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

Updated Cubs Post-Season Roster

I posted something regarding the Cubs post-season roster options here at TCR last month, but here is the updated Cubs 2008 post-season roster eligibility list.

The 29 players on this list are automatically eligible to be included on any of the Cubs three post-season 25-man rosters (NLDS, NLCS, or World Series).

Any player on this list who is on the DL prior to the start of a post-season series can be replaced on the active roster by any player (regardless of position) who was in the Cubs organization as of midnight 8/31.

And any player on the list who is injured during a post-season series (NLDS, NLCS, or WS) can (with approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced on the active roster during that series by any player who was in the Cubs organization as of 8/31, as long as the player plays the same position as the injured player. If this were to happen, the injured player is ineligible to return to the active roster for the duration of the post-season, although the replacement player could be exchanged for a different player (regardless of position) who was in the Cubs organization as of 8/31 prior to the start of the next post-season series (NLCS or WS).     

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS (16):
* Neal Cotts
Ryan Dempster
Chad Fox (placed on DL - 5/19)
Chad Gaudin
Angel Guzman (reactivated from DL - 9/1)
Rich Harden
* Rich Hill (placed on DL - 8/31)
Bob Howry
Jon Lieber (reactivated from DL - 9/1)
* Ted Lilly
Carlos Marmol
* Sean Marshall
Jason Marquis
Jeff Samardzija
Kerry Wood
Carlos Zambrano

CATCHERS (2):
Henry Blanco
Geovany Soto

INFIELDERS (6):
Ronny Cedeno
Mark DeRosa
* Mike Fontenot
Derrek Lee
Aramis Ramirez
Ryan Theriot

OUTFIELDERS (5):
Jim Edmonds
* Kosuke Fukudome
Reed Johnson
Alfonso Soriano
* Daryle Ward

To keep maximum roster flexibility for the three post-season series, the Cubs will certainly keep C. Fox and R. Hill on the DL through the balance of the regular season. Doing this will allow the Cubs to add two players to their post-season roster who were not on the Cubs 25-man roster or 15-day or 60-day DL on 8/31 (such as Micah Hoffpauir and Michael Wuertz, for instance), exchanging them for Bob Howry and Jason Marquis (for example).

This is what the Cubs did last year, when they used three of their four available 8/31 roster exemptions (Angel Guzman, Roberto Novoa, Mark Prior and Angel Pagan were on the DL on 8/31/07 and remained on the DL through the balance of the 2007 season) to add Kevin Hart, Geovany Soto, and Ronny Cedeno to their NLDS roster (Sean Marshall, Henry Blanco, and Craig Monroe were dropped), even though Hart, Soto, and Cedeno were recalled from the minors in September.

Marshall, Blanco, and Monroe, plus Will Ohman and Sam Fuld (who, like Hart, Soto, and Cedeno, had been recalled from the minors in September) continued to travel with the Cubs during the NLDS, however, and any of the three could have been placed back on the 25-man roster for the NLCS or WS if the Cubs had managed to get there. (Adding Ohman and/or Fuld to the 2007 25-man NLCS or WS roster would have required the Cubs to use their fourth 8/31 roster exemption). 

Because they were on the Cubs 15-day or 60-day DL on 8/31/08, adding Angel Guzman and/or Jon Lieber to the Cubs NLDS, NLCS, or WS roster would only require that a player who was on the Cubs 25-man roster as of midnight 8/31 (like Howry) be removed from the active roster to make room for Guzman or Lieber (although it's admittedly quite unlikely that Lieber will be added to the post-season roster)

The main problem with adding Guzman (who had Tommy John elbow-ligament transplant surgery a year ago) to the post-season roster is that he has yet to throw two days in a row. In fact, he has so far thrown (at most) once every third day, and while he probably could throw two or perhaps even three innings (tops) when he does pitch, not being able to pitch more frequently--especially if the Cubs go with an 11-man pitching staff throughout the post-season--makes adding Gooz to the Cubs post-season roster a bit problematic. Now, if Guzman can show during September that he can throw two days in row (or at least one inning every-other day), that changes everything.   

The post-season rosters can be altered (tweaked) from series to series, in case the Cubs want to drop a LHP (maybe Neal Cotts) in favor of a RHP (perhaps Kevin Hart) for one series, and then maybe replace the RHP (Hart) with that same LHP (Cotts) or maybe even a different RHP or LHP in the next one.

This roster flexibility also would allow the Cubs to carry an extra postion player (like Hoffpauir or perhaps Felix Pie) in case they want to go with an 11-man pitching staff (four starters and seven relievers) in the NLDS, as they did last year.

It also would come in handy if the Cubs get to the World Series, since Hoffpauir would seem to be a good candidate to be at least the left-handed platoon DH (if not full-time DH). In fact, the Cubs could use their two 8/31 roster exemptions to add both Hoffpauir and a right-handed slugger like Jason Dubois (presuming he gets brought up from Iowa after the conclusion of the PCL playoffs) to possibly platoon at DH in the WS. (I believe Daryle Ward would most-likely be used as a one-time per game LHPH even in the World Series, mainly because he is such a slow runner). 

I think the Cubs probably brought up Casey McGehee on 9/1 so that Piniella could get a look at him as a potential right-handed bat off the bench, but also because they had planned to add him to their 40-man roster post-2008 anyway. But if McGehee continues to look overmatched, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Dubois is added to the Cubs active MLB roster once the PCL playoffs are over, with the possibility that he could be added to the Cubs NLDS, NLCS, or (especially) the World Series roster (when a DH would be needed).

Comments

Great news that we could replace Howry with Wuertz or Gooz. My concern with Hoff is that the guy isn't going to get many MLB ABs over the next month, so I'm not sure we should expect much from him in the playoffs.

Anyone think Mitch Atkins is a possibility to get called up with his impressive performance in yesterday's Iowa playoff game?

The main problem is because they were on the Cubs 15-day or 60-day DL on 8/31/08, adding Angel Guzman and/or Jon Lieber to the Cubs NLDS, NLCS, or WS roster would only require that a player who was on the Cubs 25-man roster as of midnight 8/31 (like Howry) be removed from the active roster to make room for Guzman or Lieber (although it's admittedly quite unlikely that Lieber will be added to the post-season roster) true religion fake jeans - avon pedido facil - paint tool sai

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.