The Chicago Cubs' front office finds itself charting the middle ground again in the aftermath of a 74-88 season. With the most-valued prospects not yet ready for prime time, Hoyer and company has continued to add in places via free agency but appears not to have been given a green light to spend like a real competitor. The Cubs biggest move so far has clearly been the addition of shortstop Dansby Swanson on a 7-year contract that will see him through his age 35 season.

25 Cubs minor leaguers were declared post-2022 MLB Rule 9 minor league free agents at 5 PM (Eastern) on Thursday 11/10.

11/10 UPDATE #2: 

The Cubs have released RHP Wilfri Figuereo, RHP Gabriel Jaramillo, RHP Jensi Ramirez, and 1B-OF Jerry Torres. Only Jaramillo was eligible for selection in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft. 


11/10 UPDATE #1: 

The Cubs have sent LHP Steven Brault, RHP Anderson Espinoza, RHP Alec Mills, LHP Brad Wieck, INF David Bote, OF Narcisco Crook, and OF Franmil Reyes outright to AAA Iowa.  

An unsigned player under club control who has accrued at least three but less than six years of MLB Service Time is automatically eligible for salary arbitration.

Moises Ballesteros ripped an RBI triple, walked twice, and scored a run, and five pitchers combined to hurl a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts, as the Cubs "Red Squad" blanked the Cubs "Blue Squad" 2-0 in AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Friday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Ismael Mena collected the two Blue Squad hits (both singles), but he was thrown out attempting to steal both times he reached base.  

The game was pre-planned as an eight-inning contest. 

This was the final AZIL Cubs game. 
 
Here is the box score from the game: 

James Triantos belted an RBI triple in the bottom of the first and crushed a tape-measure three-run HR in the 5th, Cristian Hernandez tripled and scored in the first, collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the 2nd, and drilled an RBI double and scored in the 5th, Haydn McGeary blasted a two-run HR, and four pitchers combined to hurl a three-hitter, as the Cubs "Red Squad" battered the Cubs "Blue Squad" 9-2 in AZ Instructional League intasquad game action Tuesday afternoon at Sloan Park In Mesa, AZ. 

Pedro Ramirez singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Ismael Mena tripled and scored to account for the Blue Squad's three hits and two runs.  

The game was pre-planned as a six-inning contest. 

Prior to the game, Nazier Mule and Koen Moreno threw one inning each (twenty pitches) of "live" BP, with Kevin Alcantara, Parker Chavers, and Raino Coran serving as the hitters.   

The AZIL Cubs have played only three games in the last ten days, instead spending most of their time working on ocular training, situational hitting, baserunning drills, fielding practice, cut-off drills, bullpen side sessions, and "live" BP, in addition to matriculating in the Pitch Lab and the Hitting Lab.  

Here is the box score from the game: 

10/8 UPDATE: 

The Cubs have added RHP Juan Bello to their AZIL roster. Bello was signed as a 17-year old out of Colombia this past February, and spent the 2022 season pitching for DSL Cubs Red. He finished the season hurling a combined eight innings of no run / no hit ball over his last two starts. He is considered one of the Cubs top pitching prospects in the DSL.

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9/22 UPDATE:

INF-OF Ezequiel Alvarez, OF Wilmer Bolivar, and OF Leonel Espinoza have been added to the Cubs instructs roster. All three spent the 2022 season on the DSL Cubs Blue 60-day IL, and they are presently rehabbing at the Cubs Nike Performance Center in Mesa.

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9/21 UPDATE:

RHP Joel Sierra, C David Avitia, and OF Cristian More have been added to the Cubs instructs roster. 

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2022 CUBS ARIZONA INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER (last updated 10-8-2022)