Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus four players are on the 60-DAY IL


28 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST, plus seven are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two are on the 10-DAY IL, and three are on the 15-DAY IL


Last updated 9-22-20239
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 14
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 6
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 6
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 7
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Ben Brown, P  
Brennen Davis, OF 
Jeremiah Estrada, P
Caleb Kilian, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Michael Rucker, P

10-DAY IL: 2
Jeimer Candelario, 1B
Nick Madrigal, INF

15-DAY IL: 3
Adbert Alzolay, P
Brad Boxberger, P 
Michael Fulmer, P 

60-DAY IL: 4
Nick Burdi, P
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Ethan Roberts, P
 

Minor League Rosters

Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Anticipated Pitching Duel Fizzles into Slugfest at HoHoKam

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:24 pm

With two of the AFL's top starting pitchers on the hill, naturally the game turned into a slugfest, as the Mesa Solar Sox scored eight unanswered runs in the middle innings to overcome a 4-0 deficit, only to blow a four-run 8th inning lead, before scoring the game-winning run on a two-out single in the bottom of the 9th, en route to a 9-8 victory over Surprise Rafters in Arizona Fall League action this afternoon at HoHoKam Park in Mesa.

(And next time you come by, bring my stomach!)...  

box score

Cubs RHP Andrew Cashner got the start for the Solar Sox, and went just three innings. He left a lot of his pitches up in the zone, allowing four runs on seven hits (including three doubles and a home run) in what was his worst outing of the 2009 AFL season. 

Ike Davis (Mets 2008 1st round pick out of Arizona State) was Cashner's main tormentor, ripping a two-run double into the right-field corner in the the top of the 1st, and a two-run homer over the right-centerfield fence in the top of the 3rd, as the Rafters took an early 4-0 lead.

Cashner did strike out five and walked just one, but he had to throw 69 pitches (44 strikes) to get through his three innings.

Meanwhile, Rafters RHP Ian Kennedy (NYY) sailed through his first four innings, before falling apart in the bottom of the 5th. Like Cashner, Kennedy allowed four runs on seven hits, although at least he was able to get one out in the 5th before he was relieved. .

Red Sox CF Ryan Kalish clubbed a three-run homer off Yankees LHP Michael Dunn to cap the five-run Mesa 5th, and then the Solar Sox added two more runs in the 7th, one of the runs scoring on a Josh Vitters RBI single. 

Vitters returned to the Mesa lineup today as the Solar Sox DH, having missing five games after suffering a muscle strain while taking BP last week. 

Vitters grounded out to short in the 2nd, popped up to the catcher in the 4th, and lofted a singled over the third-baseman's head in the 5th, before ripping his RBI single to left in the 7th. (Vitters was called out for interfering with the catcher's throw to 2nd on a stolen base attempt in the bottom of the 9th--a VERY questionable call by the ump--leaving him 2-5 for the day).  

The Solar Sox took their 8-4 lead into the top of the 8th, but Doug Hogan (TEX) clubbed a two-run home run over the scoreboard beyond the fence in LF off Red Sox LHP Dustin Richardson to narrow the gap to 8-6, and then Cubs RHP Blake Parker blew the save, surrendering a towering game-tying two-run home run to Yankees 3B Brandon Laird off the light-standard in left-center with one out in the top of the 9th. Parker struck out two (including Ike Davis) in his one inning, while walking one and allowing the game-tying HR.  

The Solar Sox pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 9th, on a two-out RBI single by Cuban defector SS Jose Iglesias (BOS) following a walk and a single (overcoming the Vitters interference play), edging the Rafters 9-8. 

Michael Brenly entered the game as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the 7th, as Hank Conger (LAA) pulled up lame at 3rd base, and scored on the Vitters RBI single. Brenly then stayed in the game at catcher, and grounded out 6-3 in his one AB in the 8th.  

Starlin Castro had the day off, although he and Angels OF P. J. Phillips alternated as the Solar Sox 1st base coach (good experience for when their playing careers are over). 

LHPs John Gaub and James Russell threw yesterday at Surprise, and Gaub had a very bad outing, immediately walking the bases loaded and throwing a WP after entering the game in relief, before allowing an F-9 SF and an RBI single. Gaub was yanked out of the game after retiring only two hitters and throwing 26 pitches (only ten strikes).

If it's possible to pitch yourself off the 40-man roster by throwing piss-poor in the AFL, Gaub might be doing just that. Now, I personally do not believe what Gaub does in the AFL should have a bearing on whether he is added to the 40 on 11/20, but it might influence Jim Hendry. 

Remember, Donald Veal appeared to be a virtual "lock" to get added to the Cubs 40-man roster this time last year, but then he stunk it up in the AFL, got left off the 40-man roster, and was selected by Pittsburgh in the December 2009 Rule 5 Draft. (And Veal has been the best pitcher in the AFL so far this year, too).   

Although Gaub had a poor outing yesterday, James Russell had another fine one, throwing 1.1 IP of shutout ball for Mesa in relief of Gaub. The 21-year old Russell has now thrown 9.1 innings of four-hit shutout ball (2/7 BB/K) over his last eight appearances for the Solar Sox.   

Tags
Josh Vitters
Michael Brenly
John Gaub
James Russell
Blake Parker
Andrew Cashner
Arizona Fall League

Comments

Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:37 pm

from Rotoworld Mike Fontenot became the final super-two eligible player, MLB announced, winning a tiebreaker with Adam Jones and Micah Owings. All had two years, 139 days of service time. This is terrific news for the Orioles, who would have spent millions of dollars more over the next few years had Jones been eligible now. Whether it's good news for Fontenot remains to be seen. He's a candidate to be non-tendered by the Cubs, though it's possible someone will want to trade for him. Other super-two players this year include Tim Lincecum, Hunter Pence and Matt Garza. Mark Reynolds barely missed out.

Submitted by carmenfanzone on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:33 pm

Trade thoughts: The Cubs need a lefthanded power bat. Prince Fielder or Adrian Gonzalez would be perfect. In my opinion moving DLee now would give us the ability to go after Gonzalez. The lefthanded hitting options in center or right are limited.

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Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:38 pm

my snarky response aside...

Fielder doesn't sound like he's going anywhere and it sure as hell wouldn't be to the Cubs. Gonzalez would be fantastic, but the logistics don't sound realistic. 

First you have to move Lee and get him to waive his NTC. Then you have have to get enough prospects that the Padres want plus some of your own prospects. Then you have to outbid the 3-5 other teams that would certainly make a run at him. At the end you could be without Lee, Gonzalez or a first basemen....

but you know, if you Hendry can pull off trading Lee, Dempster and maybe Fukudome and get enough prospects and payroll space to turn them into Gonzalez and Halladay...then I totally think he should do that :)

Submitted by Paul Noce on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:02 pm

Phil Rogers is out of his freaking mind, and that's saying something since he's mentally challenged to begin with. The Tigers reportedly are willing to deal Curtis Granderson, and Rogers says the Cubs have to go all out to get the .240 hitting outfielder. Here's a quote that should scare the crap out of anyone... "If Dombrowski wants to talk about Carlos Marmol, potentially a closer for the next two or three years, and Starlin Castro, who could have a Shawon Dunston impact and tenure at shortstop, Hendry should be willing. Granderson -- at this point in his career -- is worth paying a huge price to get." http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-12-rogers-on-bas…

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Submitted by Sweet Lou on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:55 pm

I think it's difficult for Cubs fans to practice the art of "buy low." We advocate for it all of the time and scream when Hendry misses his window to trade away a guy with value or trade for/sign a guy right after he has a break out season (i.e. Bradley). We're good at preaching a "buy low" strategy, but piss poor in practice. My point is that Curtis Granderson is a potential "buy low" candidate. After two very good years in 2007 and 2008, he had a down year in 2009 hitting just .249/.327/.453, all below his career averages. If the Cubs are going to trade for a guy like Granderson, now is the time to do it. It's kind of like buying stocks. Everyone wants in when the stock is at it's high point, but the guy who makes money on the stock is the one that buys when the stock price is down, before it heads to its high. Buying low is easy to say, but hard to do.

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Submitted by Charlie on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:14 pm

I'm for buying low on Granderson--I love his defense and he was strong offensively in 2008 and 2007 (note his significantly lower BABIP in 2009). I'm not sure I can justify giving up Marmol and Castro for him, though. That seems like a lot, especially considering we don't have other closer candidates. I'm also not sure that Granderson is really the leadoff hitter than Hendry reportedly wants--his OBP usually tops out around .360 and he hasn't blossomed into an especially good base stealer. The question for me is more how badly do the Tigers want to deal Granderson away. I'm not good at deciding how much a player is worth, but again Marmol and Castro seems like a bit too much for a buy low candidate. We don't have any promising center field candidates on the way in the next year or two, though, so that's another pro for Granderson.

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Submitted by Paul Noce on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:37 pm

I understand buying low, but dealing Marmol and Castro for Granderson isn't buying low in my opinion. Everyone seems to be raving about Castro as a franchise caliber talent, and it's not like we have an all-star SS now. I look at Granderson's stats and see a very athletic player who runs well but k's way too much, and last season struggled to make contact, and is owed $23 million over the next 3 years. In today's climate, $8 million per isn't really a bargain if his .249 average isn't a fluke. I wouldn't gamble Marmol and Castro to find out. If they wanted some other combo, like Bradley and a prospect, sure, I'd be interested, but I'm not out of my mind in love with Granderson like Rogers seems to be.

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Submitted by The Real Neal on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:57 pm

Everyone seems to be raving about Castro as a franchise caliber talent, and it's not like we have an all-star SS now. That's the selling high part. Granderson is undervalued due to a low BABIP. Marmol is also at a low value right now though (too bad we didn't trade him one of the last two off-seasons like some poster here suggested). Unfortunately, Hendry is our GM so he will hang on to Castro until the bloom is off the flower, then bundle him up with another couldabeen and turn them into a middle reliever three years from now. *Point of Fact- Granderson K'd less, walked more and hit more HR's last year than he did in his 'breakout '07 season. The James people have projected him to hit .275/.353/.491 next year which is probably pretty accurate.

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Submitted by thedirtbag on Thu, 11/12/2009 - 11:35 am

Granderson is Soriano from his prime with better defense and better appeal to the media and the fanbase. I think that teams are salivating over him more for marketing reasons more so than his overall performance. He is an exciting player with speed and power. While I really like Granderson and I think his defense would vastly improve this ballclub, I would bawk at the idea of ridding Marmol and Castro. Maybe I am still hangning onto the threads of homegrown players like Grace,but I want to see at least some movement from the player development front. Marmol on the other hand to me would be expendable for the right price if we had other options. We don't, which is partially why we have been hearing about Hendry adding to the seesaw bullpen from last year. I do not think anyone can honestly say that they would feel comfortable with the 7-9 guys in a NLCS series.

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Submitted by George Altman on Thu, 11/12/2009 - 11:27 am

First, Phil Rogers is a dumbass. That's pretty obvious from anyone who reads the Tribune here daily or watches him on Comcast's 'Chicago Tribune Live' every week. Second, I don't think Phil or anyone else really knows if Granderson is available let alone what it would really take from any team to get him. Third, how does trading your only viable closer candidate for 2010 and your #1 position prospect help your team get better in 2010? Yes, you solve CF and maybe your lead-off position but who's going to close out the 35 to 40 wins you need to make the playoffs (Grabow, Guzman, Blake Parker?). Fourth, I'm not infatuated with Marmol (he's got a boatload of flaws with the biggest being he can't find home plate with a search party many times) or Castro (I'd trade the whole farm system if I thought it would get the Cubs to the World Series). But here's a moment when it sure would be really nice to have a competent GM who could work inside the $140M budget he has, make a real good trade, and still realize where his team has depth and where it does not. Fifth, this is where a team like the old Dodgers would trade a Joe Ferguson because they had Steve Yeager, or Billy Grabarkewitz because they had Davey Lopes. In other words, you keep Castro but you package Vitters (AZ Phil calls him the Cubs mostly likely prospect to flame out). Or you trade a Carpenter or Wells instead of a Cashner. Of course, going back to Hendry and his whiz kids, it would really help if your baseball 'brain-trust' could really evaluate talent - both present and potential.

Submitted by Cubster on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 11:23 pm

Bradley-for-Burell being discussed, but money's an issue — 9:35 p.m. The Cubs and Rays continue to discuss a Milton Bradley-for-Pat Burrell trade, but money remains a major obstacle. Burrell will earn $9 million next season, while Bradley is owed $21 million over the next two years. The Rays want the Cubs to pay the vast majority of the difference. One source described the negotiations as "worse than Chinese water torture." Another said, "I wish cattle prods were legal." http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10353396/Wednesday%27s-buzz-from-the…

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 11/12/2009 - 11:00 am

the guy hit 30 HR's in Yellowstone National last year and walks at a 10% or higher rate, think we could find room for him in our lineup, even with all the K's...

that being said, I think Marmol and Soto would be the starting points as suggested...

he's also a waste of space versus lefties

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:02 pm (view)

    The deadline for trading players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) and players who were outrighted to the minors after signing a 2023 MLB contract was August 1st, but trades involving players on a minor league reserve list are prohibited beginning at 12 PM (Eastern) on the 7th day prior to the originally-scheduled conclusion of the 2023 MLB regular season (Sunday 9/24) through the last day of the MLB regular season (including a day on which a regular season game is played after the originally-scheduled conclusion of the MLB regular season).   
     

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:58 pm (view)

    jdrnym: 

    As you know, the abbreviation "DFA" stands for "Designated for Assignment." 

    There are three types of assignments: 

    1. Trade Assignment (when a player is traded from one MLB club to another)
    2. Outright Assignment (when a player is sent to the club's minor league Domestic Reserve List after Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured).
    3. Optional Assignment (when a player is optioned to the minors, subject to being recalled at a later time). 

    So when a player is Designated for Assignment, the player can either be traded, outrighted to the minors, or optioned to the minors. 

    Normally a player is not Designated for Assignment and then optioned to the minors, because the club could just option the player to the minors immediately without a DFA.

    Back in the day It was not that unusual for a player to be Designated for Assignment so that Optional Assignment Waivers could be secured (Optional Assignment Waivers were required before certain players could be optioned to the minors, and just like the old Trade Assignment Waivers, Optional Assignment Waivers were revocable if a player was claimed). Optional Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2016 and Trade Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2021, so all revocable waivers have been eliminated. What's left are Outright Assignment Waivers and Outright Release Waivers, and both are irrevocable once requested.  

    With the new five option limit whereby a player can (with a couple of exceptions) be optioned to the minors no more than five times in a given season before Outright Assignment Waivers must be secured (and it - IS - Outright Assignment Waivers that must be secured, even though it is for the purpose of an Optional Assignment), it now might be necessary for a club to DFA a player to clear a spot on the MLB 26-man roster (MLB 28-man roster in September) for another player and to allow for the two days (actually 47 hours) required to run a player through waivers. After the two day Waiver Claiming Period concludes (and presuming the player isn't claimed), the player can be returned to the MLB 40-man roster and optioned to the minors (even after being Designated for Assignment). But for that to happen, the player can - NOT - be replaced on the MLB 40-man roster by another player after being Designated for Assignment.  

    However, in the case of Jordan Luplow, he had - NOT - been optioned to the minors five times in the 2023 season prior to be optioned to AAA St. Paul on 9/18, so the Twins did not need to DFA Luplow in order to secure Outright Assignment Waivers so that he could be optioned to the minors a sixth time. But because he was Designated for Assignment and not replaced on the 40 by another player after the DFA, the Twins could option him to the minors (and return him to the 40) even after he was Designated for Assignment, because an Optional Assignment is one of the three types of assignments.

    So Luplow was Designated for Assignment even though he didn't need to be, and then the Twins returned him to their MLB 40-man roster and optioned him to the minors a couple of days later (which they can do, since Luplow wasn't replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment). What the Twins did (DFA Luplow and then option him to the minors a couple of days later) was within the rules. It's just very odd and doesn't make a lot of sense. 

    So I will offer the most logical reason I can think of to explain why the Twins did this:  

    The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they intended to reinstate Chris Paddack from the 60-day IL, but then Carlos Correa suddenly needed to go on the 10-day IL and so they decided they wanted to keep Luplow on the 40-man roster (and on Optional Assignment to AAA) and didn't want to risk losing him off waivers or by him electing free-agency after being outrighted. Luplow has Article XX-D rights (he has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career), so he would had the right to elect free-agency after he was outrighted. There was also the possibility that he would have been claimed of waivers, and obviously the Twins felt they might need his RH bat after losing Correa and with Royce Lewis having left a game with a hamstring injury that led to an IL assignment. 

    Also, if Luplow was outrighted instead of being optioned, he would no longer be automatically eligible to play in the post-season (except as a possible injury replacement).

    Not only did Carlos Correa go on the IL, Royce Lewis went on the IL, too, two days after Correa went on the IL and two days after Luplow was optioned to AAA, so the Twins did in fact end up needing Luplow after all, and recalled him just a couple of days after he was optioned to replace Lewis on the MLB 28-man roster. 

    So that all I've got. That is the only thing that makes sense. The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they had intended to replace him on the 40 with another player (probably Paddack) and hoped that they would be able to run him through waivers and that he wouldn't get claimed and that he would accept an Outright Assignment, but then they suddenly changed their minds because of the injury to Correa and the possibility that Lewis might also have to go on the IL (which did, in fact, happen the next day).

    So the Twins were able to return Luplow to the 40 because he hadn't been replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment, then they optioned him to St. Paul, and then they recalled him after Royce Lewis was placed on the 10-day IL (the minimum 10-day optional assignment being waived because Luplow replaced a player (Royce Lewis) who was placed on an MLB IL. 

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:00 pm (view)

    CIN out here blowing a 9-0 lead they built through 3 innings.  9-9 tie in the 7th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:05 pm (view)

    boxburger 10d IL, k.thompson back up.  it's his right forearm (again).

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:12 pm (view)

    merryweather got out of it, but he loaded the bases with 1 out.  of course ross got cuas up in the pen...thankfully he didn't need to come in.

    looks like cuas gets the 9th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:46 pm (view)

    4ip 2h 0bb 6k, 49 pitches.  no idea why they're giving the pen the last 2 innings when he's out there dealing like this and only threw 49 pitches.  he was supposed to pitch tomorrow and he's fresh.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    ...and assad is now a pen arm, evidently...odd move given recent success.  i guess wicks starts tomorrow?

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:16 pm (view)

    ARZ, MIA, and CIN all lose.  nice.

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:54 pm (view)

    stroman is now the saturday starter...okay, then.

  • jdrnym 09/22/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    Phil,

    Jordan Luplow was DFA'd by the Twins on Monday and was ultimately optioned and then recalled today. I didn't think that was possible since optional waivers were eliminated years ago. How did that work for the Twins?

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