Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-23-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 9 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Codi Heuer "Live" & Well at Sloan Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

After throwing his first "live" BP a week ago on a backfield, RHRP Codi Heuer (on Cubs MLB 60-day IL - March 2022 TJS) threw a "live" BP in the stadium (Sloan Park) this morning. 

Working one "inning" and facing James Triantos, Ezequiel Pagan, and Ronnier Quintero, Heuer threw 21 pitches (16 strikes - seven swing & miss). 

As is usual with "live" BP at Extended Spring Training, the Cubs hired an umpire to call balls & strikes. However, the hitters did not run the bases, and with one exception (Ed Howard played SS on defense) there were no fielders.  

TRIANTOS: 
1. Strike 1 (called) 
2. Strike 2 (swinging) 
3. Strike 3 (looking) 

PAGAN: 
4. Ball 1 
5. Ball 2 
6. Fly ball lofted to warning track in RF 

R. QUINTERO: 
7. Strike 1 (swinging) 
8. Ball 1 
9. Strike 2 (swinging) 
10. Ground ball pulled into RF

TRIANTOS: 
11. Strike 1 (swinging) 
12. Ball 1 
13. Strike 2 (swinging) 
14. Foul 
15. Ball 2 
16. Fly ball lofted to warning track in LF 

PAGAN: 
17. Opposite-field line drive into LF corner 

R. QUINTERO: 
18. Ball 1 
19. Strike 1 (swinging)  
20. Strike 2 (called) 
21. Strike 3 (swinging) 

Since this was Heuer's second "live" BP, I would expect him to throw a bullpen side on Friday or Saturday, then maybe (hopefully) pitch in an EXST game sometime next week, and then maybe begin an Article XIX-C minor league rehab assignment with one of the Cubs full-season affiliates sometime after that.

Heuer is not eligible to be reinstated from the Cubs MLB 60-day IL until May 29th, but because he is a pitcher rehabbing from TJS, Heuer can spend up to 60 days (twice the usual 30 days) on an Article XIX-C minor league rehab assignment once he leaves Extended Spring Training (time spent at Extended Spring Training is not considered to be part of a rehab assignment).    

After the "live" BP, Ed Howard (playing SS) and James Triantos (playing 3B) fielded ground balls for about ten minutes under the watchful eye of Cubs Position Player Rehab Coach Desi Wilson. (Howard is at EXST rehabbing from May 2022 hip surgery, and Triantos is rehabbing from March 2023 knee surgery).  

Tags
Cubs Extended Spring Training

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 04:13 pm

LHP Drew Gray, RHP Manuel Espinoza, RHP Gregori Montano, and RHP Wilber Rodriguez threw "live" BP this week, so they should be pitching in EXST games soon (probably by next week).  

Also, LHP Brailyn Marquez, LHP Stephen Gonsalves, RHP Jordan Holloway, RHP Luis Devers, and RHP Kenyi Perez (all of whom are on a minor league 60-day IL) threw bullpen sides this week, so next step for them would be "live" BP (when deemed ready).  

Submitted by Childersb3 on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 04:50 pm

AZ Phil,

Do you think Ezekiel Pagan seems/looks ready to move to South Bend? Is it a "waiting for warm weather" situation before sending him out?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 04:56 am

Childersb3: Although Ezequiel Pagan was playing in intrasquad games the first week of April, he didn't really start running "all-out" at full speed (especially running the bases) until about a week ago. 

So while there may have been a plan to keep him in Arizona until the weather warmed up a bit at South Bend, I think it was probably more a matter of him getting to the point where he can run the bases without limitations. 

As far as running the bases & cutting is concerned, he looks 100% right now, but I don't know how his knee feels after a game or the next day after a game. Otherwise he looks like he is ready to move up to South Bend.  

BTW, running the bases and cutting is the last thing on the "to-do" list for guys rehabbing lower body injuries (like Pagan, Howard, and Triantos). Until they can run the bases and make sudden cutting moves defensively, they are not ready.

So while Howard and Triantos are taking BP (including "live" BP) and fielding grounders, they are not yet running the bases.

One of the things rehabbers like Pagan, Howard, and Triantos do is run pass patterns and catch a football on the agility field every morning. A lot of them really seem to enjoy playing football. Besides being a useful tool, throwing the football around probably helps to break the monotony of rehabbing.  

Submitted by Childersb3 on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 04:24 pm

AZ Phil,

Is there any specific rostering benefit to having someone on the 60-day minor league IL vs the standard minor league IL?

Thank you, sir.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 04:36 am

Childersb3: 

Yes. 

For example, the Cubs were able to option Alexander Canario to the minors during Spring Training (up until 15 days prior to MLB Opening Day) - EVEN THOUGH HE WAS INJURED - because he did not accrue any MLB Service Time in 2022. He was then placed on the I-Cubs 7-day IL on AAA Opening Day.

Optioning him to the minors allowed the Cubs to pay Canario his minor league split salary (about $117K) instead of having to pay him at the MLB rate ($720K), and also Canario would not accrue any MLB Service Time while on optional assignment. The only negative was that he would burn an option year, but he will get a 4th minor league option in 2024. 

So after Canario was optioned to Iowa, he was placed on the I-Cubs 7-day IL on AAA Opening Day so that he wouldn't count against Iowa's 28-man roster limit. Then he was subsequently transferred to the Iowa 60-day IL.

However, unlike placing an MLB player on the MLB 60-day IL or placing a minor leaguer who is not on the MLB 40-man roster on his minor league club's 60-day IL, placing Canario on the Iowa 60-day IL had absolutely - ZERO  - effect on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster AND on the Cubs minor league 180-man Domestic Reserve List. No effect whatsoever.

In fact, the Cubs did the very same thing with Miguel Amaya last season (he was transferred from the AA Tennessee 7-day IL to the  Smokies' 60-day IL, even though he was on the MLB 40-man roster).  

So while it had no effect on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster or on the Cubs minor league 180-man Domestic Reserve List,  the one advantage in transferring Canario from the Iowa 7-day IL to the Iowa 60-day IL (and last year transferring Amaya from the Tennessee 7-day IL to the Tennessee 60-day IL) was that while the player is on a minor league 7-day IL, the team physician has to file an IL re-certification form every seven days, which is not required if a player is on the 60-day IL. 

So if an organization knows for sure that a minor league player (including a player on the MLB 40-man roster who is on Optional Assignment to the minors) is not going to be reinstated from the IL for at least 60 days (which is the case with Canario this year and was the case with Amaya last year), there is no reason not to place him on the minor league affiliate's 60-day IL. 

Also, while a player can be placed onto or transferred to the MLB 60-day IL only if a club's MLB 40-man roster is full, that is not the case in the minors. Any minor league player can be placed onto or transferred to the affiliate's 60-day IL at any time during the minor league regular season (but unlike MLB 60-day IL, NOT during Spring Training). The organization's 180-man minor league Domestic Reserve List does NOT have to be full in order for a minor league player to be placed onto or transferred to a minor league affiliate's 60-day IL.   

Submitted by Childersb3 on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 04:49 pm

AZ Phil,

I honestly didn't know that a MLB player couldn't be transferred to the 60-IL unless the 40man was full. It makes complete sense because most teams have a full 40man during ST or the season.  But if a team had less than 40 guys, no need to do extra paperwork.

And, filing paperwork at the MiLB level for 60-IL makes sense as well.

One aspect I want to double check:
Moving a MiLB player to the 60-IL doesn't open a spot on the 180? Or, does it?

Thank you, sir!

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 04:54 pm

Childersb3: Minor League players on a 60-day IL do - NOT  - count against the in-season 180-man minor league Domestic Reserve List (or against the 70-man International Reserve List for players at the Cubs Dominican Academy). 

Cubs minor leaguers presently on a minor league 60-day IL are RHPS Jordan Holloway, Ben Leeper, Luis Devers, Derek Casey, Yovanny Cruz, Tyler Schlaffer, Garrett Brown, Will Frisch, Shane Marshall, Anthony Mendez, Nazier Mule, Kenyi Perez, and JP Wheat, LHPs Scott Kobos, Brailyn Marquez, Brad Wieck, Stephen Gonsalves, Jack Patterson, and Dalton Stambaugh, and C Tim Susnara. These twenty players do - NOT - count against the 180-man minor league Domestic Reserve List limit, but only during the MLB regular season. At present there are 167 players on the Cubs minor league Domestic Reserve List, so 13 slots are open.   

As noted previously, OF Alexander Canario is also on a minor league 60-day IL, but his situation is different than the twenty minor leaguers listed above and as such he has a different affect on rosters. That's because a player on an MLB 40-man roster on optional assignment to the minors doesn't count the Domestic Reserve List limit even when he is active and not on the 60-day IL (because he is on the MLB 40-man roster).

Also, when an optioned player is placed on a minor league affiliate's 60-day IL (like Alexander Canario), it has zero effect on the MLB 40-man roster. However, if a player on an MLB 40-man roster is placed on the Restricted List after being optioned to the minors (as happened with RHP Alexander Vizcaino last season), it - DOES - affect the MLB 40-man roster in that the player does - NOT - count against the MLB 40-man roster. And because Vizcaino was on optional assignment prior to being placed on the Restricted List, by rule he had to be recalled from his optional assignment and reinstated from the Restricted List the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular sesaon (10/6), but (also by rule) he did not count against the Cubs MLB 40-man roster  limit until the 14th day after being reinstated (10/20). And that's why the Cubs could not leave Vizcaino on the Restricted List indefinitely, and ended up deciding not to tender him a 2023 MLB contract on 11/18.   

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 04/26/2023 - 04:18 pm

Another EXST "live" BP for RHP Codi Heuer Wednesday morning (4/26) at Sloan Park. He threw one "inning" - 26 pitches (18-strikes - 6 swing & miss). 

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    bellinger "right rib contusion"

  • Childersb3 (view)

    South Bend just lost the lead in the bottom of the 9th on the weirdest scenario, ever.

    It's absolutely pouring rain....men on 1st and 2nd, 1out....JPatterson asks for a new ball, but no time out was called....he throws the old ball toward the dugout (not sure if it rolled out of play).....the ump declares the runners get two bases each so one run scores. Then a single up the middle ties the game.

    The rain was coming down in buckets at this point.

    Just weird

  • crunch (view)

    ...and bellinger is gone in the 7th because of that 2nd blown chance and the wall he bounced off of...

    hopefully his rib cage/shoulder feels better tomorrow, we just got happ back.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil,

    Any thoughts on Y. Rojas' stuff and Y. Melendez's game (I believe I've asked about him before, sorry)?

  • crunch (view)

    wow, things are moving fast.  hopefully it continues.

  • crunch (view)

    morel with 4 clean plays in 4 innings...showed off his 100000000mph arm a couple times.

    cody bellinger not having a good 4th, though...5 run leads are handy when your CF is making your pitcher have a 5-out inning.  2nd blown chance was ruled a hit even though it went in/out of his glove...1st was lost in the lights, also ruled a hit.

  • crunch (view)

    welcome back happ!  double off the wall 1st PA back.

  • crunch (view)

    oh yeah, totally, i was just chiming about why i fan like i fan.

    i would like nothing more than hendricks to keep on hendricks'ing.  guys with his stuff can throw for a long, long time as long as it works.

    he velocity is actually up a minor amount this year.  it's really "damn" when a guy like him not only has gas in the tank, but it's looking like it was years ago.  he added a curve a few years ago and it helped a little bit, but he's throwing it less and less while the fb/change combo are less effective.

  • Alexander Dimm (view)

    CRUNCH—There is no one person in this community I’m talking about.  My remarks were not directed at you or anyone, but at a tone I’ve noticed lately. 

    You have a great, dry sense of humor and there is thought behind your comments.   You and I don’t always agree but I always understand your position.  

    Lastly, and I’ll be quiet, I agree with you on Hendricks.  We can dislike the recent performance but still love the guy.  Lots of questions about his future.
     

  • crunch (view)

    myself, i make a good amount of outrageously unrealistic comments that are sometimes "violent"...like my recent suggestion of "pulling the bandaid off" by having hendricks throw every inning of every game until he's on the IL.

    i would hope any athlete that cares about what is written on the internet realizes how casual fans can be about treating their lives like scripted TV characters that don't have real lives.  it's not an excuse to do it, but there's a lot of it out there.

    but yeah, in real life i'm rooting for guys to have long and healthy careers even if i'm not happy with current performances...except for some guys...and i'm pretty sure i don't leave grey area for those comments...and almost all of them are not good humans whether they're playing baseball or not...

    hendricks was getting a good amount of boos in his last game.  i would bet a million that he will get a standing O every time he visits wrigley in his post-playing days, or a return with a new team should his career continue...or if he comes back and puts in an oldschool good performance.

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