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

Ricketts Gets the Keys, Spring Training Update and Other Notes

- The Ricketts family are the new official owners of the Chicago Cubs and will have a press conference on Friday. Maybe they'll bring a new GM with them.

 "My family and I are thrilled that this day has finally come and we thank Commissioner Bud Selig and Major League Baseball owners for approving our ownership," said Tom Ricketts. "Now we will go to work building the championship tradition that all Cubs fans so richly deserve.  

- It's hard to tell how much is Chris DeLuca taking educated guesses or basing his column off some sources, but he seems to expect much of the same for the next two years with Ricketts in charge. Certainly don't expect a big jump in payroll (he throws out $143M) and Hendry isn't getting a blank check to rid himself of the Bradley mess.

- Speaking of the sale, Paul Sullivan is as bitter as ever.

 Tribune era is officially over as Ricketts familly takes control of the Cubs. First order of business: Get rid of Milton Bradley.

- Bruce Miles offers up some free advice for the new boss.

- While Florida keeps moving forward on their bid to try and lure the Cubs spring training home to Naples, Wittenmyer spells out why Arizona will likely keep the Cubs.

But working against any Florida bid is the lengthy spring travel in that state -- especially in a location nearly three hours from the Tampa area -- and a decadelong exodus of teams from Florida that will put 15 of 30 big-league teams in Arizona next spring for the first time.

And considering the Cubs are the jewel of the Cactus League, the state's biggest spring-training revenue producer, filling stadiums across the Phoenix valley and owning almost every league attendance record, Arizona is especially motivated even in a tough economy to invest in the team's future there.

- Kerry Wood confirms the racist letters sent to some Cubs players. Stop making that shit up Milton.

- The Daily Beast says 5 of the top 10 richest baseball players including endorsement deals and so forth are Yankees. Competitive balance at its finest.

- Via Baseball Musings, some fun caricatures of the Yankees

- Kevin "Tampering" Towers, who I must remind everyone is not the Padres GM anymore, has let it be known that it's just a matter of when the Padres will trade Adrian Gonzalez. 

- After missing out on Manny Acta, the Astros have settled on Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills as their new manager. 

- I generally scoff at these "this is how to fix the Cubs" articles, because ultimately the writer falls into the trap that there are no limitations and every player in the league is available and they're all dying to play for the Cubs. And while I don't think John Lackey is headed to the Cubs, Hendry's favorite contract toy - the backloaded deal - could possibly net the Cubs one decent free agent this offseason.

- Kevin Goldstein's recent take on Jeff Samardzija:

It's almost remarkable that the Cubs still think Samardzija can be an effective starter in the big leagues. He's made no secret that he wants to return to the rotation, but two late-season starts in the majors were disasters, and now he's merely holding his own in Mexico, allowing 10 runs and 28 baserunners in 18 innings for the Aguilas. Turning 25 in January, with each passing year, it seems that Samardzija will never graduate from thrower to pitcher, and for most, his ceiling ends at middle reliever.

I'm not really gonna argue against Samardzija detractors right now, but that's a leap on the definition of a disaster start. (5 IP, 3 ER versus the Brewers in his last appearance of 2009).

- Baseball Intellect takes a look at J.J. Hardy's swing and if he can bounce back in 2010. I still don't see any reasonable scenario that involves the Brewers willing to trade Hardy to the Cubs and the Cubs looking for a shortstop.

Comments

if Phil's estimates are correct ($135M+ if they bring back everybody), that would leave room for a mid-range free agent. If they can save some money on Bradley and arbitration guys, that could lean to the high end side.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Or they could save the money to take on a few nice players at midseason a la St. Louis 2009. Even without Bradley, one can construct a respectable 25-man roster from our "under control" guys plus maybe Grabow and/or Skinny Dick. Just sayin

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

yeah, for all the bitching about the team and flailing of arms the team still has 3-4 very legit starters and 3 very sold power hitters supported by fuku/theriot...and it's going to be hard for soto to do worse than last season. the cubs don't have much to spend, but it's not like they have an overbearing need for anything. heck, even the pen had some decent arm action going on late. it'd be nice to have something more sure-thing in the pen, though. it's a good place to start even if it ends up the team only has 10m or so to blow on bringing talent in...plus there's always the excess young talent they could trade. should be an interesting offseason...even more interesting once cubs fans find out what milton is going to bring...a new teammate or a money dump.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

The more I think about it, the more I like it. Soto, Hill Lee, ARam, Riot, Baker, Blanco, Miles Sori, Fuku, RJ, Hoff, Colvin/Fuld Z, Lilly, Demp, Wells, Gorz Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Caridad, Ninja, two of Heilman/Stevens/Gaub/Berg/Atkins Possibly Grabow in the mix. Leaving Bradley and Fox as trade chips. Then assess what the team needs after 75 games and trade for it.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

that is a terrible bench...

and please no Heilman or Miles.

Then assess what the team needs after 75 games and trade for it.

they're gonna need a 2b and either a CFer or RFer just like they need now...

 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I left Fontenot off the list. You never know. If Castro's ready in June and the Cubs signed a 2B, then you have a glut. My bet would be there's enough offense there as long as Sori bounces back and that the pen is the question mark.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

well Castro is a rant for another day, but there's a kid that need not be rushed...

it's exciting to see a 20-year old holding his own in Hi-A and Double A but it's still a .730 OPS in the minors with a cajillion errors. Let the kid find a bit of power and find some consistency on defense. I mean if some injuries hit and he's still hitting next year, great...you should give him a shot, but by no means they should be making any room for Castro right now or even entertaining the idea that he'd be part of the Cubs in 2010.

I'd rather see Jeff Baker play and well I don't like Jeff Baker much.

 

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

sept callup, maybe...although I'd probably just save the service time if I was the Cubs.

if Castro's kicking-ass in Double A or Triple A and enough injuries or ineffectiveness hits, that he's gonna get playing time, I'm all for the callup, but right now it's age, upside and tools with Castro, not much actual performance.

and no, I don't care about the AFL too much...

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Since when does one "count on" a September call up? I mean, a prospect might count on being called up in September, but no GM is out there counting on a player not worth activating until rosters expand. It's the same as counting him out for 2010. Which I'm for.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Sorry. My ability to read all of what is written got overwhelmed by my twitchy blogging finger/tendency for jackassitude. It would have helped if I'd noticed that you wrote "26th man in spring training" and not just "25th man" as I read it. It was integral to understanding your meaning.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

All this talk about Castro being ready to play in the majors this coming season is nonsense. He's 19. He's a kid. Even if he gets to Iowa and tears things up, expecting him to come to the majors and contribute much at 19 or 20 is crazy.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Rob G. wrote: they're gonna need a 2b and either a CFer or RFer just like they need now... They got four second basemen and Fontenot makes five. Hendry always makes sure we have plenty of second basemen. Do you want one who should start? Oh, that's different.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

It would be nice to get more than 94 rbi's out of RF/CF starters combined. And only 149 rbi if Soriano is included. So I wouldn't say they are without need. They need to get at least 1 starting OF who can drive in runs, and then fire Hendry for sticking us with Fuku/Bradley/Sori's contracts.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Here we go again...Just because a single Cubs fan or a handful of Cubs fans are ignorant enough to send racist letters, that does not translate into "Cubs fans are racists." Are there some Cubs fans who are racist? Yes, I think there are. Are there some Seattle Mariner fans that are racist? Same answer. You can make the same claim of any team. For better or for worse, hardcore Cubs fans tend to be more hardcore and passionate than most baseball fans. Plus, there seem to be more Cubs fans than fans for most other teams, so there are more idiots among Cubs fans than there are for other teams. That was a long-winded way of saying that, while some Cubs fans are racists, it is wildly incorrect to say that Cubs fans are racist.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

yeah, arbitrarily labeling an entire fanbase based on the actions of a few is of course moronic. Of course, this happens all the time with Cardinal fans or Red Sox fans and so forth down the line.

my only contention with this whole racist thing is when jackasses say shit like well that's just part of the game and he should ignore it.

that deserves a hardy F U.

If Jacque, Dusty, Bradley or whomever feels like speaking up about, they have every right to, and if they feel there are more racist taunts in Chicago than in other places, they have every right to say that as well and they shouldn't be condemned or told, "well if you just played better"...b.s. that I've read on here and other places.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

hell, it's not just them... wrigley and fenway have some pretty rotten reputations for their treatment of black players with racist heckling. it's more than just something noticed around chicago players because the away team tends to get it much worse...they just don't get the hate mail. baylor refuses to talk about it only to say you just got to accept it's there...dusty got so freaked out by all of it his family quit coming to the park (which also happened with j.jones mom, too)...speaking of j.jones, he got his cell phone # leaked while in chicago and got lots of interesting hate and racist-hate calls, he didn't specify how much was hate and how much was racist-hate, though. and of course there's more specific incidents involving those guys, hawkins, etc... it's a suck part of how the park's fans are perceived by some in the game like it or not. they know it's not everyone and they know it's a minority of voices, but it's not something some of them have to put up with elsewhere in such high volume.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Jacque Jones mom inserted her own foot into her mouth on why she stopped coming to the park. When Jones missed a ball in the sun some fans around her were making fun of the fact. She got so mad that she pulled out the ultimate insult, that her baby boy would make more money than all you in your lifetime. Nothing endeers you more with fans than an uppity rich bitch telling us lowly fans how awesome you are by how much money a person makes. And when Jones defended his mom, the party was over with the fans.... Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune says Jones lost a ball in the sun in the top of the seventh, ruining Carlos Zambrano's no-hit bid. In the bottom of the inning, Jones was called out on strikes and a fan allegedly yelled, “The sun must have gotten in your eyes.” According to witnesses, the fan was berated by a finger-wagging woman wearing a replica of Jones' No. 11 jersey. It was Jones' mother, sitting two rows away. “She took care of it,” Jones, a San Diego High alum, told the Tribune. “She took care of it how every parent should. You shouldn't have to listen to that when you come to games.”

Just a conjecture, but maybe fans USE the racest thing to make their point more meaningful. Has Soriano gotten a ton of hate mail? He's black too, you know. Maybe he just throws it away, puts on his million dollar smile and say, "speak no Eingleesh." It's just his personality. MB was hated before he got here, and the way Lou handled him did not help. If MB lands on the Cards or Angels with a manager who isn't sleeping, he just might do a Cedric Benson on us and it'll be 102 years. It's a sad day when Cub fans, who had Williams and Banks, have to be shown how act colorblind by Yankee fans, and Joe Girardi can show Larry Rothschild how to handle pitchers. Payroll-to payroll just switch managers and Lou will mess the Yanks up. How Bradley got the blame is beyond me. Oh, excuse me, it was because he didn't have Jamarillo this year.... Here's to next year! Give the Phils the trophy and let's get on with it..

The Cubs are stuck with two highly paid outfielders who are losers and another who is merely disappointing. If you want the fans in the bleachers to be more respectful, either get better outfielders or wrap the bleachers around the infield. I don't think Lee and Ramirez will have much of a problem.

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.