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

Cubs Sign German, Send Five to Minor League Camp

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Apparently unhappy with what they've seen so far from Luis Rivas, the Cubs have signed 30-year old super-sub IF-OF Esteban German to a minor league contract, with an NRI to Spring Training. German was released by the Kansas City Royals last Friday.

In 388 MLB games (with OAK, TEX, and mostly KC), German has played 2B-3B-SS-LF-CF, and even has gone behind the plate on ocacasion. A right-handed hitter, German has hit 277/358/383 over his big league career, with 28 SB (14 CS).

German possibly has a chance to make the Cubs 25-man Opening Day roster, although it would probably require the Cubs going with an 11-man pitching staff. Otherwise he will probably end up at Iowa.

In addition, the Cubs have cut five players, optioning OF Richie Robnett (acquired from OAK in the Michael Wuertz deal) to AAA Iowa, and sending Pitchers J. R. Mathes, Brian Schlitter, and Matt Smith, and Catcher Steve Clevenger to minor league camp. None of the cuts are a surprise. Contrary to what it says in the Official Press Release, the Cubs big league camp Spring Training roster actually now stands at 54 (not 53). They didn't count Esteban German when they added up the total).

Also, veteran 3B Corey Koskie has arrived at Cubs camp, and will be given a chance to show what he can do and if he has anything left. The 35-year old Koskie was a member of Team Canada in the WBC, after missing the 2006 and 2007 seasons with Post-Concussion Syndrome.  

My guess is that Koskie will go to Iowa to start the season as insurance in case something bad happens to Aramis Ramirez, with the understanding that he can request his release every 30 days (after 30 days, after 60 days, etc). The Cubs have had that type of arrangement in the past with veteran players who agree to play at AAA. 

 

Tags
Cubs Roster Moves
Richie Robnett
Corey Koskie
Esteban German

Comments

Submitted by Ahone Ahtwo Ahthree on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 03:10 pm

I REALLY hope another Reed Johnson-type player falls into our laps at the end of spring training... we should go after Joe Beimel and see if we can sign him for 2/$3M, to get a second lefty in the pen.

Submitted by Romero on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 03:22 pm

Thanks, Phil. Also-- what are you seeing in some of these ST outfielders like Robnett, Deeds, Snyder, Fuld, Dubois, Taguchi? (I don't include J. Fox in this list because it seems he's no longer considered an OF-er). I know what their stats tell me, and from what you've written about this summer's ST games (and of course we have a little bit of history on Fuld, Dubois, and Taguchi). But how do they compare to one another? Do any of them have a shot to contribute (this year, or in the future)? rock on, ROMERO

Submitted by Cubbug on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 03:42 pm

Question AZ Phil... I'm trying to keep track of the Cubs' camp numbers. I thought they were at 53 with German. Koskie isn't official yet (he still has to pass a physical, I thought). Once Koskie is official, then it goes to 54, correct? Reading over the papers and blogs, sounds like he hasn't been cleared as of yet. Just wondering...thanks!

Submitted by artskoe on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 03:04 pm

In Tempe, Vs Angels, 2nd squad, Trammel managing. Gathright and Theriot ground out, Micah singles up the middle. Bradley K's looking on a 1-2 count.```Gaudin faces Figgins (GO to Scales at 2nd). Ibar works the count and walks on a 3-1 count. Kendrick flies out to Joey who has to chug to get it. Morales chops one to Scales toward center, tries the backhand flip but is too late to Theriot at second. But Rivera pops up to short right to end the threat. ````Doug Deeds leads off the 2nd. Angels announcers are nuts, as they say Cubs got swept in the AL playoffs last year, as happened the year before in the AL west. Deeds K's looking. Scales GO to 2nd. Taguchi fans on a 3-2 pitch from Mosley.````First batter in the Angels 2nd pops out to Deeds in right. Brandon Wood works Gaudin to 3-2 and Chad misses, ball 4. Buddy shoots one to right center, Wood to third. First and third one out. Pettit fouls a couple off then grounds to Rivas at third, "nice stop" to 2nd for one and not in time at first. Figgins singles past 2nd, one base advance. Ibar walks on 4 pitches. Rothschild to the mound. Gaudin nibbles the count on Kendrick to 2-2, 3-2 payoff is ball 4 just misses. Morales hits the 1st offering over the scoreboard for the slam. Rivera singles just off Rivas glove and Chad is done. 6 runs, 3 walks so far. Justin Berg (Matt Lawton trade) now pitching. Rivas commits an error, dropping the ball, shoulda been 3 outs. Theriot stops the bleeding with a nice throw to put out Wood. ````Mark Johnson pops to right center on 2 pitches. Rivas GO to Ibar. Rothschild get tossed by the home plate ump, apparently for arguing some of the close Gaudin pitches. Strike out ends the first time through the Cubs lineup. Sorry if there are name spelling problems for the Angels. 6-o Angels, bottom 3rd.

Submitted by WISCGRAD on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 03:06 pm

Marshall looked good again today, going into the 5th. The rest of the bullpen in that game also did well. Fontenot continues to hit. And in the other game Chad Fox continues to hold up, another perfect inning with a K.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/14/2009 - 03:46 pm

Submitted by Cubbug on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 2:42pm.

Question AZ Phil... I'm trying to keep track of the Cubs' camp numbers. I thought they were at 53 with German. Koskie isn't official yet (he still has to pass a physical, I thought).

Once Koskie is official, then it goes to 54, correct? Reading over the papers and blogs, sounds like he hasn't been cleared as of yet. Just wondering...thanks!

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

CUB BUG: I don't know about Koskie's official status, but I included him on the roster, and so now cutting five and adding German makes 54 in big league camp.

Koskie passed his physical with Team Canada, so I would think he would be cleared to play by the Cubs medical staff, too, but you never know.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/14/2009 - 03:06 pm

Submitted by Romero on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 1:22pm.

Thanks, Phil.

Also-- what are you seeing in some of these ST outfielders like Robnett, Deeds, Snyder, Fuld, Dubois, Taguchi? (I don't include J. Fox in this list because it seems he's no longer considered an OF-er).

I know what their stats tell me, and from what you've written about this summer's ST games (and of course we have a little bit of history on Fuld, Dubois, and Taguchi).

But how do they compare to one another? Do any of them have a shot to contribute (this year, or in the future)?

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

ROMERO: Brad Snyder is football player-type "toolsy" guy with a plus-arm, plus-speed, and plus-power, but he is not a good hitter (lots & lots of swings & misses). You can see what scouts saw in him, but he is probably still as raw today as he was at Ball State, and time is running out on him (he's out of minor league options).

So Taguchi is probably in camp in case anything bad happens to Soriano or Reed Johnson before Opening Day, but otherwise he doesn't have a slot. He's an athletic defender, but has little power and he isn't much of a hitter. The Cubs might offer him the 4th OF slot at Iowa if he wants it, or otherwise he can probably get his release whenever he wants it.

Richie Robnett has plus-power, slightly above-averag speed, and he's an OK outfielder, but his arm isn't as good as I thought it would be. He's basically a young, raw Jacque Jones.

Sam Fuld is a solid player, a Gold Glove quality defender in CF witrh an outstanding arm. He is a good hitter with surprising power for a guy his size. He lost a step after the sports hernia surgery a couple of years agom, however, and so base-stealing is no longer a big part of his game. He should be the CF and lead-off hitter at Iowa in 2009, and would probably get the call if anything bad happens to Fukudome or Gathright.

I actually like Doug Deeds more than Snyder or Robnett. Deeds is an athletic defender in LF and RF with an OK arm, and he is a polished hitter with a solid line-drive stroke and occasional power. He has just average speed, though, probably not quite enough to play CF.

Jason Dubois will likely get released sometime before Opening Day, because he's essentially a 1B-DH right now, and Jake Fox probably will get that gig at Iowa. Dubois should be able to find a job in AAA with another organization, though.

 

Recent comments

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Things I've been wrong about:

    -Tauchman is fine as a 4th OF. I knew that. I just want a better LH DH option and he was really the DH for us until Seiya got hurt. I'm glad Mervis is getting a chance at it. Caissie is coming for that job for sure. But Tauchman continues to be highly useful as a 4th OF with Seiya being hurt

    -I wanted Yency to go to get guys at Iowa a chance. Guys like Palencia and Sanders or RileyT. Maybe even Hodge! But Yency has been better the last two plus weeks. He did hit 96 the other day. He was 93 in Texas to open the season.

    -Leiter has his split working enough. It just needs to stay there

    -I was surprised Jed picked Wisdom over Cooper. I wonder if this happens if Seiya wasn't hurt. Wisdom has more power. Cooper is the better hitter. Jed picked Wisdom and Wisdom had an option left as well.

    -Palencia just doesn't miss enough bats. Similar to ManRod, just two yrs younger. ManRod is killing AAA for TB right now!

    Things I got right so far:

    -Hendricks. Sorry Kyle. You got paid though!

    Jed, you missed there.

    -Smyly. If Jed could've traded him before or during ST, then he should have and saved some cash.

    -Mastro.  Not a LH DH. Pinch runner. Defensive utility. Maybe he's better than Madrigal but didn't get a legit chance to prove it.

    -Luke Little is good. He's had one bad outing. That's it. Needs to get better entering with guys on base. But he needs to stay in MLB.

    -Oh yeah....Morel is doing fine at 3B! He'll get better as well!!

  • 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.
     

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