Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Huseby Has Bat - Will Travel

Chris Huseby singled twice, doubled, walked, and knocked-in three runs, Alvaro Ramirez singled three times, stole two bases, and scored two runs, and George Matheus had three hits and scored twice, leading the EXST Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the EXST A’s in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Papago Park Field #2 in Phoenix this morning.

Whether Huseby was put into the batting order as a Designated Hitter just for today as some type of therapy to help him clear his head and deal with his control issues as a pitcher, or whether he will actually be attempting a position move to OF, is not yet clear. But he definitely knows what he’s doing with the bat, and for a 6’7 dude, he showed good speed on the bases, too (sliding head-first into 3rd base, he was thrown out 9-4-5 trying to stretch the double into a triple, but it took a perfect relay to nail him). He also demonstrated a good eye at the plate, working the count in all four AB, and even drawing a walk on a 3-2 pitch.

AA Tennessee LHP Casey Lambert (September 2010 TJS) got into his first game action since undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery last September, and he should have had an easy 1-2-3 inning, except he himself made an errant throw to 1st base on what should have been the 3rd out. This prolonged the inning, and he was eventually relieved with two outs and two men on base (the E-1 was followed by a two-out single) after throwing 18 pitches (13 strikes). The 24-year old Lambert was a closer in college at the U. of Virginia, but the Cubs moved him to the starting rotation at Tennessee last season. However, the move from the bullpen to the rotation and the accompanying increase in the number of pitches he all of sudden was throwing per game is thought to have put too much of a strain on his elbow (he throws mainly breaking balls), so he will supposedly be used exclusively as a reliever (set-up man or closer) when he is returns to Tennessee.

Bobby Wagner once again warmed-up pitchers in the bullpen throughout the game, and he also now has his own catcher’s gear bag, so it seems pretty likely that he is being converted to catcher. One thing that stands out about Wagner is that while he isn’t a particularly good hitter (he strikes out a LOT), he does have plus-power.

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

LINEUP:
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, 2B: 2-5 (F-7, F-7, 3-U, 2B, 1B, RBI, CS)
2. Arismendy Alcantara, SS: 0-5 (L-8, K, K, 5-3, 3-U)
3. Brandon May, 1B: 0-4 (E-1, L-1, K, L-4)
4. Xavier Batista, RF: 2-4 (1B, 1B, F-9, K)
5. Alvaro Ramirez, LF: 3-4 (K, 1B, 1B, 1B, 2 R, 2 SB)
6. Sergio Burruel, C: 0-4 (6-3, E-4, E-4, F-7, R)
7. George Matheus, 3B: 3-4 (1B, 1B, 1B, F-9, 2 R)
8. Chris Huseby, DH #1: 3-3 (1B, BB, 2B, 1B, 3 RBI)
9a. Rafael Disla, DH #2: 0-1 (F-9 SF, 5-4 FC, RBI)
9b. Blair Springfield, PH-DH: 1-2 (1B, K)
10. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 1-4 (1B, 1-U, E-1, K, R)

PITCHERS:
1. Casey Lambert – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 18 pitches (13 strikes)
2. Eduardo Figueroa – 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 3/3, 46 pitches (28 strikes)
3. Frank Batista - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GO/FO, 31 pitches (20 strikes)
4. Hector Mayora - 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 21 pitches (13 strikes)
5. Drew Rundle - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 25 pitches (15 strikes)
6. Corey Martin - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 10 pitches (6 strikes)

ERRORS: 2
1. P Casey Lambert E-1 (errant throw to 1st base on comebacker to the mound allowed batter to reach base – did not score)
2. SS Arismendy Alcantara E-6 (dropped two-out pop-up in short CF allowing batter to reach base and runner on 2nd base to score unearned run)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sergio Burruel: 0-1 CS

ATTENDANCE: 12

WEATHER: Partly cloudy and breezy with temperatures in the 80’s

Comments

That's a weird one. Has there ever been a good hitter who was 6'7"? How tall is Sexton? Hey Fukudome, it's OK to advance to third on a fly ball to left, for future reference.

there's so many things wrong with the top of the 8th i don't know where to begin...so i won't. btw, why does Z have an off-day? weird stuff...

Uh, Lou -- Grabow instead of Marshall? Why? How could you possibly think that was a good idea? Seriously. And that "Z to the pen" move just keeps looking better -- very helpful to have him in the dugout to pinch-run. Lee and A-Ram are complete toast -- 8th inning, crap pitcher throwing straight, 92 mph fastballs down the middle, and both batters are completely over-matched. Not even a loud foul ball. They are scary bad.

I am taking a stand here -- I refuse to give Marmol a blown save for this game. I intend to wake up Bud Selig and file a petition.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

HAHA! Seriously, I agree, to place Marmol in a situation with NO bases open, and trying to rely on he - ahem - control to protect a lead the LOOGY asshole really blew for the team, is just completely unfair. I have had it with this manager - and I hope the "owner" can have the stones to start making changes finally. But I doubt it. He just wants to shake hands and spend money on new troughs to pee in. Thanks Tom!

Lou is announcing post-game that Zambrano will be transitioned to longer relief appearances, and is suggesting that he will be returned to the rotation.

Weirdness. Lou's post-game conference -- he says they are changing Z's role in the bullpen. "We're going to get him some stamina, build up his arm and get him ready to pitch in long relief." He may have also said something about eventually going back into the rotation. I didn't quite catch the last part of his comments. Anyone else hear that?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Could they have cut off the press conference before it ended? I was only listening on the radio, but the quotes I posted above were just that -- quotes. I heard it on WGN's post-game wrap up show and again during Kaplan's "10th Inning" radio show and I transcribed it word-for-word. [edit] I also heard Lou's "We'll leave it at that" comment. The reporters kept questioning him after that, which is when the quotes I transcribed above occurred.

Lou on post-game: "We are stretching out Zambrano for a different role." Levine asked if he will go back to to the rotation, and Lou did not confirm this. Personally, I do not understand this. The starters are doing a very nice job for the most part - Lou is going to stay with the lefty's for the 8th inning (had he done the right move - Marshall could have finished the game in the 8th, you asshole Lou!)

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

It may or not be true that Zambrano isn't suited for the role, but to say that just after Grabow's shannigans really makes Lou look stupid.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    i know it's still very early, but i'd like to go into the xmas-to-newyears part of the off-season with something more than...*checks list*...patrick wisdom avoids arbitration with a 1-year deal

    also, steven brault retired and was spotted at the winter meetings with a demo reel and making contacts trying to break into broadcasting (not a joke).  unless he's more optimistic than talented (we already know he can sing) he should make it one day because he seems to be very serious about it.

  • Cubster (view)

    I blame Jason Schmidt’s 3/44

  • Craig A. (view)

    Was all that stuff with the Blue Jays just to squeeze an extra $10 million/yr out of the Dodgers?  It's more than enough to cover his California income taxes!

  • crunch (view)

    unless he pitches into his late-30 that is gonna sting.  a 70m DH...ow.

    it's great to take care of 2 roster spots in 1 player, and i'm sure the team will cut into the pay with the amount of merch/etc he can sell just by being attached to the team....but yeah, i'm not mad the cubs didn't go that extreme.

  • WebAdmin (view)

    Shohei Ohtani to join Dodgers according to ESPN. 10 years for $700 m
  • Cubster (view)

    I'm getting the feeling that Todd Walker might be a Shaw comp. A valuable hit first player but limited albeit not awful on defense. Hopefully, he has more upside. Not a bad floor if Steve Garvey is his ceiling.

  • Wrigley Rat (view)

    AZ Phil - If that's the level of return, I would want NO part of that trade to Cleveland for Clase and Bieber. I have some faith that the Cubs have a strong plan for which prospects they will keep (even if they dangle them in trade talks) and which they will move, because they have plenty of solid prospects they can trade but they shouldn't be trading any of the ones they hope will be future core players. Some guys are redundant, so I hope they choose the right players to keep and the right players to move. It's always important for a team to know its own minor league players better than scouts from other teams (obviously), but I don't think that's always been the case for the Cubs and many other clubs. 

    Cubster - I watched an interview with Carter Hawkins a couple days ago where he said that although Morel hasn't gotten into any Dominican games at 1B, the Cubs did send coaches down with Morel to work on first base skills during practice. So he is developing those skills, whether the Cubs end up using him there or not will probably be dependent on a lot of factors including how those coaches think he looks at the position while training. 

  • tim815 (view)

    He could still play SS at Double-A, but Vazquez, Hoerner, and Swanson are much better defensively, arm strength or not. I'd be good leaving Shaw at SS with McGeary and Ballesteros around, but by the first of June (?), 1B might make sense in DM.

  • crunch (view)

    i have no reason to see a problem, it just seems like it's his most obvious reason to give pause on him at 1st.

    the cubs situation dictates 2nd/SS isn't an option.  his arm dictates 3rd isn't an option.  1st or CF seems to be his best path and he's only played CF in summer ball back in highschool/college...and of course PCA is a better + closer to the bigs CF.

    it's a lot safer to say he's made for 1st than it is he's made for 3rd.  even as a SS his arm is weak, and it's not like his glove is so great he needs to stay in the middle-IF.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CRUNCH: Steve Garvey (one of Shaw's comps as a hitter) was a 5'10 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Jeff Bagwell (another Shaw comp) was a 6'0 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Carlos Santana (who played 1B for Counsell in Milwaukee last season and is an above-average defensive first-baseman) is 5'11. It's not like Shaw is 5'7 or 5'8. I don't really see the problem.