Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

Last updated 10-2-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 22
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Brad Boxberger
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Tyler Duffey 
Jeremiah Estrada
Shane Greene
Kyle Hendricks
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
# Jeimer Candelario
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 8
Kevin Alcantara
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

60-DAY IL: 6
Nick Burdi, P
Michael Fulmer, P 
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Nick Madrigal, INF
Ethan Roberts, P
 


 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Happy Trade Deadline Day

TheJedi have already knocked out a number of trades earlier in the month, that today shouldn't bring too much excitement, but there's still a few pieces left on the trading block. One is Nate Schierholtz whom Jayson Stark reiterates is the most likely Cub to be dealt today. The Pirates and Rangers seem like the most likely spots at the moment.

Heyman says Jeff Samardzija won't be moved right now, but the Cubs will pursue a trade or an extension this offseason.

Bruce Levine said the Cubs nearly had a deal in place to move James Russell to the Braves last week.

Twitter was a buzz with talk that the Diamondbacks wanted to shed some salary to fit Jake Peavy into their budget and were willing to move Ian Kennedy to get it done. The Cubs, Angels and Padres were all rumored destinations. Not sure if the DBacks still are eager to move Kennedy with Peavy going to the Red Sox, although they could still be in on other pitchers including Bud Norris.

And don't forget this is just the non-waiver deadline, teams can continue to make moves through August 31st to acquire players eligible for their playoff rosters.

Comments

So, does Gregg get shipped out of town on waivers in August, or has he doomed himself to Cubdom for the remainder of 2013? And what could Navarro do to make any team want him? Not like he could hit much better.

Jim Duquette shitting all over Schierholtz, calls him a 4th OF. Prefers DeJesus for his versatility.

[ ]

In reply to by Newport

fake boobs feel weird...new implants, old implants...they all feel weird...they move/bounce weird...they basically look best when covered (or partially covered) by clothes which misses the point when you get to the point you want to make with them (there's a few puns in there somewhere).

I. Kennedy to Padres for LHP Joe Thatcher, AA prospect Matt Stites and compensatory draft pick between 2nd and 3rd round.

The San Diego Padres were the first MLB club to trade a 2014 Competitive Balance Draft pick, and the Cubs might be able to acquire one in a deal with the Pirates (for Schierholtz) or Rockies (for Gregg).

Here are the Rule 4 Draft Competitive Balance picks for 2014:

COMP GROUP "A" (picks between 1st & 2nd rounds):
1. COL
2. BAL
3. CLE
4. MIA
5. KC 
6. MIL

COMP GROUP "B" (picks between 2nd & 3rd rounds) 
1. SD (traded to AZ for Ian Kennedy)
2. AZ
3. STL
4. TB
5. PIT
6. SEA

Once a Competitive Balance pick is traded it cannot be flipped to a third team, so the SD "B" pick that was traded to AZ in the Ian Kennedy deal cannot be traded again.

 

Witty says Navarro is in play for the Cards because of knee injury to Molina. Maybe some international cap space if they have any left.

RHP Matt Stites (the minor league pitcher going from SD to AZ) was a Cubs draft pick (33rd round) out of a Missouri JC in 2010, but did not sign.

Orioles are sending LJ Hoes and Josh Hader and their comp pick in 2004 for RHP Bud Norris

no deals for Cubs...

Schierholtz, Navarro, Gregg, DeJesus would all likely be claimed, limiting Cubs options

also no more cap space acquired and Eloy signing expected to be official tomorrow (could change).

could change, but only 4 deals today

Bud Norris and int'l cap space to O's for 2 prospects and a comp pick

Ian Kennedy to Padres for Thatcher, prospect Max Stites and comp pick

Drew Butera to Dodgers for PTBNL

Justin Maxwell to Royals for prospect Kyle Smith ho-hum.

Booooooooooooooo! Boring. Sigh. Worst trade deadline I've ever ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Um they are spending a lot of money on the team at all levels, just not on free agents right now, especially considering how leveraged the sale was. And have you noticed the team salaries of the teams on top? Throwing money at the problem isn't a solution in today's free agent market The "not spending money on the team" thing is bogus. I can't stand Rickets as a person but he is doing right by this team money wise.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

now we just need to get rid of that stupid rule where if you spend money you can't win games. i understand that if the cubs spend $25-$35m more they have to start the season 0-10 by default...and that's not fair at all. this either/or for winning/rebuilding needs to be looked at in the next owner's meeting. still, at least the cubs have the #27 ticket price in baseball rather than the #3 ticket price in all of baseball. it would help if they could get out of wrigley+chicago and relocate the team to somewhere in nebraska, too.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

It's nice of you to be so free with $25 million of Rickets money on top of the leveraged buying of the team, building new minor league/training facilities, hiring new people, rebuilding Wrigley, getting lots of potentially good international players and the $105 million payroll (does that include the new Rizzo contract?), all of which will help us for years to come. Clearly instead of turning this team into an actual professional organization at all levels they should have spent money on overpriced FAs to help them win a few more games in the short term. Tell me, with this additional $25 million you say Rickets can spend, who would they have gotten to help them win the World Series? Because I don't care how many games they win if it doesn't include the World Series.

[ ]

In reply to by johann

given that the cubs could spend $130m next year and nearly double the payroll from where it current stands to sit this offseason it could be glorious...and they'd still turn a profit. besides, after 2014 they get to bend WGN over a table (if they don't get it done earlier) over their TV contract that expires. i'm stoked and all about j.baez's .220/.280 avg/ob% and his homers and all, but i'm not waiting on him and k.bryant to give the team a reason to compete. soooo many teams have proven, especially the past few years, that signing a guy doesn't mean you're not going to get something in return if you want "out"...from MIA/TOR to BOS/LAA to CWS with peavy just yesterday...actual prospects, not just filler.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

i think it's safe to say they're going to cash in well more than the $20m a year they're getting now...$80-$100+ million isn't out of the question. they're not selling a full suite of games (since they have their games packaged around multiple contracts and the WGN one is 70 games), but delivering 3+ hours of programming for a network that people tend to actually watch live (rather than TIVO/etc) is a growing valued market.

Recent comments

  • Childersb3 10/03/2023 - 10:46 pm (view)

    I understand this is a cost saving and control idea. But I wouldn't be happy giving up ONKC or Alcantara for Hayes and/or Bednar.

    I'm not saying they aren't good players. They are. They've never been "tested" with playing for a good team, but that isn't their fault. They produce good results. But not Jaguar and Big Red.

    Canario won't get to play for the Cubs, just like Velazquez, so he should probably go. Same for Mervis and Vazquez. Wesneski can get better but Bednar would certainly help us.

    But not to big power hitting OFs that are 21 yrs old and younger at AA already. I'm still holding out hope for the ONKC-PCA-Jag left to right OF. I'm just not giving up on that.

    Hayes for Morel kind of stings. I'd love for Morel to get a full year at 3B. Even if he failed there miserably, I'd like to give him a shot.

    Phil always comes up with common sense angles. This trade idea fills needs for sure and fills them with cost saving effective players.

    I'm thinking Morel goes to NYM for Alonso.

    We'll see what Jed cooks up.

  • Arizona Phil 10/03/2023 - 10:18 pm (view)

    It used to be that teams did not want to trade within their own division for PR reasons, but I don't see that with Ben Cherington in Pittsburgh or with Hoyer / Hawkins in Chicago, so the Cubs might target Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes and closer David Bednar.

    Hayes is a Gold Glove defender, a decent enough hitter (105 OPS+ in 2023), and he's under control at a VERY reasonable price ($8.75M AAV) through 2029 (with a club option for 2030). 

    Bednar is first-time salary arbitration-eligible post-2023 and under control through 2026. 

    One thing about the Cubs is that they can afford to overpay (which is what they would have to do to get both Hayes and Bednar) with a package consisting of a decent young MLB position player to replace Hayes in the lineup (like Christopher Morel, who could play LF in Pittsburgh) and prospects like outfielders Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, or Kevin Alcantara (Pirates pick one, leaving the other two for the Cubs), a power-hitting 1B-DH like Matt Mervis or Haydn McGeary (Pirates pick one, leaving the other one for the Cubs), SS Luis Vazquez (who is MLB-ready but will never play SS in Chicago), 3B B. J. Murray (who could replace Hayes at the hot corner in Pittsburgh by 2025 if not sometime in 2024, and he obviously would be blocked in Chicago if the Cubs get Hayes), and an MLB-ready SP like Hayden Wesneski. 

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:02 pm (view)

    boog and glanville calling the PHI@MIL game on ESPN2.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:59 pm (view)

    bellinger is my #1 want, but i fear he's the #1 want of many teams and will get crazy money + years, with the years being the big sting.  they need to replace bellinger's production if they don't get him no matter what position(s) played.

  • George Altman 10/03/2023 - 10:40 pm (view)

    I hope their top priorities are Bellinger, 2 RPs better than Fulmer/Boxberger (ideally 1 LH), and a 3B (Chapman my 1st Choice). That will put them right up to $237-257M AAV limit, but I don't see a playoff berth doing anything less.

    If they really want Alonso, Morel would be a good opening piece of that offer. 

    Unfortunately, Stroman will opt in ($23.7M) and Smyly ($11.5M) will be back. Steele, Taillon, Assad, Wicks will be rotation pieces. Would love a SP2 FA but don't see how they keep an effective offense and improve their bullpen while adding that.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    i cannot imagine getting a legit 3rd, whether signing or via trade, isn't the highest priority for the team.  it's almost obvious they don't see morel there.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:19 pm (view)

    I’m just hoping they have an actual 3B next year so we don’t need to worry about the M boys, Bote, and P Whiffy eating all the 3B at bats next year.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:13 pm (view)

    Willson was a OF/3B when we signed him too.

    On a less successful but still got to the show note, PJ Higgins was another college IF converted to C

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    truth...and personally, i'd give him ABs (especially at 3rd) over the 2 singles-hitting-ceiling guys that got the shot.  i'm sure he can cover the ob% and defense while surpassing the power of anything masterboney and madrigal brought to the team.

    i don't view bote as a solution at 3rd, but i find it hard to believe he couldn't outperform either of the main options they had there for a huge chunk of this season.

  • KingKongvsGodzilla 10/03/2023 - 10:47 pm (view)

    Color me impressed by this assignment for Trice right out of the draft as a convert. Seems worth following after the success of Caratini