Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-23-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 9 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Iowa & Indy Play Cubbies & Indians

Submitted by Mike Wellman on

After 604 days without a ballgame here, Indianapolis came to town for the first time in almost a quarter century last Tuesday night. The first batter of the too long awaited season homered and baseball was finally back.

Two games in the I-Cubs looked like dead ringers for the C-Cubs. Zero runs to go with a bunch of strikeouts (cuatro by Maybin, the most experienced ex-MLBer on the roster-a dreaded golden sombrero) in the reopener; four homers, including a slam by the latest Cub AA to come through AAA, (Abiatal Avelino, successor to Arismendy Alcantara, Albert Almora and Albert Alzolay) the following night, the much preferred variety of GS.

Crowds quickly dwindled from about 3,500 on Opening Night to half as many on Wednesday and Thursday, but having baseball back is like a civic security blanket. It’s just good to know it’s there.

In G3, holdover manager Marty Pevey, now in his 8th season on this job, was ejected after two batters for daring to question a fair/foul call. He’d barely had time to register his disagreement before he was thumbed. Seriously, ump? 

G4 highlights were Kohl Stewart’s line (5/1/1/1/9) and Maybin shaking off the effects of snake venom. Still hitless for the season and having hit into a pair of DPs previously that evening to go with G1’s cap of shame, he swatted a game-tying solo homer in the 8th to snap his 0-15 skein as the I-Cubs eventually prevailed in extras to knot the series at two apiece.

G5 was a washout on Saturday night.

G6 fell on Mother’s Day which dawned dank and raw here but came around nicely by game time. Only because of the Saturday night postponement was this last one of the weeklong series a rubber game. Reclamation project Shelby Miller got the start and set a fine example with three hitless innings marred only by a lone walk against five strikeouts. Tommy Nance did exactly likewise AND drove in the game’s first run with a sac fly. Then Brad Wieck took over and was dazzling, fanning five of the six batters he faced. So Ryan Meisinger entered in the 9th, protecting not only a 2-0 lead, but a no-hitter, too. He walked the leadoff man, then got two outs on hard contact. I figured I knew what was in store when Kevin Kramer stood in as the potential last out. After all, 31 of the previous 53 outs made by I-Injuns were whiffs so what else would you expect from a guy with the initials KK? But no, it took a sliding catch in right by Rafael Ortega to nail down the no-no, much to the relief of Meisinger and the delight of his teammates and the smallish but engaged crowd. It was the first one thrown by the I-Cubs at home since 1984 so I’m glad I got to see it. I hadn’t planned to go, but after our M-Day brunch, my wife wanted to go garden at her Mom’s so I was released on my own recognizance. I brought a gate promo rose home from the ballpark for her which was more appreciated than the no-hit news.

The rookie consortium known as Triple A East is a work in progress. MLB balls in BP, PCL ones in-game (strictly a cosmetic difference, I believe, since Triple A was using balls identical to the big leaguers last time they played in 2019) and a schedule that calls for nothing but six-game series all summer, Tuesdays through Sundays. The whole league gets Mondays off, like barbers. 

Maybe they should call the circuit the Sal Magleague.

Tags
I-Cub update

Comments

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 05/10/2021 - 05:52 am

BTW, if you haven't read my Roster Rules section lately, it has been updated for 2021 

One of the most significant changes is that minor league affiliates no longer have individual reserve lists.

It used to be that the AAA reserve list limit was 38 players, AA was 37, and each single-A affiliate and short-season affiliate was 35 for the entire year including the off-season.  

Now, there are two reserve lists, one called the "Domestic Reserve List," and the other called the "International Reserve List."

Back when the Cubs had four domestic full-season affiliates (Iowa, Tennessee, Myrtle Beach, and South Bend) and three domestic short-season affiliates (Eugene, AZL Cubs Blue, and AZL Cubs Red), the aggregate number of reserve list slots available on those seven affiliates (combined) was 250 players year-round.

However, the Domestic Reserve List limit is now just 190 players beginning at 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series up until domestic minor league Opening Day (which is considered to be the first day any domestic minor league regular season game is played, which this year was May 4th), and then it's only 180 players beginning on domestic minor league Opening Day up until 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series, which is the exact same deadline for minor league free-agency (which is now called Rule 9 instead of Rule 55) and for reinstating players from the minor league 60-day IL.   

The International Reserve List limit is either 35 or 70 players year-round, depending on whether an MLB organization is operating one or two DSL teams. (The Cubs have two DSL teams, so their International Reserve List limit is 70 players). That number has not changed, although now there is just the one aggregate reserve list for both Cubs DSL teams, although each of the two Cubs DSL team will have separate 35-man active list rosters once the DSL season commences.  

Minor league players on the Restricted List, Ineligible List, or Disqualified do not count against the Domestic or International reserve list limits, and players on the minor league 60-day IL also do not count against the limit, but a player can only be placed on the minor league 60-day IL beginning on minor league Opening Day through the final game of that club's season, and once on a minor league 60-day IL the player must be reinstated no later than 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series.

Also, players who are "Signed for Future Service" do not count against reserve list limits until domestic minor league opening day or until international minor league opening day, depending on whether the player who is "Signed for Future Service" is exempt from the domestic or international reserve list limit.  

The only exception to this new "master" reserve list arrangement is that a club can place up to 38 players on its AAA reserve list beginning on November 20th (November 19th in 2021 because November 20th falls on a Saturday) and extending through the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft. These (at most) 38 players can only be selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (as was always the case previously), although in practive most clubs usually leave at least two or three slots open on their AAA reserve list when the roster is filed on 11/20 for veteran free-agents signed to minor league contracts between November 20th and the Rule 5 Draft and/or for players selected by the club in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft. (A club must have as many slots open on its AAA Reserve List prior to the Rule 5 Draft as the number of players selected by the MLB club for its AAA affiliate in the AAA Phase of that draft).   

Otherwise, there are no longer any individual club minor league reserve lists. 

Once a player is moved from the International Reserve list (which essentially is the Dominican Academy) to the Domestic Reserve List he cannot be moved back to the International Reserve List. Only players on an International Reserve List can play in the DSL. 

At the present time, the Cubs have 180 players on their Domestic Reserve List (so the list is full), plus one player (C. D. Pelham) is the on the 60-day IL and three players (Craig Brooks, Jesus Camargo, and Manny Collier) are on the Restricted List. 

In addition, the Cubs presently have 70 players on their International Reserve List (so that list is also full), plus 14 more international players were "Signed for Future Service" between 7-1-2020 and 1-1-2021 and those players will not count against the International Reserve List limit until the start of the DSL regular season, at which point 14 more slots will have to be found somewhere on either the Domestic Reserve List and/or the Intertnational Reserve List, either by placing players on the 60-day IL or on the Restricted List, or by trade or outright release.    

An MLB club can sign no more than 12 players for future service (meaning the contract is for the following season) for each DSL affiliate, and no more than 12 players for future service for each single-A affiliate, for a total of 48 players (maximum) who can be "Signed for Future Service" at any one time.  

In addition, the active list roster limit has been expanded from 25 to 28 players for AAA and AA teams, and from 25 to 30 players for Hi-A and Lo-A teams. The active list limit is still 35 for each DSL team, but there is no active list roster limit for AZL or GCL teams. This change in minor league active list roster limits is permanent. It is not CoViD-related 

Also, a minor league player on a AAA or AA IL can now be sent on an injury rehab assignment to either of the organization's full-season single-A affiliates (it used to be a player on a AA or AAA IL could be sent only to EXST or to a short-season affiliate for injury rehab), and a player on a Hi-A IL can be sent on an injury rehab assignment to the Lo-A affiliate (previously a player on an a Hi-A IL could only be sent to EXST or to a short-season affiliate for injury rehab).

Players on IL injury rehab assignments do not count against the active list roster limit of the affiliate to which the player is assigned (which has always been the case). However, no more than three minor league players can be on an injury rehab assignment with any one of the single-A affiliates at any one time.  

There is still no limit on the number of players on an MLB IL who can be assigned on an injury rehab with any one minor league affiliate (including AAA and AA). 

Also, players on the MLB active list roster in September can be optioned to a minor league affiliate only until the minor affiliate's season (including playoffs) has concluded. This was always the case, but it was never an issue before because MLB active list rosters always expanded from 25 to 40 on September 1st, so it was not necessary to remove players from a club's active list roster in September. But now that there is a 28-man Active List roster limit in September, players might have to be optioned to the minors in September to open up a slot on a club's 28-man active list roster.

So once no minor league affiliates are still playing games, a player can be optioned only to the MLB club's Minor League Spring Training facility (essentially its GCL or AZL affiliate), but players optioned to the Minor League Spring Training faciity in September will accrue MLB Service Time while on optional assignment.

Also, If a player who was on an MLB Active List and/or MLB inactive list(s) as of June 1st and remains on an MLB Active List and/or MLB inactive list(s) continuously up until being optioned, and then is optioned to the minors anytime during the period of time beginning on September 1st and extending through to the last day of the MLB regular season, the player accrues MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment even if the player spends 20 or more days on Optional Assignment, if without the MLB Service Time accrued in September he would not be eligible for salary arbitration or to be an Article XX-B free-agent.

Ther is also a new inactive list called the "Developmental List." (Tyson Miller is presently on this list). 

With approval of the MLB Commissioner, a player on a minor league Domestic Reserve List can be placed on the Developmental List if the player is at a club-approved training facility (like Driveline, X2, Elite, etc) for the purpose(s) of conditioning and/or development, or if the player has been loaned to a club in another MLB organization, to a club in the Mexican League, or to a club in an independent MLB partner league
NOTE: There must first be an agreement in place between MLB and the partner league before players under control of MLB organizations can be loaned to a club in that league.   

A player on Optional Assignment from an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) can be placed onto the Developmental List of the minor league affiliate to which he has been optioned, but only with consent of the player.  

A player cannot be placed on the Developmental List for the purpose of injury rehabilitation or disciplinary action.

A player can be placed on the Developmental List only during his minor league club's regular season, the player must remain on the Developmental List for at least seven days, and the player must be reinstated from the Developmental List no later than the day after the conclusion of his minor league club's season (including post-season).

A player on the Developmental List counts against the in-season minor league 180-man Domestic Reserve List (or MLB 40-man roster if the player is on Optional Assignment), but he does not count against the minor league club's Active List roster.  

A player is paid by the MLB club while he is on the Developmental List.  

Submitted by tim815 on Tue, 05/11/2021 - 05:41 am

Drafted players can't be traded (as of now) until after the World Series. Does the same apply to international free agents? Seems a thing I should know, but I don't.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 05/11/2021 - 05:54 am

TIM: There is no restriction on trading international free-agents, so (for example) the Cubs could trade Cristian Hernandez right now (or even the day after they signed him) if they were so inclined.

The trade restriction only applies to players who were selected in that season's MLB Rule 4 Draft (First-Year Player Draft). It doesn't affect players who were eligible for selection but were not selected (non-drafted free-agents). 

Also, if a player selected in the Rule 4 Draft signs after the day after the final game of the World Series (like a college senior with no eligibility left, who can sign anytime up until a week prior to the next Rule 4 Draft), that player cannot be traded until 90 days after signing.  

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 05/11/2021 - 05:17 am

Prior to last season, Rule 4 Competitive Balance Draft picks could be traded in advance of the draft (the window beginning on December 2nd and extending up until two hours prior to the start of the draft), although the pick could not be sold for cash, the pick itself could not be the PTBNL in a trade, and once traded the pick could not be flipped to a third team.

However, there is presently a moratorium on trading Competitive Balance picks that extends through the conclusion of the 2021 draft, so right now no draft picks may be traded. 

If the rules are changed in the next CBA to allow any and all Rule 4 draft picks to be traded, I would think that it will probably be like with Competitive Balance picks. They can be traded only within a certain window (TBD), the pick cannot be sold for cash, the pick itself cannot be the PTBNL in a trade, and once traded the pick cannot be flipped to a third club. 

Same goes if a separate "International Draft" is implemented, although the window for trading those draft picks would probably have to be completely different from the window for trading "Domestic Draft" picks, because the International draft would almost certainly happen sometime during the off-season. 

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Tue, 05/11/2021 - 05:24 am

All this Keegan Thompson coverage makes me think of all those other pitchers drafted  by us during the same year. I know Little is a legit bullpen prospect and Abbott seems likely to see Chicago this year, but is there anyone else? Uelman, maybe? Hecht, Remy? Any of those guys have a chance at MLB?

Recent comments

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I’ll spare the details which I’ve stated before but, in short, the Cardinals have lost their sight of their successful identity and strategy over last several dominant decades. From the beginning of the season I saw the Cardinals being in last place or near it again this year, and my prediction is that Mozeliak will be gone after the end of the season.

  • Bill (view)

    I would have kept Cooper rather than Wisdom, but at least I can understand why they did it.  In a team that lacks dominant power hitters, Wisdom can be a dominant power hitter, at least in streaks.  I suppose that there is always the possibility that the streaks longer in both duration and frequency.  I will be content if they essentially make a 100 % DH commitment to Mervis against righties and Wisdom against lefties.  When a regular needs rest, give them total rest, rather than a DH rest.  Do this for at least 2 months, and then re-evaluate at that point.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    This is Cubs adjacent but…


    Jordan Walker just was optioned by the deadbirds. For all the talk of the Cardinals development machine, they’ve really missed on a lot of can’t miss superstars lately. Walker has struggled. Gorman has been okay. They’re already trying to push Carlson out the door. Their pitching system has been so bad they had to go out and sign basically a full rotation over the last two offseasons.

    They’ve still developed a few of those pesky solid players, like Donovan, Edman, and Nootbaar. Their two best prospect to MLB players have been Adolis and Arozarena, neither of which is a cardinal.

    I hope they never figure it out again. Cardinal failure brings me such joy.
     

  • Raisin101 (view)

    Thank you so much! I really appreciate not only all your posts but how eager you are to respond to our questions.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Is it just me or does it seem that official scorers are becoming less likely to call a misplay an error? 

     

    Guess I've hit my cranky old-man phase in life.  "I remember back in the day when an error was an error.  Official scorers have gone soft.  Now where did I put my readers?!!??"

     

    Sidenote, maybe Bellinger should be a little more careful against the Astros.  That was the series last year that a play at wall put him on the IL.   

  • crunch (view)

    i hated the almonte pickup, but he's 9-10 out of 12 for good outings, following a great spring.  hope he can keep it up.

    i already miss cooper, but yeah...the thin OF roster backup the team seems to want to carry probably got wisdom preference over cooper.  i could live without seeing wisdom at 3rd unless it's a blowout, though.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Things I've been wrong about:

    -Tauchman is fine as a 4th OF. I knew that. I just want a better LH DH option and he was really the DH for us until Seiya got hurt. I'm glad Mervis is getting a chance at it. Caissie is coming for that job for sure. But Tauchman continues to be highly useful as a 4th OF with Seiya being hurt

    -I wanted Yency to go to get guys at Iowa a chance. Guys like Palencia and Sanders or RileyT. Maybe even Hodge! But Yency has been better the last two plus weeks. He did hit 96 the other day. He was 93 in Texas to open the season.

    -Leiter has his split working enough. It just needs to stay there

    -I was surprised Jed picked Wisdom over Cooper. I wonder if this happens if Seiya wasn't hurt. Wisdom has more power. Cooper is the better hitter. Jed picked Wisdom and Wisdom had an option left as well.

    -Palencia just doesn't miss enough bats. Similar to ManRod, just two yrs younger. ManRod is killing AAA for TB right now!

    Things I got right so far:

    -Hendricks. Sorry Kyle. You got paid though!

    Jed, you missed there.

    -Smyly. If Jed could've traded him before or during ST, then he should have and saved some cash.

    -Mastro.  Not a LH DH. Pinch runner. Defensive utility. Maybe he's better than Madrigal but didn't get a legit chance to prove it.

    -Luke Little is good. He's had one bad outing. That's it. Needs to get better entering with guys on base. But he needs to stay in MLB.

    -Oh yeah....Morel is doing fine at 3B! He'll get better as well!!

  • crunch (view)

    bellinger "right rib contusion"

  • Childersb3 (view)

    South Bend just lost the lead in the bottom of the 9th on the weirdest scenario, ever.

    It's absolutely pouring rain....men on 1st and 2nd, 1out....JPatterson asks for a new ball, but no time out was called....he throws the old ball toward the dugout (not sure if it rolled out of play).....the ump declares the runners get two bases each so one run scores. Then a single up the middle ties the game.

    The rain was coming down in buckets at this point.

    Just weird

  • crunch (view)

    ...and bellinger is gone in the 7th because of that 2nd blown chance and the wall he bounced off of...

    hopefully his rib cage/shoulder feels better tomorrow, we just got happ back.

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