Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus four players are on the 60-DAY IL


28 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST, plus seven are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two are on the 10-DAY IL, and three are on the 15-DAY IL


Last updated 9-22-20239
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 14
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 6
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 6
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 7
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Ben Brown, P  
Brennen Davis, OF 
Jeremiah Estrada, P
Caleb Kilian, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Michael Rucker, P

10-DAY IL: 2
Jeimer Candelario, 1B
Nick Madrigal, INF

15-DAY IL: 3
Adbert Alzolay, P
Brad Boxberger, P 
Michael Fulmer, P 

60-DAY IL: 4
Nick Burdi, P
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Ethan Roberts, P
 

Minor League Rosters

Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Baez Can Do Whatever the...

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:07 pm

Javier Baez belted a three-run home run and Yasiel Balaguert stroked an RBI triple and scored on a Jair Bogaerts RBI single, as the Cubs plated five runs in the bottom of the 4th en route to a 5-1 victory over the Angels in Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, AZ.

The Baez HR was not without controversy.

Baez stood at home plate for a couple of seconds after absolutely walloping the gopher ball 400+ feet and off the roof of a house on the north side of 8th Street (Baez did the exact same thing on Tuesday when he launched a three-run homer over the LF fence at Indian School Park in Scottsdale), at which point one of the Angel coaches yelled, “Run the bases!”

Baez initially took the “advice” and he did run the bases (albeit a bit of a “Cadillac” trot that probably further irritated the opposition), but upon reaching home plate Baez stopped and yelled back at the Angel bench, “I can do whatever the fuck I want!”

Trey Martin and Gioskar Amaya (who were on base in front of Baez) and on-deck hitter Rock Shoulders pulled Baez back to the Cubs bench, avoiding a potential bench-clearing brawl on the field. (BTW, having a big dude like Rock Shoulders on the field might be the best deterrent to violence since Mutually Assured Destruction).

It was one of the only times I can remember something like this happening in an Extended Spring Training game. Sometimes players get upset, but this was more like what you see in the big leagues. I kind of expected Baez to get pulled out of the game and sent to the clubhouse to cool off, but he stayed in the game, and in fact he played all nine innings at shortstop.

LHP Sheldon McDonald had an outstanding outing, throwing three hitless-shutout innings (40 pitches), with six strikeouts. He now has 11 strikeouts in five innings of work over the last four days, and would seem to be on the top of the EXST Cubs list for promotion to Peoria or Daytona.

McDonald is no hotshot young prospect, however. He was a 22-year old “5th year senior” when drafted by the Cubs in the 33rd round of the 2011 draft out of the University of British Columbia (by way of Northeastern University). McDonald has considerable experience in international play, pitching for the Canadian Junior National Team as a teenager, and then for Team Canada while in college..

Now 23-years old, McDonald appears to be much too advanced to remain at Extended Spring Training. I would think he could possibly be a very useful lefty reliever for one of the Cubs full-season minor league affiliates.

20-year old switch-hitting Dominican OF Kevin Encarnacion made his U. S. debut today, coming into the game as a late-inning replacement in CF. He bounced-out to the pitcher in his only AB.

Encarnacion played in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) the past two seasons (2010-11), hitting 268/382/368 with 13 doubles, 12 triples, 71/67 BB/K, and 43 SB (21 CS), in 129 DSL games.

Mark Malave has also arrived and made his 2012 debut in today’s game, entering the contest as a late-inning replacement at 3B. Although he was signed as a catcher, the 17-year old switch-hitting Malave has been working-out exclusively at 3rd base since arriving at Fitch Park earlier this week.

This is not Malave’s first time in Arizona. The youngster attended the AZ Instructional League as a 16-year old last fall, hitting 143/250/143 for the Cubs in 10 AIL games, while playing both catcher and 3rd base. And he did show more promise (defensively) at 3rd base than at catcher at that time.

Malave received a reported $1.6M bonus (equivalent to “1st round money”) when he was signed by the Cubs at the start of the International Signing Period last July 2nd.

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

CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Trey Martin, CF: 0-2 (6-3, BB, 6-3, R)
1b. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 0-1 (1-3)
2a. Gioskar Amaya, 3B: 2-3 (1B, 1B, F-9, R)
2b. Mark Malave, 3B: DID NOT BAT
3. Javier Baez, SS: 1-3 (P-5, HR, 5-3, R, 3 RBI)
4. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 2-3 (K, 1B, 2B, R)
5a. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 1-3 (K, 3B, 5-3-5 DP, R, RBI)
5b. Delbis Arcila, RF: DID NOT BAT
6. Trevor Gretzky, DH #1: 1-3 (1B, K, 5-3)
7. Jair Bogaerts, DH #2: 1-3 (6-4-3 DP, 1B, F-8, RBI)
8. Brian Inoa, 2B: 1-2 (F-7, BB, 1B)
9a. Neftali Rosario, C: 0-2 (K, P-6)
9b. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 0-1 (F-8)
10. Dong-Yub Kim, LF-DH: 0-3 (4-3, 6-4 FC, 6-3)
11a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
11b. Wilfredo Petit, DH #3: 1-1 (1B, PO)
11c. Jeffrey Baez, LF: 0-1 (L-5)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. James Pugliese: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 2 PO, 38 pitches (23 strikes), 4/1 GO/FO
2. Ramon Garcia: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 40 pitches (27 strikes), 2/4 GO/FO
3. Sheldon McDonald: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP, 40 pitches (29 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
4. Felix Pena: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 13 pitches (10 strikes)

CUBS ERRORS: 1
SS Javier Baez - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
CF Trey Martin threw out runner 8-2 trying to score from 2nd base on line-drive single to CF

ATTENDANCE: 16

WEATHER: Sunny & a bit breezy with temperatures in the 70’s

Tags
EXST Cubs
Cubs Extended Spring Training
Javier Baez
Mark Malave
Yasiel Balaguert
Sheldon McDonald
Kevin Encarnacion

Comments

Submitted by Charlie on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:24 pm

Hey AZ Phil, Thanks for the report? Are you starting to develop any opinions about Baez and his conduct on the baseball field? This certainly doesn't sound like the type of thing coaches usually want the youngsters (anyone, but especially the greenest players) to do.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:10 pm

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 5:24pm — Charlie Hey AZ Phil, Thanks for the report? Are you starting to develop any opinions about Baez and his conduct on the baseball field? This certainly doesn't sound like the type of thing coaches usually want the youngsters (anyone, but especially the greenest players) to do. =============================== CHARLIE: Javier Baez is a brash & cocky kid. He appears to be very driven and competitive. He also is extremely talented, and he knows it. I don't know how the Cubs feel about his behavior on the field. The fact that he wasn't pulled out of the game after his outburst leads me to believe that Cubs management has no problem with it. I can recall him waving his arms and yelling at a pitcher (a teammate) at Instructs last year after the pitcher forgot about a pick-off play and threw a pitch with Baez standing at 2nd base. He kind of reminds me a little bit of Jim Piersall in Fear Strikes Out. He definitely plays with emotion, that's for dang sure. And did I mention that he is 5-10 in his first three EXST games, with two three-run home runs, two trtiples, and a double? (He also took Paul Maholm deep in an intrasquad game at Fitch Park last week, hitting a two-run bomb). Not too shabby.

Submitted by Ryno on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:45 pm

If I were a good person, I guess I would wish the Cards well and want them to have a good game to celebrate their world series rings and put on a good show for the crowd that came to see it. I guess I'm not a good person.

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:58 pm

I-Cubs leading 5-2 in Texas (Round Rock) in the 6th. JJax pitched 5 IP and 2 runs but the news is Anthony Rizzo with 2 HR's and 3 RBI's. Welington Castillo also having another strong night with 2 hits including a HR.

[ ]

Submitted by Sonicwind75 on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 04:47 am

Was at I-Cubs game. The one Jackson hit was a no doubter. It screamed out of the ball park. Castillo looked great, HR, double that landed in the gap near warning track and another fly out that was caught on the run on the track. Rizzo's second homer was a pop fly that just made it over fence. Unfortunately, missed the Cubs top of first due to traffic and opening night lines. I think I could drive from Chicago to Milwaukee faster than I can get from South Central Austin up to edge of suburbia hell that is Round Rock's Dell Diamond on a Friday. Nice moment of the night was when a gentleman stopped and sat next to me and my girlfriend a moment. I was wearing my Cubs Santo Copperstown collection jersey my brother got me for Christmas. The older gentlemen, who was incredibly nice, wondered why a "young kid" (i'm in my 30's) would be wearing a Ron Santo jersey. He wasn't a Cubs fan but he'd had a Santo "autographed" glove and for that reason alone Santo was always one of his favorite players. He told his story and then went on his way. Just one of those nice moments that always seem to happen at a minor league ball game.

Submitted by johann on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:45 pm

Is LaHair good at any positions besides 1b? With Rizzo smoking the ball and LaHair playing well, just wondering if LaHair will be trade bait or usable on our club.

[ ]

Submitted by DavidP on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:53 pm

LaHair is reported to be a decent left fielder, and a somewhat lesser, but acceptable right fielder. Assuming that Soriano is not traded, the only reasonable option seems to be to get rid of Byrd, move DeJesus to center, and Lahair in left. Assuming that LaHair and Rizzo hit well, that would leave us with a pretty good offense and a marginal outfield defense.

[ ]

Submitted by Charlie on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 04:28 am

If LaHair and Rizzo both have great seasons, I would expect to see LaHair traded to a middle or low budget team in need of a cheap slugger for the next 2-3 years in return for the best prospects that JedStein can barter for. LaHair is exactly the kind of player that a Pirates or Tampa Bay franchise has to collect--he might be a 30 HR player, but not big market team should really want to commit to him in a year that they could contend, because they will probably want someone who has more potential or a better track record. Can't imagine the Cubs will pass up the opportunity to turn a surplus at 1B (if both these players succeed) into a stronger farm system from which they might be able to address other needs.

[ ]

Submitted by JoePepitone on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 04:59 am

Time, brother Cubs fans, time. Small sample size, etc., etc. Fukudome used to have great Aprils and LaHair hasn't even had a whole April yet. I watched too many hot streaks flame out over the course of a season. Heck, Hurricane Hazle (as a 26 yr. old) came up to the Milwaukee Braves and batted .403/.477/.649 over 41 games (134 AB) at the end of 1957. He was out of the majors by 1959. Too many like that to mention. I'm just too old, I guess.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 04:13 am

early season lulz... aram has 2sb in 7 games this season (2sb in the past 3 games). he hasn't had 2sb in a season since 2009. he's never had more than 2sb in a season since his career high in 2001 (5).

[ ]

Submitted by The Joe on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 04:18 pm

Despite that obvious "he gets what he deserves", etc. etc., it is so sad when seeing people that just seem bound and determined to throw their life away. The money and fame isn't important, but it just make it so much more noticeable to the rest of us. I remember how intelligent my uncle seemed to me and now he's in jail because the cocaine habit he picked up in the air force.

Submitted by Stevens on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 04:44 pm

How in all of creation did I not know the Cubs had a minor leaguer named Rock Shoulders? That's an amazing name.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:02 pm (view)

    The deadline for trading players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) and players who were outrighted to the minors after signing a 2023 MLB contract was August 1st, but trades involving players on a minor league reserve list are prohibited beginning at 12 PM (Eastern) on the 7th day prior to the originally-scheduled conclusion of the 2023 MLB regular season (Sunday 9/24) through the last day of the MLB regular season (including a day on which a regular season game is played after the originally-scheduled conclusion of the MLB regular season).   
     

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:58 pm (view)

    jdrnym: 

    As you know, the abbreviation "DFA" stands for "Designated for Assignment." 

    There are three types of assignments: 

    1. Trade Assignment (when a player is traded from one MLB club to another)
    2. Outright Assignment (when a player is sent to the club's minor league Domestic Reserve List after Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured).
    3. Optional Assignment (when a player is optioned to the minors, subject to being recalled at a later time). 

    So when a player is Designated for Assignment, the player can either be traded, outrighted to the minors, or optioned to the minors. 

    Normally a player is not Designated for Assignment and then optioned to the minors, because the club could just option the player to the minors immediately without a DFA.

    Back in the day It was not that unusual for a player to be Designated for Assignment so that Optional Assignment Waivers could be secured (Optional Assignment Waivers were required before certain players could be optioned to the minors, and just like the old Trade Assignment Waivers, Optional Assignment Waivers were revocable if a player was claimed). Optional Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2016 and Trade Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2021, so all revocable waivers have been eliminated. What's left are Outright Assignment Waivers and Outright Release Waivers, and both are irrevocable once requested.  

    With the new five option limit whereby a player can (with a couple of exceptions) be optioned to the minors no more than five times in a given season before Outright Assignment Waivers must be secured (and it - IS - Outright Assignment Waivers that must be secured, even though it is for the purpose of an Optional Assignment), it now might be necessary for a club to DFA a player to clear a spot on the MLB 26-man roster (MLB 28-man roster in September) for another player and to allow for the two days (actually 47 hours) required to run a player through waivers. After the two day Waiver Claiming Period concludes (and presuming the player isn't claimed), the player can be returned to the MLB 40-man roster and optioned to the minors (even after being Designated for Assignment). But for that to happen, the player can - NOT - be replaced on the MLB 40-man roster by another player after being Designated for Assignment.  

    However, in the case of Jordan Luplow, he had - NOT - been optioned to the minors five times in the 2023 season prior to be optioned to AAA St. Paul on 9/18, so the Twins did not need to DFA Luplow in order to secure Outright Assignment Waivers so that he could be optioned to the minors a sixth time. But because he was Designated for Assignment and not replaced on the 40 by another player after the DFA, the Twins could option him to the minors (and return him to the 40) even after he was Designated for Assignment, because an Optional Assignment is one of the three types of assignments.

    So Luplow was Designated for Assignment even though he didn't need to be, and then the Twins returned him to their MLB 40-man roster and optioned him to the minors a couple of days later (which they can do, since Luplow wasn't replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment). What the Twins did (DFA Luplow and then option him to the minors a couple of days later) was within the rules. It's just very odd and doesn't make a lot of sense. 

    So I will offer the most logical reason I can think of to explain why the Twins did this:  

    The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they intended to reinstate Chris Paddack from the 60-day IL, but then Carlos Correa suddenly needed to go on the 10-day IL and so they decided they wanted to keep Luplow on the 40-man roster (and on Optional Assignment to AAA) and didn't want to risk losing him off waivers or by him electing free-agency after being outrighted. Luplow has Article XX-D rights (he has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career), so he would had the right to elect free-agency after he was outrighted. There was also the possibility that he would have been claimed of waivers, and obviously the Twins felt they might need his RH bat after losing Correa and with Royce Lewis having left a game with a hamstring injury that led to an IL assignment. 

    Also, if Luplow was outrighted instead of being optioned, he would no longer be automatically eligible to play in the post-season (except as a possible injury replacement).

    Not only did Carlos Correa go on the IL, Royce Lewis went on the IL, too, two days after Correa went on the IL and two days after Luplow was optioned to AAA, so the Twins did in fact end up needing Luplow after all, and recalled him just a couple of days after he was optioned to replace Lewis on the MLB 28-man roster. 

    So that all I've got. That is the only thing that makes sense. The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they had intended to replace him on the 40 with another player (probably Paddack) and hoped that they would be able to run him through waivers and that he wouldn't get claimed and that he would accept an Outright Assignment, but then they suddenly changed their minds because of the injury to Correa and the possibility that Lewis might also have to go on the IL (which did, in fact, happen the next day).

    So the Twins were able to return Luplow to the 40 because he hadn't been replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment, then they optioned him to St. Paul, and then they recalled him after Royce Lewis was placed on the 10-day IL (the minimum 10-day optional assignment being waived because Luplow replaced a player (Royce Lewis) who was placed on an MLB IL. 

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:00 pm (view)

    CIN out here blowing a 9-0 lead they built through 3 innings.  9-9 tie in the 7th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:05 pm (view)

    boxburger 10d IL, k.thompson back up.  it's his right forearm (again).

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:12 pm (view)

    merryweather got out of it, but he loaded the bases with 1 out.  of course ross got cuas up in the pen...thankfully he didn't need to come in.

    looks like cuas gets the 9th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:46 pm (view)

    4ip 2h 0bb 6k, 49 pitches.  no idea why they're giving the pen the last 2 innings when he's out there dealing like this and only threw 49 pitches.  he was supposed to pitch tomorrow and he's fresh.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    ...and assad is now a pen arm, evidently...odd move given recent success.  i guess wicks starts tomorrow?

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:16 pm (view)

    ARZ, MIA, and CIN all lose.  nice.

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:54 pm (view)

    stroman is now the saturday starter...okay, then.

  • jdrnym 09/22/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    Phil,

    Jordan Luplow was DFA'd by the Twins on Monday and was ultimately optioned and then recalled today. I didn't think that was possible since optional waivers were eliminated years ago. How did that work for the Twins?

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