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

Sol-Era Begins with a Whimper at HoHoKam Park

Making his professional debut after signing a reported nine-year $30M contract with the Cubs, Cuban defector Jorge Soler went 0-3 as the DH, and the AZL Mariners pushed across a run in the top of the 12th to edge the AZL Cubs 4-3 in Arizona League action tonight at HoHoKam Park in Mesa.

box score

Soler hit a two-bouncer to the shortstop on a 2-1 pitch leading-off the bottom of the 2nd, a one-bouncer back to the pitcher on the first pitch he saw leading off the bottom of the 5th, and lined-out to the pitcher on a 3-2 pitch with no outs and a runner at 1st in the bottom of the 7th (the runner was doubled off 1st base for a DP) after taking a close 2-2 pitch just off the outside corner for ball three. Soler was removed for a PH in the bottom of the 9th. (He was pre-scheduled to get just three AB in the game and then be replaced).

There is (surprise) a mistake in tonight's "official" milb box score (see link above).

Cubs 2012 1st round Supplemental draft pick RHP Paul Blackburn (selected by the Cubs with 2012 Rule 4 Draft slot #56, the slot awarded to the Cubs when Article XX-B Type "B" FA Carlos Pena signed with TB last off-season) did indeed start the game for the AZL Cubs, but he pitched only one inning (20 pitches - 11 strikes), allowing one run on two hits (both doubles) and a walk. (The second double was a two-out RBI double that was actually a routine pop up that RF Yasiel Balaguert apparently lost in the twilight sky).

Then Cubs 2012 12th round pick RHP Justin Amlung (who is not presently listed in the box score) worked the 2nd & 3rd innings (22 pitches - 14 strikes), allowing a single and no runs, with one strikeout.

Cubs VP of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita was at the game tonight.

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 5:54am — The E-Man Thanks PHIL. What is it with the scorer over there? Anyway, I guess you would have to literally say it is still a small sample size on Soler. ==================================== E-MAN: The main problem is that the official scorer has to call the Minor League Baseball HQ every half-inning by phone to verbally recite the play-by-play from the previous inning so it can be posted on the milb.com web-site, and this recitation often spills-over into the start of the next half-inning, and so the official scorer misses lineup changes and sometimes even game action because he isn't paying attention. Why they do it this way, I have no idea. There was even one game where the box score did not show a run scoring in the top of the 9th (the run did not have a bearing on who won the game, but still the runner did plainly and clearly score). I don't know how the scorer missed that one, but he did. One thing I would say about Soler's debut was that he appeared very antsy in the dugout between ABs. Maybe it would have been better for him if he had played RF instead of being the DH in his first pro game. As it was, Soler tried to find things to do when he wasn't hitting, like playing catch with RF Yasiel Balaguert (Soler's buddy from the Cuban Junior National Team) when Balaguert was warming up prior to the start of the top of each inning, and jogging up & down the RF foul area to stay loose between innings.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120720&content_id=35… Reading this article makes me wonder how much thought goes into how prospects might get along when they are thinking about draft picks. Obviously, it shouldn't come too much into play, unless the guy is a notorious d-bag, but in this case, it strikes me as a real positive that the biggest international signing made this year and the club's top pick have so much in common...

[ ]

In reply to by Jace

For the most part, I doubt comes into play, but I imagine Soler is under a lot of pressure to succeed with the added stress of not speaking the language of his teammates and being in such a different culture. It's gotta be nice for him to actually be around someone he likes. I think sometimes we lose focus on how difficult it's gotta be actually being a defector trying to succeed in such a high pressure environment.

Blue Jays acquired LHP J.A. Happ, RHPs Brandon Lyon and David Carpenter from the Astros in exchange for OF Ben Francisco, RHPs Francisco Cordero, Asher Wojciechowski and Joe Musgrove, LHP David Rollins and C Carlos Perez. per Rotoworld.

per mlbtr...Jonathan Sanchez (who was DFA'd) to the Rockies for Jeremy Guthrie (to KC). I wonder what went wrong with Sanchez, but I doubt Colorado will cure that. ugly for ugly trade. Guthrie, 33, posted a 6.35 ERA with 4.5 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in Colorado. He allowed a league-leading 21 home runs in 90 2/3 innings. He earns $8.2MM this year.

hooooooooooooly crap. tim mccarver without "tv makeup" on REALLY shows his age. i mean...wow. he was being interviewed on a WGN piece about R.Santo's HOF induction. he barely looked like the person most of us know.

Former Cub farmhand, Lefty Donnie Veal enters the game in the 8th for the WSux. Men on 1st-2nd, 1 out. K's Ryan Rayburn and Alex Avilla. Tigers ahead 4-2. I don't like the WSox but do hope Veal succeeds.

Okay, so maybe she's not the best baseball sourse out there. But still... peggy kusinski‏@peggykusinski Hearing holdup of #Cubs #Dempster to #Dodgers could be his desire for a 2 year extension... Wait & see! @nbcchicago http://twitter.com/peggykusinski/status/226662971743539200 Now this from Rosenthal: Ken Rosenthal‏@Ken_Rosenthal Source: #Dodgers "very unlikely" for #Cubs' Dempster. Prefer not to trade better prospects for rentals. Garza (thru 13) more logical target.

http://muskat.mlblogs.com/ Muskat Ramblings...including:
The Dodgers haven’t given up on landing Ryan Dempster, although the tone of rumors cooled noticeably Saturday...Meanwhile, the Dodgers reportedly are refusing to deal pitching prospect Zack Lee for Dempster because Dempster would essentially be a two-month rental as an upcoming free agent and the Dodgers invested $5.25 million to sign Lee in 2010...The Cubs are believed to be holding out for Lee.
Dustin Geiger hit his ninth home run and Taiwan Easterling hit his fourth in Peoria’s 9-6 win over Western Michigan. Javier Baez extended his hitting streak to 15 games, and Geiger and Easterling each finished with two hits.
Rock Shoulders went 4-for-4, including his fifth home run...
Jorge Soler was scheduled to start in the outfield Saturday for the Cubs’ Mesa Rookie League team in his second pro game.
(I eagerly await Az Phil's report on Soler in the OF)

8 run bottom 7th...and counting...2 out...ugg. ...make that 9 runs ...make that 10 runs ...make that 12 runs (7 doubles this inning, 1 triple) 61 pitches, 4 pitchers...and it's finally f'n over. 12 runs ties franchise records for the most runs scored in an inning for STL, as well as most runs given up in an inning for CHC.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Posted this on another site earlier, here's my comments from tonight's Peoria game: I went tonight with my family and had to leave after the 5th, so I managed to see Baez homer, single, and triple. Zapata was in left and had a good at bat with an RBI opposite field single. I'll probably go tomorrow and Monday, too. A few notes: Baez: First inning, first pitch HR to dead center out of the park. The fence is (guessing) 12' tall and the batters eye is probably 20' tall above the fence. 405' to center field and it cleared it easily. Second at bat he took a few pitches and eventually went back up the middle for a single. He made a delayed steal of second, the catcher's throw was to the 3rd base side of the bag, but had it been accurate would have made it a close play. The throw went into CF and Baez moved over to 3rd. Third at bat he went with the pitch and hit the wall on the fly (maybe 5' shy of another homer) in right center. He was looking triple all the way and slid into third head first, though he could have went in standing up. He was eventually stranded at third, but he put continuous pressure on the catcher by starting for home on every ball in the dirt. I'm not sure if there was a ball hit to him while I was watching, but in the 4th he chased a blooper/pop-up into left center and caught it on the run over his shoulder. Both outfielders were running at him and he never quit running to get to it. Very impressive play. It was obvious that he was by far the best player on the field tonight. The opposing pitcher was nothing special, throwing 89-90 mostly. Cates: He looked to have a very deliberate delivery/motion, even in warmups. That said, he didn't look like he was max-effort guy. The first inning really screwed him with two errors (a throwing error by Darvill at third and a fielding error by DeVoss with the bases loaded). He threw a lot of pitches that inning. He was 90-92 throughout. Also threw a 73 mph curve and I believe a 81 mph change up. Shafer: 2 K's in his first inning of work. Looked very fluid/loose compared to Cates. DeVoss and Zapata both showed a good plate approach, taking a lot of pitches and eventually making solid contact. Darvill hit the hardest non-Baez ball of the night. He continues to intrigue me, but his odds seem slim of getting to MLB level. If any questions or requests for what to look for tomorrow/Monday, let me know.

[ ]

In reply to by Jim Hickmans Bat

I'm psyched about Baez so far, too, but let's not jump the gun. Remember, this is what Corey Patterson did in the Midwest League in his age 19 season: .320/.358/.592 20 HR 17 3B 35 2B 33 SB. So far I'll give Baez that he's having a great season, that the reports on his bat speed are glowing, and that he is apparently extremely competitive and driven. He'll clearly be the Cubs #1 prospect going into next year. But "real deal" is a title he'll have to earn by repeating (or improving upon, especially in the area of plate discipline) this performance as he proceeds through the system.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

In many ways, Patterson was the real deal. He was the youngest player in the majors when he made his debut at age 20 in 2000. He has played in over 1,200 games, has played solid CF defense (career .987 fielding percentage), stolen bases at a solid clip--218 stolen bases with 64 CS (77%)--and hit for some power (career .400 slugging percentage) Patterson was rushed, probably had some bad managing, hit some injuries, and also ran into some tough luck/timing. When I look back, I think we ended up seeing the worst Corey Patterson. That was the Corey Patterson that flamed out, and he still has played in 1200+ big league games. You give me another Midwest League Corey Patterson today, and I take him in a heartbeat. I figure like he has a 1/3 chance of being a serviceable bench guy/spot starter at worst, probably a 1/3 chance of being a Mike Cameron good defense/decent power/decent speed guy, and probably a 1/3 chance of being a Bobby Bonds/Cesar Cedeno type all-star speed-power guy.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

When I watched Patterson play I saw a natural athlete, but I didn't really see a baseball player. He seemed to have absolutely no instincts for the game. He had a horrible vision of the strike zone, flailing away at anything low and away in a waythat made the early Shawon Dunston look like a master of the strike zone. His outfield play was pretty poor, with bad routes and no apparent ability to know how and when to hit a cutoff man. His base running was poor. I don't know how much of that has changed since leaving the Cubs. He's managed to cling to a job somewhere all this time, and the guy deserves some credit for perseverance. It has to be tough hearing about what a great star you'd be and end up with a career line like he has. I get the sense that Baez doesn't lack those same baseball instincts. It would be interesting to hear AZ's take on that, however.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/13919835-573/matt-garza-le…
Garza, who has a screw near his elbow from a childhood injury, went on the DL for 21/2 weeks last season with tightness in the same area. It was diagnosed as a bone contusion. ‘‘Anything to do with your elbow area as a pitcher, you get nervous,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m still young. I wanted to take the precaution, so I said something. Usually I wouldn’t say anything and go out there and muscle up.’’ Manager Dale Sveum said Garza would be evaluated again in the next couple days to determine his status for his scheduled start Friday against the Cardinals at home. Garza, who said he had trouble fully extending his elbow after the third inning, didn’t sound especially certain. ‘‘I’m more of an optimist,’’ he said. ‘‘I hope so. I hate missing starts. ‘‘I don’t know how it happened. I’m just pissed off and frustrated because it felt like I was throwing the ball well.’’

Quote from a Cafardo article: “Some of the demands out there are ludicrous,” said one NL adviser. “We asked about a lefty pitcher and they asked us for our best pitching, best hitting, and a couple of other established players. I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ That’s why I’m thinking despite all the talking, I’m not sure much is going to get done.” ------------------------------------------- Francisco Liriano, Wandy Rodriguez, Jason Vargas, Paul Maholm? Or probably Cole Hamels.

more sourpuss from the Cafardo Sunday Baseball notes:
7. Matt Garza, RHP, Cubs — Is he really what the Red Sox want? Garza has only pitched seven or more innings five times in 18 starts, has allowed 7.9 hits per nine innings, and came out of Saturday night’s game with cramping in his right triceps. He’s also allowed 15 home runs, and occasionally has the yips while throwing to bases. He’s 5-7 with a 4.02 ERA, but did pitch very well July 15, in which he went seven innings, allowed five hits, one walk, and struck out seven. Garza has a year remaining on his contract after this season. The Cubs could be interested in Daniel Bard. Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and Jason McLeod obviously have a strong history with Bard.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/07/22/trades-may-involve-sticker…

len/bob said the Garza update is that "it's not a DL-able injury" also Beliveau, when he gets into a game will be his mlb debut. otherwise, bad Travis Wood on the mound today. 0-4 and just got out of the 1st.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • 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.