Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are 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 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

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




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Blue Jays @ Cubs: Estrada vs Hendricks (Game 123)

Submitted by CTSteve on

TOR (59-64): RHP Marco Estrada (5-8, 5.09) 
CHC (65-57): RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 3.45) 
First pitch: 1:20pmCST

Hendricks pitched well (6 IP, 0 ER, 6 K, 4 BB) but ended up with a no-decision on Tuesday against the Reds. He last won a game on May 24 (against the Giants). Toronto is 3-16 (.188) against him. Pillar and Pearce are both 1-2, and Aoki is 1-5 with a HR.

Estrada gave up 6 ER in 4.1 innings for a loss against the Rays his last time out. He’s 2-5 with a 5.33 on the road this season. The Cubs are 10-73 (.137) against him, for their careers. Jay is 6-23. Rizzo is 2-24—yikes.

Have your (figurative) brooms at the ready, as the Cubs go for the sweep.

Tomorrow we’re off, then it’s the Lackey (10-9) and Bailey (4-6) rematch on Tuesday at 6:10pmCST in Cincinnati.

Go Cubs!

Tags
2017 Season Game Thread

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:15 am

Per the CBA, the maximum number of days an MLB club can play in a row (without a day off) is 20, and the Cubs will be embarking on their "max schedule" starting on Tuesday. 

Usually the one area of a club that is most adversely affected by the 20 days in a row without a day off is the bullpen, but the Cubs will benefit from active list roster expansion on September 1st, ten days (halfway) into the grind.  

So expect the Cubs to call-up three or four relievers on September 1st to help "relieve" the bullpen. 

Note that it used to be that players could be recalled after spending less than ten days on optional assignment if the minor league club's season had concluded, but that is no longer the case. Unless the player is replacing a player on the 25-man roster who is placed on an MLB inactive list (DL, Paternity, Bereavement, et al), or is the "26th man" in a doubleheader, or is traded or claimed off waivers, the player must spend ten days on optional assignment after being optioned to the minors, even if the minor league club's season is over in less than ten days. 

That might influence the Cubs to keep Justin Grimm on the DL until 9/1, so that they won't have to option Pena or Zastryzny to the minors where they can't be recalled until they have spent ten days on optional assignment. 

If Koji Uehara is reinstated from the DL no later than Tuesday (8/22), the pitcher who is optioned to the minors to clear a slot on the 25-man roster for Uehara could be recalled on 9/1. So I would expect the Cubs to either reinstate Uehara on Tuesday, or else wait until 9/1. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:35 am

Newly-acquired catcher Rene Rivera has reported to the Cubs, and C-1B Victor Caratini has been optioned to AAA Iowa. 

Since MLB clubs (including the Cubs) almost always add a third catcher to their MLB active list in September, expect Caratini to be recalled on 9/1. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:54 am

The Cubs are now 1.5 GB the Diamondbacks and 2.5 GB the Rockies for the two N. L. Wild Card slots in case the Cardinals or Brewers don't go away and the Cubs don't win the N. L. Central. Obviously the Cubs would MUCH prefer to win the N. L. Central and avoid the Wild Card game, but the Wild Card game is a fall-back option for the Cubs and sometimes you just take what you can get. 

The Brewers are 3.5 GB the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals are 4.0 GB in the N. L. Wild Card race. 

And the Miami Marlins are now 7.0 GB in the Wild Card, having passed the Pirates (who are in free-fall).  

Submitted by Eric S on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:18 pm

Zobrist playing second, batting third today. First/Second half splits: 1H - 214/307/367 (7 HR) 673 OPS 2H - 240/328/346 (1 HR) 674 OPS Clearly Joe's best option for the third spot with KB getting a break today.

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:34 pm

I know his hitting has been totally butt this year, but I wonder with Seattle ready to release Danny Espinosa if the Cubs don't take a flier on him prior to Sept 1 just in case they need a backup SS and try to catch lightning in a bottle.

Submitted by billybucks on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:39 pm

Koji and Justin Wilson pitch the 10th. Cubs' version of The Gong Show. Wilson is an absolute basket case out there. It seems that when the home team has a chance to win in the 9th, and doesn't, they usually lose. Using Koji and Wilson really helps. C'mon Rockies -- start hitting! EDIT -- and the Brewers hit a 2-run HR to go up 5-1. Not having a fun day. EDIT - Just got a whole lot much more funner!!! What the hell?

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:48 pm

5.2ip 9h 9bb 5k in 8 appearances. 3.18whip justin wilson...wtf

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:06 pm

the cubs are literally being handed either a tie or win. 2 cubs reach base on a strikeout that didn't count and runners reach. heyward HBP to load the bases...

Submitted by Transmission on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:08 pm

That was absolutely nuts.  I feel really bad for Osuna right now.  But I'll take it. 

Only would have been better if it had happened during the eclipse.

Submitted by Jackstraw on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:11 pm

CUBS SUCK FRACTIONALLY LESS THAN THE OTHER GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!! Doesn't really roll off the tongue. Will work on it.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:15 pm

that's one of those games that you're glad you didn't give up on. the 3-run bottom 10th was some really odd baseball.

Submitted by Jim Hickmans Bat on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:17 pm

J Wilson, good lord. But Avila has been a godsend, it was worth Candelario to get him, even if Avila's only a rental. Need to work on those throws tho.

Submitted by billybucks on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:41 pm

OK -- job done, again. - Last week's assignment was a 3-3 trip, which was achieved but not as planned. - This week's assignment was a 5-2 home stand, which was achieved but not as planned. The 10th added an exclamation point to that qualifier. Next week's assignment? I'd love to assign 5-1, but it's feeling more like a 4-2 week. Carry on.

Submitted by Jackstraw on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:46 pm

Javy strikes out on a one-hopper and then winds up scoring the winning run. Baseball is a funny game sometimes.

Submitted by The E-Man on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:18 pm

I am, like all of you, really bummed about Justin Wilson. Did he completely forget how to throw a strike? I have not seen even a marginable improvement. Typically one might see a couple bad outings right after a trade - but "fuckin' A"!

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:05 pm

I expect the Cubs to acquire at least one more veteran reliever prior to the 8/31 midnight post-season roster eligibility deadline.

A few more teams (both A. L. and N. L.) should be out of the wild card running within the next ten days, so there should be additional relievers coming onto the market within the next week to ten days.   

Submitted by billybucks on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:39 pm

Off-topic, but....RIP Jerry Lewis. You were mostly before my time, and I was never really a big fan, but you made millions of people laugh and raised over $2 billion to help others. Well done, sir. That is one hell of a life.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:51 pm

i'm a pretty big collector of "bad movies" and rare film curiosities. he did a film that got canned before being truly finished and without even being seriously considered for release called "The Day the Clown Died." it's a drama/comedy about a clown in a Nazi concentration camp. yeah. while filming he realized his vision was coming out all wrong and it wasn't "fixable." this film is considered a "holy grail" of sorts of modern lost films and very few people have actually seen any cut of the film. jerry hated this film. he hated talking about it. he refused to answer questions about it on many occasions. he stated numerous times that it will never see the light of day. a couple years ago, knowing his time was limited, he gave a copy of the film to the Library of Congress under the condition the film not be released in any capacity for 10 years...figuring he'd be gone by then. he was right. the fact he would actually face down this personal failure and let the film exist rather than delete it from history is a rather classy move.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 08/20/2017 - 08:53 pm

he was truly trying his best to do an emotionally touching drama (with a bit of comedy) that respected the heaviness of the situation. even in the hands of the best crew of writers and filmmakers it would have been a tall order, and this was not that crew. he realized it wasn't working or going to work. he considers the film professionally embarrassing. he's under no illusion of it being misunderstood and actually good...he's not a fan of the film. it would have been really easy for him to destroy the film rather than preserve it.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 08/21/2017 - 08:38 am

HAGSAG: Dillon Maples has issued five walks, hit two batters, thrown a WP, committed a throwing error, and thrown only 50% strikes in his last three games (3.1 IP), and while I think it is very likely that he will be added to the Cubs MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) after the season, I do not think a September call-up is likely at this point. 

[ ]

Submitted by Childersb3 on Mon, 08/21/2017 - 08:48 pm

He still might be better than Grimm, Uehara, and Rondon. I've seen enough of them to know they're not the answers. Wilson I'll deal with for a while longer. Strop I can handle, even in the playoffs. Duensing has been most reliable. Carl Jr can still get outs. But, I would bank of Maples not being any less effective than Grimm, Rondon or Uehara. But, I'm not TheoJed. Trust in them we must.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 08/21/2017 - 08:08 pm

CHILDERSb3: That's why I expect the Cubs will acquire another veteran reliever prior to the 8/31 midnight post-season roster-eligibility deadline. 

But whoever it is has to be an upgrade over Grimm, Rondon, and Uehara, not just more of the same.

There should be more clubs falling out of wild card contention over the next ten days, and then maybe somebody decent will become available who is not available right now. 

Submitted by Childersb3 on Mon, 08/21/2017 - 08:48 pm

Why do you D. Torrez hasn't been bumped up to Iowa? He deserves it doesn't he? And, should Tseng should get a start in Sept.?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 08/21/2017 - 08:56 pm

CHILDERSb3: I don't know why Daury Torrez hasn't been moved-up to Iowa. He is eligible to be a minor league 6YFA post-2017 and it probably would have been useful for the Cubs to see how he fares in AAA before deciding whether or not to offer him a 2018 minor league successor contract. 

I do know that Torrez was very unhappy about being moved to the bullpen in 2016, and it could be that he has already informed the Cubs that he is not interested in signing a successor contract post-2017. That could be why he remains at AA seven years into his pro career. Same goes for James Pugliese. 

I doubt that Jen-Ho Tseng will get a September call-up, but he is very likely to be added to the Cubs MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) after the season. Probably the only way he gets a September call-up is if multiple SPs go down with injuries.  

[ ]

Submitted by Dusty Baylor on Tue, 08/22/2017 - 08:17 am

Do the Cubs see Jen-Ho Tseng's 2017 as a mirage of some sort? AA- 7-3 2.99 ERA, 1.14 WHIP..8.27 K/9 AAA- 5-1 1.67ERA, 1.12 WHIP... 7.12K/9 With the pupu platter of Seth Frankoff..Eddie "I can't pitch...more than 5" Butler... And with the Lester injury, and the bullpen woes...wouldn't letting Tseng get a few starts, with Monty staying in the bullpen make some sense?

[ ]

Submitted by First.Pitch.120 on Tue, 08/22/2017 - 08:19 am

Could it be that the Cubs & Torrez already know they are going to sign a post-2017 successor contract, so there is less incentive for them to show what he has at AAA and possibly increase his Rule 5 profile? Or am I just a naive optimist? Also what is the general $$$ range for a minor lg 6YFA contract? I know it depends, but I'm not sure if it's 30K or 230K... And when are you going to start producing AZ PHIL branded swag, so I can wear it around Wrigley as a way of screening out who I should really talk to?

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 08/22/2017 - 08:06 am

FP120: The salary for a minor league free-agent does vary widely, depending on the player's experience and leverage. 

For the itinerant "4-A"-type player who has some major league experience and who is expected to provide injury insurance at AAA (like Matt Carasiti, Jemile Weeks, Mike Freeman, Casey Kelly, Williams Perez, Chris Dominiguez, Ozzie Marttinez, Scott Carroll, et al), a salary approximately equivalent to the minor league "split" salary the player would have received if he had been on the 40-man roster would be the norm, so it would be $90,000+ (depending on demand). It could even be as high as $250,000 or $300K, depending on the player.  

For players who have been in the system for seven years and are about to become a free-agent for the first time, salaries also vary, but are lower.   

For minor league free-agents who have upside but there just isn't room for them on the 40 (like Taylor Davis, John Andreoli, Justin Hancock, Daury Torrez, James Pugliese, Jeffrey Baez, Trey Martin, et al), the salary would usually have to be at least equal to the minor league "split" salary a player would get when on an MLB 40-man roster for the first time ($45,000 - $50,000 range). An NRI to Spring Training might also be included, depending on the player. Of course the player can just say "no" and walk away if he feels he would get a better opportunity to advance in another organization, or if he is unhappy in the organization and just wants out.  

For minor league free-agents who have some value but not a high ceiling (like Carlos Penalver, Erick Castillo, Pedro Araujo, Alberto Mineo, et al), a salary in the range of $25,000 - $30,000 would be typical. This would be maybe double the salary the player made previously, and if the player is comfortable and happy in the organization, he very well could take the offer even if there isn't a clear path to advancement. These are the players who sometimes become Crash Davis-type mentors and then later coaches or managers in the system (like Jonathan Mota, Ben Carhart, Anderson Tavarez, and Ricardo Medina).

The problem with getting a player to sign a minor league successor contract is when the player is clearly blocked in the system (and knows it). These players will sometimes turn their back on a decent financial offer just to get into a different organization where he is not blocked and where he can move forward more easily. Guys like Andreoli, T. Davis, Carasiti, Hancock, D. Torrez, Pugliese, and T. Martin would fit this profile, and that's why the Cubs might have to add one or more of these players to the MLB 40-man roster, just to keep the player from walking away. 

Every year there are a handful of players eligible to be minor league free-agents who are added to an MLB 40-man roster late in the season or after the World Series because the player declines to sign a successor contract. (Felix Pena was added to the 40 in August 2016, and Jose Rosario was added after the World Series). And it could happen this year with T. Davis and Carasiti (in particular). 

Then there are players on the MLB 40-man roster who are non-tendered on 12/2 and then re-signed after the Rule 5 Draft for "40-man roster money" and an NRI to Spring Training. This is a really slick way to remove a player from the 40-man roster without exposing the player to waivers and also to avoid losing the player in the Rule 5 Draft. (The Cubs did this last December with Zac Rosscup, Conor Mullee, and Gerardo Concepcion, and the Rockies did it with Matt Carasiti). 

The thing is, the player has to agree to this arrangement. The player does not have to do it. So to induce the player to agree to it, the club usually has to offer the player a significant financial inducement (a six-figure minor league salary, plus an NRI to Spring Training, and perhaps even a player opt-out).

But if the player agrees to the deal, it's the best to keep a player in the system who otherwise would probably get claimed off waivers or (for a player who signs a minor league successor contract) get selected in the Rule 5 Draft. (The Indians lost Hector Rondon to the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft post-2012 after signing him to a minor league successor contract to keep him from becoming a minor league FA).

So (for example) the Cubs could add Taylor Davis and Matt Carasiti to the 40 either in September or just after the World Series (before they become minor league free-agents), and then non-tender them on 12/2 and re-sign the player(s) to a 2018 minor league contract (with an NRI to Spring Training, and possibly a player opt-out) after the Rule 5 Draft.  

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I have had the pleasure of watching some of the young A's pitchers lately (first Joe Boyle the last day of Minor League Spring Training in March, and more recently Luis Morales last week and Steven Echavarria yesterday at Extended Spring Training), and it reminds me of the Miami Marlins a couple of years ago. A really nice collection of young pitchers. It will be interesting to see what the A's will get for two years of ex-Cub Paul Blackburn at the Trade Deadline (there should be a robust market for Blackburn). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Good deal

    MB needs some talent infusion!

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Very possible. Suriel, too. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: if a pitcher is recalled to be the 27th man for a doubleheader and then is optioned back to the minors the next day, the 15-day "clock" does NOT reset. The one day call-up for the doubleheader is treated like it never happened with respect to a pitcher having to spend at least 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Probably the only reason David Peralta is still in the organization (he is at AAA Iowa) is to be available in case anything bad were to happen to Ian Happ (which it just did). So if Happ needs to go on the IL, the Cubs can select Peralta to play LF, DFA Wisdom (and hope he and what remains of his $2.725M salary gets claimed off waivers), and recall Mervis to platoon at DH with Cooper (with Canario / Tauchman sharing RF), at least until Suzuki and Happ are back...

     

  • crunch (view)

    i'd just like to take a moment to express to the world i'm still pissed willson contreras is not a cub when the pricetag was 5/87m (17.5m/yr).

    it would be nice to have a legacy-type player to stick around, especially one with his leadership and the respect he gets from his peers.  cubs fans deserved more than 1 season of contreras + morel...that was gold.

  • crunch (view)

    happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).

    he will be reevaluated tomorrow.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB 

    Just a difference of opinion

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

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