a couple of rather heated discussions on the radio (one on local Chicago sports talk, another on Dan Patrick) where people were taking the opposite viewpoint -- "my kid isn't a Cubs fan but they're making him join the Cubs". Of course, it was all adults complaining, not the kids. 8) Here's a fun bit for little leaguers: http://improveverywhere.com/2008/04/07/best-game-ever/

[ ]

In reply to by nohit

I was always jealous of the kids who were on the "Cubs". When I was a kid, wearing your little league cap to school was cool, especially since they had a real MLB logo on them. I always wanted to be on the "Cubs" so I could wear a Cubs hat. Unfortunately, I never got to be. It just felt wrong to wear another team's colors.

[ ]

In reply to by Doug Dascenzo

in our little league there were no team names (mlb). It was chico's bail bonds style. i played for Mac Towing in my last year before i transfered leagues to another town's where they used real team names.

[ ]

In reply to by Wes

I started with "Jackie's Pizza" -- a team with great coaches, teaching me lots of things (like not to swing flat-footed). Unfortunately for me, my dad also owned a business that sponsored a team. I was traded to my dad's team, and the coaches there sucked. I regressed on almost everything. I'm sure that's the only thing that stood between me and a multi-million dollar MLB career. /that's the ticket

[ ]

In reply to by nohit

We fans of language tend to refer to that behavior as "greed." And the answer is yes, they are a bunch of greedy bastards. Greed causes businesses (and let's be frank, professional baseball is a business) to pick short term, two handed money grabbing over solid long term gains. This also tends to be a good indicator that the business has a weak managerial culture that encourages intellectual short sightedness. But you all know all of this already. MLB is run by a bunch of freaking idiots.

Rosey (now that's an oxymoron) is from LA so deep down he's most likely a Dodger fan, tries to be cynical/skeptical just because he amuses himself with that approach and would much rather be playing (and losing) at Texas hold'em than really putting any thought into what he writes.

Recent comments

  • 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)

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  • Arizona Phil (view)

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  • crunch (view)

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  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

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