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

Travis Wood is fun to watch right now

Yeah, I know.
Is Travis Wood a mirage?
Can he keep this up for his whole career?
How about I don't care.
This guy has been nothin' but fun to watch pretty much all year, and after yesterday... well, some day he'll be able to say to his grand kids he hit a homer off Tim Lincecum.
During the Great Rebuild, there have been pockets of baseball action and some new players that allow me to not think about the how-long-til-the-Cubs-can-contend thing and just enjoy.
And at the very bottom of it all, that's what summer is for.
Okay, and maybe a frosty cold one.
The Cubs sweep the Giants with back to back to back one-run wins.
Doesn't really mean anything, but man was that fun.







Comments

Tigers get Jose Veras for low Single A (Midwest league) OF Danry Vasquez and PTBNL a little insight into the value of Kevin Gregg?

Tim, your shit is getting whacked and retro! Very cool. Homage to Lichtenstein/Warhol? "Lich" is probably a Yankees fan. Wonder what he thinks of A-Rod? This year is wearing on you some, I see ;) Keep up the caffeine intake, man.

On TheoJed - Overall, and I think many of you would agree, this current mgmt team seems to actually be moving in the right direction and have perhaps learned from their collective mistakes. Well, excepting Edwin Jackson this year. I am impressed with their trades and scrap-heap signings, as well as buying low and selling high. Jim Hendry never figured that shit out. Finally, it would appear that their decision to strike quickly in both the Intl. deals, as well as Deadline Deals has looked like GM Master Class material. How fun it would be to go to Cubs games that mattered again?

[ ]

In reply to by johann

Yes, he's completely turned it around. I remember actually making one of my rare successful semi-predictions in a comment when I noted during his slump that his velocity was not only still there but getting better, and that at least he wasn't damaged goods. I have no idea what was going on early, unless it was that typical signing a big contract thing and trying to live up to it, which seems a little overblown to me but I guess it must happen some.

[ ]

In reply to by George Altman

I usually park on Halsted, Sheffield, Racine, etc., but south of Belmont by a couple blocks - no gamenight parking restrictions in the commercial areas. AKA free parking in safe neighborhood if you don't mind walking 0.8-1.1 mile north to stadium. Same thing works on Addison west of Damon, but that walk always seems a little longer to me.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

JACOS: Or you could take a cab.

Speaking of which, I pushed a hack for Checker back in the 1970's, and I remember one time I was parked at the cab stand on the east side of Wrigley Field (west side of Sheffield north of Addison), and some guy gets in the cab and I say, "So how did the Cubs do?"

And he says, "They lost 22-0."

And so I sez, "No seriously, what was the score?"   

And he says, "It was 22-zip, and Rennie Stennett went 6 for 6." 

"Oh. OK. Where to?"  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

"Rennie Stennett". Ha! What an odd blast from the past. I always liked him 'cause he sent me an autographed picture during my campaign to collect favorite player autographs. And, addressed the envelope himself. I theorized that since he wasn't well-known in my eyes, he'd be more apt to reply to an autograph request. Did the same with Manny Sanguillen. For whatever reason - it worked.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

I remember when he first came up he REALLY lit the place on fire. I'm too lazy to check his stats but I think his rookie year he didn't get enough at bats but he really went nuts - maybe a late callup. I hope Junior Lake doesn't go all Rennie Stennett on us, but baseball being what it is, there's a good chance of it. Actually, baseball being what it is, Junior will be fortunate to have Rennie Stennett's career, since he was in the league awhile. That's not a bash on Junior. It's just acknowledgement of how hard the game is.

Cub All-Stars Flipping through my son's latest edition of Vine Line, and there was a list of Cub All Stars over the past 10 years. I had forgotten all about the "other" Cub All Star from last year -- Starlin Castro annnndddd.....Bryan LaHair. Possibly the quickest career descent of all time?

Barry Rozner‏@BarryRozner Former Cub Frank Castillo dead at age 44. Drowned in Bartlett Lake in Arizona near his home. One of the really good guys. RIP.

Former Cub Frank Castillo dead after drowning in lake in AZ. He was 44. I was at his 8 2/3 no hit game against Cards in 1995. R.I.P.

Junior 'Bobby Mercer' Lake with the delayed steal. Except he always gets thrown out.

the n.cotts return keeps rolling on in TEX (last seen in the majors in 2009 with the cubs)... 32.2ip 19h 11bb 38k, 0.92era/0.83whip

and the strop scoreless stretch ends after 10.2ip MIL takes a 1 run lead in the top 9th, men on 1st/2nd, 0 outs.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/ask-ba-2013-draftees-midseason-top… From 6/29 Ask BA... "...where would you rank third baseman Mike Olt and righthander C.J. Edwards on the Cubs top prospects list?" --- "...fifth overall (M.Olt) among Chicago farmhands. I’d put third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Javier Baez and outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler ahead of Olt." "...there’s no question that he (CJ Edwards) and Pierce Johnson are the Cubs’ best pitching prospects. Edwards would rank with Johnson, first baseman Dan Vogelbach and infielder Arismendy Alcantara in the 6-10 range on Chicago’s prospect list."

Apropos of nothing, I took in a Scranton-Louisville AAA game on Friday and Corey Patterson is on the Scranton roster. He even made a great catch to save two runs. Interesting to watch Billy Hamilton...it's basically a given he's going to try to steal when he gets on. Scranton made two errors, one by a pitcher, one by the catcher, trying to pick him off. The first time, he made it to third. The next time, he made it to second and then stole third on the next pitch. Then he struck out with runners on to end the game. Looks like he may have some problems getting on base, but when he does...exciting stuff.

news of roster moves between Boise-Kane County: RHP Tyler Skulina, OF Jose Dore promoted to Kane County,RHP Juan Carlos Paniagua, OF Kevin Encarnacion to Boise Paniagua's 2013 numbers are somewhat disappointing. Hope he gets it together back in Boise where he had a short stay during the playoffs last year.

Jake Arrieta accrues one day of MLB Service Time today while serving as the Cubs "26th man" for the doubleheader.

Arrieta needs to accrue at least 58 more days of MLB Service Time in 2013 (but there are only 62 days left in the MLB regular season) to be eligible for salary arbitration as a "Super Two" post-2013 (a "Super Two" must accrue at least 86 days of MLB Service Time in the season immediately preceding to receive "Super Two" status), so the Cubs will probably want to send him back to Iowa for at least another five days no matter how he pitches today.   

Remember that a player recalled as a "26th man" for a doubleheader that is scheduled at least 48 hours in advance is not bound by the "ten-day rule" (where a player cannot be recalled for least ten days after being optioned to the minors, unless the player is recalled to replace a player on the MLB 25-man roster who is placed on the DL or other MLB inactive list), so the Cubs would not have to wait ten days to recall Arrieta if he is optioned back to Iowa tomorrow. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

PHIL: You called it: Brooks Raley (who started last Wednesday) and Jake Arrieta (who started last Thursday) would be the two Iowa Cubs starters on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster who would be in-line to get added to the Cubs 25-man roster as the "26th man" and start one of the games in the day/night DH on Tuesday vs Brewers. I'm thinking they want to see Arrieta "deal" at the MLB level at Wrigley. Bosio is familiar with Brooks Raley already.

BOB: Darwin Barney is eligible for salary arbitration (first time) after this season, so he could be traded at any time or possibly could be non-tendered in December.

CUBS ELIGIBLE FOR SALARY-ARBITRATION POST-2013:
Jake Arrieta, RHP (could qualify as a "Super Two" - TBD)
Darwin Barney, INF
Julio Borbon, OF (will qualify as a "Super Two" unless he is outrighted or released)
Cody Ransom, INF
James Russell, LHP
Jeff Samardzija, RHP
Nate Schierholtz, OF
Pedro Strop, RHP (will qualify as a "Super Two" unless he is outrighted or released)
Luis Valbuena, INF
Travis Wood, LHP

Cubs continue to fail with RISP (0-3 through 3 innings). Have now scored 7 runs in last 5+ games. Bring up some hitters, or play Travis Wood every day.

Gallardo must be screaming in the clubhouse -- comes out (leg injury?) with bases loaded, 2 outs and 2 stikes on Barney - then watches Axford allow all 3 inherited runners to score.

...no more letting borbon pinch hit with men on...please...never again... also, welly has returned to the .270 mark with his 3-4 (so far) day...17 doubles, 269ab (only 3hr)...ob% around .340...66Ks

Olney says Cubs may have interest in Ian Kennedy whom DBacks are shopping, as do Angels.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

i can understand them shopping kennedy...but not now. they kinda need 2 of their 3 DL'd pitchers back before that would make much sense (cahill, mccarthy, hudson)...they barely have a 5th starter capable guy as it is, currently. hudson isn't coming back this year...and probably not for most of next season.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Kennedy not free agent eligible until after 2015 season, making $4.26M this year...age 28 season.

If DBacks just looking for salary relief, decent enough gamble I suppose. Numbers have gone way south over last 2 years, but seems to stay healthy...good bounceback candidate, although certainly not to 2011 levels. Gregg for Kennedy? Maybe Cubs throw in a "C" prospect.

Two ugly losses, but what can one really expect against the Braun-less Brewers, who were 17-32 on the road at the start of the series, and are so horrible that management has agreed to pay for their fans to eat and drink at the ballpark? So much Cubbery.....

Man, what a pile of shit Cody Ransom is lately. Perfect fit I suppose. I thought he was gonna do his patented first swing and ground out, but he surprised me and actually popped it up. He is just brutal lately.

rumor floating of Taillon for Peavy/Ramirez and tons of cash (grain of salt and all).

David Littlefield must be back with the Pirates.

My brain is not working, I'm not at my computer, and google is not helping. What's the name of the nifty Minor League stats website where you can assemble your own list of players to follow again. Thanks. :/

"Yahoo! Sports reports that players who have already been suspended for PED use linked to Biogenesis, including Bartolo Colon, Yasmani Grandal and Melky Cabrera, will likely avoid further suspension. Meanwhile, nine known players and more who haven't been reported are all but certain to take plea deals in the coming days or weeks."

"ESPN's Jim Bowden reports that the Angels and Cardinals have discussed a deal that would send Erick Aybar to St. Louis for either Carlos Martinez or Michael Wacha plus Pete Kozma." the "under contract control" SS market is off the hook if recent rumors are true...pretty sure s.castro could get d.bundy + k.gausman if BAL needed a SS. ...also, if rumors are true, i have no idea how m.wacha + p.kozma aren't already in anaheim.

AZ Phil, I am curious what you think about Wellington Castillo's development this year. I recall you thought he could be a guy who hit a fair number of home runs and had a high CS%. He's really struggling in both those areas right now. Any chance for great improvement?

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

Not Phil, obviously, and looking forward to reading his response, but one thing I think I've noticed is that Castillo produces top spin a lot of the time and doesn't seem to loft the ball much. As far as the CS%, I'm not sure how much of the blame we might be able to place on the pitchers and middle infielders.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

i've always seen him as more of a "doubles machine" type hitter...though 3HR is a bit less than i'd expect out of him, currently. also, his SB amount as well as his SB/CS ratio is more out of whack than i thought it would be. he's got a great arm...too good to already have given up 49sb in 675 innings.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

JOHN: I think Welington Castillo should be able to hit 10-15 HR a year and maintain a 35% CS once he gets more comfortable in the big leagues. He hit double-digit HR every season 2007-12 except one, and maintained a 35-40% CS for most of his career (up until 2011, then it went down to just under 30%).  

Castillo had a lot of rough edges to smooth out that mostly related to his receiving skills (lots of Catchers Interference errors and Passed Balls) and ability to make contact as a hitter (he typically struck out about once in every three PA throughout his minor league career and rarely took a walk), and he may have spent so much time working on those areas of his game that he allowed some of his other skills (like throwing and a power stroke at the plate) to drift a bit.

But I think Castillo is the Cubs long-term solution at catcher, if he can stay in shape and stay healthy. His minor league career is littered with DL stints related to ankle, knee, and hamstring/quad issues, and he has also had trouble with physical conditioning from time-to-time.

But he just turned 26, and it is not unusual for catchers to fully mature a bit later than other players, because they have so many specific skills to master.  

 

"Jackie Bradley Jr. and Anthony Ranaudo pulled from minor league games" 20 minutes ago... Red Sox trending on twitter #6 lulz...modern baseball rumor milling.

6ip 2h 3bb 2k, 1er 93 pitches so far...should get another inning, i'd imagine

2 errors in a row, a wild pitch, and a double = cubs lead by 1 ...if that's what it takes, sure. ...and bowden is out to pitch a 2nd inning...haven't we learned a few times before that he's just a 1 inning guy?

A. Callapso from Angels to A's.

White Sox and Red Sox exchanging medical records on Jake Peavy deal, possibly J. Iglesias involved.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

INF Cleulius Rondon and Ps Francelis Montas and Jeffery Wendelken all go to White Sox as well (RSox prospects)...final tally

White Sox: Rondon, Montas, Wendelken, Garcia

RSox: Peavy, B. Villereal

Tigers: Iglesias

Garcia was a nice get, but seems like Cubs did better with Garza

(checks M. Olt's line...2/26 after tonight with 9 K's and 2 BB)

well seemed better at the time.

[ ]

In reply to by Newport

Well if so it ain't by much. I've seen Peavy scream at himself on the mound more times than I care to acknowledge. One meltdown against the Cubs was particularly bizarro. I think he has actually become more unhinged since joining the White Sox. And NOBODY is as whacked as Z. . . . Garza isn't even close. He may have some internal nerves etc but his external appearance (other than the glove wiggle and the throws to first) is composed for the most part.

k.gregg continuing the cubs closer tradition of heart-attack-9th's... bases loaded, 2 outs...fun drama. a can of simoniz is looking to be a fair return in trade value at this point.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Anyone watching the game saw it was a frickin mess. A swinging bunt. A HORRENDOUS call by a trigger shy home plate ump (center of the plate at the knees) who couldn't raise his arm to end the game (pitch tracker said strike too). Really want to sit with the ump and discuss that replay. And of course Castro misplayed the soft liner which was ruled a single. Home plate ump can go fuck himself. How do your reward a guy for keeping the bat on his shoulder in that situation? Down the middle ...

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

"he wouldn't have gloved it without reaching/diving . . ." Your words should be arranged differently: he dove when he should have reached. "This young man can really play short. He plays the game really easy. He slows it down, anticipates, very good instincts." Jason McLeod (quoted by C. Muskat in January) using words to describe Baez that, I think, create separation between the prospect and the Cubs' current SS.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

Actually, you're right. I did find an almost identical quote.
"When I saw him play in the summer league, he played the game about as calm and under control as I've seen," said Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken, who hadn't seen Castro play before he was signed by scout Jose Serra. "This is one player who can slow up the game, as the saying goes."
Wilken also compared Castro to Tony Fernandez, who won four gold gloves, his first at the age of 24 (when his errors fell from 30 the year before to 13). But I think the real difference is intensity. Wilken again, this time on Baez:
"He's got this insatiable drive to be a winner and his competitiveness is top of the scale," said Wilken. "He'll fight you in dominoes ... he's extremely competitive."
Baez takes killer swings every at bat, where Castro is content to hit little floaters out toward right field. (Maybe one will drop in.) I think that intensity makes a difference in the field, too.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

All his first-rounders except Simpson are still in the hunt, including Colvin and Flaherty and Jackson and especially Vitters, who I still think will be a major-league power hitter, though probably not on the Cubs' timetable. The surer bets of course are Donaldson, Cashner and Baez. Everything's relative. Of the nine first-rounders picked before Wilken's hiring, only Prior was a valid pick. Of the rest, only Montanez got a whiff of the majors.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Is it about time for the Cubs to consider moving Castro to 2B? It's amazing to me, that with his atletic ability, that he still makes so many dumb mistakes at SS. The whole "a grounder right at me I'll back up 2 steps" play is getting old. Either hold your ground...or charge it, but never back up on it like that...geez.

I also have to say I'm a little worried about Junior Lake's superman complex. Those were three hero swings and I'm pretty sure the Brewers knew just what to do with him when they saw how hard he was chomping on that bit.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

EDIT: Another empty comment box. It doesn't get much better with the edit, sadly. Anyway, who's next in line for a callup? Some of those at bats by Junior were appalling. Doesn't anybody coach these guys? You know, you have this rookie with, shall we say, a tendency to want to do too much, coming up with men on base. Don't you lean into his ear and tell him to focus on moving the runners? Shit, the kid loves to bunt, how about a damn bunt?

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).