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

Dubois Always a Big Hit at Extended Spring Training

Jason Dubois doubled and walked, scored a run, and drove-in another, but the EXST Angels rallied with a run in the 7th and another in the 8th to edge the EXST Cubs 5-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.

Dubois (on the AAA Iowa Cubs DL since April 21st with back spasms) played LF and got four Plate Appearances over the first six innings, striking out swinging in the 2nd, walking on a 3-2 pitch in the 3rd, ripping an RBI double off the LF fence in the 5th (and eventually scoring), and bouncing out 5-3 in the 6th. He is expected to rejoin the I-Cubs at Reno sometime this weekend.

18-year old Taiwanese INF Pin-Chieh Chen (hitting 345/419/382) saw his first action in the field since April 26th, playing 2B for six innings. Chen had been relegated to DH duty for the past couple of weeks while nursing a sore arm, but he looked just fine today (at least he did not appear to have any difficulty making all required throws).

While The Cubs and Angels were playing their game on Field #3, AA Tennessee LHP Casey Lambert (2009 TJS rehab) threw a two-inning simulated game on Field #1 and reported good results. Barring any setbacks, his next step will probably be to throw in an EXST game.

Yesterday was a Camp Day (no EXST game), and so Cubs Minor League Pitching Coordinator Mark Riggins took the opportuntity to spend some time working one-on-one with struggling RHP Chris Huseby on Field #4. In his one and only EXST appearance (before Riggins arrived), Huseby walked all four batters he faced on 16 pitches (no strikes).

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only)

NOTE: LF Jason Dubois batted third in four of the first six innings, getting four Plate Appearances total in the game. Also, the game was extended one extra half-inning to allow Cubs RHP Tzu-An Wang to get his pre-scheduled work.

LINEUP:
X. Jason Dubois, LF: 1-3 (K, BB, 2B, 5-3, R, RBI)
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, 2B-DH: 1-4 (5-3, P-6, 1B, K, RBI)
2. Runey Davis, CF: 0-4 (F-8, F-8, F-9, F-9)
3. Jesus Morelli, RF: 1-4 (F-9, 2B, K, L-5, R)
4. Brandon May, 3B: 2-4 (F-9, 2B, F-9, 1B, R, RBI)
5. Albert Hernandez, 1B-LF: 1-4 (F-8, K, 3-1, 1B)
6a. Luis Flores, C: 1-1 (BB, 1B, RBI)
6b. Carlos Romero, C: 1-2 (1B, K)
7. Wes Darvill, SS: 1-3 (K, L-6, 2-3 SH, 1B, CS)
8a. Cody Shields, DH-LF: 1-3 (P-2, 1B, 1-3, R, 2 SB)
8b. Bobby Wagner, PH-1B: 0-1 (K)
9. Vismeldy Bieneme, DH-2B: 0-2 (BB, P-1, BB, K, SB)

PITCHERS:
1. Tarlandus Mitchell – 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 2/4 GO/FO, 59 pitches (29 strikes)
NOTE: Mitchell’s third inning was terminated (“rolled”) with two outs and runners at 1st & 3rd after Mitchell had thrown 26 pitches in the inning
2. Austin Kirk – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 1/4 GO/FO, 39 pitches (23 strikes)
3. Hector Mayora – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/FO, 25 pitches (13 strikes)
4. Jadel Mendez - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 16 pitches (10 strikes)
5. Jesse Ginley - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/0 GO/FO, 13 pitches (7 strikes)
6. Tzu-An Wang - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 0/1 GO/FO, 18 pitches (12 strikes)

ERRORS: (2)
1. C Luis Flores E-2 (errant throw into CF on pickoff attempt at 2nd base allowed runner to advance from 2nd to 3rd – did not score)
2. SS Wes Darvill E-6 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base and runner on 2nd base to score unearned run)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Luis Flores: 1-2 CS, 1 E (see above)
Carlos Romero: 1-2 CS

ATTENDANCE: 5 (two Cub fans, one Angels fan on a bicycle, a woman on a cell-phone, and a dog on a leash)

WEATHER: Partly cloudy with temperatures in the 70’s

Comments

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page…
the Cubs must see what executives on other teams see -- namely, that "this guy hasn't pitched like a top-of-the-rotation starter for two years," pointed out one of the executives.
basically says no reliever for the cubs to trade for right now to move Z back and he'll be in the bullpen for awhile longer.

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

Submitted by Hagsag on Thu, 05/13/2010 - 4:25pm. Phil, have the Cubs had any future draft prospects at Fitch for workouts? =================================== HAGSAG: No. Other than 17+ year old international players (who can be signed at any time) and NDFA from the previous Rule 4 draft who are not attending college (who can be signed at any time up until one week before the next Rule 4 Draft), HS and college players who are eligible for selection in the next Rule 4 Draft (June Draft) cannot be worked-out by MLB clubs until one week prior to the draft. So we won't be seeing any HS or college players at Fitch Park until the week of May 31st (the last week of Extended Spring Training).

the FLA bench in the NYM/FLA game are busy making fake binoculars out of paper gatoraide cups with the ends torn off and athletic tape. hanley's got a pair...others are making some... sigh...it's like watching an extra innings college game...or little league...same thing.

Today is Jeff Samardzija's 20th day on Optional Assignment to the minors in 2010, meaning he will definitely be out of minor league options in 2011. In addition to being out of minor league options in 2011, Samardzija will have a $2.8M guaranteed MLB salary and "no trade" rights, meaning he would have to give his permission before he could be traded or before he could be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers. So Samardzija will be essentially a Rule 5 player in 2011 in that he will have to remain on the Cubs 25-man roster for the entire season, unless he waives his NTC, in which case the Cubs could trade him or outright him to the minors. Otherwise the only way the Cubs would be able to remove The Shark from the 25-man roster and 40-man roster prior to the end of the 2011 season (when a club option or mutual option kicks-in, which would eliminate his NTC) is by Outright Release. And if the Cubs were to release Samardzija next season, they would be on the hook for Samardzija's entire 2011 salary ($2.8M), minus the MLB minimum salary (but that's only IF Samardzija is signed to a major league contract by another club). Micah Hoffpauir and Sam Fuld will also be out of minor league options next season among player with five or less years of MLB Service Time, along with the five who are already out of options (Jeff Baker, Tom Gorzelanny, Angel Guzman, Koyie Hill, and Geovany Soto). And Jeff Gray will be out of options in 2011 if he spends at least four more days on Optional Assignment in 2010 (meaning if he is not recalled by next Monday).

I was looking at Cot's and saw a couple things I wasn't aware of previously: Ramirez's no trade clause runs out after the 2010 season. Zambrano's option is only a player option if he is top 2 in 2011 Cy Young vote or top 4 in 2012. Dempster does not have a NTC Silva's contract guarantees him a suite on road trips (like Soriano) Samardzija get $3.5M next year and club option is for $6.5M (!) in 2012 Grabow money split is $2.7M this year and $4.8M (!!) next year Koyie Hill gets paid more than Soto $700k to $575k $103M committed to 2011 already, before arbitration eligible players: Theriot Marmol Fontenot Baker Marshall Guzman Gorzelanny Hill Soto $62.5M committed to 2012 (before arb eligible), mainly to Soriano, Zambrano, Dempster. Cot's has $6.5M listed for Samardzija - I'm assuming that this is an error and he has not caused one of his options to vest and guaranteed his spot on the 2012 roster

AZ PHIL: I am curious what your take is on Robinson Chirinos. I know he is a converted 2B, old for AA, and an impending Minor League FA....but he is also raking in AA. Is he considered a legit ML prospect (as a backup C perhaps)? What is the take on Wellington Castillo these days? Good arm, some pop, has trouble making contact...kind of like Henry Blanco redux, no? Good contract discussion, I love Cots. The only player we can really trade for salary relief is Carlos Silva, and amazingly, there might even be a few takers (if we foot some of the bill).

[ ]

In reply to by Q-Ball

I usually suck at prognosticating but I said when the Cubs picked up Silva that if he gets his sinker working he'd be a good fit for Wrigley. I am still a little skeptical he'll stay this good all season, so his trade value is high for a few minutes maybe. I sure wish he'd lay off the fast food, though.

[ ]

In reply to by Q-Ball

Submitted by Q-Ball on Fri, 05/14/2010 - 7:18am. AZ PHIL: I am curious what your take is on Robinson Chirinos. I know he is a converted 2B, old for AA, and an impending Minor League FA....but he is also raking in AA. Is he considered a legit ML prospect (as a backup C perhaps)? What is the take on Wellington Castillo these days? Good arm, some pop, has trouble making contact...kind of like Henry Blanco redux, no? ============================================== Q-BALL: This is Robinson Chirinos' 10th season in the Cubs organization, and he has yet to get past AA. It's not unusual for very experienced minor league players (Brandon Sing was a good example) to dominate younger AA pitchers, so I wouldn't read too much into what Chirinos is doing at AA this year. Chirinos has failed to launch into AAA over the years, even though he has had oportunities to make the Iowa roster in Minor League Camp every year going back to 2007, but he just couldn't do it. I do know that the Cubs like Robinson Chirinos as as "Crash Davis" type mentor for the younger Latin players coming through the system, and that he will almost certainly remain with the Cubs as a coach or manager once his playing days are over. As for whether he is an MLB prospect, I would say probably not. However, it's always possible that if the stars align just right, he could get some MLB Service Time as a back-up C-IF at some point. As for Welington Castillo, as you may know I rated him as a Cubs Top 10 Prospect again last November, and I haven't changed my mind. Castillo is still raw (his receiving skills need work), but he is THE best throwing catcher in the organization, and he has legit HR power. He strikes out too much and doesn't take many walks, but he is an MLB prospect. He just turned 23 last month.

From Witt: "Who's on third? The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the guy who impersonated Cubs outfielder Tyler Colvin last winter to steal a truck from a dealership has been sentenced this week to six months in jail. Authorities are now said to be investigating the guy impersonating Aramis Ramirez trying to make off with more than $15 million of the Cubs' payroll."

Theriot 4, Byrd 8, Lee 3, Nady 9, Ramirez 5, Soriano 7, Soto 2, Castro 6, Gorzelanny 1 lefty on the mound for Pirates

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Lineups like these make me wonder if Lou has ever spoken to a pitcher about lineup construction. I'm not going to pretend to personally know, but from watching it sure seems like pitchers are able to get into a grove a lot more easily when they only face guys batting from the same side of the batter's box.

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.