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 Outlast Angels at Fitch Park

Yasiel Balaguert doubled twice, singled twice, walked, drove-in two runs, and scored three more, Junior Lake stroked a double and an RBI single, walked, and scored two runs, Rony Rodriguez singled twice, doubled, knocked-in three runs, and scored another, and Xavier Batista belted an RBI triple and a single and scored a run, helping the Cubs defeat the Angels 10-8 in Cactus League Extended Spriung Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #4 in Mesa, AZ.  

RHP Trey Lang (Cubs 2012 6th round draft pick) got the start and had another rough outing, allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits (three singles, two doubles, and a triple), two walks, and an HBP, plus three wild pitches, in 4.1 IP (72 pitches). He did strike out five (all five swinging), but he was bouncing his breaking ball and had difficulty throwing his fastball for strikes.

In EXST Cubs roster news, catcher Neftali Rosario (Cubs 2011 6th round draft pick) has been moved up to Kane County. It's probably just a temporary thing, however, because Rosario was hitting just 091/167/136 in 11 EXST games (24 PA), and had missed some time with an ankle injury. Rosario was doubtful to even make the Boise roster, much less a permanent promotion to KC.  

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):



CUBS LINEUP:
1. Kevin Encarnacion, LF: 1-5 (E-3, L-4, 4-3, 2B, P-6, R)
2. Junior Lake, CF: 2-4 (6-4-3 DP, K, 2B, 1B, BB, 2 R, RBI)
3. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 4-4 (BB, 2B, 1B, 2B, 1B, 3 R, 2 RBI)
4. Xavier Batista, 1B: 2-5 (K, 1B, 3B, 1-3, K, R, 2 RBI)
5. Rony Rodriguez, DH: 3-5 (1B, 2B, 4-3, 1B, K, R, 3 RBI)
6. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 1-4 (3B, L-5, F-7, 4-6 FC, R, RBI)
7. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 0-3 (F-7, 6-3, 4-3, HBP)
8. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-4 (K, F-7, 5-3, K)
9. Jose Morales, C: 0-2 (BB, 4-3, BB, 3-6-3 DP, R)

CUBS PITCHERS
1. Trey Lang: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R (6 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 3 WP, 72 pitches (42 strikes), 5/3 GO/FO
2. Orbandy Rodriguez: 1.2 P, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 27 pitches (22 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
3. Carlos Martinez: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 33 pitches (20 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO  
4. Mike Hamann: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 12 pitches (9 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO

CUBS ERRORS: 1
1B Xavier Batista - E-3 (fielding error on infield single allowed batter to advance to 2nd base)

CATCHERS DEEFENSE:
Jose Morales: 1-1 CS

ATTENDANCE: 13

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

Comments

I'm sure you're all aware of this, but at some point the Cubs went from a terrible offense to a middle of the road one (7th in runs scored in NL, 8th in OPS).

Overall, 3rd in SLG, 12th in OBP...meet the new boss, same as the old

today they have Barney & Ransom batting 1st and 2nd versus the lefty Vargas...sure.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

"Eh, ball what?"

"Ball Four son, get your ass to first"

"Eh shit, I lost count, not suppose to let ball four go by. Alfonso tell me you only hit home runs if you swing. Plus me and Castillo have a bet on who will swing at more bad pitches."

Addison Reed blows a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the 14th against the Mariners.

After 0-0 through 13, WSox get 5 in the top of the inning. Reed gets the first guy and then 4 straight singles, before K'ing Jason Bay and giving up a tying grand slam to Kyle Seager.

To the 15th...

#schaudenfreude

Cubs up 1 in the bottom of the 7th...I'm sure this will go smoothly.

Wonder where the 8th inning bullpen roulette wheel will land?

AZ Phil, do you know the extent of Jae-Hoon Ha's injury? Is he in Arizona? Thanks. Also how agout his partner Dae-Eun Rhee?

Ask for something around here... And you get it. Yesterday I wondered out loud how many pitchers picked in the first round have had a decent career that has lasted 3 years, and, sure enough, you morans came up with more than one list. I'm still not really sure I'd like to see a top three pick spent on a pitcher. I'm not so interested in whether or not they actually live up to potential - that's always a crap shoot whether they are pitchers or position players. My only reason for not wanting to take a top three pick on a pitcher is the injury factor. I wouldn't expand that to an entire first round, though. If the Cubs were picking, say, 15th in the first round, and they chose a pitcher, I really wouldn't care either way. One thing seems clear - there don't seem to be any can't misses. I wanted Bryant until I saw Rob's point about him, now I'm not so sure (I'm easily swayed by anything close to a reasonable argument, especially by people who know a lot more than I do about something). I do wonder though, and I'm way too lazy to research it, if Bryant isn't considered special now because he simply got bigger and stronger in college. Could be in high school he had some pop but nothing overwhelming. Somebody mentioned - maybe crunch, that Bryant was a no field third baseman. Whoever they pick, I really want somebody who can come in and help the team this year. Bring him up!!

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

I'm sure Bryant will have a perfectly reasonable career. I'd be more stoked about him if batted from the left side and was a good bet to stay at third base. But I think Gray and Appel will also have perfectly reasonable careers, with Gray having the most upside of the 3. And the Cubs could use some immediate help in the rotation of course. Plus, despite the fact that TheJedi are on a 5-year plan, by Year 5, they need to be contending for a playoff spot or I don't even think Ricketts will be that patient.

If the Cubs were playing the long game, I'd say go with Frazier or Meadows. But for the immediate needs, I'd definitely go Grey if he's available. 100 mph fastballs have a high rate of having major league careers. Although I do think Gray will need a few seasons in the minors to work on his control, while I believe Appel should be in the majors by 2014. I'd say even 2013, but they'll probably let his arm take a break.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

"no field" 3rd is a bit strong, but a lot of people believe he won't stick there. i imagine he'll get a chance to try it out, but a lot of people doubt he'll be able to stick there. his reaction time there is supposedly a bit slow and he's racked up a concerning amount of errors there in college...but they use aluminum bats there and college is a place where (thanks to those bats) people look more at the footwork/reaction-time/arm more than the errors. my main concern about bryant is that he's a junior...so he's going to want to get paid...his power is off-the-charts and he's going to demand top loot with an extra year of college to leverage. given the cubs slot it's not that much of a concern, though...the worst that could happen is he'd want same/similar loot as gray/appell.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings ESPN's playoff odds calculator still gives the Cubs an 11% chance of making the playoffs this year. That's better than 11 other teams, despite the Cubs being in a division with three teams on pace for the playoffs. It's roughly the same odds as the Phillies, who are at .500 in a weak division despite poor play. I've been the first to admit this year's Cubs are OK and not terrible, but the record is what it is, and the sell-off is pending. If ESPN wants 10-to-1 that the Cubs make the playoffs, I'll happily take that.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    it is taking more than a minute for me to get used to craig counsell being the cubs manager.

    he's going to take the field on opening day at wrigley and get massively cheered.

    that is weird.  that's a thing that's happening, though.

    history aside, while i am horrified at the amount of money they're paying him, i welcome his style of management over what d.ross has given the team.  love d.ross and how chill + ready to deliver he kept the team, but he had a serious pitching short-hook problem that exhausted the pen and some very questionable bench/pinch-hitting use.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: If you go by what Counsell did with the Brewers, he is much more likely to go with younger players than Ross was. I think part of it was that Ross was a "veteran players manager," meaning he was well liked and respected by veteran players because he was inclined to play them over younger unproven guys. 

    And that actually might have been OK if the Cubs had been "sellers"at the trade deadline (as they clearly had planned to be before suddenly deciding to go fr it), because Ross would have played the veterans a lot the first four months of the season (which would have maximized their trade value), and then Ross would have had no choice but to play the younger guys the last two months after the veterans were traded. 

    But of course it didn't work out that way. 

    One thing about Craig Counsell that might have attracted Hoyer to him is that Counsel is very "collaborative" as a manager and welcomes and even demands lots of input from the analytics department. In fact I have heard tell that Counsell knows at least as much as the geeks know and that he routinely goes to them for information rather than waiting for it to be offered. So think of Ross as a Chevy pick-up truck, while Counsell is a Tesla. 

  • crunch (view)

    with candelario off the board to the reds, it looks like it's chapman or trade...or another year of gambling cheap on someone like gio urshela or a meh-D donovan solano.

    of course there's also this guy with a rocket arm named morel that could have played a bit more 3rd in 2023 seeing if that could be his thing, but whatever i guess.  i know accuracy isn't a strength with those throws from 3rd, but still, for his cost and a supporting middle-IF that's one of the best in MLB (if not #1) it's not the worst use of a very cheap talent.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: I believe Jeimer Candelario offers more roster flexibility in 2024 and beyond than players like Matt Chapman and/or Rhys Hoskins would, not to mention costing a lot less $$$$ (and signing Chapman would also cost the Cubs a draft pick because Toronto extended a Qualifying Offer to Chapman).  

    Also, I can't help but see visions of Trey Mancini whenever I think about the Cubs signing Rhys Hoskins. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: Time will tell.

    Certainly the Cubs are not exactly flush with lefty relievers in the system. so Adam Laskey was not redundant. 

    As far as Sheldon Reed is concerned, he pitched very well the last month of the season at South Bend and I thought that would have earned him a spot on the Iowa reserve list. 

    I presume the Cubs had good reasons for not assigning Laskey and Reed to the AAA reserve list (thus making them available for selection in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft), but without knowing who was on the AAA reserve list instead of Laskey and Reed, I can't offer an informed opinion. 

    BTW, the same thing happened last year when I had LHP Luis Angel Rodriguez on the AAA Iowa roster but the Cubs left him off and then he was selected by the Houston Astros in the AAA Phase. I couldn't figure that one out, either. 

  • crunch (view)

    reds snag candelario...

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Would Candelario be someone that is able to take a bench role once some of these younger players are coming up and need playing time and latitude?

    So crazy that his career has come full circle like this.......

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Do you feel that Counsel will be more apt to play out some of the young guys, rather than mainly sticking with veterans like Dross?

     

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Do you think they weren't protected in the AAA phase because the organization feels they're redundant or at lesser value than other players they protected, or was this just poor managment?

  • George Altman (view)

    Even more reason that Jed needs to bring back Bellinger and his LH bat.