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

Smokies and I-Cubs Get Swept at Fitch Park

Sonny Gray and three relievers combined to throw a five-hitter as the Midland RiverHounds (Oakland A’s AA affiliate) defeated the Tennessee Smokies 3-1 on Field #2, and Jonathon Mota ripped a two-run home run and Juan Apodaca had three hits, but it wasn’t enough as the Sacramento River Cats (A’s AAA affiliate) outlasted the Iowa Cubs 9-5 on Field #3, in Cactus League Minor League game action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.  

RHP Matt Loosen was moved up to the Iowa squad from the Tennessee squad and made the start for the I-Cubs, and LHP Austin Kirk was moved up to the Tennessee squad from the Daytona squad and was the starting pitcher for the Smokies, and although they both pitched OK (not great), the two best outings of the day by Cubs pitchers were LHP Eric Jokisch (who led all Cubs minor league pitchers in wins last season), and Tennessee LHP Casey Harman.

Jokisch “piggy-backed” with Kirk and threw 4-2/3 innings of shutout ball, and Harman threw two perfect innings in relief after being transferred from the Tennessee squad to the Iowa squad mid-game (moving from the bullpen on Field #2 to the bullpen on Field #3) when Marcus Hatley and Kevin Rhoderick imploded and the I-Cubs ran out of available pitchers.

Hatley allowed three runs on three hits and two walks in just 2/3 of an inning (37 pitches – only 19 strikes), and Rhoderick labored through his one inning of work, throwing only 12 of his 30 pitches for strikes, and getting off on the wrong foot by walking the first three men he faced to load the bases with no outs.

Neither Cubs squad playing at Fitch Park today showed much offense, but even when there was a glimmer of a threat, the Cubs farmhands found a way to run themselves out of scoring opportunities with over-aggressive base-running, including two players thrown out trying to strech a single into a double (both out by a mile), another player trying to score from 2nd on a single to short CF (also out by a mile), and a couple of inopportune stolen base attempts that rsulted in "caught stealings" and took runners off base when they were most needed.

As usual, players and pitchers from the Boise/Mesa squad were dispersed among the four full-season squads who played games today (Peoria and Daytona played road games versus the A's "A" and Hi-A affiliates at the Papago Park Sports Complex in Phoenix), and several of the Boise/Mesa position players who did not travel to Papago Park saw game action for Iowa or Tennessee.

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played at Fitch Park (Cubs players only)

FITCH PARK FIELD #2

TENNESSEE LINEUP:
1a. Logan Watkins, SS: 0-2 (BB, E-6, K, R)
1b. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-1 (2B)
2. Eduardo Gonzalez, LF: 0-4 (K, E-5, F-8, K)
3. Matt Cerda, DH #1: 2-3 (2B, L-1 DP, 1B, RBI)
4. Justin Bour, 1B: 0-3 (K, F-7, 4-3)
5. Nelson Perez, RF: 0-3 (3-1, K, K)
6. Michael Burgess, DH #2: 0-3 (F-7, 1-3, F-8)
7. Michael Brenly, C: 1-3 (K, 1B, F-7)
8. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 0-3 (K, 3-U, K)
9. Taiwan Easterling, CF: 0-3 (6-3, F-7, K)
10. Brad Zapenas, 2B: 1-2 (1B, BB, 1-3)

TENNESSEE PITCHERS:
1. Austin Kirk: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 41 pitches (24 strikes), 1/6 GO/FO
2. Eric Jokisch: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 PO, 1 GIDP, 53 pitches (32 strikes), 6/5 GO/FO
3. Dan Berlind: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 39 pitches (25 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO

TENNESSEE ERRORS: 1
SS Carlos Penalver - E6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base)

TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Michael Brenly: 0-1 CS

TENNESSEE BASERUNNING ADVENTURES:
Michael Brenly was thrown out 7-4 trying to stretch single into double leading off bottom of 5th
Matt Cerda was thrown out 7-4 trying to stretch single into double leading off bottom of 6th

FITCH PARK FIELD #3

IOWA LINEUP:
1a. Brett Jackson, CF: 0-1 (4-3, BB, BB, R)
1b. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 0-2 (K, E-5)
2. Jonathon Mota, SS: 1-5 (K, HR, 6-3, 5-3, K, R, 2 RBI)
3a. Josh Vitters, 3B: 0-3 (4-3, P-5, 6-3)
3b. Leugim Barroso, 3B: 2-2 (1B, 1B, CS)
4a. Anthony Rizzo, 1B: 1-2 (BB, 1B, K, R)
4b. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 0-1 (BB, K)
5. Marquez Smith, DH: 1-4 (BB, P-4, 2B, K, K)
6a. Juan Apodaca, C: 3-3 (1B, 2B, 1B, R)
6b. Luis Flores, C: 0-2 (F-9, P-4)
7. Nate Samson, 2B: 1-4 (6-4-3 DP, E-4, K, 1B, R, CS)
8. Delbis Arcila, LF: 1-4 (3-U, 1-3, 1B, K)
9. Oliver Zapata, RF-CF: 2-4 (4-3, 1B, K, 1B, SB)

IOWA PITCHERS:
1. Matt Loosen: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 55 pitches (41 strikes), 2/5 GO/FO
2. Marcus Hatley: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 37 pitches (19 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
3. Kevin Rhoderick: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 30 pitches (12 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
4. Alberto Cabrera: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 21 pitches (15 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
5. Casey Harman: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 26 pitches (19 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
6. Tony Zych: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 12 pitches (9 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO

IOWA ERRORS: NONE

IOWA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Juan Apodaca: 0-2 CS
Luis Flores: 1 PB

IOWA BASERUNNING ADVENTURES:
Marquez Smith was thrown out 8-2 trying to score from 2nd on base hit to CF with two outs in bottom of 5th

ATTENDANCE: 66

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80’s

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

Tue, 03/27/2012 - 7:06pm — tim815 Juan Apodaca? Not familiar with him. . ====================== TIM: Six-Year Minor League FA signed by the Cubs during the off-season. Started his career in Dodgers organization, spent three seasons with Red Sox (finally getting to AAA), then was with Indians at AA last season. Apodaca might start the season at AA Tennessee alternating behind the plate with Michael Brenly, at least until Luis Flores is reinstated from the Restricted List. Flores is serving a 50-game Prohibited Substance Suspension (he's got about 25 Southern League regular season days left to serve), but he is eligible to participate in Minor League Camp and Extended Spring Training activities (in fact he played for Iowa today).

How has he looked defensively? What's your expectations offensively? Best.

[ ]

In reply to by toonsterwu

Tue, 03/27/2012 - 9:32pm — toonsterwu Penalver How has he looked defensively? What's your expectations offensively? ============================= TOONSTER: I've seen quite a bit of Carlos Penalver, last year at Instructs and this year at Minor League Camp. He isn't the spectacular, acrobatic, sometimes out-of-control SS that is Arismendy Alcantara. He is a more traditional SS along the lines of an Elliot Soto. He certainly has the tools to play shortstop (range, arm, and DP turn), but for some reason he has been (and continues to be) VERY shaky defensively. Maybe he is trying to do too much, or maybe he is just plain nervous. (He's only 17). But whatever the cause, he doesn't play with the confidence of guys like Marco Hernandez or Gioskar Amaya (for example). Offensively he has mostly an opposite-field stroke and he doesn't have HR power. He does have some speed, but he's not what I would call fast. So he's going to have to be a solid-plus defender to make it up the ladder.

Ninja on the radio "Obviously the Cardinals won the World Series last year, but they're not the same team," Samardzija said. "Obviously Milwaukee lost a guy, could have lost two, but you know, hey lawyers ... having good lawyers helps out.

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

OF Jae-Hoon Ha (Tennessee), 2B Piere LePage and 1B Ryan Cuneo (Daytona), and OF Yasiel Balaguert (Peoria) are injured and may not be on their team's Opening Day Active List. That could save a job (at least temporarily) for Nelson Perez or Abner Abreu (who are "on the bubble"), and it could even mean a 1B or OF who is assigned to Boise/Mesa could get moved back up to the Peoria roster before the Chiefs leave Arizona. A lot also depends on whether Anthony Giansanti (Daytona) and/or Wilson Contreras (Peoria) are assigned to Extended Spring Training for a month or two to work on their catching skills, or if one or both will break camp with their teams. While none of them deserve to go back to AA, I think it's plausible that guys like Rebel Ridling, Ty Wright, Jim Adduci, Nate Samson, Jonathon Mota, and/or Blake Lalli could end up back at Tennessee, at least until Anthony Rizzo and Brett Jackson get moved up to Chicago. There also is the matter of the player-coach. The Cubs liike to assign one veteran player to each of their four full-season minor league affiliates to work as a player-coach, learning the ropes as a coach while staying in playing shape to be available to be activated for short periods of time to replace position-players who go on the 7-day DL. Player-coaches are put on the Disabled List when they are deactivated, so watch for guys who go on a minor league DL for no apparent reason. (How they get away with this, I have no idea). At present, IF-OF Bobby Scales would appear to be the player-coach at Iowa, and perhaps C-1B Blake Lalli could be the player-coach at Tennessee. INF Jonathon Mota is another player who would fit that profile. As the Cubs make their final roster cuts from big league camp, there should be considerable movement among position players from Iowa to Tennessee (but not much below Tennessee), and pitcher-movement from Iowa to Tennessee, Tennessee to Daytona, Daytona to Peoria, and Peoria to Boise/Mesa (Extended Spring Training). A couple of minor league position players and several minor league pitchers are sure to get released by Sunday. A number of pitchers are not going to be ready for the start of the season and will be remaining at EXST, including Justin Berg and John Gaub (Iowa), David Cales and Rob Whitenack (Tennessee), Yoannis Negrin and Zac Rosscup (Daytona), Dustin Fitzgerald, Cam Greathouse, Tarlandus Mitchell, and Starling Peralta (Peoria), and Ethan Elias, Arturo Maltos-Garcia, Dillon Maples, and Austin Urban (Boise/Mesa). NOTE: Whitenack (2011 TJS) is ahead of schedule and is throwing in ST games (one inning only), but he will be brought along slowly at EXST until he is able to throw more innings, more pitches-per-inning, and more pitches-per-outing. Other pitchers will be at EXST either because there is no room for them at Peoria or Daytona (these pitchers will be kept ready and available to move up if a pitcher goes on the DL at Peoria or Daytona), or because they are not ready to pitch for a full-season team and are being prepped for Boise.

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.