Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Rumor Round-Up: Halladay, Bradley

Submitted by Rob G. on

- Muskat blogged that the Blue Jays contacted the Cubs about Roy Halladay.

...there's a catch. He's owed $15.75 million in 2010, and the Blue Jays want some of the Cubs' top prospects. No. 1, the team can't take on Halladay's salary. The Blue Jays apparently have a wish list and Milton Bradley is not on it. A player like highly regarded shortstop Starlin Castro most likely is, and the Cubs don't want to part with him, especially since they might only have Halladay for one year.

A good time to show your committment to winning Ricketts family - we're all counting on you.

- Phil Rogers tried to sell a 3-way trade of Luis Castillo to the Cubs, Kevin Millwood to the Mets and Milton Bradley to the Rangers. It was quickly shot down though by the Cubs and Rangers.

- Carlos Marmol claimed the Cubs were pursuing Pedro Martinez, but the Cubs shot down that as well.

- John Grabow's deal is official, 2/7.5M. A report from Bruce Levine said it would go up by a million in the second year, so that makes it $3.25M in 2010 and $4.25M in 2011 if that ends up being the case. Also should note that Grabow's been dealing with bone chips as well for the last three years. I'm sure that won't bite the Cubs in the ass.

- Last day to enter the TCR Free Agent Frenzy contest, I'll shut it down sometime this weekend.

Tags
Cubs rumors
Milton Bradley
Roy Halladay

Comments

Submitted by Sweet Lou on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:15 pm

Muskat says the Cubs don't have the budget room to add Halladay, but don't you make an exception for a play like him if you can get him for the right price? I would assume that any team that trades for Halladay would want to negotiate a contract extension with him before a deal is finalized. If the Cubs are going to take on his $15.75 million salary in 2010 and possibly give up Castro (among others), I would think they would want a guarantee of Halladay being around for more than just one year.

Submitted by John Beasley on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:21 pm

Who would want to trade for the best pitcher in baseball and make him just the fourth-highest-paid player on your incredibly average, incredibly overpaid team? And they won't give up a baby shortstop to get him? Lies. The truth is: They're broke from buying the team, and there won't any money spent on anybody until there's some revenue. So in the meantime, it's only been 102 years, why not wait two or three more before we start to try?

Submitted by Sweet Lou on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:30 pm

I think it was MikeC who said on a previous thread that he has a feeling that Ricketts will want to make a splash in his first year owning the Cubs. Adding Halladay, even if it means trading Castro, would be viewed as a big splash.

[ ]

Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:59 pm

I would think it would be only natural for a new owner who wants to win to make a big splash, but they've done a great job of staying under the radar if that's the case. Everything sounds like we're back to pinching pennies. I can't get that line at the press conference out of my head...the one from Rickett's brother about Hendry asking the Ricketts to eat some money to get rid of a clubhouse cancer..."Jim knows better than to come to us and ask that." That doesn't sound like owners who are going to make a splash with a big deal that costs more money.

Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:56 pm

Since there are so many three way trades being rumored, I wonder if a 3 way deal with the Cubs/Rays/Braves would make sense for each team. The Rays would end up with Bradley, the Braves would get Burrell to play 1b for a year (doesn't ATL need a 1b? I haven't heard anything about them trying to resign Laroche). What the Cubs get back wouldn't really matter. I'm sure there would be some prospects going somewhere. What do you think?

[ ]

Submitted by Tony S. on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:05 pm

Do I think it sounds semi-plausible, yes. Heck, one of the Braves blogs was talking Bradley himself (although I'm sure we were picking up the tab in that scenario). They're also hot to move D Lowe and his salary, I'd take him and hope for a bounce-back year; I loved him for Wrigley a couple years ago for his GBs. End of the day, I think you're with me, let's not get greedy. I'd take a ham sammich and last year's program for MB at this point, if somebody else pays his salary.

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:50 pm

yeesh... this is a 140 million dollar team. there's 20+ teams out there that don't have a 1-4 starting crew like the cubs and/or 3+ legit 30HR power guys on their teams. ...not to mention the "support" crew guys like fukudome/theriot/etc. the cubs have done a lot more with a lot less compared to last year, but this isn't some hopeless crew of misfits.

[ ]

Submitted by Tony S. on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:18 pm

You don't usually strike me as the upbeat one. All I see for 30 HR power are Lee and ARam at this point; who's the other 1+? Soriano and Soto together maybe? And who's the 4th starter that 20+ teams don't have? Or do some other teams actually have a capital-A Ace, so they don't give a shit about their 4th starter? The one thing we've had the last few years that other teams don't is Ted Lilly. Look, I love Randy Wells as much as the next guy, but let's look at the sterling careers of big Cub rookies not named Greg Maddux or Kerry Wood. The Cubs have definitely done more with less, but unless you didn't watch any games this year, they played EXACTLY like a hopeless crew of misfits. Combined with that price tag, easily mistaken with, oh, the New York Mets. I'm usually the one full of hope and excitement for anything Cubs, but I'm getting fucking sick of this. With the few obvious exceptions, this team played shitty and got hurt last year, period. If my name were Tom Ricketts, I wouldn't just fire sale. I'd look at what I just paid, I'd ask D Lee, and maybe Marmol to step outside and then light the sonuvabitch on fire and watch it burn. ... Okay, I've taken a deep breath. But seriously, saying their not a "hopeless crew of misfits" is letting the players off easy IMO. I wouldn't consider ANYONE untouchable at this point.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:44 pm

yeah, but im crossing mark prior's fingers hoping lilly can put in most of a season. on our starters... i don't think wells is the next big thing, but he seems to be a decent enough 3-4 slot pitcher. he'd be a solid #2 or 3 starter on many teams out there. on the flipside...any of Z/dumpster/lilly would be solid #2 starters on a lot of teams with true OMG aces. i like the combo of guys more than any of them individually. it's a crew of 4 guys would could be #2 or 3 starters...

[ ]

Submitted by Tony S. on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:50 pm

I want to believe, I do. But we also need to face facts. DLee turned 34 in September. I love the guy, but would also be surprised to see a repeat of last year ever again by him. Soriano turns 34 in January. Legs aren't what they used to be, nagging injuries, bit of a head case, etc. Hasn't played more than 135 games (2007) since he's been here, and hasn't seen 30+ since then either. He's been miraculously healed? Aram will be only 32 in June. Again, I like him, I do think he tries, and I've seen him become more clutch, which is awesome. Having said that, he hasn't been north of 30 HR since 2006, and despite his torrid start this past year it would have taken him 164 games and 612 AB to hit 30 based on the 15 he did hit. You want someone to hit homeruns? I begged and cried for Adam Dunn last offseason. Say what you will, but Adam Dunn is a power threat, period. The guys we have now, excepting (on some days) DLee and ARam, are not. Waiting for "bounce-back" years out of players is getting real old; remember the Wood/Prior sagas? The coaches have changed, many of the players have changed, now ownership has changed. As much as I hate to admit it, Jim Hendry is the last ass to pin the tail on. I think he's good, and I've defended his decisions at times (Soriano for instance) but he flat fucked up last offseason, and everybody but him knew it. He's leaning too hard on paying people for one year (Dempster, Bradley, Miles, etc) and it's not paying off. If I'm Tom Ricketts, I keep my mouth shut until about the A/S break next year, and if I'm not pretty damn happy with my new pet by then, Jimbo hits the streets.

[ ]

Submitted by Tony S. on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:54 am

While I'm sure that's true, riddle me this: True or false, Demp got his contract based in large part on market value for a guy with a sub-3 ERA. True. True or false, He won't ever do that again. Obviously conjecture, but I think, True. True or false, Bradley got signed to 3/30 after his .999 OPS season and 20(? or so) HR to be the left-handed threat in the lineup (while Abreu was still available). True. True or false, he won't do that again either, especially in a Cubs uniform. True. Miles got paid for a career year as well that he won't repeat. My point is, guys like Abreu and Ibanez were out there last year, models of consistency, something it seems the Cubs have a hell of a time grasping, and Hendry continues to go get the "career year" guys.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:41 am

Your first one is false. Guys with sub 3 ERA's get $20 million + contracts. The second one. He's unlikely to do that again. He'll probably pitch about like he did last year. That according to Fangraphs - and I'm not crazy about how they have come up with all their valuations but for a starting pitcher who was a FA after 2008 it's probably close enough to use it as a basis - Dempster's season last year was worth $16.4 million. Had he not broke his foot in a freak accident he would have been 'worth' more. He got paid $12 million if you count the signing bonus. On Bradley's contract. You left out the other corner outfielder in your evaluation who actually has led the AL in OPS. Manny Ramirez got $25 million. Bradley was the best defensive player of the five options - only Abreu could nominally claim that he could play right field. $10 million a year is not market value for someone who gives you an OPS of 1, even for 500 PAs. Again on Miles, yes he had a career year, but he certainly didn't get paid like a switch hitter who could play middle infield and hit .317. Orlando Hudson got paid what, $6+ million during the last off-season?

[ ]

Submitted by Paul Noce on Sun, 11/22/2009 - 11:24 pm

Guys with a 1.468 career WHIP don't get $52 million dollar contracts, unless Jim Hendry falls in love with you. The rest of the guys with WHIP's like that bounce from team to team and out of baseball. The 10 pitchers who Dempster's career stats most closely resemble, from Baseball-Reference: Matt Clement, Doug Davis, Mark Gardner, Omar Olivares, Mike Lacoss, Pete Foytack, Brett Tomko, Tom Underwood, Cal Eldred, Vic Sorrell. Any of those guys worth $52 million over 4 years? I'd rather have a healthy Matt Clement than a healthy Ryan Dempster. Dempster is a great guy, but he's a journeyman pitcher that our genius GM is paying like a star thanks to one completely out-of-the-blue career year.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sun, 11/22/2009 - 11:22 pm

Seriously, what are you talking about? Star pitchers make $20+ million a year. That's what Santanna and Sabathia got and that's what Peavy's contract runs to and that's what Halladay will get. Dempster makes $13 million a year. That's $3.5 million less than AJ Burnett got. He was worth more than that in 2008, and he was worth more than that in 2009. Read this: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-dempster-contract I have no idea how BR comes up with their comps, but the #1 comp pitched 65.2 innings during his 31 and 32 year old seasons. Dempster pitched 406.2 (with about a 140 ERA+). How are those two pitchers comparable for age 31 to 34 seasons (the length of Dempster's contract)? Nothing I said is not a fact, the only thing disputable is the valuation of Dempster's performance - but there's no way it was worth $8 million or whatever you think he should have been paid last year.

[ ]

Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:00 pm

If they stay healthy and produce anywhere near their career norms, they should be right in the race. The staying healthy part is the kicker. I told a couple of friends before last season that they were probably due for some injuries after two mostly injury free seasons. Unfortunately that turned out to be true. The bullpen as-is still scares me a bit, but you'll never know if Caridad can mature unless you let him show you. I love Guzman, but he's so injury prone, you just have to expect he'll get injured every year and hope he doesn't blow out his elbow again. I understand Ricketts not rushing out to spend more money. Hendry has been throwing money around like donuts the last few years, and those backloaded contracts are tightening around Jimbo's neck. The sad thing is if it doesn't work out and Hendry ends up being fired in a year, he's not the one who has to deal with paying Soriano until he's 39 or 40.

Submitted by carmenfanzone on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:20 pm

Can't blame the jays for approaching the cubs-they sur don't want him w the yanks or red sox, leaving the cubs, phils, mets or dodgers as the most likely to afford him. The dodgers and mets don't have any good prospects, so that leaves the cobs or phils. No one wants to make the phils that powerful-so bring on the cubs. Getting Halliday would be a terrific move

Submitted by DavidP on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 11:35 pm

i All I see for 30 HR power are Lee and ARam at this point; With only two guys that can hit 30 home runs, they probably will be as bad as other teams that only had two guys that could hit 30 home runs. Like the Yankees.

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Submitted by Charlie on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:05 am

At most college institutions we teach students not to use the word "gay" in class or in their writing to describe things that they simply dislike or disapprove of. The consensus within most departments is that we should do this because it essentially says homosexual=bad, being that the primary use of gay these days is to describe a person (usually a man) as being attracted to someone of the same sex, and the second most common is to describe something with perceived negative qualities. I prefer to think, however, that we teach them not to use the word "gay" in that manner because it makes them sound like they are in the fourth grade.

[ ]

Submitted by Charlie on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:12 pm

Unfortunately, it is a guideline that occasionally has to be explained to college students, especially freshmen. The word "gay," of course, has developed some cognitive distance from its traditional meaning happy, exuberant, etc., in that we rarely use it that way anymore. Instead we use it to denote men who are sexually attracted to other men. The connotation of flamboyance and exuberance is obviously still there, but not to such a strong degree (my opinion) that the homosexual men who are otherwise typically "masculine" can't claim it as well. In fact, I think that the more it used to apply to homosexual men who display few typically "feminine" traits, the less the term will be associated with femininity. Words are funny like that--they can lose associations just like they can gain them. If you're looking for an innocuous word to attach to the entire "gay" community, good luck. Homosexual has problems all its own, and LGBTQ is clumsy (and still misleadingly categorical, even if it offers more categories). Wrong forum much? Yes. Yes, indeed.

Submitted by Southpaw on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:47 am

It is 4:30 in the a.m. and I keep having night terrors of Soriano's contract. 2014 seems like light years away. It completely disgusts me how anyone in the organization at the time thought this was a good idea. The best transaction for the Cubs this year is the sale of the team and the ballpark. Tony S. is right when he said, “If I'm Tom Ricketts, I keep my mouth shut until about the A/S break next year, and if I'm not pretty damn happy with my new pet by then, Jimbo hits the streets". I think Ricketts is going to sit back and not jump in and seem like an over zealous owner. I would love to see Ricketts ask Steve Stone to over see baseball operations for the Cubs; Stoney has said he would be open to explore opportunities to over see player development and such. Corporate ownership and ideologies has been the downfall of the organization for many years. If the Cubs had baseball guys who fully understand how to properly sustain a good baseball team, Hendry would not have been allowed to offer that ridiculous contract for Soriano.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:39 am

In general the "TCR community" thought that the Soriano contract was a necessary evil at the time. The Cubs needed an infusion of talent, and that give or take $10 million was the price that it cost to get the best free agent hitter onto the roster. No one, probably not even people in the Cubs organization thought that the contract would "end well", but Soriano just wasn't interested in signing a 3 or 4 year deal. Unfortunately the wheels seem to have come off quicker than we hoped. Personally I haven't given up all hope that he can return to his 2007 form - a competent defender and and in stretches a dangerous force at the plate.

Submitted by Southpaw on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:01 am

My Christmas Wish list: Dear Santa (aka Rob G), All I want for Christmas, 1. Soriano's contract off the books 2. Milton Badley off the team and if you have time, his contract as well! 4. Steve Stone 5. Carl Crawford 6. Chone Figgins 7. Some bullpen help and a 200 plus inning top of the rotation pitcher 8. And for the entire 2010 Cubs to be injury free! I'm not asking for much and if you could expedite this it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Southpaw (aka Loogy)

Submitted by Seamhead on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:42 pm

Rob: If we haven't done one already, how about a "Milton Bradley Destination" poll? The one who comes closest to picking (a) the team who gets him (b) the player(s) the Cubs must take back in return and (c) how much money the Cubs have to eat, wins.

Submitted by Tito on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 11:14 pm

Dude, I have no personal stake in the degree of Len's nerdiness. I think if you asked Len if he was nerdy, he'd agree. I just found the way you presented it a little odd. You've not provided anything that is amazing in its nerdiness. That's all. I watch the games, too. I'm pretty aware of what Len says.

Recent comments

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: I think there was an issue with Luke Little coming into a game with men on base. He seems to need a "clean" inning to be dominant. So he is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AAA. Same goes for Michael Arias. He needs to come into a "clean" inning, and is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AA. Porter Hodge is a more versatile pitcher, a better version of Keegan Thompson (multi-inning RP). But Little, Arias, and Hodge (probably in that order) are the Cubs top three RP prospects (all three are Cubs Top 15 prospects).

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