Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

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

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

2010 MLB Rule 5 Draft

The MLB Rule 5 Draft is the last order of business at the MLB WINTER MEETINGS, and it is a mechanism that allows MLB clubs to select (draft) players off minor league Reserve Lists. There is a "Major League Phase" where MLB clubs can draft players off AAA Reserve Lists for $50,000, a "AAA Phase" where AAA Affiliates can draft players off AA rosters for $12,000, and finally a "AA Phase" where AA clubs can draft players off the reserve lists of Class "A" clubs for $4,000.

RULE 5 DRAFT ELIGIBILITY

A minor league player who was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract is eligible for selection starting with the 5th Rule 5 Draft after he signs, and a minor league player who was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract becomes eligible for selection starting with the 4th Rule 5 Draft that followed his signing. (If a player signs his first contract after August 31st or after the minor league club to which the player is initially assigned has completed its regular season schedule, the next season is considered to be the player's "first season" for Rule 5 eligibility purposes). In addition, any player on a minor league reserve list who has been outrighted to the minors and/or released previously in his career is eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft. Also, an MLB club can designate any player on a minor league reserve list eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft even if the player would not normally be eligible, but once a player is made eligible for selection, he remains eligible for selection in all future Rule 5 drafts.

CUBS ELIGIBLE FOR DECEMBER 2010 RULE 5 DRAFT
James Adduci, OF
Adrian Aviles, OF-LHP
Austin Bibens-Dirkx, RHP
Ryan Buchter, LHP
Kyler Burke, OF
Matt Camp, IF-OF
Marco Carrillo, RHP
Hung-Wen Chen, RHP
Steve Clevenger, C-1B
Willson Contreras, INF
Manolin DeLeon, RHP
Marwin Gonzalez, IF-OF
Jose Guevara, C
Angel Guzman, RHP
Chris Huseby, OF (ex-RHP)
Dylan Johnston, RHP (ex-OF)
Bryan Lahair, 1B
Blake Lalli, 1B-C
Casey Lambert, LHP
Jordan Latham, RHP
Antoni Lugo, 3B
Alessandro Maestri, RHP
Oswaldo Martinez, RHP
J. R. Mathes, LHP
Scott Moore, INF
Ronny Morla, RHP
Jonathan Mota, INF
Craig Muschko, RHP
Jake Muyco, RHP
Jeremy Papelbon, LHP
Mike Parisi, RHP
Blake Parker, RHP
David Patton, RHP
Andres Quezada, RHP
Alvaro Ramirez, OF
Scott Rice, LHP
Chris Robinson, C
Nate Samson, INF
Bobby Scales, IF-OF
Chris Siegfried, LHP
Marquez Smith, 3B
Brad Snyder, OF
Luke Sommer, LHP
Alvaro Sosa, RHP (ex-C)
Matt Spencer, 1B
Larry Suarez, RHP
Tony Thomas, 2B
Jose Valdez, OF
Ty Wright, OF

RULE 5 DRAFT RESTRICTIONS

1. A club must have as many spots open on its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) prior to the Rule 5 Draft as the number of players it selects in the Major League Phase.

2. A player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft can be traded at any time, but the player cannot be released or non-tendered until he is given a "full trial" in Spring Training, and he cannot be outrighted to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day.

3. A player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft must remain on an MLB Active List (or MLB 15-day or 60-day Disabled List) for the entire MLB regular season following selection, and must spend at least 90 days on an MLB Active List (25-man roster) before Rule 5 restrictions are removed. (If time spent on an MLB Active List is less than 90 days in the season following selection, the player remains a Rule 5 player into the next season, and the player continues to be a Rule 5 player until he has spent 90 days total on an MLB Active List).

4. If a club decides not to keep a player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 draft on its MLB 25-man Active List (or MLB 15-day or 60-day Disabled List), the player must be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers, where any of the other 29 MLB clubs can claim the player for the $25,000 Rule 5 waiver price and assume the Rule 5 obligations.

5. If the Rule 5 player is not claimed off Outright Waivers, the player then must be offered back to the club from which he was drafted, and the player's former club can reclaim the player for $25,000, with the player being automatically outrighted to the AAA club from which he was drafted. If he has at least three years of MLB Service Time and/or has been outrighted previously in his career, the player can elect to be an MLB Article XX-D minor league free-agent after being outrighted (he has three days to decide if he is outrighted during the MLB regular season, and he has a week to decide if he is outrighted during Spring Training), or he can accept the Outright Assignment and defer the right to be a minor league free-agent under MLB Article XX-D until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. (The player is not eligible to be an Article XX-D minor league free-agent if he accepts the Outright Assignment and then is subsequently added back to an MLB Reserve List prior to the end of the MLB regular season).

6. If the player's original club declines to reclaim the player, the Rule 5 restrictions are removed, the drafting club retains the player, and the player can be sent to the minors.

7. A player selected in the AAA or AA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft must be assigned to the Reserve List of the AAA or AA club that drafted the player, and the player must be given a "fair trial" in Spring Training (Minor League Camp) with that AAA or AA club, but the player can be assigned to any minor league affiliate in the MLB parent club's organization once the minor league regular season commences. Also, unlike players selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft, a player selected in the AAA or AA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft does not have to be offered back to the club from which he was drafted if the player is ultimately assigned to a lower level minor league club after being given his "fair trial" in Spring Training (Minor League Camp).

Comments

Cubs lose no one; draft RHP Mason Tobin from the Angels. From Baseball America: "Tobin has had Tommy John surgery that cost him all but three outings in 2009 and setbacks this year in his recovery that kept him out for all of 2010. When healthy, Tobin has showed a mid-90s fastball that pushes higher." From Halo Heaven last winter: "The 2007 16th round draft pick went down last spring with an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery, so I had assumed we wouldn't see him this year. Not so. Eddie Bane reports that Tobin's up and throwing long toss in Arizona, and that we should see him on the mound come mid-May (assuming no set backs). Tobin throws a heavy sinking fastball in the low to mid 90's that ranked as one of the best in the organization before the injury ended his season. The slider has been inconsistent, and the change-up nearly nonexistent. Scouts love the fastball though, and the Halos' FO has repeatedly labeled him as a guy who could move very quickly in a bullpen role. Think Kevin Jepsen if things break right." I assume the Cubs are planning to stash him on the major league DL while they see what, if anything, he can offer...

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I wasn't that shocked. It's hard to see a team gambling on Smith. There are always surprises, but here was a guy that, as of now, was limited to 3rd base. He had average power, more of a line drive stroke than good raw power. It's hard to carry a pure 3rd base backup on the roster all year.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Royals are expecting Moustakas at some point in 2011. Mariners are locked in with Figgins. Alvarez is probably fine for the next year or so. The Dbacks were the one team that I could have seen, but you've got to be very bullish on Marquez and feel that he'll be better than Tony Abreu to make that move. That's far from certain. AzPhil notes Cle, but they are expecting Chisenhall at some point in 2011 as well.

[ ]

In reply to by toonsterwu

Figgins can play 2nd, if someone else plays 3rd for half a season in KC, I don't think Moustakis has a "release me" clause in his contract. It costs probably $500K to develop a ML ballplayer. Taking someone who's played well at AAA and sticking them into your team for 250 PA's is probably a pretty good move. You don't have to be bullish on Smith at all, it's $50K. Most GM's spend that much on toilet paper this week.

[ ]

In reply to by toonsterwu

Submitted by toonsterwu on Thu, 12/09/2010 - 10:17am. who was going to take him with the intent of starting him at 3rd? I'm not sure I can think of a team that would've taken that shot. =========================== TOONSTER: I had thought maybe Cleveland or Arizona would draft Marquez Smith and give him a shot to win the starting 3B job (especially the D'backs after they traded Mark Reynolds).

[ ]

In reply to by toonsterwu

"I've seen him play a few times.He's more a 15-20 HR potential guy, etc." The interesting thing about Smith is that he started crushing the ball regularly in the second half last season. He had twelve HRs in August, another on 9/1, and then five in 97 ABs in winter ball. If he shows consistent power in spring training, other people who have "seen him play a few times" will take another look.

[ ]

In reply to by ruz

in the minor league phase, Cubs lost Ronny Morla to the Mets and Casey Lambert to the Orioles. Lambert was coming off TJS and working his way back. The former 6th round pick from UVA in 2007 had a plus curve and a upper 80's fastball at his peak. I think he can probably still make a good LOOGY type. I was intrigued with Morla when we got him as a part of the Jake Fox deal. As a starter, he was a low-mid 90's type on the fastball. Out of the pen, it was more consistently in the mid-90's. Off the top, I believe his breaking ball was a slider and that it was fairly solid, and he had a change in the bag. He really had a solid year in Peoria's pen (9.84 K/9, 2.29 BB/9, 0.80 HR/9). I think he's an intriguing raw arm, but the Cubs have enough raw arms, so not that big a loss. Would've liked to keep Morla and Lambert around, but the Cubs have built up enough lefty pen depth in the system in recent year, and Morla was far away.

Isnt the major league roster full at 40 players before the Rule 5? Somebody has to go.He has been traded to Texas.

Oh shit, my number is up for season tickets. I've been on that evil list since late 2004 or early 2005. I got 4 terrace reserved IF seats in the last row(23). Now I just need to figure out how to pay for em. Anybody have a spare $11k?

[ ]

In reply to by Newport

This made me think to check my own place on the list. After inching forward for a couple of years, I've noticed I jumped from 28K+ to 15K+. Did the Rickettses release a bunch of new seats, or did the turnover just start to pick up? I've been hoping this one isn't an impossibility such as my presence on the Bears waiting list.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).