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

A's Scratch Zych for Winning Run in 9th

Yordy Cabrera hit Tony Zych’s first pitch over the LF fence for what turned-out to be the game-winning run, as the Oakland A’s rallied from a five-run deficit to edge the Cubs 8-7 in Cactus League action at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in warm & cloudy Mesa, AZ, this afternoon.

Ryan Dempster got the start for the Cubs and threw two innings (34 pitches – 23 strikes), allowing one run on two hits (a single and a triple), no walks and two strikeouts, and 2/2 GO/FO.

Trailing veteran RHP Bartolo Colon 1-0 going into the bottom of the 2nd, the Cubs took the lead on a Blake DeWitt two-out three-run HR over the RF fence following singles by Jeff Baker and Steve Clevenger.

DeWitt was outrighted to AAA last month after the Cubs claimed IF-OF Adrian Cardenas off waivers from Oakland, and (interestingly enough) DeWitt is battling Cardenas for what is probably one roster spot (LH hitting utility INF). Cardenas is younger and more athletic, but DeWitt is the more-experienced hitter, and he has been absolutely raking since he arrived in Mesa a couple of weeks ago. It looks as though he might have taken the outright assignment (and not getting claimed off waivers) as a personal affront, that he has chosen to address by battering opposition pitchers.

Leading 3-1, the Cubs scored three more times in the 4th against A’s RH reliever Jordan Norberto.

Jeff Baker led-off with a double into the RF corner, and Reed Johnson reached base on an error (a bobble by first-baseman Brandon Allen), moving Baker to 3rd. Steve Clevenger hit a sac fly to left-center to score Baker, and then after Blake DeWitt walked, Josh Vitters rifled an RBI double into the left-center gap to score Johnson, with DeWitt stopping at 3rd and the slow-footed Vitters barely beating the throw to 2nd. Tony Campana worked a walk to load the bases, and then Darwin Barney blooped an RBI single in front of A’s RF Josh Reddick, scoring DeWitt, and leaving the bases loaded, with the #3 and #4 hitters due up. But both Starlin Castro and Bryan LaHair fanned (swinging), as the Cubs left the bases loaded.

Meanwhile, LHP Scott Maine (battling Trever Miller, John Gaub, and Jeff Beliveau for the #2 lefty reliever gig) threw a scoreless 3rd (albeit allowing hits to two left-handed hitters), and Blake Parker and Casey Weathers (both vying for the RH middle reliever job) had clean & easy 1-2-3 innings in the 4th and 5th.

But then the A’s began to chip away at the Cubs lead, scoring four times in the 6th on three hits (two singles and a Landon Powell two-run RBI double) and two walks off NRI RHP Marco Carrillo.

A likely rotation starter or closer for Team Mexico in next year’s World Baseball Classic, the 25-year old Carrillo has spent seven seasons in the Cubs organization (2012 is his 8th year), but has yet to establish himself at the AAA Level. He was a Rule 55 Minor League Free-Agent (6YFA) post-2011, but opted to re-sign with the Cubs, getting an NRI to Spring Training as part of the deal. Should he ever make it to the big leagues (which is doubtful), he would profile as a “12th man”-type, a versatile long-reliever/spot starter. The A’s battered him pretty good today. Even the outs were hard hit balls.

With Carrillo getting knocked-out before he could retire the side, veteran RHRP (and one-time Rockies closer) Manny Corpas got the call, striking out Josh Horton to end the inning.

Corpas seemed to be throwing free & easy, but his command was off, and he was constantly changing his arm angle, going back & forth between 3/4 and sidearm. It wasn’t as deceptive as he probably hoped it would be, because Corpas got himself into trouble in the 7th, allowing hard-hit doubles to Eric Sogard and Brandon Moss, and an RBI single to A’s top position-player prospect Michael Choice.

Corpas spent last season rehabbing from post-2010 Tommy John Surgery, but he managed to score a major league contract from the Cubs this past December. He was subsequently outrighted to the minors when his roster slot was needed in January, but he got an NRI to Spring Training anyway.

Now down 7-6, the Cubs came back to tie the score at seven in the bottom of the 7th against A's RHP Fabio Castro.

With two outs, Joe Mather grounded a single to left and stole a base, and after Matt Szczur walked, veteran minor leaguer Blake Lalli (invited to big league camp as one of the extra catchers) lined an RBI single into left-center to score Mather with the tying run.

Signed in May 2006 as a Non-Drafted Free-Agent (NDFA) 5th year college senior out of Gardner-Webb, the 28-year old Lalli is your basic “Crash” Davis. He spent the last four seasons as a back-up C-1B at AA Tennessee, and he very well could end up there again this season. He is a career .303 hitter, but he also has below-average power and below-average speed, and he is a below-average defensive catcher, too. Eligible to be a Rule 55 Minor League free-agent (6YFA) post-2012, Lalli could be a candidate to serve as a player-coach at Tennessee in 2012, since he doesn’t really profile as a big league prospect. (The Cubs like to have one or two veteran player-coaches posted at each of their minor league affiliates each season, mentoring the younger players, learning the coaching side of the game, and being available to be activated for short periods when a position player is placed on the 7-day DL).

RHP Kevin Rhoderick (called up from Minor League Camp at Fitch Park for the day) threw a 1-2-3 8th, fanning one (swinging) and inducing a couple of routine fly outs. Rhoderick was the Cubs 9th round draft pick out of Oregon State in 2010 where he was one of the top closers in the PAC-12, and he made his official pro debut last season (he pitched “unofficially” at Instructs post-2010), finishing the 2011 campaign at AA Tennessee. He is only 5’11, and he has a violent delivery that gives one the impression that he is over-throwing, but with his plus-slider & 94-MPH fastball combo, he is an effective one-inning pitcher, and is considered a definite big league relief prospect. He will probably be the closer at Tennessee in 2012.

The other Cubs MLB relief prospect up from Minor League Camp (2011 4th round pick RHP Tony Zych) got the ball in the 9th, and gave up the aforementioned game-winning HR on his very first pitch, which actually was his first pro pitch (if you don't count his work at Instructs post-2011). The 21-year old Chicago Area-native (he attended St. Rita HS) was the closer at the U. of Louisville 2009-11, and while he throws harder (95-97 MPH) than either Kevin Rhoderick or Aaron Kurcz (the third of the Cubs RH relief prospect triumvirate), he doesn’t have the breaking ball to go with the heat (yet). Zych will likely start the 2012 as the closer at either Daytona or Peoria (TBD).

The top Cub defensive gem of the day was turned-in by SS Starlin Castro, who went deep into the hole to backhand a bouncer, and then with a Nijinsky-like leap (a la Don Kessinger), threw a rainbow right on the money to 1st to retire the batter. (Of course it helped that the batter-runner was “Two-Ton” Landon Powell, who makes Dan Vogelbach look like an anorexic).

The Cubs take on the Colorado Rockies at HoHoKam Park tomorrow afternoon. Matt Garza is supposed to get the start for the Cubs.

Comments

Thanks a bunch PHIL. You know, I have been reading your stuff for a long time. However, the Landon Powell line is one of your true gems. The vision I get from this is hysterical! Thanks for a great laugh!

Fowler, Pachecho, Cuddyer, R. Hernandez, Blake, B. Wood, Colvin, Nelson, Castillo vs. DeJesus (9), Byrd (8), DeWitt (4), Soriano (0), Stewart (5), Lake (6), Rizzo (3), W. Castillo (2), B. Jackson (7)

Sweet 16 Schedule (1) Beliveau over (12) McNutt (2) Coleman over (14) Rusin (12) Wells over (9) Samardzija (3) Maholm over(15) Sveum (9) Cardenas over (4) Lalli (3) W. Castillo over (10) Clevenger (5) Castro over (1) Mather (2) DeJesus over (3) Baker Elite 8 is set (1) Beliveau vs. (2) Coleman (3) Maholm vs. (12) Wells (3) W. Castillo vs. (9) A. Cardenas (2) DeJesus vs. (5) Castro

DeJesus walked, but got thrown out stealing to leadoff bottom of 1st HBP against Blake, double off the center field wall for Brandon Wood, RBI groundout by Colvin, short fly to LF that didn't score the run from third, opposite field single by Wilken Castillo scores the 2nd run

another scoreless inning for Coleman leadoff BB for B. Jackson, 4-6-3 DP by DeJesus, Byrd K's

J. Russell gives up a HR to Fowler, then b-2-b sharply hit singles, 6-4-3 DP by R. Hernandez, C. Blake grounds out DeWitt single, Soriano HR, Ian Stewart BB, Lake doubles, Rizzo RBI groundout, Castillo RBI, Jackson K's, Sappelt flies out off Zach Putnam

Chris Rusin in gives up at triple to Colvin who ends up scoring Infield single by Adduci, I think Cardenas hit into a DP, Vitters walks & steals 2B, E. Gonzalez K's 9-4 and I'm done for the day.

#Cubs Sveum on B-Jackson: "He's either going to make the team and play everyday or he's going to Triple-A." (Looks at roster) AAA it is.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

maybe theocorp+byrd can make CLE interested...i wouldn't mind seeing BJax in AAA most of the year given the experimental/reclamation projects going on in with the cubs, though. i dunno anyone else semi-competitive/competitive who needs a guy who could handle CF. CLE has m.brantley, too.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements already.  his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.

    He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • 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.