Cubs MLB Roster

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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 
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Matos Dinger Lifts AZL Cubs to Victory

Yohan Matos blasted a three-run HR to cap a four-run 5th and Enrique de los Rios and three relievers combined to hurl a three-hitter, as the AZL Cubs edged the AZL Angels 6-5 in AZL action last night at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.


AZL Cubs closer Scott Frazier (Cubs 2013 6th round draft pick - Pepperdine) had an easy 1-2-3 9th (13 pitches - 8 strikes), working his fastball at 96-97 MPH after showing 98 on his first pitch. Frazier also throws a curve and a change-up (both passable), but his high-octane heater is his bread-and-butter pitch. If Frazier can contuinue to throw strikes (even 60% of the time, like last night), he will move quickly through the Cubs system. 

Frazier had a nice pro debut in 2013, and one of the Cubs pitching coaches said at post-2013 Instructs that he believed Frazier had the best pure-stuff and THE best fastball in the system. But the 6'7 230 right-hander (known as "Sasquatch" back then) came up with a bad case of the "yips" in Spring Training last season, and it has taken him until now to begin to turn the corner. I was a bit surprised that Frazier was left behind when the Eugene squad left town last week because he was showing improved control in EXST games as recently as three weeks ago, but he could go directly to South Bend from the AZL if and when he gets promoted (he's 23 years old and was at Boise in 2013, so he really doesn't need to go back to the NWL).

18-year old Yohan Matos' bat (more specifically his HR power) is definitely ahead of his glove at this point. He was one of the Cubs more-significant signings out of the vaunted 2013 IFA class ($270K signing bonus), but he is also one the more-raw defensive catchers in the Cubs system, makes mental mistakes you don't like to see from a little leaguer much less from a pro player, and tends to swing & miss a lot. But he also definitely has plus-power, rocketing his home run last night over the CF fence.

20-year old 6'1 175 RHP Enrique de los Rios was one of the two aces of the VSL Cubs starting rotation last season (LHP Carlos Rodriguez was the other one), but he struggled at Extended Spring Training this year. So it was good to see a strong outing from DLR last night, as he had to overcome four errors by his infield in the first five innings. Signed by the Cubs as a 17-year old out of Venezuela in 2013, de los Rios has a smooth delivery, but he is more "projectable" than finished at this point, throwing an 85-87 MPH two-seam fastball that occasionally touches 88 and a promising curve and change-up. But as is the case with a lot of young pitchers, there is hope that his fastball velocity will increase to at least average (90-92) as he matures physically. And if it doesn't, he probably won't advance.

19-year old 5'11 LHP Carlos Rodriguez threw two innings of perfect baseball in relief, but while he seemingly handled the Angels with ease (six up, six down), the fact is four of the outs could just as easily have been XBHs, as Cub outfielders got a work-out making running catches of line-drives and backing-up to the fence to snare warning track fly balls.

C. Rodriguez was at Extended Spring Training as a 17-year old in 2013 and pitched for the AZL Cubs that season, but oddly enough he spent all of last year back in Latin America with the VSL Cubs, and even more strangely, was not invited to post-season instructs in either 2013 or 2014 and was not invited to Minor League Camp or Extended Spring Training this season, instead getting the Opening Day start for the VSL Cubs before getting moved-up  to the AZL. C. Rodriguez is the classic "soft-tossing lefty," throwing a 85-87 MPH fastball that touches 88-89, a curve, and a change-up.  

18-year old Venezuelan SS Andruw Monasterio had a "good news/bad news night" last evening, the good news being two ringing doubles, and the bad news being two throwing errors. Both of the errant throws were strong but not accurate, pulling first-baseman Jose Paniagua so far off the bag that he was unable to swipe the batter-runner with a tag.

3B Wladimir Galindo had another good night at the plate, collecting three hits (two bloop singles and a line-drive double into the LF corner), but the 2014 VSL HR champ has yet to hit his first bomb in 2015, with no HR in EXST and none so far in the AZL. (He did miss five weeks at EXST with a left wrist injury, however). Galindo also committed a costly throwing error in the top of the 5th while attempting to nail a runner at the plate after fielding a one-hop bouncer (his defense needs a lot work).

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

CUBS LINEUP:
1. Roberto Caro, CF: 1-5 (K, E-4, 1B, P-6, 3-U, R, RBI, SB)
2. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 1-5 (F-7, F-9, 1B, 3-U, F-7, R)
3. Wladimir Galindo, 3B: 3-4 (1B, 1B, K, 2B)
4. Jose Paniagua, 1B: 1-4 (K, K, 1B, F-7, R, RBI)
5. Yohan Matos, C: 1-4 (K, 5-3, HR, K, R, 3 RBI)
6. Miguel Rico, DH: 2-4 (1B, F-9, 1B, K)
7. Danny Gutierrez, LF: 1-4 (P-4, L-5, K, 2B, R)
8. Robert Garcia, RF: 1-4 (K, 1-3, F-8, 1B, SB)
9. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 2-4 (2B, F-8, 2B, K, R)
 
CUBS PITCHERS
1. Enrique de los Rios: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 1 GIDP, 4/2 GO/FO, 72 pitches (41 strikes)
2. Santiago Rodriguez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 2/2 GO/FO, 29 pitches (15 strikes)  
3. Carlos Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/4 GO/FO, 22 pitches (15 strikes) 
4. Scott Frazier: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 13 pitches (8 strikes)

CUBS ERRORS: 4
1. SS Andruw Monasterio: E-6 (errant throw allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. 1B Jose Paniagua: E-3 (missed catch allowed batter to reach base safely)
3. SS Andruw Monasterio: E-6 (errant throw allowed batter to reach base safely) 
4. 3B Wladimir Galindo: E-5 (errant throw home allowed batter to advance to 2nd base & runner at 2nd to score)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Yohan Matos: 1-2 CS, 1 PB

Comments

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.