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

Cubs Rumor Round-up: DeRosa, Harden and Johnson

- Buried in this Stltoday.com article is this nugget:

DeRosa, coming off wrist surgery, figures to field an offer from the Chicago Cubs, at the least. 

Seems like idle speculation than anything legit, but at least the Wrigley-ites would be cheering for the right team if it did happen. (Hat tip to Bleacher Nation for the find)

- Paul Sullivan says the Cubs are ready to let Rich Harden and Reed Johnson test free agency. 

But Harden's injury-plagued history makes a multiyear deal unlikely, and Johnson may have to take a salary cut to stay.

Well if this is indeed the case, offering Rich Harden becomes even a bigger no-brainer. Johnson has never been more than a good short-side platoon player that shouldn't be too difficult to replace. Jayson Stark supposedly suggested Marlon Byrd as an option.

- Sammy Sosa takes this vampire craze a step too far.

The official line was that he going through a rejuvenation process for his skin.

Comments

That's more of a 3/44 than a "find." Derrick Goold is just repeating some speculation he himself made in print two weeks ago when DeRo's surgery was announced.
"The Chicago Cubs figured to make an overture toward DeRosa as a make-good for trading him to Cleveland before the 2009 season — a move general manager Jim Hendry conceded was a mistake."
But, FWIW, here's some more speculation and the guy who made it. Former Nats GM Jim Bowden who is now a talkshow guy, yesterday -- Cubs will acquire CHONE FIGGINS and stick him at 2B.

CubsOnline site reports a summary of the Bruce Levine Talking Baseball Saturday show. Apparently a lot of Cub talk, so I'm listing some highlights from the CCO blog. http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2009/11/cubsrumors11709.php Here is a link to Bruce Levine Talking Baseball podcast link which can be listened to online (37 minutes) http://a.espnradio.com/stations/chicago/talkingbb/talkinbaseball091107… (NOTE: skip the first half of that podcast/download, 18 minutes or so are WSux talk before Levine gets to Cub stuff) --- 1) Mike Cameron: A caller mentioned radio stations in Milwaukee reporting Mike Cameron would sign with the Cubs after the Brewers acquired Carlos Gomez for J.J. Hardy on Friday. Granted the connection is there with Lou Piniella (from Seattle) but Levine stuck to his report from earlier in the week that Cameron would be a back-up plan for the Cubs. Levine explained if Cameron does sign with the Cubs he thinks it would not be until January or February. Apparently the Cubs are looking for a younger, left-handed centerfielder that would allow them to move Kosuke Fukudome back to right field. 2) Bradley: Bruce Levine thinks Bradley will be moved in the next 30-45 days. 3) Chone Figgins: Jim Bowden mentioned during his show with Joe Castellano (XM Radio) Thursday night that he feels Chone Figgins will sign with the Cubs ... and play second base. 4) Reed Johnson: Bruce Levine is hearing Johnson is looking for a two-year, $6 million contract ... and that might be out of the Cubs' price range. (and Hendry's signing of Aaron Miles last year screwed them out of overspending on RJ). 5) Starlin Castro: Levine (who was in AZ last week watching the AFL) thinks Castro will be the Cubs' shortstop as early as the second half of 2010 ... but not much later than 2011. Castro is still too "green" according to Levine and needs a couple of more months in the minors. Levine thinks the Cubs should look at Orlando Cabrera as a one-year option at short in order to improve the Cubs' defense next season. 6) John Gaub: could be a factor in the Cubs' pen in 2010 and should be added to the 40-man roster in the next two weeks (November 20). Gaub's fastball has been clocked in the low to mid 90's in the AFL with a very good breaking ball according to Levine. 7) The Cubs are expected to announce their new marketing director by the end of next week. According to Bruce Levine, it will be a "well-known" Chicagoan (Levine doesn't know who it is yet).

Gonna try something, not sure how useful it is. The Bruce Levine Talking Baseball audio link really sucked as it was mostly discussion with JHood about WSux. So here's a link to my mobile me public folder. You can download the 2 hour program and listen to the audio file at your leisure. Password is: TheCubReporter The recording is recorded from a Radioshark device so it's a little bit noisy but with the volume down it's listenable. It's a 134 MB file in .m4a format, so it should work in iTunes (or on it's own in a mac) https://auth.me.com/authenticate?username=cubster&ssoNamespace=public:%…

John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus fires up the hot stove discussion before the GM meeting starting tomorrow in Chicago: http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9750 The Cubs might listen on ace Carlos Zambrano, but would need to be overwhelmed to deal him. As always, there are a number of overpriced players that teams are trying to get rid of. In the front ranks in that group are Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley... Catching has become an increasingly difficult position for teams to fill, yet there are some interesting names floating as trade possibilities: the Pirates’ Ryan Doumit, the Rays’ Dioner Navarro, the Rangers’ Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and the Cubs’ Geovany Soto. The Cubs have decided not to try to re-sign right-hander Rich Harden and outfielder Reed Johnson, who can both become free agents.

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=335062&src=152 Halladay has a no-trade clause in his contract, but he's said he'd like to play for a contender, and the Cubs seem closer to getting back to the playoffs than do the Blue Jays. To get Halladay, the Cubs must move money. Could Hendry package Bradley and prospects for Halladay? Bradley could thrive in the relatively quiet environs of Toronto, and Halladay would provide an instant jolt to the Cubs' rotation.

From today's ESPN lede story: ----- 8. Which player is more difficult to trade -- Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley, because of his reputation and other baggage, or Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells, because of his contract? Responses: Wells 20, Bradley 0. ---- So we got that going for us, which is nice.

I enjoy rumors at this time of the year. But, while the Cubs have "prospects" to acquire some players of a certain level, I would consider it highly doubtful that they have the prospects in quality or quantity to obtain a player like Halliday, when compared to other organizations. If HArden is not signed to a short-term deal, the team is just so fucked with what they have right now in terms of a dominant viable staff: one number 2, an injured number 2, 1 #3, 1 # 4 starter, and fill-in-the-blank #5's. I do not have my hopes up for 2010 and we're five months away.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.