Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus four players are on the 60-DAY IL


28 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST, plus seven are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two are on the 10-DAY IL, and three are on the 15-DAY IL


Last updated 9-22-20239
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 14
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 6
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 6
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 7
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Ben Brown, P  
Brennen Davis, OF 
Jeremiah Estrada, P
Caleb Kilian, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Michael Rucker, P

10-DAY IL: 2
Jeimer Candelario, 1B
Nick Madrigal, INF

15-DAY IL: 3
Adbert Alzolay, P
Brad Boxberger, P 
Michael Fulmer, P 

60-DAY IL: 4
Nick Burdi, P
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Ethan Roberts, P
 


Minor League Rosters

Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Your 2013 VSL Cubs!

The Cubs have moved their second Dominican Summer League (DSL) team to Venezuela (Ciudad Alianza), and so 2013 will see the debut of the VSL Cubs (and no more DSL Cubs #2). 

While the Cubs have signed many Venezuelan players over the years (with Carlos Zambrano, Angel Guzman, Ronny Cedeno, and Geremi Gonzalez being the most-notable ones), they have operated a team in the Venezuelan Summer League (VSL) only once previous, and that was a "co-op" team shared with the Minnesota Twins in 2007.

The VSL has been in operation since 1997 and had at one time as many as a dozen teams. However, in recent years the number of MLB clubs with affiliates in the VSL has dwindled to just four (Mariners, Rays, Tigers, and Phillies in 2012), with the Cubs bucking the contraction trend by actually putting a new team in the league this season. 

It is perhaps a little bit strange that the Cubs have chosen to move one of their DSL teams to Venezuela just as their new state-of-the-art multi-million dollar Dominican Academy goes on-line, but they probably recognize the potential motherload of baseball talent that's just waiting to be discovered in Central & South America (including Brazil), and having a presence in the VSL could help the Cubs get a foothold there.     

While the Dominican Summer League (DSL) does not begin play until June 1st, VSL Opening Day is next Monday (May 13th), and the VSL regular season runs through August 5th. A best two-out-of-three playoff between the 1st and 2nd place teams follows the conclusion of the regular season.     

The VSL roster limit is 35, but at present the Cubs have assigned only 24 players to the VSL Cubs, with 22 of the players from Venezuela, one from Curacao, and one from the Dominican Republic. (Essentially all of the Venezuelan players who had been assigned to DSL Cubs #1 or DSL Cubs #2 were moved to the VSL Cubs). The two Mexican players assigned to the Dominican Academy (RHP Javier Castro and LHP David Villegas) could be assigned to the VSL Cubs, too, as well as any Cuban or other non-Dominican international players (including no more than two players from Puerto Rico) the Cubs may sign in coming months.

There are also 11 Venezuelan players presently assigned to the Cubs Extended Spring Training team (RHP Daniel Adrian, OF Jeffrey Baez, C Erick Castillo, 2B Bryant Flete, RHP Erick Leal, 3B Mark Malave, LHP Angel Mejias, SS Carlos Penalver, C Wilfredo Petit, LHP Carlos Rodriguez, and LHP Luis Villegas) who could be moved down to the VSL Cubs, although most of the Venezuelans at EXST are likely ticketed for the AZL Cubs or Boise.   

2013 VSL CUBS:



* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS (14):
Adbert Adzolay
Harrinson Bermudez
Francisco Carrillo
Jesus Castillo
* Augusto Colina
* Alberto Diaz
Greyfur Eregua
* Manuel Fuentes
* Victor Garcia
Yomar Pacheco
* Chris Pieters
Brohiglyn Rivero
Victor Salazar
Ramon Valera

CATCHERS (2):
Leonardo Gonzalez
Eufran Vargas

INFIELDERS (4): 
# Roney Alcala
# Humberto Garcia
Danny Gutierrez
Miguel Rico

OUTFIELDERS (4):
* Delbis Arcila 
Arnaldo Calero
# Martin Hodwalker
* Ricardo Marcano

MANAGER:
Osmin Melendez

COACHES:
Franklin Blanco
Angel Guzman (?)
NOTE: Ex-Cub Angel Guzman has been working as a Pitching Coach at Extended Spring Training in Mesa, but unconfirmed info is that he will be the Pitching Coach with the VSL Cubs. 

Comments

AZ Phil -- any word on Josh Conway's injury last Saturday? What got hurt, how badly, etc.?

From AZ's report from 5/4 (7 articles down from this one): Meanwhile, Conway looked uncomfortable from his very first pitch, continually pawing at his landing spot and scraping mud out of his spikes after every single pitch. A member of the grounds crew was eventually located after the end of the 1st inning (today is Saturday, so there was just a "skeleton crew" on duty), and while he raked up the mud clods, nothing was done to dry up the mud itself or stamp-down the mound. On his second pitch in the bottom of the 2nd inning, Conway's spikes got caught in the mud and he tripped and threw a pitch awkwardly, about six feet over the head of the Brew Crew batter. A loud pop could be heard when he let go of the pitch, and his arm recoiled as if he had been shot. He was obviously in tremendous pain, and he ran up the 1st base line into foul territory before coming to a stop and going to one knee. Only after Conway left the game did two other members of the Maryvale grounds crew arrive and completely manicure the mound to make it safe for the pitchers. Conway was immediately driven back to Fitch Park in the Cubs utility van, and presumably he will be examined next week.

The Cubs have released catcher Micah Gibbs, who was their 2010 3rd round draft pick out of LSU. He was a decent defensive catcher, but was hitting just 163/317/286 at Daytona this season, and for his career (208 minor league games), Gibbs hit 217/329/293.  

Also, catcher Chadd Krist and infielder Wes Darvill have been moved up to Daytona from Kane County, and LHP Jeff Lorick (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K in two EXST games) has been reinstated from the DL and was moved up to Daytona from Extended Spring Training, and RHP Starlin Peralta has been sent to Extended Spring Training from Daytona. 

Peralta was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Major League Phase of the December 2012 Rule 5 Draft, but was returned to the Cubs during Spring Training. He had put up an awful 12.86 ERA and 1.86 WHIP in 14.0 IP at Daytona so far in 2013.

i.stewart reappears in a AAA game as a pinch hitter...goes 0-1, of course. he's having one hell of a rough rehab...it'd be hard to replicate it or do worse on the MLB level simply playing the odds.

"Yankees acquired INF Alberto Gonzalez from the Cubs for a player to be named later or cash considerations; assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre."

Rizzo vs. Pujols - Just for fun, for those who wanted Pujols so badly: Rizzo: .269/.349/.554/.903 - 9 homers Pujols: .238/.322/400/.722 - 5 homers Prince Fielder, on the other hand, is putting together a nice season so far. I hadn't realized Rizzo's average was creeping back up so fast. And his OBP is getting better, too.

Regarding the Bo Porter pitching change issue:

There was a new rule implemented last year that requires a pitcher who comes out to warm up at the start of an inning to face at least one batter UNLESS the opposing manager puts up a pinch-hitter. Only then can the pitcher be replaced. But this applies to pitchers who were already in the game and were the pitcher when the final out was made the previous inning. This is NOT the same rule as the one where a relief pitcher coming into a game must face at least one batter or record one out (a pick-off or SB CS would count) before he can be replaced by another pitcher (unless he is injured prior to facing at least one batter or recording an out).

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

he was doing pretty good in the WBC for a few innings...both performance and attitude...until he had a blow-up where he raged like hell, continued to fall apart and miss his spots after the raging, and when pulled raged some more in the dugout. i think that was the "oh yeah...Zambrano...that guy" moment that took him off some observer's lists.

Recent comments

  • Mike Wellman 09/25/2023 - 09:24 pm (view)

    Playoffs essentially start tomorrow for Cubs. Better pack for a week in Milwaukee.

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:34 pm (view)

    azbobbop: If Stroman does not opt out, the Cubs can trade him without any restrictions.

    Stroman will make $21M in 2024 if he does not opt out, and Hendricks will make $16M if the Cubs exercise the club option. 

    Also, it would cost the Cubs a $1.5M buy-out if they decline the Hendricks club option, so they would only be saving $14.5M by declining the option, not the full $16M.

  • azbobbop 09/25/2023 - 09:08 pm (view)

    Phil, if Stroman opts in, does have any trade protection?

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    CRUNCH: Unfortunately all of the tie-breakers work against the Cubs in the case of a tie with AZ, MIA, and/or CIN. 

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:48 pm (view)

    CUBSTER: The Cubs are expected to be "in" on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but so will about a dozen other clubs. 

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:54 pm (view)

    Childersb3: I suspect the Cubs will pick-up the Hendricks $16M 2024 option rather than pay the $1.5M buy-out, and then depending on what else might happen during off-season (Stroman opt-out now not likely, Smyly to the pen permanently, might or might not sign Yamamoto), Hendricks will either be in the Cubs starting rotation on Opening Day, or else he will be traded. 

    So while I don't think the Cubs will decline the club option, I do think he could be traded if it becomes clear during the course of the off-season and Spring Training that there is no place for him in the 2024 rotation.

    With the need for SP being what it is throughout MLB, Hendricks still has value (especially on a one-year contract for reasonable money), whether it be with the Cubs or with another club (presuming he stays healthy, of course). 

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:30 pm (view)

    Cubs are pitch types / velo from the game: 

    Alfredo Romero: FB 88-91 and CV 77-79 
    Shane Marshall: FB 92, SL/CT: 87-88, CV: 79-81 
    Mason McGwire: FB 93-95, SL/CT 85-88, SPLIT 76-78    
    Kevin Valdez: FB 92-93, SL 80-83, CV 74 
    Koen Moreno: FB 89-92, SL/CT 84-85, CH 79-81, CV 73-74 

  • crunch 09/25/2023 - 09:17 pm (view)

    ARZ lost.  going into the last week of play ARZ + CHC are tied for the last 2 WC spots...MIA -1, CIN -2.5

  • Cubster 09/25/2023 - 09:17 am (view)

    Tell us more about the chances of a Yamamoto?

    Didnt Jed just scout in Japan?

  • Childersb3 09/25/2023 - 09:47 am (view)

    Phil,

    USA Today is reporting that Stroman is more likely now to take his option for next year rather than hit FA market.
    21mil in hand and hope for a reset year in '24 a better outlook for him?
    Does this mean Hendricks gets let go?
    Smyly will opt in to his last year for sure.
    So, Steele, Taillon, Stroman, Wicks, Assad, Brown, maybe Horton, with Smyly in the pen.
    Will there be enough cash and spots for Hendricks to return?
    I was hoping for a Steele, Taillon, Wicks, Assad, Brown and Yamamoto rotation.