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

Soriano, Lilly Lead Cubs Over Astros

In Houston, Ted Lilly straightened himself out after a ragged beginning—four-pitch leadoff walk to Kaz Matsui, gopher ball to Miguel Tejada; Miggy's first home run in 116 at-bats this season—as the Cubs beat the Astros, 8-5, to sweep the two-game series at Minute Maid Park.

The Cubs have now won six of seven and have climbed to four games above .500 for the second time this year, heading into a weekend series in Milwaukee.

Alfonso Soriano paced the offense tonight with a pair of home runs. The second shot, coming in the ninth inning, helped break open a 4-2 game. The Cubs would go on to build an 8-2 lead before Chad Fox, just up from Iowa, allowed the home team to creep back in the game a bit. Kevin Gregg ultimately had to come in to record the final two outs and lock up the victory.

Aside from Lilly, who yielded just two runs and four hits over six innings, and Soriano, who has hit four of his nine home runs this year in Houston, other Cub bright spots on this night included:

— Aaron Heilman and Carlos Marmol, who recorded one scoreless inning apiece as the Cubs tried to hold onto a 4-2 margin. Marmol allowed a leadoff double to Tejada, before fanning Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, and Hunter Pence in order.

Marmol's last three outings have been stellar: 3 shutout innings, 5 K, no walks, 2 hits allowed and just 39 pitches needed to get through those nine outs.

— Among the position players, Aramis Ramirez (3-for-4), Ryan Theriot (2-for-4), and Micah Hoffpauir (2-for-4, including a clutch, two-out RBI single in the first inning) all had multiple hit games. Hoffpauir was again subbing for the ailing Derrek Lee.

Picked off: Ryan Theriot committed yet another gaffe on the bases, getting picked off third with Aramis Ramirez at bat and just one out in the opening inning. Hoffpauir's run-scoring single removed some of the sting of Theriot's carelessness.

Chad Fox highlight: I would say that the high point of the evening for the veteran, making his first appearance since his recall yesterday from Iowa, was not getting strangled by Lou Piniella when the manager came out to replace him with one out and two runs already in for the Astros in the last of the ninth. Fox, who allowed two hits, a walk, and three earned runs in just one-third of an inning, will go to sleep tonight with an ERA of 81.00, but at least he'll be sleeping on a Major League pillow.

About our man Milton: Bradley did come through with a bases-loaded single to score a run, his first Cub RBI that didn't result from a home run. In the eighth inning, however, he took a third strike with men at second and third and none out. He looked tentative and defensive at the plate; he looked like a .143 hitter which right now, he is.

 

 

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Rob,

In all honesty, I believe Andrew Ladd was scoring the game-winning goal in OT at the exact moment Gathright and Soriano misplayed that fly ball—a failure in reportage on my part.

I'm going to demand that my wife allow me to buy her a tv with picture-in-picture capability for Mother's Day. It would make her so happy...though she doesn't realize it.

As far as Lou strangling Fox, I was thinking back to a shot of Lou in the dugout right after Fox had thrown his fifth consecutive ball at the beginning of that inning. Too bad Gregg couldn't get a night off when the Cubs go into the last of the ninth up six runs.

Fer gawd's sake, when are Bradley and Soto going to start hitting? 7 more men LOB for Geo tonight. They're killing us. Quiet message to D Lee--no rush back from that neck pain, dude. Take your time. Is the Gooz in Lou's doghouse somehow? His one little X in that sidebar box looks mighty lonely. Cubs really need a 4th reliever that Lou can count on. Lefty would be ideal. Hopefully Hendry can find an AL team that needs the big bat of Jake Fox and can send back a relief pitcher. Or maybe the Cubs could just get a do-over on dumping Mike Wuertz? Because that was dumb. I nominate Joey G for the Death Watch. He's gotta go, plain and simple.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Well, Gooz was warming up in the 8th when the Cubs were threatening with runners on 2nd and 3rd and nobody out. Three straight K's ended that. So they still went into the bottom of the 8th with just a 2-run lead, thus Marmol. Since it was a 2-run game Gregg was already warming up for the 9th. Then when the Cubs busted it open in the top of the 9th, Lou went with his mop-up guy - Fox - but when he couldn't hold the lead and it got close again he brought in Gregg who was already warm.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

Wait, we should have kept Marquis? I think that's what Whip was saying. I agree with Dave that most of Hendry's mistakes have been on the cheaper fringe guys. We'll see what happens with Fukudome and Bradley, but his other big signings have turned out pretty well. However, he's also seriously mis-managed the roster a few times this season, has made some hasty personnel decisions, and has cost himself several million dollars, money which could have been used on acquiring a player at the deadline that could help. The chances of that now are diminished due to payroll restrictions. Which is ironic, since although that's been a complaint for acquiring guys like Peavy all along, it seems like only now is it a possible reality.

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

Yeah, it's a little soon to call MB Todd Hundley. One full season needs to elapse before we make that judgment. If for instance, he's still not performing near where we wanted through August and he tears it up in September and in the playoffs (PLAYOFFS??!) there's still room to give Hendry a good grade for the pickup. This is baseball. 162 games. Six full months of regular season. Judging a move by the first month of a multi-year contract is just silly.

Reed Johnson would have made that catch that Gathright messed up. The bill of RJ's cap would have flipped up as Soriano bounced off him. Bradley also has been practicing that play (with the umpires).

peavy k'd 12 or 13 his last start. I think they still lost? the gaudin loss - meh , tough call: hevstunk the end of the year, hurt himself, and stunk in ST. The Cubs are not in a "rebuild year", yet, so I understand it somewhat.

I am kind of surprised that the results of Bradely's hearing haven't been released.

Uncle Milty is a mess -- runners on 2nd and 3rd, no outs, crap reliever on the mound, and he takes a called 3rd stike on a fastball down the middle. He looks lousy from the RH side -- maybe he should pull a Theriot and bag switch-hitting. Fun game -- try to count how many MVP trophies have been awarded to confirmed juicers since 1996: 4 for Bonds, 3 for A-Rod, Giambi, Tejada, Juan Gon, Caminiti, etc. Also -- Sammy and Pujols (2), who seem likely but are not confirmed. Pretty freaking amazing.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Also -- Sammy and Pujols (2), who seem likely but are not confirmed. Really not sure where the Pujols is a juicer idea comes from. Would it surprise me? No... but I don't recall anything linking him to any PEDs. But yea... for the most part, the MVP/PED connection is "pretty freakin amazing." Or just sad. Or just a statement that a lot of people are or were using them, along with the pitchers. Or all the above? If everyone is on them, is it really cheating?

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

It would be shocking... outrageous... and amazing if Pujols is not juicing. Deep down we all know he is. We'll find out in about 5-10 years from now, everyone will be horrified. Meanwhile, he'll retire loaded and not giving a shit. I'm to the point now where I don't really give a fuck. Juice up Theroit, juice up Fontenot. At least let's have a level playing field. Fuck, the MLBPA will protect our guys, right? In the off chance someone DOES wipe the drool from Bud Selig's mouth and wakes the sleepy guy up in the next 3 years long enough to reprimand our juicers, fuck it, go find more juicers.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

I'm not as concerned about who cheated and who didn't—particularly because villainizing the "juicers" just distracts from the asshole millionaires behind all of it, the owners. But the juicing needs to stop for the health of athletes. The shit these guys end up taking seems likely to fuck them up for life, though they may not see the nastiest side effects until later. I'm not a doctor, though. But that's my concern. I really don't want to see Sammy have Cancer all over his body when his 50, or something like that.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

I just wonder what your opinion is based on. Do think that his offensive performance is proof that he has taken PEDs? Or is it his body type? Or is there something else? If it's his performance, then don't we also have to assume that Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, and Babe Ruth were all juicers? Or does the concurrence of his offensive performance and the time period make all the difference? I'm not saying I'd be surprised if Pujols juiced. I guess I'd be somewhat surprised if he didn't at some point use a PED, even if they were just uppers while he was in the minor leagues or something like that, but that's because I think probably almost everyone in baseball has used something at some point--it's a temptation. But I don't see any solid reason to conclude that he takes and has taken steroids on a regular basis. Reason for suspicion, maybe, but not reason to be sure.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

I hate Pujols as much as the next guy, but that is simply not true. He hit .500 in his freshman year of high school in Missouri, he hit .660 his senior year. He then hit .461 in his only year of community college ball. He was drafted in the 13th round that June by the Cardinals, then in 2000 he was League MVP in A-Ball. He was promoted to AAA at the end of the year. He was projected to start there in 2001, but he tore up spring training and Bonilla got injured, so he made the team and of course had a 1.013 OPS and has never looked back. So while I think we can be suspicious because he is THIS good, we can't say he went from nobody to somebody great quickly like other suspicious players have. He has consistently hit the shit out of the ball basically since he started swinging a bat.

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.

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  • 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.