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

2019 Arizona Fall League Schedule Announced

9/17 UPDATE

SS Zack Short (replacing Nico Hoerner) and RHRP Scott Effross have been added to the Mesa Solar Sox roster. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

8/28 UPDATE #2


One pitcher still TBA, but here are the Cubs assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox (AFL):

Miguel Amaya, C 
Nico Hoerner, INF
Jordan Minch, LHRP  
Keegan Thompson, RHSP  
Erich Uelmen, RHSP 
Jared Young, 1B-OF
TBA, P 

Jamie Vermilyea, Pitching Coach 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

8/28 UPDATE #1


The Cubs have assigned SS Nico Hoerner to the Mesa Solar Sox.  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

8/26 UPDATE

Cubs (South Bend) Pitching Coach Jamie Vermilyea has been named pitching coach for the Mesa Solar Sox. (The Cubs are responsible for providing the MSS pitching coach in 2019). .  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

7/31 ORIGINAL POST: 

The 2019 Arizona Fall Schedule has been announced.

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE (AFL)

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an MLB developmental league (approximately equivalent to "AA") that operates in the Phoenix metropolitan area for six weeks after the MLB-affiliated minor leagues have concluded their seasons. It was founded in 1992 (it was the "brain-child" of long-time MLB executive Roland Hemond) and has operated continuously for 27 seasons. Games are played in MLB Spring Training stadiums.

The AFL schedule will change in 2019, beginning and ending three weeks earlier than in years past. This will allow less down-time between the end of the minor league season and the start of the AFL for minor leaguers assigned to AFL teams. It also means that minor league players who are eligible to be an MLB Rule 55 free-agent (second-contract FA or 6YFA) on the 5th day after the conclusion of the World Series can play in the AFL without first signing a minor league successor contract for the next season.  
NOTE: Because the AFL season formerly ended two or three weeks after the conclusion of the World Series, a player eligible to be an MLB Rule 55 minor league FA was not eligible to play in the AFL unless and until he signed a minor league successor contract for the next season. 

2019 AFL Opening Day will be on the third Wednesday in September (9/17) and the AFL regular season will conclude on the Friday of the sixth week (10/25). The AFL Championship Game (pitting the winner of the East Division against the winner of the West Division) will be played on the Saturday at the end of the sixth week (10/26 in 2019).  

The AFL schedule will continue to feature a 30-game "regular season" (each AFL team will play five or six games per week), and an All-Star Game (formerly called the "Rising Stars Game," but now known as the "Fall Stars Game") played on the Saturday at the end of the fourth week (10/12). For the first time AFL games will be played on Sundays, and five teams from the Mexican Pacific League (Culiacan, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Mexicali, and Obregon) will play games against AFL teams over a ten-day period starting on 9/24. 

The Cubs (as well as the other 29 MLB clubs) usually assign some of their better prospects to the Arizona Fall League, and sometimes minor leaguers who are eligible for selection in the MLB Rule 5 Draft might be sent to the AFL to give them a chance to play their way onto the MLB 40-man roster. Depending on what positions they are asked to fill on the Mesa squad, I would not be surprised to see the Cubs assign some combination of position players and pitchers such as catcher Miguel Amaya, 2B Chase Strumpf, SS Nico Hoerner, SS Aramis Ademan, SS Zack Short, C-INF P. J. Higgins, 1B-OF Jared Young, INF Andy Weber, OF Brennen Davis, OF Nelson Velazquez, and/or OF Cole Roederer, starting pitchers Brendon Little, Brailyn Marquez, Erich Uelmen, Jack Patterson, and/or Ryan Jensen (SP assigned to the AFL are usually pitchers who didn't throw a whole lot of innings in the minor league regular season either because of injury, rehab, or because they spent part of the season working out of the bullpen), and relief pitchers Oscar de la Cruz, Craig Brooks, Wyatt Short, Jordan Minch, Tommy Nance, Ryan Lawlor, Chad Hockin, and/or Danny Hultzen. .    

Here are the current (2019) AFL eligibility rules & restrictions. 

1. There are six AFL teams, and each AFL team is affiliated with five MLB clubs. SEA & SD (Peoria Javelinas), KC & TEX (Surprise Saguaros), LAD & CHW (Glendale Desert Dogs), AZ & COL (Salt River Rafters), CUBS (Mesa Solar Sox), and SF (Scottsdale Scorpions) are the "host organizations" for the six AFL teams, but the affiliations of the other twenty MLB clubs can vary from year-to-year. (The Scottsdale Scorpions will be playing home games in the stadium at Salt River Fields while Scottsdale Stadium is under renovation). 
NOTE: CLE, DET, LAA, and OAK will be the other four MLB organizations affiliated with the Mesa Solar Sox in 2019. (BOS, DET, LAA, and OAK were the other four MLB organizations affiliated with the Mesa Solar Sox in 2018, DET, HOU, OAK, and WAS were the other four MLB organizations affiliated with the Solar Sox in 2017, and BAL, CLE, MIA, and OAK were the other four MLB organizations affiliated with the MSS in 2016).

2. Each MLB organization must assign a minimum of seven players under its control to its AFL affiliate, including a minimum of four pitchers (preferably at least one pitcher capable of starting) and a minimum of three position players (specific positions needed to be filled by each organization TBD by a conference call "position draft" between the Player Development Directors of the five MLB organizations affiliated with that particular AFL team). 
NOTE: RHRP Bailey Clark, INF-OF Trent Giambrone, C-INF P. J. Higgins, SS Nico Hoerner, C Jhonny Pereda, LHSP Justin Steele, RHSP Erick Leal, LHRP Manuel Rondon, and OF D. J. Wilson were the Cubs players assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox in 2018, RHSP Adbert Alzolay, RHRP Pedro Araujo, INF David Bote, OF Charcer Burks, RHSP Alec Mills, C-1B Ian Rice, RHRP Jake Stinnett, and 3B-1B Jason Vosler were the Cubs players assigned to the Solar Sox in 2017 (RHSP Oscar de la Cruz was removed from the Solar Sox roster on 9/18 due to injury and was replaced Alzolay), and C-1B Victor Caratini, RHRP James Farris, 2B-OF Ian Happ, LF Eloy Jimenez, RHRP Ryan McNeil, RHRP Steve Perakslis, and RHSP Duane Underwood Jr were the Cubs players assigned to the MSS in 2016.

3. An MLB organization can assign additional position-players to its AFL team's "Taxi Squad." Players assigned to an AFL team's "Taxi Squad" can play in no more than two games per week (it used to be Wednesday and Saturday games only, but now it's just no more than two games per week regardless of the day), but a player can be transferred from the Taxi Squad to the 35-man Active Roster to replace an injured or inactive player. 
NOTE: INF-OF Trent Giambrone and C Jhonny Pereda were assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox Taxi Squad in 2018, C-1B Ian Rice was assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox Taxi Squad in 2017 and he replaced David Bote on the MSS Active Roster with about two weeks left in the AFL season after Bote left the team to attend to a personal matter, and while the Cubs initially did not assign any players to the Solar Sox Taxi Squad in 2016, OF-DH Kyle Schwarber was briefly assigned to the MSS Taxi Squad 10/22-10/25 while preparing to play in the World Series. 

4. A player can be selected to play in the AFL more than once. 

5. All MLB and minor league players under the control of an MLB organization are now eligible to play in the AFL. 
NOTE: Prior to 2019, an MLB player (including players selected in a preceding Rule 5 Draft) with less than one year (1+000) MLB Service Time accrued (not including time spent on an Injured List) as of September 1st and players who were on the Active List, Injured List, or Temporariliy Inactive List of an MLB minor league affiliate (regardless of classification) on August 15th were eligible, international players frrom the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and/or Australia were eligible only if the player was not on the reserve list of a Winter League club from the player's home country, and a player who was on a minor league or MLB Injured List at the close of the regular season was eligible to play in the AFL as long as the player had been reinstated, but there could be no special limits or restrictions placed on the player's playing time (other than the automatic restrictions imposed on a player assigned to an AFL team's "Taxi Squad"). 

6. A player must be invited by his MLB organization to participate in the AFL and then the player must accept the invitation before he can be assigned an AFL team.  

7. A player on an MLB or minor league injured list must be reinstated before he can be assigned to the AFL.
NOTE: OF-DH Kyle Schwarber was added to the 2016 Mesa Solar Sox Taxi Squad on 10/22 only after being reinstated from the Cubs MLB 60-day DL (so therefore it was NOT considered a "rehab assignment"), and he played in two AFL games before re-joining the Cubs for the World Series on 10/25.  

8. A player on the Restricted List, Military List, Disqualified List, Ineligible List, or Voluntary Retired List is not eligible to participate in the AFL.

9. A player assigned to the AFL who is not on an MLB Active List does not accrue MLB Service Time, and MLB Service Time can only be accrued prior to the conclusiion of the MLB regular season.

10. Beginning on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season all players receive the same salary and the salaries are paid out of a special fund managed by MLB.
NOTE: A player assigned to the AFL is paid by his club prior to the conclusion of the MLB regular season.  

11. Only players who are under control of an MLB organization are eligible to play in the AFL. A free-agent (unsigned player) is not eligible to play in the AFL.

Each MLB organization provides either the manager, a pitching coach, or a hitting coach to its affiliated AFL club (assignments rotate every year). The Cubs provided the hitting coach to their affiliated AFL club in 2018.

CUBS ASSIGNED TO MESA SOLAR SOX in 2019 (updated 8-28-2019): 

Miguel Amaya, C 
Nico Hoerner, INF
Jordan Minch, LHRP 
Erich Uelmen, RHSP 
Keegan Thompson, RHSP 
Jared Young, 1B-OF 
TBD (pitcher)

Jamie Vermilyea (Pitching Coach) 

Comments

Probably the single most significant effect of the change in the 2019 AFL schedule (starts three weeks earlier and ends three weeks earlier than in the past) is that players who are eligible to be Rule 55 minor league second-contract or six-year free-agents five days after the conclusion of the World Series can now play in the AFL without having to first sign a minor league successor contract for the next season, since the AFL season will end a week prior to the conclusion of the World Series. (The AFL season used to end the week prior to Thanksgiving, which was a couple of weeks after the conclusion of the World Series). 

thanks for the preview/review and primer for the season.

i hope we get more live TV coverage this year.  It gets a little better every year, but I'm ready for wall-to-wall coverage.

i would love to live in a world where we got AFL + various winter leagues for fall/winter coverage.  i don't even need an english language feed for winter league, just gimmie some action and crowd noise.  some of the winter league stuff is great.  if you're a fan of bat flipping and pitchers celebrating inning ending Ks with extreme celebrations, winter league ball is for you...plus, you get to see a bunch of "oh damn! i remember him!" guys.

The Cubs have acquired Nick Castellanos in exchange for Paul Richan and Alex Lange.

Only SS Nico Hoerner and pitching coach Jamie Vermilyea have been announced so far. The other Cubs AFL players are still TBD. 

Keep in mind that with the new relaxed eligibility rules in place in 2019 (see original post above) - ANY - player under the control of an MLB organization (including major league players) can now play in the AFL. 

Since there are no longer any roster restrictions on AFL players, Cubs RHSP Kendall Graveman (presently rehabbing from July 2018 TJS) could pitch in the AFL. Also, clubs who are participating in the MLB post-season can assign pitchers and position players to the AFL to stay in game shape in case they are needed in the LDS, LCS, or World Series.  

Again, players who are eligible to be MLB or minor league free-agents post-2019 can now play in the AFL because the AFL season will end prior to the conclusion of the World Series. The AFL season used to conclude in mid-November two weeks after the conclusion of the World Series, so players who were eligible to be minor league free-agents had to sign a minor league successor contract for the next season before they could play in the AFL. That is no longer the case.   

SS Zack Short (replacing Nico Hoerner) and RHRP Scott Effross have been added to the AFL Mesa Solar Sox roster. 

First thing I'll point to, depending on the final order of finish, is the fact that, for the second year in a row we took the lead off of Hader in the 8th inning of a key late-season game @ Milwaukee & couldn't keep it. The second thing will be the game we led 5-0 after 7 & managed to lose. Nats next face Marlins. Cards come to town licking their chops/beaks to finish us off...

Here are the most-recent updated velo readings from Cubs pitchers in the AFL: 

Scott Effross, RHRP: 
FB: 91-92 T 93 
SL: 80-83 
NOTE: Only question about Effross off his AFL outings is whether he will be placed on the AAA or AA reserve llst for Rule 5 Draft. Other than being able to throw multiple innings, there isn't really a whole lot to like about what Effross has to offer, so I'm not so sure he won't be placed on the AA reserve list and be eligible for selection in the AAA Phase ($24,000 draft price with no right to re-claim). 

Jordan Minch, LHRP: 
FB: 93-95 T 96-97
SL: 83-86 
COMMENT: Always a wild power arm with an explosive 4S FB and a hard 11-5 slider, Minch is throwing a higher-percentage of strikes in the AFL than he was the last time I saw him in Spring Training, but his slider is a chase pitch so if hitters lay off it's usually not a called strike (he sometimes bounces it). Also, he is - NOT - just a LOOGY and he is - NOT - just a one-inning reliever (he threw multiple innings twice in the AFL). And he isn't afraid to throw his slider to RH hitters, either. With a high ceiling and a low floor, Minch could get selected in the Rule 5 Draft by a club willing to spend $100K for a roll of the dice (presuming the Cubs don't add him to their MLB 40-man roster on 11/20). Otherwise he will almost certainly get an NRI to Spring Training and be in the Iowa bullpen in 2020 (he is eligible to be a minor league 6YFA post-2020).  

Keegan Thompson, RHSP: 
FB: 92-95 
CT/SL: 87-89 
CH: 84-86 
CV: 81-84 
COMMENT: For having missed almost the entire 2019 regular season, K. Thompson has consistently thrown strikes and displayed outstanding command of all of his pitches in the AFL. He is a polished legit MLB MOR SP prospect right now and will be Rule 5 Draft eligible post-2020, so he will likely begin 2020 in the AAA Iowa starting rotation and could arrive at Wrigley Field some time next season. 

I haven't seen Erich Uelmen pitch for about a month, but the last time I saw him his 2S FB was sitting 92-93 (T 94) and his SL was consistently 82-84. He was only stretched-out to throw two innings at that time so I don't know how well his velo will hold-up in a third or fourth inning (K. Thompson's FB was still hitting 95 in his 4th inning today).

Hopefully Uelmen will throw tomorrow (it's Mesa's last game) and if he does I should be able to get somethng more up-to-date on him, but they are playing only seven innings because both teams are supposedly short of available pitchers, so I don't know if that means Uelmen isn't available. 

BTW, the Arizona Fall League team uniforms worn by players in 2019 are experimental unis provided free to the AFL by Nike in preparation for Nike taking over the MLB uniform (jerseys & pants) & shoe contract in 2020.
(New Era will continue to supply MLB caps in 2020). 

The AFL will supposedly revert to having players wear the uniforms of their parent organization (albeit with AFL team caps) in 2020, so while Miguel Amaya and Keegan Thompson are wearing Mesa Solar Sox uniforms (with a Cubs patch on the sleeve) in 2019, that will not be the case for Cubs players who are assigned to the AFL in 2020 (they will wear Chicago Cubs jerseys & pants with Mesa Solar Sox caps).    

Prior to this season, the last time the AFL had special uniforms (cap, jersey, and pants, with the patch of the player's parent MLB club on the sleeve) for each of its six teams was in the years 1992-2003, although players have always worn their AFL team's cap.  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Final AFL report card on Zack Short: Played big league quality defense at SS, led the league in walks, displays just average speed for a middle-infielder but he is a good baserunner, he has a plus-arm, and he makes hard contact with an upper trajectory pull-heavy swing path, but contact is a problem because there were lots & lots of swings & misses. So he's kind of a "three-outcome" SS. Probably best MLB comps are Nick Ahmed and Jordy Mercer.  

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • 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.