Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Extinguish Blaze, but Dragons Burn Cougars at Fitch Park

Darnell McDonald singled twice, doubled, walked, scored twice, and knocked-in a run, Taiwan Easterling singled, doubled, reached base on an HBP, stole a base, drove-in two runs, and made two outstanding catches, Jeffrey Baez drove-in three runs with a two-run double and a bases-loaded HBP, and Dan Vogelbach crushed a tape-measure two-run home run, leading the Daytona Cubs to a 10-7 victory over the Bakerfield Blaze (Cincinnati Reds Hi-A affiliate) on Field #3, and Starling Peralta celebrated his return to the Cubs organization with 3.1 IP of one-hit shutout ball, Gioskar Amaya singled and tripled, and Dong-Yub Kim singled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, but it wasn't enough as Joe Hudson (Reds 2012 6th round draft pick - Notre Dame) slugged a HR over the LF fence and onto Center Street to lead the Dayton Dragons (Reds Low-A affiliate) to a 3-1 victory over the Kane County Cougars on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

The game on Field #2 was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the Cubs pitchers could get their scheduled work.

Drew Carpenter and Darnell McDonald are assigned to the Iowa squad and Rob Whitenack and Austin Kirk are assigned to the Tennessee squad, but the quartet was left behind at Fitch Park as the I-Cubs and Smokies traveled to Goodyear where they played the Reds AA and AAA affiliates. All four saw action in the game on Field #3.

McDonald was a DH and got five Plate Apearances in the first five innings of the game, hitting 2nd in each inning. Carpenter started the game for Daytona, and was followed to the hill by Whitenack and Kirk. All three pitchers threw multiple innings. Whitenack walked four, hit a batter, and threw a WP in 3.2 IP as he continues to have difficulty throwing strikes, but Kirk had five punch-outs in 2.1 IP.

Because all of the Daytona innings were assigned to Iowa and Tennessee pitchers, Starling Peralta and Austin Reed were dropped down to the Kane County game to get their work (both are assigned to the Daytona squad).

Dillon Maples threw a two-inning "sim" game (30 pitches - 15 pitches per inning) versus players from the Boise/Mesa squad on Field #4.

The defensive gems of the day were turned-in by Daytona LF Taiwan Easterling, who made a spectacular diving catch in left-center field, and then another running catch on the warning track.

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

FITCH PARK FIELD #2

KANE COUNTY LINEUP:
1. Oliver Zapata, RF: 1-4 (5-3, 4-3, 6-3, 1B, CS)
2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 2-4 (1B, 6-3, K, 3B)
3. Marco Hernandez, DH; 0-4 (F-7, 3-U, 6-3, L-6)
4. Ben Carhart, 1B-3B: 1-4 (K, 1B, 5-3, 5-3)
5. Dong-Yub Kim, LF: 2-4 (1B, 5-4 FC, 1B, 5-3, R, SB, CS)
6a. Taylor Davis, C: 0-3 (F-8, 6-3, F-9)
6b. Justin Marra, C: 0-1 (K)
7a. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-1 (BB, 6-3)
7b. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 0-1 (E-3, BB)
8. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 1-3 (K, 1B, F-8, BB)
9. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-3 (BB, L-8, 6-4-3 DP, F-9)

KANE COUNTY PITCHERS:
1. Ian Dickson: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 72 pitches (51 strikes), 7/5 GO/FO
2. Starling Peralta: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 29 pitches (22 strikes), 3/5 GO/FO
3. Austin Reed: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 22 pitches (17 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO

KANE COUNTY ERRORS: 4
1. SS Carlos Penalver - E-6 - throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely
2. P Ian Dickson - E-1 - errant throw on pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed baseruner to advance to 3rd
3. 2B Gioskar Amaya - E-4 - throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely
4. SS Carlos Penalver - E-6 - fielding error allowed batter reach base safely

KANE COUNTY CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Taylor Davis: 0-2 CS

FITCH PARK FIELD #3

DAYTONA LINEUP:
X. Darnell McDonald, DH #1; 3-4 (6-3, BB, 1B, 1B, 2B, 2 R, RBI)
NOTE: McDonald batted 2nd in the bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings
1a. Tim Saunders, SS: 2-3 (2B, 1B, K, R, SB)
1b. David Bote, 2B: 0-1 (BB, 1-U, RBI)
2a. Zeke DeVoss, CF: 1-4 (K, 1B, 4-6 FC, F-8, 2 R)
2b. Xavier Batista, LF: 0-1 (K)
3. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 1-5 (K, F-7, HR, K, K, R, 2 RBI)
4a. Chadd Krist, C: 0-3 (4-3, P-3, HBP, K)
4b. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 0-1 (F-9)
5. Anthony Giansanti, 3B: 1-4 (1B, BB, 5-3, L-5, F-9, 2 R)
6. Jeffrey Baez, RF-CF: 1-4 (2B, HBP, K, K, K, R, 3 RBI)
7a. Bijan Rademacher, DH #2: 0-2 (K, BB, K, RBI)
7b. Sergio Burruel, PH: 0-0 (HBP, R, SB)
8a. Taiwan Easterling, LF: 2-2 (1B, HBP, 2B, 2 RBI, SB)
8b. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 0-0 (BB)
9. Wes Darvill, 2B-SS: 1-4 (K, P-6, 6-3, 1B)

DAYTONA PITCHERS:
1. Drew Carpenter: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 32 pitches (24 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO
2. Rob Whitenack: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 61 pitches (31 strikes), 4/5 GO/FO
3. Austin Kirk: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 43 pitches (29 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO

DAYTONA ERRORS: NONE

ATTENDANCE: 71

WEATHER: Warm & sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 70's

 

Comments

AZ Phil: DIdn't you mention that Dillon Maples had some injury this spring? Did you ever find out what was his problem? Does the sim game mean he's in some form of rehab program prior to getting into a real game? Thanks again for fantastic coverage of...well, virtually everyone in the Cubs system. I hope Rob Whitenack finds his way back. It sounds like he's got a rough road ahead. I was able to ask him some questions about his TJ surgery at the Cubs Convention this year. The star of that session wrt personality was Dallas Beeler. I'm rooting for his success too. How has he looked this spring?

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

CUBSTER: Although he threw a "sim" game today (30 pitches), it was Dillon Maples' first "game action" of any kind the year, and he is still in the Fitch Park rehab group. I don't know the nature of the problem that put him in the rehab group, but he did have a sprained elbow ligament this time last year and missed most of last season as the result (although he did NOT have TJS). 

I have only seen Dallas Beeler throw "live" BP because I haven't seen that many minor league games (due to the conflict with Cubs games at HoHoKam Park). All I can tell you is that he is healthy, and he was moved down to the Tennessee squad from the Iowa squad about a week ago.

BTW, several pitchers at Minor League Camp were moved down a level this weekend as the result of the most-recent cuts from big league camp (Rusin, Dolis, Coleman, Parker, Chapman, Lewis, and Carpenter), including Kyle Hendricks, Kevin Rhoderick, and Zac Rosscup (Iowa to Tennessee), Lendy Castillo, Luis Liria, Larry Suarez, and Yao-Lin Wang (Tennessee to Daytona), Steve Perakslis (Daytona to Kane County), and Ethan Elias and James Pugliese (Kane County to Boise/Mesa). 

Several other pitchers (and position players) have (for lack of a better description) very recently "disappeared," and I'm sure some of them were released (INF Dustin Harrington is definitely one of them). Because their Next of Kin may not have been notified, I will not mention the names of the others I suspect were released at this time.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Probably old news but...Baseball America says the cubs have...Released: RHP Ryan Hartman, RHP Su-Min Jung http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/2013/03/minor-league-tran… and this commentary based on them acquiring Jose Dore from the Padres:
The Cubs have acquired a handful of Padres prospects in recent years, including Jose Dore (’10 eighth round; signed for $450,000), righthander Zach Cates (’10 third round; signed for $765,000) and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (no introduction necessary). This is no coincidence given that Chicago GM Jed Hoyer, senior VP of scouting and player development Jason McLeod and scouting director Jaron Madison acquired all three players when they manned the same posts in the Padres front office.

Welington Castillo made it into Nick Cafardo's weekly baseball column:
6. Welington Castillo, C, Cubs — Castillo, 25, has become the Cubs’ full-time catcher and will be the one who shapes the pitching staff. Manager Dale Sveum, pitching coach Chris Bosio, and top brass Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein are all on board with Castillo’s ability to be that building-block player. “He’s come a long way in a short period of time,” said Bosio. “He’s a very talented guy with the arm, block-ability and throw-ability. His knowledge and aptitude have become a lot better.”
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/03/23/blue-jays-have-lot-hype-li…

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

What I've really disliked in the recent past about the Cubs is being asked to watch a team full of journeymen. So it's nice to see the Cubs roster begin to take shape in the way of some home grown talent like Castro, Castillo, Barney, and I'll include Rizzo simply because TheoCorp has been stalking him all these years. Even if they don't have a great record, I can root for these guys and actually even give a damn. It even feels to me like Soriano is a Cub now. It was enjoyable watching him rise up to the challenge last year of becoming a better player.

"Orioles executive VP Dan Duquette indicated Monday that Ryan Flaherty is the favorite to be the club's designated hitter against right-handers following the Wilson Betemit injury." dude wut?

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Does anybody know of any video of Shawon Sr. really showing off his throwing arm at short? For example, as the middle man on a 4-6-3 double play or a rifle shot from deep in the hole? Any one of those throws that made you wince as that little white missile smacked into Mark Grace's mitt with enough force to fracture a metacarpal or two? Watching Grace catch a Dunston throw was an exercise in experiencing pain by proxy. You could hear the emphatic "POW" as it burned into the leather. Man, how I miss that! I'd love to show my son video evidence of this and have not been successful in digging anything up. My best chance was the DVD of the Cubs' playoff game against the Giants in '89 -- the Mark Grace game -- there was only one play involving a Dunston throw and it wasn't one of his signature cannon shots. Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Recent comments

  • Cubster (view)

    I blame Jason Schmidt’s 3/44

  • Craig A. (view)

    Was all that stuff with the Blue Jays just to squeeze an extra $10 million/yr out of the Dodgers?  It's more than enough to cover his California income taxes!

  • crunch (view)

    unless he pitches into his late-30 that is gonna sting.  a 70m DH...ow.

    it's great to take care of 2 roster spots in 1 player, and i'm sure the team will cut into the pay with the amount of merch/etc he can sell just by being attached to the team....but yeah, i'm not mad the cubs didn't go that extreme.

  • WebAdmin (view)

    Shohei Ohtani to join Dodgers according to ESPN. 10 years for $700 m
  • Cubster (view)

    I'm getting the feeling that Todd Walker might be a Shaw comp. A valuable hit first player but limited albeit not awful on defense. Hopefully, he has more upside. Not a bad floor if Steve Garvey is his ceiling.

  • Wrigley Rat (view)

    AZ Phil - If that's the level of return, I would want NO part of that trade to Cleveland for Clase and Bieber. I have some faith that the Cubs have a strong plan for which prospects they will keep (even if they dangle them in trade talks) and which they will move, because they have plenty of solid prospects they can trade but they shouldn't be trading any of the ones they hope will be future core players. Some guys are redundant, so I hope they choose the right players to keep and the right players to move. It's always important for a team to know its own minor league players better than scouts from other teams (obviously), but I don't think that's always been the case for the Cubs and many other clubs. 

    Cubster - I watched an interview with Carter Hawkins a couple days ago where he said that although Morel hasn't gotten into any Dominican games at 1B, the Cubs did send coaches down with Morel to work on first base skills during practice. So he is developing those skills, whether the Cubs end up using him there or not will probably be dependent on a lot of factors including how those coaches think he looks at the position while training. 

  • tim815 (view)

    He could still play SS at Double-A, but Vazquez, Hoerner, and Swanson are much better defensively, arm strength or not. I'd be good leaving Shaw at SS with McGeary and Ballesteros around, but by the first of June (?), 1B might make sense in DM.

  • crunch (view)

    i have no reason to see a problem, it just seems like it's his most obvious reason to give pause on him at 1st.

    the cubs situation dictates 2nd/SS isn't an option.  his arm dictates 3rd isn't an option.  1st or CF seems to be his best path and he's only played CF in summer ball back in highschool/college...and of course PCA is a better + closer to the bigs CF.

    it's a lot safer to say he's made for 1st than it is he's made for 3rd.  even as a SS his arm is weak, and it's not like his glove is so great he needs to stay in the middle-IF.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CRUNCH: Steve Garvey (one of Shaw's comps as a hitter) was a 5'10 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Jeff Bagwell (another Shaw comp) was a 6'0 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Carlos Santana (who played 1B for Counsell in Milwaukee last season and is an above-average defensive first-baseman) is 5'11. It's not like Shaw is 5'7 or 5'8. I don't really see the problem. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CUBSTER: It's not that Matt Shaw can't play SS (or 2B). Shaw was a SS his last two years in college at Maryland and apparently was OK defensively. It's just that there are certain throws a big league SS has to make (the backhand / flat-foot throw from deep in the 5.5 hole and the leap & change direction throw after fielding a ball up the middle after ranging to his left) that you might not see every game. So while he might appear to be passable at SS, over time the below-average arm at SS will catch up with the player and cost the team runs. 

    Shaw is a good fielder so he could play SS (like Ryan Theriot did) and you would just live with the below-average arm strength that would rear its ugly head every now & again, because he is a plus-plus hitter. But the Cubs have Dansby Swanson locked-in at SS through 2029, so Shaw won't be playing there even if he were to improve his arm strength and remake his throwing mechanics.  

    As far as second-base is concerned, that would seem to be Shaw's best position, because the position requires a plus-glove but not a plus-arm. Nico Hoerner is presently the Cubs' 2B and is signed through 2026 (although he does NOT have "no trade" rights, so he could be traded at any time). So Shaw could move to 2B in 2027 after Hoerner's contract expires (presuming Hoerner does not sign another extension in the meantime), or the Cubs could preemptively trade Hoerner at some point prior to the conclusion of the 2026 season and install Shaw at 2B before 2027. 

    The thing is, the Cubs have three other prospects who also project as second-basemen, including Top 10 prospect James Triantos, Top 10 prospect Jefferson Rojas, and Top 30 prospect Pedro Ramirez. So while Shaw could very well eventually be the Cubs second-baseman, there are other legit candidates who could eventually take-over the position after Hoerner departs. But for second-base to open up before 2027, Hoerner has to be traded.  

    As far as third-base is concerned, the Cubs already have a Top 15 prospect (B. J. Murray) who plays 3B and plays it well, and he should be considered the Cubs third-baseman of the future (possibly as soon as sometime during the 2024 season). Also, I don't think that Christopher Morel has the "touch" required to play 3B (he is an athletic and rangy player who plays like the proverbial "Bull in a China Shop" or like a point guard who plays too fast and turns the ball over too much), while Shaw simply does not appear to have the arm strength required to play 3B. It is true that Nick Madrigal has made himself into an above-average defensive-third baseman, but I would not be too quick to generalize and say that because Madrigal did it, that anybody can do it. Also, 3B requires different perception, reaction, and tracking skills than does SS and 2B (which is why a lot of catchers can often play 3B fairly well), so not all middle infielders can play 3B well-enough to be an MLB-regular at the position. 

    The one position that is wide-open on the Chicago Cubs going forward is 1st base. Matt Shaw is a plus-fielder with a below-average arm but with a plus-plus bat, so he could be a fit at 1st base. Sort of like Padres first-baseman Jake Cronenworth, but Shaw has a higher ceiling as a hitter. If the Cubs were to move Shaw to 1st base in Spring Training 2024 and presuming he is able to play the position without difficulty, he could be in Chicago by the end of the 2024 season. I understand why the Cubs might think about Christopher Morel as a possible first-baseman because they want to get his power into the lineup any way they can, but Morel's two best attributes are HR power and raw arm strength. He is a rangy infielder (not needed at 1st base) with a plus-arm (also not needed at 1st base), but he also doesn't have the "flyhawk" skills needed to play CF. Morel's best position would be LF, but Ian Happ is firmly ensconced there (with a full "no trade") through 2026, which makes Morel a prime trade chip to be used to acquire pitching (or maybe a catcher).  

    As far as Matt Chapman is concerned, I would hope the Cubs don't sign him. It's not just losing the draft pick (Chapman got a QO from the Jays) or that he blocks B. J. Murray long-term, because that wouldn't matter if Chapman is still the hitter he was earlier in his career. But after a red-hot April last year he fell off the table at the plate the last five months. Granted he is a Gold Glove-quality defender at 3B, but you're essentially getting Patrick Wisdom offensively, and so he is not worth the financial investment (money & years) and losing a draft pick on top of it if you sign him. 

    If the Cubs don't sign Ohtani, Yakamoto, or Bellinger (and I am becoming increasingly pessimistic that they can), I would hope that they will sign position player free agents only to one year deals (with maybe a second year option) that can be easily moved at the Trade Deadline, and then get ready to unleash the youth (PCA, Shaw, Caissie, Ballesteros, Murray, et al) in 2025 (or perhaps even over the last two months of the 2024 season, if the Cubs are not in contention). 

    As for possible free agents the Cubs might target, Brandon Belt and Carlos Santana (who played for Craig Counsell in Milwaukee last season) would provide some LH power at 1B & DH (Santana is an above-average defensive first-baseman, and Belt still hits RHP very well).  

    I can see the Cubs maybe acquiring a pitcher like Tyler Glasnow in a trade and then signing him to an extension (Glasnow has the same agency representation as Kyle Hendricks, so an extension should be possible), which would not be the case with Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease (both are Boras clients).   

    I think in part because of the Carter Hawkins connection with Cleveland, even more-likely than a trade for Glasnow might be a trade for SP Shane Bieber (a post-2024 FA but as a Rosenhaus client he should be open to signing an extension) and closer Emmanuel Clase (signed through 2026 with club options both in 2027 and 2028). The Guardians need power hitters and the Cubs have Christopher Morel, although Morel would not be anywhere near enough to get both Bieber and Clase (or to get Glasnow if the trade is with the Rays). If the trade is with Cleveland for Bieber and Clase, the Cubs would probably have to give up some combination of Christopher Morel, Owen Caissie, Moises Ballestereos, Kevin Alcantara, Jefferson Rojas, and/or James Triantos (probably three from that group), one Top 10 pitching prospect like Ben Brown or Jackson Ferris, and an MLB-ready reliever with closer potential like Daniel Palencia or Luke Little.