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

EXST Cubs Rally for Victory at Fitch Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Luke Sommer beat-out a dribbler down the third-base line for a game-winning infield single, as the EXST Cubs rallied to edge the EXST Angels 8-7 at Fitch Park Field #3 this morning in Mesa.

The Angels took an early 2-0 lead against Cubs starter Robert Hernandez, scoring two runs on a walk, a single, and a two-out two-run triple in the top of the 2nd.

After LHP Mark Pawelek threw a shutout 3rd inning (he struck out the side), RHP Jon Mueller got creamed for four runs on a walk, a single, three doubles, a triple, and a home run, as the Angels extended their lead to 6-1.

While Ryan Searle and Eduardo Figueroa stopped the bleeding with four shutout innings of relief, the Cubs narrowed the Halo lead to 6-2 with a run in the 7th on a two-out RBI single by Alvaro Sosa, and then scored five times (taking the lead) with two outs in the bottom of the 8th, keyed by a bases-loaded two-run single by Starlin Castro and a bases-loaded triple by Jose Made.

But EXST Cubs closer John Muller couldn't close the deal, allowing the tying run to score on three consecutive hits with one out in the top of the 9th.

But the EXST Cubs came right back with the winning run in the bottom of the 9th, as Drew Rundle clubbed a lead-off double high off the RF fence, barely missing a walk-off HR.  Gian Guzman then laid-down a picture-perfecf sac bunt to get Rundle to 3rd.

The Angels answered the threat by intentionally walking Nelson Perez (the EXST Cubs big bopper), and it looked like the strategy might work out when Jose Guevara went down swinging. But then Sommer topped the game-winning swinging bunt down the 3rd base line, barely beating the throw to 1st as Rundle slid across home plate, giving the Cubs the hard-fought victory.

And the Cubs players were plenty excited with the victory, too, as pitchers Kevin Kreier and Scott Meyer broke out into an impromptu rousing rendition of "Go, Cubs, Go!" as the players cascaded onto the field, mobbing Sommer and Rundle.  

Now, I suspect singing "Go, Cubs, Go" was the EXST Cubs way of getting a laugh (since me and some young lady engrossed in a book were the only fans left at Fitch by the time the game ended), but it was kind of interesting to hear the song sung by the players for a change. 

While the Cubs and Angels were playing their game on Field #3, RHPs Chris Huseby and Carlos Rojas threw "live" BP sessions on Field #2 to some of the Cubs position players who were not scheduled to play in the game (Lake, Matheus, Quezada, Rea, Sabates, Salazar, and Soto). 

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):

LINEUP:
1. Drew Rundle, CF: 2-4 (R, 2B, BB, 2 K)
2. Gian Guzman, SS: 1-4 (SH, K, GIDP)
3. Nelson Perez, RF: 2-4 (R, 2B, IBB, K)
4a. Carlos Perez, DH #1: 1-2 (R)
4b. Jose Guevara, DH #1: 0-3 (K, GIDP)
5. Luke Sommer, LF: 2-4, (GW RBI, R, BB, K)
6. Luis Bautista, 1B: 1-2 (2 R, RBI, 2 BB, GIDP)
7a. Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 1-2
7b. Starlin Castro, 2B: 1-1 (2 RBI, R, BB)
8. John Contreras, 3B: 1-3 (R, 2B, BB, K) 
9. Jose Made, DH #2: 2-4 (3 RBI, 3B, K, CS)
10. Alvaro Sosa, C: 1-4 (RBI)

PITCHERS:
1. Robert Hernandez - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K (2/3 GB/FB)
2. Mark Pawelek - 1.0 IP,1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
3. Jon Mueller - 1.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR
4. Ryan Searle - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K (3/0 GB/FB)
5. Eduardo Figueroa - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (1/5 GB/FB)
6. John Muller - 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, BS (1/2 GB/FB)

DEFENSE: No errors again!

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Alvaro Sosa: 0-2 CS

WEATHER: Warm but not too hot, and VERY breezy!

ATTENDANCE: 5 

Tags
Extended Spring Training
Mark Pawelek
Robert Hernandez

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 04:38 pm

these threads are gonna be interesting 4-6 years from now. thanks phil. you know eventually some of this will probably be referenced in books. this kind of info is historically hard to get besides anecdotal remembrances from players/coaches and pale/cold stats. all the new baseball info on the internet isn't as tightly collected as some other collections, but it's still all very impressive in scope.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 05:36 am

http://eastwindupchronicle.com/east-prospect-watch-lee-hak-ju/ I mentioned this guy's site before, but he's supposedly an actual scout for the Cubs in Korea. That's his writeup on him, although he only watched him once. Again, I feel kind of silly raving about this guy I haven’t even seen in a game, and I’m also not used to writing in this first-person/scout style, but I can say the Cubs are really excited about him. They believe he’d be a first round pick in the states, and one of the people who scouted him also scouted Derek Jeter in high school and says Lee has better tools at his age than Jeter did back in the early 90s.

Submitted by Chifan on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 04:35 pm

Az Phil, Do you feel that Pawelek still has a future in the big leagues? It seems like he has digressed rapidly since we drafted him in 05.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 05:35 am

Submitted by Chifan on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 9:35pm.

Az Phil, Do you feel that Pawelek still has a future in the big leagues? It seems like he has digressed rapidly since we drafted him in 05.

================================

CHIFAN: I don't know if Mark Pawelek will ever pitch in the big leagues, but I can tell you that Pawelek threw better yesterday than anytime since 2005. He finally threw all of his pitches for strikes and with better velocity. He really attacked the hitters. Now he just needs to keep it up and do that consistently.

If he can do it, he will be at Peoria in short-order and his career will be back on track. Whether he will end up as a starter or reliever would still have to be determined. He wants to be a starter, but he also might be able to keep his mechancs straight by throwing every day out of the bullpen. .  

There has never been anything wrong with Pawelek's arm. His problems are all related to mechanics and mental approach (confidence).   

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 05:43 am

Submitted by Timmer on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 9:33am.

AZ Phil: Just how good is Josh Lansford's arm, good enough to make the switch to pitching? It sure doesn't look like he's ever going to hit. Thanks.

==============================

TIMMER: Given the number of 3rd base prospects in the Cubs organization (McGehee, Reynolds, M. Smith, Rosa, Vitters, and Contreras), and with Lansford unlikely to ever develop as a hitter, I guess a switch to the mound is a possibility. He has a strong arm, but the question would be whether he can develop a breaking ball and change-up, and whether he can adjust to throwing off a mound after being used to throwing from a flat surface. That's what Jake Muyco's is dealing with right now. And Brandon Taylor was converted from 3B to pitcher a couple of years ago, and promptly blew out his arm while trying to master a breaking ball and while trying to learn to throw off the mound (and he has already been released)

It's different when a player has some experience as a pitcher, even if it goes back to HS. That's why I would like to see the Cubs give Ryan Harvey (who was a combination RHP-OF in HS) a shot at pitching. He has a rifle-arm (best OF arm in the organization), and it doesn't look like he is ever going to hit enough to take advantage of his prodigious power. Way, WAY too many strikeouts.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 05:04 am

I heard his name pronounced "Hak-Ju Lee" and he's supposed to be as good a shortstop prospect as Dae-Eun Rhee is a pitching prospect.

BTW, I was told that Dutch-Aruban 2B Dwayne Kemp has only a three-month visa, and so he will be leaving Fitch Park at the end of EXST and will be playing at the MLB European Baseball Academy in Italy this Summer. Too bad, too, because he's obviously ready to play for the AZL Cubs right now.

And Australian LHP Cody Hams has to leave the U. S. by May 22th (he has only a two-month visa). He will be pitching at the MLB Australian Baseball Academy this Summer, and then will return to the U. S. for the full season next year. Just like with RHP Ryan Searle, who is here for the full season this year after spending three months at Fitch Park (March-May) in 2007.

The Cubs third Australian pitcher (RHP Adam Spencer) will be at the MLB Australian Baseball Academy this Summer, Fitch Park for three months next year, the MLB Australian Baseball Academy again in 2009, and then (if all goes well) a full season in the U. S. in 2010.

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 05:13 pm

threw 3 scoreless yesterday in AA. Should be an interesting move when he's ready. Send back Marshall who's been pretty effective or Hart or Wuertz who have not been lately. I vote Hart.

[ ]

Submitted by Dr. aaron b on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 05:51 pm

I'd vote Marshall. If for no other reason than his postion as starter #6. He needs to get stretched out at some point if he ever has to go into the rotation. And the odds are squarely against this rotation not having SOMEONE go down at some point. I'd 5000 times rather Marshall take the start over someone like Justin Berg or Mark Holliman at this point.

Submitted by eagle on Sat, 05/03/2008 - 05:27 am

Hi Arizona Phil, Your info about "The Dutch-Aruban 2B Dwayne Kemp has only a three-month visa, and so he will be leaving Fitch Park at the end of EXST" is incorrect. He has a full one year visa and will be able to stay for the entire EXST.

Recent comments

  • 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)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

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