Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Game 70 Thread / Cubs @ Blue Jays (3 of 3)

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

SP *Ted Lilly
SP
Jessie Litsch
  6-5, 5.13, 77 K, 26 BB, 79 IP
7-2, 3.42, 42 K, 12 BB, 76.1 IP
       
LF
Reed Johnson RF
Alex Rios
RF
*Kosuke Fukudome
2B
Marco Scutaro
DH
Derrek Lee 3B
Scott Rolen
3B
Aramis Ramirez
CF
Vernon Wells
CF
*Jim Edmonds LF
Kevin Mench
C
Geovany Soto
C
Rod Barajas
2B
Mark DeRosa 1B
*Brad Wilkerson
1B
*Micah Hoffpauir DH
#Greg Zaun
SS
Ryan Theriot
SS
John McDonald

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Father's Day!

Comments

Can someone please explain to me Lou's decision to put Marmol in when the club was up by 6 runs? I don't understand his thinking sometimes regarding his use of Marmol, did he actually think the guy needed the work, even after his stint the day before? There are other pitchers available in the BP for these kinds of games, no?

[ ]

In reply to by Dmac

Two days in a row isn't a reason to panic. Getting him work in a blowout also isn't a reason to panic. He's only thrown 8 innings in June and we're halfway through the month. Lou has been considerably more judicious about using him in June than he was in April and May. Not only that, but we're seeing fewer appearances where he's being asked to go multiple innings. Heck, he was on pace to appear in close to 100 games earlier this season. That number is declining steadily. If he works in 5 of the next 10 games, he'll be on pace to appear in 82 games this season, and if he throws 1.0 innings in each, he'll be on pace to throw over 90 innings. That's certainly a little high, but not Tommy John high. I do think Lou will work him less in the next month or so to get him ready for the stretch run, The thing with Lou, I think, is that he didn't want to dig out of another deep hole with this club in the first couple of months. He leaned awful hard on Marmol and Wood early, but now, they're both pitching less often in the last 2 or 3 weeks. Back to my original point, I'm quickly learning that Marmol needs to pitch regularly. If he sits down there for two or three days, he's awfully wild when he comes in. Usually takes him two or three batters to get things squared away from a control standpoint. If he didn't pitch today, and doesn't pitch tomorrow in the exhibition, then it would be AT LEAST Tuesday before he threw again. Throwing him only 1 inning over the course of 5 days just isn't going to work. He needs regular work to be effective. To me, it doesn't do anybody any good to sit him for two and three days at a time after every single one of his outings and then have him come in and walk the world. He's only thrown 8 more innings than Wood and 9 more than Howry. I don't think he's being overworked as badly as everyone else seems to think. In fact, the entire bullpen is being worked pretty hard, but nobody brings up the other guys for some reason. If he had some history of dead arm or other arm/shoulder injuries, that's one thing. I think he's shown that he has a terrific rubber arm. He can come back and pitch with no ill effects. 85 or 90 innings this season compared to 70 innings isn't going to send Carlos Marmol to Tommy John surgery. EDIT: Wood is the guy I'm most concerned about, honestly. He's on pace to throw over 80 innings. He hasn't thrown those kind of innings in 4 years. I'm worried he's going to get a severe case of the tired arm in September and October.

I think Lou had a funny gut feeling about this game and put Marmol in...he was warming up anyway so just decided to use him. I know he'll probably get roasted for it but its not so horrible of a decision.

Once every one hundred years or so when sun doth shine and the moon doth grow and the wins doth flow. Well needless to say, the leagues were stunned Whip crack with our monster bats, and the leagues were done They asked us (snort) be you angels? And we said nay, we are but Cubs. Rock! Deepest apologies to the D.

Molina has a mild concussion. He is staying overnight in the hospital for precautionary reasons. They aren't sure how much time he will miss, but probably not too much.

I prefer Sabathia, but Burnett would be a nice 2nd prize. The cubs would probably have to give up less for burnett too, though I anticipate any offer starting with hill. It will be interesting to see how much value hill actually has.

[ ]

In reply to by Little Nate Lewis

because for the Indians to trade him, they are going to want 2 prospects with as much upside as a 1st round and sandwich round pick and the Cubs dont have that. Sabathia will most likely be traded to the Yankees (for a package featuring Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy) or the Brewers (Rickie Weeks and Mat Gamel as the headliners). The closet thing the Cubs have would be Pie and Josh Donaldson. Burnett is the most likely target as him and Richardi really dont seem to get along and he would be willing to take cheap guys who can contribute for them this and next year like Cedeno as he needs to win to keep his job.

Agree with inquiring about Harden Andrew, although it is nice to finally have a rotation that isn't dependent on an injury-prone ace. I'm afraid Harden would take us back to the Wood/Prior days. Still worth checking into him though...

i would rather go the non sabathia route also i would think a single a pitcher ,another and a infielder would do it,peoplearesaying we should trade cedeno who has come back to earth ,but who is gonna be the backup ss then i dont see that we can afford to trade him.

EX-CUB FACTOR: Today I read something really depressing: Ricky Nolasco struck out 12, gave up 6 hits, 0 runs in 6.66 in a fish W. Man, to give up this kid for the Juan Pierre experience is unbelievable.

"Ricky Nolasco struck out 12, gave up 6 hits, 0 runs in 6.66 in a fish W." Yeah, I don't think anyone among the die - hard fans are surprised by this development. No one wanted to see the kid traded, he looked like the real deal in the few appearances he had with the big league club before he was traded.

At the time the Cubs traded for Juan Pierre, Sergio Mitre was out of minor league options and probably would have been lost off waivers sometime by the end of ST 2006 (probably to a team like the Marlins), Renyel Pinto was out of minor league options as of ST 2007 and would have had to spend the entire 2007 season on the Cubs 25-man regular season roster or else get lost off waivers (again, probably to a team like the Marlins), and Ricky Nolasco--though a fine young prospect--has spent much of the past two seasons down with elbow problems.

As for Pierre, because the Dodgers signed him as a Type "B" FA after the 2006 seson, the Cubs got a supplemental pick in the 2007 Rule 4 Draft, and used it to select catcher Josh Donaldson out of Auburn.

Donaldson had an outstanding debut season at Boise in 2007, but is struggling the first half offensively at Peoria (although he has improved defensively to the extent that he leads the organization's catchers in CS %).

I'll still take Donaldson's long-term potential and a medically clean Sean Gallagher as the Cubs #5 starter over whatever Nolasco could offer the Cubs at this time.

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp what isn't rained out is the flight from Toronto to Albany, the 1 1/2 hour bus ride from Albany to Cooperstown and back for the flight to Tampa. hope Z enjoyed seeing Ernie, Billy, Fergie, Harry and Sandberg's plaques and maybe Schilling's bloody sock on display...

CUBSTER: Didn't the Cubs pitchers scheduled to start in the Tuesday and Wednesday games at TB vs the Rays fly directly to Tampa-St. Pete from Toronto?

Also, the AZL Cubs contingent is supposed to remain in Cooperstown through tomorrow (they were to receive a VIP Tour of the Hall of Fame on Tuesday), so they could very easily play the AZL Padres at Doubleday Field tomorrow afternoon (albeit not on WGN America) if the HoF doesn't want to lose the ticket revenue (such as it is).

The Cubs regulars were scratched from the starting lineup after the 1st rain delay, so it's not like the fans weren't going to see the AZL Cubs from the gitgo today if the game had been played. They can just play the game tomorrow.

I do feel sorry for the AZL Cubs, though, because they were REALLY looking forward to getting some TV time on WGN. Having a chance to play in the Hall of Fame Game was a Big Deal for them

BTW, of all the suggestions made about how to proceed with the "Hall of Fame Game" in the future, I think the idea of playing it as an "Old Timers Game" the day before (Saturday afternoon) or the day after (Monday afternoon) the Sunday induction ceremony in August is the best one.

Doubleday Field is just enough of a bandbox (296-336-390-350-312) to allow a few of the Old Farts (I mean Beloved MLB Stars of the Past) to hit a dinger or two. It's really the perfect stadium for an Old Timers game.

Submitted by Jeff_Pico on Mon, 06/16/2008 - 10:39am.

I think Asciano has more long term potential than Ohman ever will have. I'd like to see Ohman's numbers at the end of the season.

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

JEFF P: I agree.

Ohman is going to be a FA after this season, and the Cubs control Ascanio (who has a higher ceiling than Ohman) for another six years, especially important next season when Ascanio should be the #1 candidate to replace Howry in the Cubs bullpen.

That trade was a steal for the Cubs.

Mariners fire GM Bill Bavasi...about time. Chien-Ming Wang likely out for season, maybe back by September.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

In regard to Wang, wow. If that's the case, the Cubs probably just lost their chance at Sabathia (or less likely Harden) as Cashman may have to deal Hughes now for pitching help.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

In regards to Bavasi, that may accelerate Erik Bedard trade fantasies. There was NO way Bavasi could trade Bedard for less than the kind of haul he gave up, no way. There probably STILL isn't a way, too humiliating for the Mariners, but I suppose a bit easier now that Bavasi is out of the way.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Doc, They're saying Wang probably has a Lisfranc injury. How does that differ from any other foot sprain?

"Do you mean Nolasco in spring training? He never pitched in a regular season game with the Cubs." You're right, I was incorrect about seeing Nolasco in a regular season game - I was remembering when he came into a game after the trade with the Marlins, and blew away the Cub's hitters during that appearance. And I sure don't miss the O - Man; it would appear that his other former teammates might share in that sentiment as well.

The Wang thing makes me think again about the DH and A. L. pitchers having to bat in interleague games and World Series games played in N. L. parks.

At this point I don't care which way it goes, but the in the next CBA negotiations MLB and the MLBPA need to agree to either get rid of the DH and play N. L. rules in both leagues and increase rosters to 26 players, or else both leagues use the DH with rosters cut-back to 24 players. 

But there should be one set of rules for both leagues.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

AZ Phil, AMEN brother, but won't happen. I think 26 guys/no DH is a great idea, with pitching specialization and the importance of protecting expensive arms, I can see 13-man staffs around the corner. Won't happen because the average DH is a highly-paid vet, while the 26th guy is likely to be a minimum-wage extra. All that money going to Frank Thomas, Barry Bonds, Thome, etc etc will instead go to a greedy owner. That's what I think the player's union thinks. Even though the overall membership would go up with 26-man rosters.

AZ Phil: Didn't the Cubs pitchers scheduled to start in the Tuesday and Wednesday games at TB vs the Rays fly directly to Tampa-St. Pete from Toronto? ========= Probably the pitchers were sent ahead. I'm sure it was sad for the Boise team mates who flew from Idaho and back without anything to show for it but souvenir paperweights of Cooperstown with snow falling on the HOF. Not a bad day for the airline flying out of Boise though. Actually I taped the game hoping to see some of our youngins' that you've waxed so eloquently about. The person most affected was Lou who missed out on a full day off, a day of floating on one of those pool chairs in his back yard with a drink with one of those pink umbrella's in it.

RHP Chien-Ming Wang was examined today at New York Presbyterian Hospital Columbia Medical Center by Yankees Team Physician, Dr. Stuart Hershon and Dr. Jason Greisberg, Foot and Ankle Specialist. Imaging studies revealed a mid-foot sprain of the Lisfranc ligament of the right foot and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon of the right foot. Wang will be on crutches and wear a protective boot for a minimum of six weeks.

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

This is worse than an ankle sprain (except the dreaded high ankle sprain). It is a foot sprain, just specific to the midfoot ligaments. It's not the ankle (tibia-talus-fibula) which is proximal and not the hindfoot which would involve larger bones (calcaneus, talus, navicular). Apparently Wang felt a pop while running the bases Sunday vs the Astros. He's sustained a ligamentous injury in the mid-foot (opposed to a dislocation or fracture+dislocation). This implies an injury in the midfoot ligaments involving the cuboid (lateral) and cuneiform bones (3 of these, medial-middle-lateral) as they connect to the base of the metatarsals. He also has a partial tear of the Palmaris longus tendon (underneath these ligaments), which is the same injury Jon Lieber had last year (Lieber had surgery on this). If there was displacement of the articulating bones it would require surgery to realign them, otherwise casting (nowadays a fracture brace/boot) for usually 6-10 weeks. In an athlete, it will impair running for as much as 3 months or longer. In a pitcher it will affect push-off. The reports I'm seeing say he's out for the rest of the year, which is what I'd expect as these are notoriously slow healing injuries.

here are some wilkipedia links to the anatomy...

 

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).