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

Valbuena & Maysonet Rally White Squad to Victory

Luis Valbuena smacked a two-out two-run HR into the upper bullpen beyond the RF fence in the bottom of the 4th to turn a one run deficit into a one run lead, and then after the Blue Squad pushed across a run to tie the game in the top of the 5th, Edwin Maysonet blasted a three-run HR with two outs in the bottom of the frame to lift the White Squad to a 6-3 victory in a five-inning intrasquad game played this afternoon at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ.

Brett Jackson (two singles and a double) and Dave Sappelt (two doubles and a single) had three hits a piece for the Blue Squad.

After rolling out 4-3 twice in yesterday's game, B-Jax showed a really nice stroke in all three of his AB today, driving an opposite-field double into the left-center alley off LHP Brooks Raley leading off the game (before stealing 3rd & scoring on a Darnell McDonald RBI single), ripping a hard ground ball single through the 3.5 hole with two outs in the top of the 2nd (also off Raley), and stroking a line-drive single to right-center off Drew Carpenter with two outs in the 4th. He also made a fine running catch to rob Steve Clevenger of extra bases.

Sappelt hammered a single in the 1st off Raley, and then a double off the right-centerfield fence in the 3rd inning off Shawn Camp. Sappelt also collected a "gift" double leading off the 5th (and later scored the tying run on a Christian Villanueva RBI double) when White Squad CF Matt Szczur lost a routine fly ball in the sun.

Brooks Raley got the start for the White Squad and labored through his two innings of work (55 pitches - only 28 strikes), allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. The damage probably would have been a lot worse if not for a timely & nifty Raley pick-off of baserunner Darnell McDonald (froze him like the proverbial "Deer in Headlights") at 1st base after McDonald drove-home Brett Jackson with the game's first run in the top of the 1st.

Alberto Cabrera started for the Blue Squad and had an outing worthy of Carlos Marmol, walking four while striking out three in two innings. Cabrera racked up a lot of strikeouts but struggled with his command while pitching in the Dominican Winter League post-2012, too (13/20 BB/K in 14.1 IP), so today's performance was probably not an aberration. Like Marmol, Cabrera has nasty stuff and is sometimes virtually unhittable, but he has had a lot of trouble finding the strike zone lately.

Japanese RHP Kyuji Fujikawa made his U. S. (and Cub) game debut today, throwing a scoreless inning. He obviously has an effective splitter, and had several of the White Squad hitters flailing away at it.

The two late long-balls were surrendered by Michael Bowden (the Luis Valbuena two-run bomb in the 4th) and Blake Parker (the game-winning Edwin Maysonet three-run dinger in the 5th). Parker allowed two hits and threw a wild pitch to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with no outs, but looked like he might get out of the jam when he struck out Johermyn Chavez (looking) and Junior Lake (swinging). But then Maysonet drilled his game-winning shot over the LF fence to give the White Squad the victory.

Johermyn Chavez has had an inauspicious debut in a Cub uniform (he was signed as a Six-Year Minor League FA post-2012 after spending seven seasons in the Seattle organization). Besides being the last player to arrive in Camp (not the best way to make a good first impression), Chavez (playing RF) kicked & threw the ball around in the top of the second in today's game, making two careless errors on the same play (one fielding & one throwing). And while he did draw walks in his first two AB, he also swung at a pitch in the dirt (Parker's WP) and then struck out (looking) with no outs and the potential winning run at 3rd base in the bottom of the 5th (the pre-planned final inning of the game).

Chavez was a Mariner Top 10 Prospect just a couple of years ago, but after struggling at AA in 2011 and 2012 (hitting just 222/322/369 in 201 AA games), he was outrighted off the Seattle 40-man roster and became a Rule 55 minor league free-agent (6YFA), signing with the Cubs last November.

Here is the unofficial box score from today‘s game:

BLUE SQUAD LINEUP:
1. Brett Jackson, CF: 3-3 (2B, 1B, 1B, R, SB)
2. Darnell McDonald, LF: 2-3 (1B, L-8, 1B, RBI, PO)
3. Rafael Lopez, C: 0-2 (BB, L-3, K)
4. Dave Sappelt, DH: 3-3 (1B, 2B, 2B, R)
5. Brian Bogusevic, RF: 0-3 (K, 4-3, 6-3)
6. Christian Villanueva, 3B: 1-2 (6-4 FC, BB, 2B, RBI)
7. Alberto Gonzalez, 2B: 0-3 (6-3, 5-3, 6-3)
8. Brad Nelson, 1B: 0-3 (4-3, F-8, 3-U)
9. Javier Baez, SS: 1-2 (1B, 5-3, R)

WHITE SQUAD LINEUP:
1. Logan Watkins, 2B: 0-3 (K, K, 4-3)
2. Matt Szczur, CF: 1-2 (BB, 6-3, 1B, R, CS)
3. Steve Clevenger, C: 1-3 (F-8, F-8, 1B, R)
4. Johermyn Chavez, RF: 0-1 (BB, BB, K, R)
5. Junior Lake, 3B: 0-2 (BB, P-3, K)
6. Edwin Maysonet, SS: 1-3 (K, P-4, HR, R, 3 RBI)
7. Brent Lillibridge, 1B: 1-2 (2B, BB, 6-3, R, RBI)
8. Jorge Soler, LF: 0-1 (BB, F-7)
9. Luis Valbuena, DH: 1-2 (P-2, HR, R, 2 RBI)

BLUE SQUAD PITCHERS
1. Alberto Cabrera: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, 37 pitches (13 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
2. Kyuji Fujikawa: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 22 pitches (13 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
3. Michael Bowden: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 17 pitches (11 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
4. Blake Parker: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 22 pitches (17 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO 

WHITE SQUAD PITCHERS
1. Brooks Raley: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 PO, 55 pitches (28 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
2. Shawn Camp: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 16 pitches (7 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
3. Drew Carpenter: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 14 pitches (8 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
4. Jensen Lewis: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 19 pitches (13 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO  

BLUE SQUAD ERRORS: NONE

WHITE SQUAD ERRORS: 2
1. RF Johermyn Chavez - E-9 - fielding error on a ground single to RF allowed batter to advance an extra base
2. RF Johermyn Chavez - E-9 - throwing error allowed one runner to score unearned run from 3rd base and another to advance from 2nd to 3rd 

BLUE SQUAD CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Rafael Lopez: 1-1 CS

WHITE SQUAD CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Steve Clevenger: 0-1 CS

ATTENDANCE: 161

WEATHER: Sunny & cool with temperatures in the low 60's

 

Comments

FREE BRETT JACKSON...TRADE SORIANO, TRADE DEJESUS, CUT EVERYONE ELSE. RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR. also, is zac rosscup seeing any action with the ST crew or just mini-camp? i'm willing to look past the fact he's a dubstep/trap music fan and still root for him.

BBAmerica top 100 with 0/80 scale ranking + ETAs... 16 Javier Baez ss, Cubs Age: 20. ETA: 2014. Bat: 60. Power: 65. Speed: 50. Defense: 55. Arm: 65. 33 Albert Almora of, Cubs Age: 18. ETA: 2015. Bat: 65. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Defense: 75. Arm: 60. 34 Jorge Soler of, Cubs Age: 21. ETA: 2015. Bat: 60. Power: 70. Speed: 50. Defense: 55. Arm: 70. 83 Arodys Vizcaino rhp, Cubs Age: 22. ETA: 2014. Fastball: 70. Curve: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 60. Command: 55. ...they're really bullish on almora showing up early. he turns 21 april 2015.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I don't buy those ETAs. Baez is likely to hit some bumps along the way, and SS isn't going to be some gaping hole to fill. Vizcaino should make it to Wrigley this year, barring further injury (in which case there is no ETA). Soler in 2015 seems reasonable. But if Jackson is fixed enough to get on base at a respectable rate and Soler makes it Wrigley in 2015, then there is no rush for Almora--I have a hard time imagining that they will let either Jackson or Almora occupy LF in a season in which they might contend. I don't really see any of these guys spending significant time in the majors until they are 23 or so, unless they absolutely light up every level of the minors they see. I'm also not really sure where that 50 power rating is coming from for Almora--that's all projection, I guess.

ATTENDANCE: 161 Modest win streak, attendance quadruples. Phil, I think of you while I shovel the snow you lucky SOB. Thanks for keeping us warm.

i can't figure out if this is good news or bad news...then i remember that our starting RF is nate schierholtz and it all seems moot. "With the recent injury to Ian Stewart, Luis Valbuena has the opportunity to open the season as the Cubs' starting third baseman."

Are the scrubs pitching mainly to give the big league starters more time to get ready?

[ ]

In reply to by Jumbo

JUMBO: I think the idea is to give the pitchers who are either "on the bubble" or not likely to make the Opening Day roster as much game action as possible in the early part of Spring Training, since innings will be hard to come by as it gets closer to Opening Day. 

Another factor is that some pitchers (especially relievers and young pitchers) can get ready to pitch in games sooner than some of the others, so they get first call to arms. 

I always love the February write-ups the best, Phil, thank you. Any idea what kind of speed Fujikawa was throwing on that splitter?

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

JOHN B: The general public (or "lay people" as Mel Brooks would say) were not allowed anywhere near Theo, Hoyer, McCleod and the other dozen or so members of the Cubs Front Office who were sitting in the first four rows behind home plate (both games), and that's where the only gun in the house was located (there were no scouts at the games). But just based upon my own personal observations, I would describe Fuji's splitter as a hard splitter with good tumbling action. I wasn't as impressed with his fastball, but it's early and at least he does throw it for strikes. It looks like his approach is to get ahead in the count by painting a corner with his fastball and then try to get the batter to chase the splitter (which often is not a strike).  

I think Fujikawa could very well be the closer. Whether Marmol would get traded or moved to a set-up role I can't say, but I've always liked Marmol better as a set-up guy who can come into a game with men on base and strand the inherited runners, because he has a "puncher's chance" of striking out the side if need be. (There was one season when Marmol and Michael Wuertz were unbelievable at stranding inherited runners, and when a reliever or two are able to do that consistently, the team wins more games).

And if Marmol is used as a set-up man and has one of those days where he has command issues, there would be somebody else "throwing behind him" if he can't find home plate. Of course Marmol wants to be the closer, and I'm not sure how willing he would be to go back to being a set-up guy at this stage of his career, especially since he will be a free-agent post-2013.   

"#Cubs Scott Baker threw 45 pitches in bullpen Sat. Will do at least 2 sim games/live BP before he gets in a game. Says he feels good"

i try to go to cubs.com and Firefox asks me if i meant cbs.com and if i needed protection from possible harmful sites. i see what u did there.

the most expensive piece of the TOR/MIA trade that MIA kept is now injured...$1.5m 2013 + $1.5m 2014... "Jeff Mathis was diagnosed with a broken collarbone and is expected to miss six weeks." ...hit by a foul tip.

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat Today's #Cubs lineup: DeJesus CF, Castro SS, Rizzo 1B, Soriano LF, Schierholtz RF, Navarro C, Bogusevic DH, Barney 2B, Villanueva 3B

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.