Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Iowa Cubs Get Stung by Bees

I had so much fun watching the Iowa Cubs yesterday at Fitch Park, I decided to follow the Cubs' AAA affiliate to neighboring Tempe today as they took on the Angels AAA affiliate (the PCL Salt Lake Bees) at the Angels Minor League Complex at Diablo Park. 

While it isn't unusual for one or more Cubs major leaguers to play in a AAA game (esprcially when the big club has a night game), that wasn't the case today  

Kyle Reynolds smashed a two-run homer and Doug Deeds blasted a solo shot, but that's all the runs the Cubs could muster. And since tthe four Cubs pitchers were (mostly) ineffective, the I-Cubs lost, 7-3.

Here is today's abridged box score (Iowa Cubs players only). Some of the more observant among you might note that most all of the I-Cubs who played today were at big league camp not too long ago...  

LINEUP:
1. Sam Fuld, CF: 0-5 (4-3, 6-3, P-6, P-5, 3-U)
2. Luis Rivas, 2B: 1-3 (1B, BB, Ks, 6-4-3 DP)
3. Bobby Scales, 3B: 1-3 (BB, Ks, 6-3, 1B)
4. Jake Fox, 1B: 0-4 (FC, FP-3, F-7, Ks)
5a. Jason Dubois, LF: 0-3 (Ks, Ks, 5-3)
5b. Richie Robnett, LF:  0-1 (P-6)
6. Doug Deeds, RF: 2-4 (Ks, SOLO HR, Ks, 2B)
7a. Welington Castillo, C: 1-2 (2B, 4-3, BB + R)
7b. Chris Robinson, C: 0-1 (4-3)
8. Kyle Reynolds, DH:1-4 (1-3, F-9, TWO-RUN HR, Ks)
9. Matt Camp, SS: 1-3 (BB, L-7, 1B, 2-3)

PITCHERS:
1. Jesse Estrada - 3.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 HR (61 pitches - 33 strikes, 0/6 GO/FO)
2. Brian Schlitter - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K (30 pitches - 18 strikes, 1/1 GO/FO)
3. Justin Berg - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K (19 pitches - 11 strikes) 
4. Jeff Stevens - 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (24 pitches - 12 strikes)
NOTE: Two very lengthy innings were terminated early (prior to three outs).

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Welington Castillo: 0-1 CS
Chris Robinson: 0-2 CS

ERRORS (1):
Welington Castillo - bounced throw past second base on SB attempt, allowing baserunner to take 3rd.   

OUTFIELD ASSIST:
Sam Fuld (runner at 3rd)

WEATHER: EXTREMELY windy. Absolutely ridiculous.

The Cubs AA affiliate (Tennessee Smokies) played the Angels AA affiliate on an adjoining field at Diablo, and while I am unable to provide the abridged box score for that game, I did observe CF Brandon Guyer hit a garagantuan solo HR over the LF fence.  

 

Comments

Bradley blast 1-0 wild swirling wind reminscent of candlestick...tumbleweeds blowing past the outfielders, coulda sworn it was a tumbleweed.

Not sure if this has been mentioned here, but with the talk of Ryan Harvey and why he didn't become a pitcher, Miles reports that the Cubs are converting 2006 pick Josh Lansford from an infielder to a pitcher.

How's the weather in AZ, AZ? I'll be there Sun-Wed, and am hoping it's not too much of a broiler. I screwed up -- my seats for Sunday's game are along the wrong lines of the field and NOT where the awning is at Ho Ho. Also, I guess Jason Dubois is formally a 4A guy (I know, it's just a formality).

Submitted by Romero on Fri, 03/27/2009 - 9:55am.

Thanks, Rob.

And is that information accurate about Chirinos? I remember him being converted to a catcher. Was he then converted to a pitcher?

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

ROMERO: Subject to change at any time (because rosters at Minor League Camp are altered almost daily), Robinson Chirinos is presently one of the three catchers with the AA (Tennessee) squad (Steve Clevenger and Blake Lalli are the other two).

I have never seen Chirinos pitch, although it's not unusual for catchers in the minors to take the mound in the 9th inning of a blow-out.

There are a couple of converted catchers presently assigned to the AA squad's pitching staff  though (RHPs Blake Parker and Jake Muyco).  

Submitted by Old and Blue on Fri, 03/27/2009 - 10:46am.

How's the weather in AZ, AZ? I'll be there Sun-Wed, and am hoping it's not too much of a broiler.

I screwed up -- my seats for Sunday's game are along the wrong lines of the field and NOT where the awning is at Ho Ho.

Also, I guess Jason Dubois is formally a 4A guy (I know, it's just a formality).

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

OLD & BLUE: It was so windy last night (50 MPH+ winds) they actually shutdown Sky Harbor Airport! We had the windows open at the casa and it was blowing a steady gale through the house. It was like one of those blustery winter days in Chicago, but without the snow. Other than that, the weather has cooled off a bit.

As for Jason Dubois, I predict that he will be released prior to the start of the regular season, mainly because his AAA roster slot will be needed once the big club makes it's last wave of cuts (Andres Blanco, Esteban German, Brad Snyder if he clears waivers, etc).

Also, although they are probably getting paid about $200K on their minor league contracts and could be replaced by cheaper organizational players like Matt Matulia or Matt Camp, don't be surprised if the Cubs keep both German and Rivas "on retainer" at Iowa in case something bad happens to Aramis Ramirez, Ryan Theriot, Aaron Miles or Mike Fontenot.

Arizona Phil - I absolutely love your contributions to TCR!! I am from Peoria and can't wait until the Chiefs get rolling. Any insight as to where Vitters starts this year? It appears that Flieta would love to jump him to Daytona, but I haven't heard anything more about it. I would definitely be bummed to miss out on Vitters considering Cashner, Colvin & Samninja all leaped over Peoria.

Today (nine days prior to MLB Opening Day) is the first day MLB players can be placed on the 15-day DL, and it's also the earliest date a 15-day DL assignment can be backdated. (If a DL assignment is backdated to a date during Spring Training, the injured player cannot appear in an "official" Cactus League or Grapefruit League game during the backdated period, although the player CAN appear in a minor league Spring Training Game

(MLB players can be placed on the 60-day DL anytime during Spring Training, as long as his club's 40-man roster is full, and the injured player is replaced on the 40-man roster by another player).

Also, next Wednesday (4/1) is the deadline for a club to place a player with a non-guaranteed contract on Release Waivers (the player must be released by next Friday) so that the player is owed only 45 days termination pay (1/4 of his 2009 salary). This is how and why the Cubs ended up with Reed Johnson last year, after he got released by Toronto.

All non-guaranteed contracts automatically become 100% guaranteed on MLB Opening Day (4/5), and because it takes two business days for a player to clear waivers, and because Saturday and Sunday are not considered "business days" once Spring Training has ended, the waiver request must be made no later than the Wednesday prior to MLB Opening Day (which is a week from Sunday, even though there is only one game that day) so that the player can be released by the Friday prior to Opening Day.

All MLB clubs have to get their Active List (25-man roster) down to 25 players no later than Sunday 4/5, even if the club doesn't actually play its first game until Monday.  

Submitted by rob9999 on Fri, 03/27/2009 - 11:28am. Arizona Phil - I absolutely love your contributions to TCR!!

I am from Peoria and can't wait until the Chiefs get rolling. Any insight as to where Vitters starts this year? It appears that Flieta would love to jump him to Daytona, but I haven't heard anything more about it. I would definitely be bummed to miss out on Vitters considering Cashner, Colvin & Samninja all leaped over Peoria

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

ROB9999: Although it's possible that Josh Vitters could get moved up to the Daytona squad prior to Opening Day, it usually doesn't work like that at Minor League Camp. The movement of players is almost always downward (or in some cases, a player just gets released instead of being demoted).

Last time I checked, Vitters was the 3B with the Peoria squad at Minor League Camp, and Jovan Rosa was the 3B at Daytona, although I guess Rosa could be moved to 1B (or maybe even to a corner OF spot) at some point to make room for Vitters at Daytona.

Also, Tyler Colvin (rehabbing from TJS) is DH-ing with the AA (Tennessee) squad right now (because they use one or two DHs in minor league Spring Training games), but once the season starts, Colvin will almost certainly be the primary DH at Daytona (Peoria and Daytona use the DH in all their regular season games, while Tennessee and Iowa only use it when they play an American League affiliate on the road), so Colvin's presence would make it difficult for Rosa to be used as the DH at Daytona.

Do you have any insight into WHAT the Cubs were thinking by double promoting Josh Lansford last year (first to A+ then to AA) if they were going to (rightly) decide he was just a strong arm who couldn't hit (at all)? It makes a lot of sense to try to turn him into a pitcher (he's got a fantastic arm) but I really don't understand the fast track through minors he was on.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

What are you talking about?? Josh Lansford went to Cal Poly an hour, hour and a half or so north of here on the central coast. He started his Cub career at Peoria(A) in 2007. By the middle of 2008 he was already at Tennessee(AA). At each stop along the way he posted below mediocre .600+ OPS's. I call that a fastrack based on something other than performance. Contrast that with Ryan Theriot who started his third year in the Cubs organization in A ball and his fourth year at A+ Daytona while posting numbers similar to Lansford.

Although some of them were subsequently released, the following Cubs minor league position players were converted to pitcher over the past few years:

Oscar Bernard (ex-C)
Randy Brown (ex-OF)
Gasner Guerrier (ex-C)
Leon Johnson (ex-OF)
Junniol Lami (ex-3B)
Josh Lansford (ex-3B)
Carlos Marmol (ex-C)
Jake Muyco (ex-C)
Blake Parker (ex-C)
Leonel Perez (ex-C)
Andres Quezada (ex-OF)
Luke Sommer (ex-OF)
Blake Taylor (ex-3B)
Randy Wells (ex-C)

There also were a number of "two-way" players (like SS-RHP Ryan Acosta, OF-RHP Marcus Hatley, OF-RHP Jay Jackson, OF-RHP Tarlandus Mitchell, and SS-RHP John Muller) signed by the Cubs out of HS or college over the past couple or three years who became pitchers (exclusively) after they signed.

Position players who were converted to catcher by the Cubs in recent years include:

Matt Cerda (2B in HS)
Robinson Chirinos (ex-2B)
Steve Clevenger (ex-2B)
John Contreras (ex-3B)
Blake Lalli (ex-3B)
Casey McGehee (although he kept playing 3B in addition to catcher)
Geovany Soto (ex-3B)

The only pitcher I can think of who was converted to a position player by the Cubs was Nelson Perez, who (with the release of Ryan Harvey) probably has the #1 or #2 OF arm in the organization (along with Kyler Burke). Perez has an absolute cannon for an arm.

BTW, the Cubs signed N. Perez at the urging of Alfosno Soriano (right after they signed him as a FA in November 2006), and Oneri Fleita very quickly decided he had too much power and athleticism to not be tried as a RF. If you've never seen him, Nelson Perez sort of resembles Sammy Sosa, except he hits LH.

Although I'm sure they hope he can develop as a RF (he is still EXTREMELY raw), knowing the Cubs, if the outfield doesn't work out for him (as a hitter, he murders fastballs, but is totally confounded by breaking balls), Perez could still end up a RHP. 

Today's game is on WGN - Cubs/Sox, Z pitching, and Kosuke debuts and hopefully lasts longer than Koskie. Good times. Cubs face Clayton Richard, a lefty, but I wonder if Lou bats Kosuke second anyways just to prove his point.

Submitted by navigator on Fri, 03/27/2009 - 12:10pm. Do you have any insight into WHAT the Cubs were thinking by double promoting Josh Lansford last year (first to A+ then to AA) if they were going to (rightly) decide he was just a strong arm who couldn't hit (at all)?

It makes a lot of sense to try to turn him into a pitcher (he's got a fantastic arm) but I really don't understand the fast track through minors he was on.

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

NAVIGATOR: I think it was partly because Lansford was blocking Marquez Smith at Daytona, and moving Lansford up to AA got him out of the way, and partly because the Cubs will not convert a postion player to pitcher or to catcher unless the player agrees to do it.

I don't know for sure, but I suspect the Cubs may have suggested to Lansford that he might consider a move to the mound, but he didn't agree to it until he found out for himself that he didn't have the chops to hit at AA, and moving him up to AA was a way to show him his limitations.

Lansford may have been conflicted about making the switch, because while his brother (Jared) is a pitcher is in the A's organization, his dad (Carney) was a big league 3B and A. L. batting champion, and a couple of his uncles (Phil and Jody) played 1B-3B in the minors.

[ ]

In reply to by Wes

dress codes are relics of the old anyway...most make no sense and are just what makes the manager (and in most cases...hell, almost EVERY case...the owners) wants. they wear suits to/from the airport...walk into hotels in suits (well, most of the time)...all that other image stuff while being "professional looking off the field." MATTINGLY...I TOLD YOU TO SHAVE THOSE SIDEBURNS!!!!! meh... this from a team that brought us scantily clad cheerleaders as part of their baseball image...yeah...whatever...

Superstar writes shit all over him in some form of protest. --- fortunately he did his writing with a sharpie and not his poop

they tried to convert Theriot to a switch hitter...looks like they abandoned that global strategy and replaced it with conversion to pitchers.

2 RBI's for Z today, a hit, a BB and 2 RBI's for Koyie... Theriot slides over a bat at home plate, grabbed his side but is probably fine...

Soriano makes a nice catch in left center...Fukudome loses one in the sun and ends up a ground rule double...9-2 Cubs.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.