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

In Grind We Trust

John Arguello and I attended the same church, that being the Cubs so-called "backfields" at Riverview Park. 
John moved out here a couple of years ago from Chicago and he lived across the street from Riverview Park, so he was there all the time. Most every day. At least every day before he got sick. 

I had met John and his wife Stacey a few years ago when they came out from Chicago to Mesa for AZ Instructs and to watch some AFL games. John walked up to me while I was watching and scoring a Cubs Instructs game at Fitch Park, and he said, "Are you Arizona Phil?". I said, "Yes, unfortunately, I am," and he intrcduced himself and his wife and I just thought he was a nice guy and a Cubs fan and that was that. . 

So I knew he was a big Cubs fan (I mean, who else would come out to Mesa in October to watch minor league baseball games?), and I found out later that he was thrilled when the Cubs moved their Lo-A affiliate from Peoria to Kane County because it meant he could watch a lot of Cubs minor league games. But then Stacey got a job in the Phoenix area, and she and John had the chance to move to Mesa and be in backyard of the Cubs minor leagues. And so naturally John & Stacey found a place across the fuckin' street from the Cubs complex! 

John Arguello was one of the regulars at the Cubs complex, along with Montana Bob, and Rockford John, and Bill Mitchell from Baseball America. In fact, John was there so much that one time a new Cubs employee offered John a ride to the clubhouse in a golf cart because he thought he worked for the team! 

John had the mind of a scientist. He was calm and logical and he could explain complicated things in simple terms. He had been a school teacher in Chicago, and so I guess he learned to do that, but it's not easy to be that patient. He did not tolerate bickering at his blog. He (calmly) demanded that discussions remain civil and rational, and he was able to persuade his readers to follow his lead. I hope Al Yellon, and Brett Taylor, and CT Steve won't mind me saying this, but I can tell you, without any equivocation, that I believe Cubs Den is the best Cubs blog. I even told John that, but I think he thought I was kidding. I was not. And it was because of John and his tireless work and calm leadership that it was that way.    

When John was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2016, he kept coming out to the backfields. He became an excellent photographer and videographer over the past couple of years, posting his work at Cubs Den. He also had the eye of a scout, and could describe what he saw in terms any baseball fan could understand. In fact, John could have had a scouting job in baseball if he had been so inclined, but he liked what he was doing too much to give it up. 

It looked like John had beaten cancer last year. He was at all the AZL Cubs games at Sloan Park in 2016, and then last September, on the first day of AZ Instructs, Cubs Player Development Field Coordinator Tim Cossins called John over to the Agility Field near the clubhouse, and had all of the players gather around as John was presented with a Cubs "IN GRIND WE TRUST" t-shirt, John did not make a big deal out of it, but he told me afterward that it meant so much to him that the Cubs would do that for him. He wore that t-shirt a lot, and he wore it with pride. People in baseball don't throw the term "grinder" around loosely. It means you are a fighter, that you don't quit, and that you are admired by those who know you.  

And John Arguello was indeed a grinder. 

I wish I could be half the man he was. 

Comments

He was a cool guy with a lot of knowledge and his blog IS excellent. I felt kind of numb when I heard his cancer came back and I feel even more numb now that I have heard of his passing. This really sucks.

Being a cancer survivor, I related with John on many occasions. He seemed to be a such a great person and so very close to the Cubs system. It did my heart good to hear Len Kasper mention his death last night. May he rest in peace.

Thank you Arizona Phil for the beautiful tribute to John. Fortunately, I met John Arguello about a year before he moved to Arizona. It was a get together at a local NW side Chicago Pub filled with Cubs Den people and one of the Baseball Prospectus writers. I got there early before most of the crowd arrived. He was clearly planning the event. The first thing I did was offer to buy him a drink...and if anyone who has met him knows it would be a Scotch. It was a fun day. Just great Cubs talk. So....http://tinyurl.com/y77zfpda

Thanks for this, Phil. John will be missed. I don't follow Cubs Den closely, but I enjoyed John's coverage of spring training very much and looked forward to his pictures and writing in March especially.

Wow. I'm bummed. I honestly kept viewing the Cubs Den feeds in my Flipboard feed hoping to see his byline and just skipping the articles because they weren't written by him. All I can think of doing is having a good glass of scotch in his honor.

Thanks PHIL. Only one person on our board, and perhaps my oldest friend, knows that my wife, age 46, died of advanced stage, and late-detected breast cancer that also inundated her liver in March. One month, and then gone... One of the happiest memories we shared, that I'll remember always of course, was attending the NLCS clincher and Game 5 of the WS. She was an "artsy" chick and not much into sports - but the Cubs, and Wrigley, grew on her after our 14 years together. In fact, she persuaded me to hang on to my tickets after 2013. Following the team, as we have learned over the years , is more than just "going to a ballgame". It is a fabric weaved through generations. John was a part of this, as are all of us. Through thick and thin - and it was mostly thin for a long time - many of us were connected here, and through great blogs like Cubs Den. R.I.P. John. Thank you. Thank you all. #FuckCancer! Please support cancer research any way you can. We are all, unfortunately, touched by it.

not an obit but in John Arguello's own words, his story and his battle (from a year ago, 8/8/16): http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2016/08/as-cubs-battle-for-title-i-h… and Thanks for your post E-Man. In a tapestry/circle-of-life kind of way, my sister who I lost in her own fight with brain CA was friends with E-Man's wonderful wife. I still think my sis had something to do with the Cubs winning the world series. That thought will forever make me smile.

cancer has touched too many people on this board. not trying to swerve or distract, but has anyone heard from newport since late last year? i can't remember the last time he posted.

Hi Phil, I was so sad to hear this news. John was a one of a kind, special person. He had such a good way with words. I so much enjoyed visiting with him every day on the backfields with you and Rockford John. He would always talk about a certain player and then I would find myself zeroing in on that person and sure enough everything he said would be right-on. Amaya is a good example. Between him and you I have learned so much more about baseball. I feel so fortunate to have met him and getting to know him. I am going to miss him. There will be a void there next Spring. His family is in our thoughts and prayers. By the way Phil, I am no longer on AOL. I finally changed it. My new email is [email protected]. By chance do you have Stacey's email or address? I would like to send her a note. John RIP!! Hope you are doing good Phil. Can't weait for next Spring! Bob

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    agreed and agreed.

    he walked off on his own, but we may not find out for a few days how this will impact the club.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    Looked like a hamstring rather than a knee, not sure if that’s better or worse. 

  • crunch (view)

    steele leaves the game with a hamstring or knee injury.  sigh.

  • crunch (view)

    ...and a madrigal "non-error" leads to a sac fly for a tie game.  nice.

    having a ball clank off your glove, but still getting it count as a hit because it was hit hard is a nice stats gift.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    For sure. This lineup isn’t exactly stacked as is, and subbing out a Cooper or even a Tauchman for Madrigal won’t do it any favors.

  • crunch (view)

    the ESPN bottom graphic taking up 1/8th of the screen sucks.

    i only use ESPN during baseball season and i'm forced to watch a baseball broadcast designed to be broadcast in sports bars and betting parlors where the news/scores of other games is as important as what you're actually tuned in to watch.

  • crunch (view)

    morel triple to start the season....yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    LHP Blake Weiman appears to have been the last cut from the AAA Iowa roster. He is with the Tennessee group at Minor League Camp.

     

  • crunch (view)

    bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements.  his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.