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

Cubs @ Brewers: Series Thread (Games 126-128)

The Brewers have dropped to 6 games behind the Cards and now the Cubs have a chance to push them further back. See below for matchups. 


Game 126, Friday, August 26, 7:10 pm central

CHC: LHP Justin Steele (4-7, 3.25 ERA)

MIL: RHP Freddy Peralta (4-3, 4.08 ERA)


Game 127, Saturday, August 27, 6:10  central

CHC: LHP Drew Smyly (5-7, 3.47 ERA)

MIL: RHP Brandon Woodruff (9-3, 3.51 ERA)


Game 128, Sunday, August 28, 1:10 pm central

CHC: RHP Adrian Sampson (1-4, 4.04 ERA)

MIL: LHP Eric Lauer (9-5, 3.44 ERA)

Comments

"Aug. 28: LHP Justin Steele, RHP Adrian Sampson will be placed on restricted list during the Cubs' upcoming trip to Toronto"

anyone familiar with steele this will come as 0% shock.

looks like TBD will have to start for steele...might actually be alzolay, but if it is, there will need to be pen work cuz he's not good for more than 70-80 pitches.

at least the cubs won't need sampson.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

WED is TBD, steele was slated to go according to cubs.com

"Steele would have lined up for Wednesday's game, but he will have his outing pushed back."

"As things stand, the Cubs have Javier Assad (Monday) and Marcus Stroman (Tuesday) as the probable starters listed for the series in Toronto, with Wednesday's starter to be determined."

luke farrell is warming in the pen today, fwiw...also, he's vax'd so they're not trying to use him before TOR and send him down for that reason.

...and ferrell is coming into relieve newcomb, who will hopefully not be a cub tomorrow.

[ ]

In reply to by videographer

I'm not sure if they'd be able to be optioned and then also removed from the 40 man in the way Covid exemptions allowed. I think they'd technically be "returned" but I also think if they did that then called up Wesneski he wouldn't be able to be returned in the same way and would need to stay on the 40 man because he wouldn't be replacing anyone for a Covid reason.

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

If a player is placed on the MLB CoViD-19 Related Injured List or on the Restricted List as the result of not being vaccinated, the player can be temporarily replaced on the MLB Active List roster by any player in the organization. When the player on the CoViD-19 IL or Restricted List is reinstated, the replacement player can be reassigned back to the minor league affiliate from which he was selected without requiring an Optional Assignment or Outright Assignment.
NOTE-1: The replacement player accrues one day of MLB Service Time for each day spent on the MLB Acrive List, but is not charged with an optional or outright assignment when sent back to the minor league affiliate 
NOTE-2: If a pitcher starts a game and pitches at least four innings and then is subsequently placed on the CoViD-19 Related Injured List or on the Restricted List for not being vaccinated, he cannot be replaced on the Active List roster by a replacement player for at least four days.     

Also, if the player who was placed on the CoViD-19 Related IL or Restricted List for not being vaccinated is reinstated and a different player -- not the replacement player -- is removed from the Active List and the replacement player remains on the Active List, the replacement player is no longer considered to be a replacement player and would be subject to optional or outright assignment in order to be sent to the minors. 

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

The Cubs could select both Jeremiah Estrada and Brendon Little with one of them replacing Sampson  today (Monday) and the other one replacing Steele tomorrow (Tuesday), or either Estrada or B. Little could replace Sampson immediately with the other added in a "normal" way (like maybe Sean Newcomb will be DFA), and then Hayden Wesneski could replace Steele on Tuesday and start on Wednesday. 

Or the Cubs could place Steele on the 15-day IL retro to Saturday (lower back tightness) instead of on the Restricted List and then he could be replaced on the Active List immediately (today), but whoever replaces him would not be a "replacement player" because it would be a standard 15-day IL assignment. 

It's kind of a tricky situation because a player placed on the Restricted List for not being vaccinated does not get paid while he is on the Resiricted List, so placing Steele on the 15-day IL instead of on the Restricted List would mean Steele gets paid while the club is in Toronto, but Sampson does not. That could cause some resentment on the part of Sampson. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

FWIW, rules related to replacement players for players placed on the CoViD-19 related IL or on the Restricted List for not being vaccinated were special fiats issued by the MLB Commisioner with consent of the MLBPA Exec Comittee, but they may be periodically tweaked. If anything has changed recently I don't have it.

For example, I am nor clear on if a replacement player can be switched for a different replacement player. That could be necessary because of an injury. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Speaking of resentment, I can't quite get my head around the laissez-faire attitude pro athletes seem to have (at least publicly) about non-vaccinated teammates not playing as a result. I know there are things more important than the game--they have bereavement leave, parental leave, and so on. And I know Sandy Koufax didn't pitch WS Game 1 in 1965 because it was Yom Kippur. But still, what happened to sports principles like "try to win every game" and "don't let your teammates down"? Reading between the lines of the player quotes in the paper, it's almost like "hey, the team's going nowhere, so who cares whether we win against Toronto?" or "I wasn't going to play anyway, so it makes no difference."  Not  going into the pro- and anti-vax discussion, just the team angle. I wonder whether there really is some private resentment on the part of teammates.

[ ]

In reply to by fullykräusened

when you work/live/travel together 200+ days a year you gotta let some stuff go...even if it's a dumb way to put your team at a disadvantage.

besides, even ignoring vax stuff, there's a bit more greed and selfishness in the world of professional atheletes than the general workplace.  to some guys, they're the ones that got themselves there and their decisions are the only logical thing in the world.

Something must be really wrong with Josh Hader. His line today was 1/3 IP, 6 runs, 5 hits and 2 walks. His era is over 6 and his WHIP is around 1.5. The Brewers were on to something but it makes me wonder if they also were selling damaged goods that they knew about. 

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Yeah, that's not how you do business in a small group of people who you have to deal with repeatedly. They better have made full disclosure of any and everything they knew about or even suspected before they dealt him if they don't want to get a reputation as a club you don't want to deal with. 

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.