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

Barnette Throws in EXST Intrasquad Game at Riverview

Danny Zardon and Marcus Mastrobuoni walloped back-to-back solo HR over the LF fence in the bottom of the 1st inning, Luis Diaz tripled, singled, and scored a run, and Herson Perez singled, stole a base. scored a run, and drove-in another with a sacrfice fly for the "A" team, and Widimer Joaquin ripped an RBI double, walked twice, stole a base, and scored two runs, and Raymond Pena (RBI double) and Richard Nunez (RBI single) drilled run-scoring hits to cap a four run 3rd inning for the "B" team, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Thursday morning on Field #5 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was called after six innings of play with the score tied 5-5.

RHRP Tony Barnette (on Cubs MLB 10-day IL - right shoulder inflammation) started the game for the "A" team and threw 14 pitches (8 strikes), recorded four outs (2/2 GO/AO), and allowed a walk before being relieved after he reached his pre-planned pitch limit. 

RHSP Erick Leal got the start for the "B" team and was struck on the left leg just below the knee with a high-velocity line-drive off the bat of Luis Diaz in the bottom of the 1st inning and had to be carried off the field. Leal surrendered the back-to-back homers to Zardon and Mastrobuoni just prior to getting hit by the Diaz liner, so needless-to-say it wasn't exactly the best of outings for the right-hander. 

Here is the box score from the game: 
CUBS "B" TEAM LINEUP:
1. Raymond Pena, C: 1-3 (L-4, 2B, K, R, RBI)
2. Richard Nunez, 1B: 1-2 (F-9, 1B, BB, 2 RBI, CS)
3. Ricardo Verenzuela,CF: 1-2 (BB, 1B, K)
4. Caleb Knight, DH #2: 1-3 (5-3, 1B, F-7)
5. Reivaj Garcia, 2B: 0-3 (4-3, 3-6-3 DP, F-7)
6. Ervis Marchan, RF: 1-3 (1B, 6-3, F-9, R, SB)
7. Widimer Joaquin, SS: 1-1 (2B, BB, BB, 2 R, RBI, SB)
8. Rochest Cruz, 3B: 0-1 (F-7, F-7 SF, BB, RBI)
9. Kevin Moreno, LF: 1-2 (BB, 1B, P-4, R)
10. Jose Gutierrez, DH #2: 0-2 (L-5, F-9) 
NOTE: Slot was skipped first time thru batting order

CUBS "A" TEAM LINEUP:
1. Orian Nunez, C: 0-3 (K, 4-3, F-8)
2. Danny Zardon, 1B: 1-3 (HR, 6-3, K, R, 2 RBI)
3. Marcus Mastrobuoni, DH #1: 2-3 (HR, 3-U, 1B, R, RBI)
4. Luis Diaz, 3B: 2-3 (1B, 3B, F-9, R)
5. Ezequiel Pagan, CF: 0-2 (4-3 DP, K)
6. Herson Perez, 2B: 1-1 (1B, L-9 SF, R, RBI, SB)
7. Carlos Pacheco: RF: 1-3 (1B, K, RBI)
8. Oswaldo Pina, SS: 0-2 (L-8 DP, F-7)
9. Albert Hinirio, LF: 0-2 (K, K)
10. Henderson Perez, DH #2: 1-2 (2B, K, R)

CUBS "B" TEAM PITCHERS:  
1. Erick Leal: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 18 pitches (11 strikes) 
2. Niels Stone: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 4/3 GO/AO, 47 pitches (29 strikes) 
3. Chris Allen: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 0/2 GO/AO, 32 pitches (21 strikes) 

CUBS "A" TEAM PITCHERS
1. Tony Barnette: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 2/2 GO/AO, 14 pitches (8 strikes) 
2. Jeremiah Estrada: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 2/4 GO/AO, 55 pitches (31 strikes)
3. Fauris Guerrero: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 0/4 GO/AO, 40 pitches (19 strikes)

CUBS "B" TEAM ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS "A" TEAM ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS "B" TEAM CATCHERS DEFENSE
Raymond Pena: 0-1 CS 

CUBS "A" TEAM CATCHERS DEFENSE
Orian Nunez: 1-3 CS, 1 PB

ATTENDANCE: 4 

WEATHER: Partly cloudy & breezy with temperatures in the 90's 

Arizona 
Scoring
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen" 

Comments

HAGSAG: The best all-around Cubs position-players at EXST are Brennen Davis, Luis Verdugo, Fabian Pertuz, and Edmond Americaan, the best hitters (hard contact rate in games) are Yonathan Perlaza, Luis Diaz, Abraham Rodriguez, Verdugo, and B. Davis, the best HR power (elevated swing angle) are A. Rodriguez, Carlos Morfa, Orian Nunez, Rafael Mejia, and Pertuz, the best catching prospect is Jonathan Soto, the fastest runners are Fernando Kelli, Rochest Cruz, and Americaan, the best defensive infielders are Verdugo, Pertuz, and Pedro Martinez, the best defensive outfielders are B. Davis, Kelli, Americaan, and Ezequiel Pagan, the best pitching prospects are Jose Albertos, Yovanny Cruz, Richard Gallardo, Yunior Perez, and Danis Correa, and the highest FB velo pitchers are Albertos, Y. Perez, Correa, and Willy Cabrera (FB regularly sits at 93-96 for all four of them).     

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

The Cubs underestimated how many pitchers would be needed for their two AZL teams last season (which was the first year they had two AZL teams), and after being forced to use position players to pitch in games that weren't blow-outs during the first week of the AZL season, a 9-1-1 call was made to Boca Chica and three pitchers (Maikel Aguiar, Elias Herrera, and Sucre Valdez) who had not been at EXST were flown up to Phoenix - STAT!!! - from the Dominican Academy. The same won't happen this year. The Cubs will make sure that they have enough pitchers assigned to both AZL Cubs #1 and AZL Cubs #2 on AZL Opening Day, even if one or two eventually are sent down to the DSL. 

Also, the Cubs are having draft picks spend the first week after they sign in a "Cubs Way Orientation" program in Mesa, and then the pitchers will spend another week beyond that in a special mini-camp for pitchers. And pitchers who threw a lot of innings in 2019 prior to being drafted or who have any type of physical issue (even a minor one) will likely not throw much once they have finished mini-camp.

So don't expect drafted position players to be assigned to Eugene until the last week of June (most drafted position players will probably make their pro game debut in the AZL first and them move-up to Eugene), and drafted pitchers probably won't be seen in Eugene until sometime in July (and some might not go to Eugene at all).  

What the Cubs did last year was they initially assigned about a half-dozen positon players to Eugene who had been at EXST (C. Morel, Soto, Kwon, R. Mejia, Polanco, and Reyes) but who probably weren't ready for the NWL, and then sent them back to the AZL in July once the position-player draft picks arrived at Eugene. So the Emeralds 2019 Opening Day roster could consist of position-players currently at EXST who might eventually be sent back to the AZL, as well as maybe two or three guys who will be moved-down to Eugene from South Bend. 

So the question I have (and I'm not sure the Player Development Dept. has even decided this yet) is whether the Cubs will do what they did last year and send about a half-dozen of the younger position-players who are at EXST to Eugene just for a couple of weeks and then have them return to Mesa once the draft picks arrive, or if they will send older guys to Eugene from EXST to function as "place-holders" until the draft picks arrive and leave the younger guys in Mesa (and not move them back & forth), and then maybe release the "place-holders" in July as drafted position players arrive in Eugene.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • 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.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.