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

Braves @ Cubs: Sims vs Lester (Game 135)

ATL (59-74): RHP Lucas Sims (2-4, 4.41) 
CHC (74-60): LHP Jon Lester (8-7, 4.37) 
First pitch: 1:20pmCST

Lester returns after a brief stint on the DL for shoulder fatigue. His last outing, in which he gave up 9 R (7 earned) and didn’t make it out of the second inning, was definitely fatiguing.

He won in Atlanta in July (7 IP,  1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB). Overall, the Braves are 41-194 (.211) against him. Suzuki is 7-23 and Freeman is 5-17, both with HRs.

The 23y/o GA-born Sims is making his seventh career start. He was a first-rounder in 2012. (Does any team like drafting locals like the Braves? It must be a kissing cousin thing.) His last outing was a 6.1 inning 4-ER loss in Philly.

Fried (0-0) and Montgomery (5-6) close out the set tomorrow at the same time.

Go Cubs!

Comments

LHRP Jack Leathersich has been Designated for Assignment to make room for OF Leonys Martin on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Since he is a lock to get claimed off waivers, the Cubs will probably be looking to trade Leathersich to a club where the return would be a player not on the 40-man roster (like Zac Rosscup for Matt Carasiti).

I suspect what probably sealed Leathersich's short-term fate (with the Cubs) was the seven walks issued in his lazt 7.1 IP at Iowa. And I don't think Maddon and Bosio were favorably impressed by Leathersich's cameo at Wrigley earlier in the season, either. That said, I am surprised that the Cubs didn't just transfer Addison Russell to the 60-day DL, since he would have been eligible to be reinstated on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season, thus "kicking the can" down the road as far as having to make a 40-man roster move (who knows what might have happenedcin the meantime?). 

Leathersich was a likely non-tender candidate on 12/2 (although the Cubs might have been hoping to to non-tender him on 12/2 and then re-sign him to a 2018 minor league contract for "big league money" and an NRI to Spring Training after the Rule 5 Draft). 
 
Still, he does rack up strikeouts with a plus-curve and low 90's FB combo. And if you look at some of the lefty relievers around MLB, Leathersich can't be worse, and he could be better.   

The star crossed season for Lester continues. Hopefully he can get back on track to being a 15+ game winner next season.

Bases loaded, no outs. KB strikes out. Rizzo follows with a bases clearing triple. Sounds about right #2017Cubs

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

In 22 seasons, A-Rod played in one World Series, with the Series-winning 2009 Yankees. Javy can do better than that. If he does, and if he sticks out the way he usually does in key moments, I don't think the guy with the rings will be a poor-man's anything.

classic justin wilson is back. maybe 3 appearances in a row isn't for him. 0.1ip 1h 2bb 0k, 3r/er

Oh boy. The head-case version of Justin Wilson re-appears, at least this time with a seven run lead ... and now human batting practice machine Uehara has helped narrow it down to a four run lead. Yeesh.

braves manager keeps subbing in new pitchers as if that's going to make a difference. this is the real delay of game. own your suck or something.

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

Pena was promoted with a 1.436 WHIP at Iowa, due to more hits than innings. And, as Arizona Phil might remind us, he is 27. He might turn out okay, but at this point I'm a little reluctant to give him the ball. As to Maples, probably the right way to break him in is when the Cubs are behind, so his first outing does not contribute to a blown something. (So if they're never behind in the late innings, he may never pitch!)

It's like an arsonist clown car. Guys just keep popping out of the door to throw gas on the fire.

heyward is f'n feasting on poor pitching/teams the past few weeks. great day today and HR #9. it would be interesting to see his performance vs sub-.500 teams vs "good" teams.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I kept replaying it to satisfy myself that he actually hit a 94-mph fastball over the wall in straightaway right. If Heyward can learn to sit on (=sell out for) fastballs in hitter's counts, and the rest of the time just react and hit those little shots to left that he's pretty good at, I think the guy could really grow on me. What a team we would have then!

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

i never expected more than .350-ish ob%, 15-ish HR, 30-ish doubles, and great D. so far we've gotten the great D. it would be nice to hit at least a couple of those other quite modest hitting milestones. almost every FA is overpaid, that's a given, but this was one that needed him to do that bare minimum to at least be worth it. the potential upside of more power or a bigger ob% would just be gravy...even though you pay for it up front with no guarantee. doing a great job with 2 chances a game in the OF is nice and all, but over 160+ games that great D is replaceable when the bar for his bat quality is that low.

cubs and braves are having a hell of a competition to see who deserves to lose this game more than the other one.

Cubs bullpen gives up 8 runs in the last three innings, pretty sweet. I'd be okay if Uehara pitches his remaining innings with the Mesa Cubs instead of the Chicago edition.

Can't win championships with pitching like this. Pro tip: Cubs won't be scoring 14 runs against the Nats pitching staff in October.

[ ]

In reply to by Jim Hickmans Bat

Iowa RHRP Pierce Johnson struck out the side 1-2-3 in the 9th on 14 pitches for the save Saturday night at Omaha, and if he is "pitching for a call-up," he's doing what he needs to do to possibly make that happen. (Johnson is already on the 40). With the way things are going in the Cubs bullpen right now, it's possible that I-Cubs RHRP Matt Carasiti could get called-up, too, although that would require opening up a slot on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster that is full right now. 

As I have mentioned here previously, the Cubs can open up a slot on the 40 simply by transferring Addison Russell to the 60-day DL (presuming he is in fact going to miss most of the balance of the MLB regular season), and if that happens Russell would be eligible to be reinstated from the DL on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season (10/2) and thus he would be eligible to be on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List. Transferring Russell to the 60-day DL and then reinstating him prior to the start of the post-season would require another roster move to put Russell back on the 40 prior to start of the post-season, but the Cubs can cross that bridge when they come to it. 

It would be preferable for the Cubs to keep Mark Zagunis and/or Eddie Butler - OFF - the MLB 60-day DL going into the post-season (probably the reason the Cubs chose to DFA Jack Leathersich to make room on the 40 for Leonys Martin instead of placing Zagunis or Butler on the MLB 60-day DL) so that a Cubs minor league player who was not on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster as of midnight 8/31 can be placed on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List (replacing the injured player). If Zagunis or Butler are recalled and placed on the Cubs MLB 60-day DL to open up a roster slot for another player in September, the player placed on the 60-day DL in September (Zagunis and/or Butler) - CANNOT - be replaced on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List by a player who was not on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster as of midnight 8/31. 

EXAMPLE: Let's say Dillon Maples pitches lights out for the Cubs in September, and the Cubs want him to be in their bullpen in the NLDS. At present Maples in NOT eligible to be on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List because he was not on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster at midnight on 8/31. He can be made eligible for the post-season - ONLY - if he replaces an injured player (regardlless of position) on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List, and that is only as long as the injured player has not spent less than 60 days on the MLB 60-day DL. So right now it appear that Zagunis and Butler (both of whom are on the AAA Iowa 7-day DL) are the two prime candidates on the 40 who could be replaced on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List by a player who was not on the MLB 40-man roster on 8/31, but recalling and placing Zagunis and/or Butler on the MLB 60-day DL now would make that player ineligible to be replaced on the Post-Season Eligibility List. Keeping Zagunis and/or Butler - OFF - the MLB 60-day DL keeps them eligible for the Post-Season Eligibility List, and if one or both are still injured as of the start of the post-season, one or both could be replaced on a Cubs post-season 25-man roster by (for example) Dillon Maples, Mike Freeman, Leonys Martin, and/or maybe Matt Carasiti (if he is added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster). 

Again, this does - NOT -  apply to Addison Russell if he were to be transferred from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL sometime this month, because he will have spent 60 days on the DL prior to the start of the post-sesson, and so he would be eligible to be on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List no matter what, and if he's healthy and ready to play, he can be reinstated from the DL, and if he's not, he can be replaced on the Post-Season Eligiblity List by a player who was on a Cubs minor league affiliate's reserve list at midnight on 8/31 but was yet not on the Cubs 40-man roster (like Dillon Maples, Mike Freeman, Leonys Martin, or even a minor leaguer who wasn't called-up at all in September).  

However, if Russell is transferred to the 60-day DL sometime in the next few days to make room on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster for Matt Carasiti (for example) and then is reinstated from the DL as soon as he would be eligible to be reinstated (on 10/2, the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season), another player would have to be dropped from the 40 to make room for Russell's return at that time, and the player who is dropped - CANNOT - be placed on the MLB 60-day DL to make room for Russell because a player cannot be placed on or transferred to the 60-day DL after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. So the Cubs could DFA somebody like Mike Freeman once the MLB regular season is over to make room on the 40 for Russell's reinstatement from the 60-day DL, or if Russell is unable to play in the post-season, Freeman could remain on the 40 - AND - replace Russell on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibity List in case another player who can play shortstop is needed at some point during the post-season. 

STL had a 1-0 lead going into the 9th. they lost in the 10th. 7 games out of 1st. ...and MIL blows a 1 run lead in the 8th for the eventual loss. 4.5 games out of 1st.

Michael Taylor with a catch at the center field wall where there's an indentation. One man on and it ends the game Nats winning 3-2.

I'm guessing Uehara gets the next DFA. He serves no purpose in 2018 or beyond for the team. He shouldn't be on the October roster. Therefore, once the regular season ends, his value is complete, likely. I'd prefer to keep Grimm than Uehara. (Or insert your favorite 40 Man roster punching bag target.) Carasiti for Uehara by the seventh.

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

I mentioned the possiblitity that Matt Carasiti could be called up in the next few days and that Addison Russell could be transferred from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL to open up a roster slot for Carasiti, but it is also possible that the Cubs could acquire a "hot hand" reliever in a trade from a non-contender or from a club that has fallen out of contention. 

While any RP acquired in a trade would be ineligible to play for the Cubs in the post-season, the RP could help GET the Cubs to the post-season, and depending on the player's MLB Service Time, could help the Cubs bullpen going forward beyond 2017. Or it could be a reliever who will be a FA post-2017, and when Russell is reinstated from the DL on 10/2, the post-2017 FA reliever the Cubs acquire can be Designated for Assignment to make room on the 40 for the return of Russell from the 60-day DL (presuming he is healthy to play by that time), since the reliever acquired in a trade would be ineligible to pitch in the post-season anyway.  

Again, I am not saying it will happen, just that it  could happen. The Cubs probably need one more reliever Maddon can use with confidence in September, even if that pitcher isn't available to pitch in the post-season,  

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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...