Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus one player is 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 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* 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: 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 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Rockies: Series Thread (Games 6-9)

The 3-2 Cubs take their game to loftier climes for the next four games. The offensive core of Happ, Contreras, and especially Suzuki have been scalding the ball thus far and should be happy to have thin air and broad power alleys in front of them. See below for daily matchups.


Game 6, Thursday, April 14, 7:40 pm central

CHC: LHP Justin Steele (1-0, 0.00)

COL: LHP Kyle Freeland (0-1, 12.27)

Steele appeared unbothered by the cold and gave a commanding performance in his first start of 2022. He sat 93-94 and showed a decent slider--stuff that should generally play if it is accompanied by at least average command.

After a very successful 2018 and very disappointing 2019, Freeland has looked like a slightly above average pitch-to-contact starter for the last couple seasons. He was unable to get out of the 4th inning in his first start and allowed five earned runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, and a HBP. Two of those runs scored after he had exited. He collected 6 strikeouts in the process.


Game 7, Friday, April 15, 7:40 pm central

CHC: RHP Marcus Stroman (0-0, 1.80)

COL: RHP German Marquez (0-0, 1.29)


Game 8, Saturday, April 16, 7:10 pm central

CHC: RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (0-0, -.--)

COL: RHP Antonio Senzatela (0-0, 2.70)


Game 9, Sunday, April 17, 2:10 pm central

CHC: LHP Drew Smyly (1-0, 0.00)

COL: LHP Austin Gomber (0-0, 5.79)

Comments

attendance at this cubs/rockies game is alarmingly low for an evening game with the cubs in town.

they had a very high attendance opening weekend (both games), fwiw.

58F and clear...it's denver...nothing extrodinary going on with the weather.

it's only been 2 appearances, but the work k.thompson is putting in (including his great spring) is gonna make posible decisions like moving alzolay to the pen full time an easier thing to do.  if alzolay bounces back with similar stuff after getting over his latest injury, he's got high late inning potential.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

How do you figure? In the sense that they're seeing the value of a multi inning reliever who isn't just a guy to cover innings in blowouts? Having two could be good. I also wonder if Thompson claiming that role makes it more plausible Alzolay gets another rotation shot (especially considering how the long term bullpen arm picture looks really good while the same can't be said for SPs)

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

I like Thompson as a piggy-back to a lefty like Steele or Smyly, and Steele or Smyly could piggy-back Alzolay. I think of them all as more likely to give you 2-4 decent innings than 5.

 

I do wonder how the universal DH will affect teams' capacity to exploit platoon advantages, though.

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

it would be easier to move alzolay to the pen and see thompson as a starter option if thompson can handle innings as well as he has this spring + early 2022.  steele + thompson + kilian are attractive youth options on the horizon...steele already getting his shot in the rotation.

alzolay's running out of time (and health) to be a guy who can throw 200ip.  he's 27 and his career high is 127.2ip (2021).

If Alzolay comes back healthy and productive, I hope that this encourages the Cubs to get away with the idiotic one inning per reliever practice.  I believe that is the worst waste of good pitchers I have ever seen.  Even using them one time through the order would be a great improvement, and probably wouldn't reduce the fastball velocity.

k.thompson suspension reduced from 3 games to 2 games.

he's serving it tonight and tomorrow.  yesterday he went 3.1ip, so that's pretty much a non-issue.

short sample size and all, but maybe suzuki should hit somewhere in the lineup besides the 5 or 6 slot?

wade miley did a 15 pitch pen today.

if he stays on track the cubs might get him back in may after some more pens and rehab.

In person report on Kohl Franklin's start today:  Kohl is a thin, tall drink of water with very long legs.  His demeanor is calm and collected no matter the count.  I saw no emotion throughout the start.  This was his second start since 2019.  FB: 95-96; CH: 83 with sink and fade; CV: 78.  Kohl was struggling with control from the first hitter consistently missing high with his FB which was mostly straight.  He walked three and gave up  two hits to the first five hitters including a bases loaded walk.  Robert Hassell, San Diego mega-prospect, took a high CH to the opposition field for a hit.  TinCaps stole four bases from the first three base runners (Hassell two.)  Kohl struck out the last two hitters he faced with a FB at 96 and a Ch at 83.  The manager pulled him after 33 pitches and 7 batters. 

Other players of note:  Robert Hassell is very impressive.  He barrels the ball, goes with the pitch using quick hands, has speed and tracks the ball in center very well. 

For the SB Cubs:  A. Canario is very impressive to watch.  The swing is dynamic, very athletic build and carries himself like a professional (good face.)   He is a future MLB player.  How successful depends on identifying pitches and controling the strike zone.  He is two years away. 

Fabian Pertuz has stepped up his game and looks very different since last year.  He turned two slick double plays and roped a line drive single and made a loud out another time at bat.  His build is more defined and he is confident and decisive with his movements. 

Yohendrick Pinango is heavier than last year with average foot speed.  His quick hands and eye  helps with consistent contact, but doesn't consistently barrel the bat to the ball resulting in average exist velo.  I just don't see what the fuss is about.  He is young with plenty of room to improve; otherwise, I think he's overrated.  I hope  to be wrong. 

Ed Howard is very smooth in the field and his build has filled out nicely.  At the pate, he struggles identifying pitches to hit and I don't like how his hands work.  They are too stiff through the zone, no snap and too much upper cut.  He is at least three years away if he progresses enough with the bat and I am not sure that is a given.

All of these obersvations are in April with a long season ahead.  I look forward to the SB Cubs returning to my area in August and seeing progress.

welcome to the bigs ethan roberts...oh yeah, 2 of your first 3 apperances are going to be @COL.  have fun.

LHRP Locke St. John had his contract selected and was added to the 40 and then optioned to AAA Iowa because he had a 4/15 opt-out and the Cubs (for some unknown reason) did not want to lose him. 

If the Cubs are unable to trade Greg Deichmann in the next few days and he is placed on waivers, I fully expect the A's to claim him, just like they did with Sheldon Neuse last month, another prospect they traded away and then claimed off waivers when given the opportunity. 

I also expect the Cubs will trade Cory Abbott for a minor leaguer who does not need to be added to the 40, rather than lose him off waivers. Bottom line is, if possible the Cubs are going to want to "exchange" (trade) Deichmann and Abbott for similar type prospects who do not need to be added to the 40. 

Keep in mind that while the DFA period is seven days, if a player is not traded by the 5th day he has to be placed on waivers, and he can't be traded while he is on waivers. 

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    steele MRI on friday.  counsell expects an IL stint.

    no current plans for his rotation replacement.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Use pitchers when you believe they're good. Don't plan their clock.

    I'm sorry. I'm simply anti-clock/contract management. Play guys when they show real MLB potential talent.

    If Brown hadn't been hurt with the Lat Strain he would've gotten the call, and not Wick.

    Give him a chance. 

    But Wesneski probably gets it

  • crunch (view)

    alzolay...bro...