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

Leave the Gum, Take the Canela

Danny Canela reached base five times on a two-run home run, a two run double, a single, and two walks, Pin-Chieh Chen blasted a three-run home run and walked, Cael Brockmeyer reached base four times on two singles and two walks, stole two bases, and scored a run, Jeimer Candelario singled, walked twice, scored two runs, and drove-in another, and Starlin Castro belted a triple and an RBI double and scored a run, as the Daytona Cubs rallied to tie the Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks Hi-A affiliate) 9-9 on Field #6, and Jamie Westbrook hammered a three-run HR and Daniel Palka drilled a two-run HR, leading the South Bend Silver Hawks (AZ Lo-A affiliate) to a 12-3 drubbing of the Kane County Cougars (Cubs Lo-A affilate) on Field #3, in Cactus League Minor League doubleheader action this afternoon at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ.

Bijan Rademacher reached base four times on a triple, two singles, and walk for KC in a losing cause. 
The 23-year old left-handed hitting Canela is presently assigned to the Kane County squad, but (probably because of his age and D-1 college experience) he began Minor League Camp as a catcher with the AA Tennessee squad. He was moved from catcher to 1st base during the course of Spring Training (he is a very rotund 5'10, perhaps weighing as much as 260 pounds), but the slugger was temporarily moved-up to the Daytona squad today because both Dan Vogelbach and Rock Shoulders (the D-Cubs two first-basemen) were absent.

Canela was Carlos Rodon's catcher at NC State in 2012, but then he had some undisclosed personal issues that resulted in his transferring to Lee University (an NAIA school in Tennessee) for his senior year. After he wasn't selected in the 2013 draft (and I have to ask why, because this dude has some serious HR power), he signed with the River City Rascals of the independent Frontier League where he hit a cool 360/455/582 with 12 HR and 14 doubles in 67 games. He led the league in hitting and was named the Frontier League's Rookie of the Year, before signing with the Cubs as a non-drafted free-agent (NDFA) last October. If he does indeed end up playing 1st base (and DH) at Kane County in 2014 (he is blocked by both Vogelbach and Shoulders at Daytona), Cougar fans (and Chicago Cub fans who go to Cougar games) are going to have loads of fun with this guy.

For us old-timers who remember Riverview Park in Chicago, Danny Canela playing baseball at Riverview Park in Mesa can't help but bring back memories of Dick "Two Ton" Baker and his "Laugh Your Troubles Away" Riverview Park TV commercials in the 1960's... so now it's Danny "Two-Ton" Canela?

Starlin Castro (hamstring injury rehab) played shortstop for seven innings and batted six times in the Daytona game. He flied out his first three times up, then after striking out swinging in his 4th PA in the 6th, he laced an RBI double off the right-centerfield fence in the 7th, and a one-out triple into the RF corner in the 8th. He appeared to be running the bases at full speed, showing no ill-effects from his hamstring injury. He also was solid in the field, making several fine defensive plays, including a heads-up 6-5 FC that caught a D'backs baserunner trying to take 3rd on a grounder to Castro's left. 

Since he will be a AA rotation starter, C. J. Edwards (who got the start for the Cubs in the MLB Cactus League game versus the San Diego Padres at Peoria last night) was inserted into the D-Cubs lineup to practice his bunting skills when such situations presented themselves. Edwards laid down three picture-perfect sac bunts in the bottom of the 1st, 5th, and 6th innings, but but then he struck out (bunted foul for strike three) his fourth time up in the 7th. So he was 75% successful.  

Starting for KC (although he is assigned to the Daytona squad), 21-year old South African RHP Tayler Scott (Cubs 2011 5th round pick out of Notre Dame HS in Scottsdale, AZ) had a very poor outing, allowing seven runs (all earned) on five hits (including two triples and a HR) and five walks in just three innings of work (81 pitches - only 40 strikes). RHP Scott Frazier (Cubs 2013 6th round pick out of Pepperdine University) worked the 8th inning for the Cougars and could not find the strike zone, allowing two runs on three walks and an HBP in just 2/3 of inning (26 pitches - only nine strikes). There are those in the Cubs organization who believe the 6'5 235 Frazier (known by some as as "Sasquatch") has the best pure stuff in the system, but he just could not find home plate today.   

24-year old Dominican RHP Felix Pena got the start for Daytona, working 4.2 IP and allowing two runs (earned) on three hits and a walk. He also struck out seven and got a ton of ground balls (6/1 GO/FO), at one point retiring 12 South Bend hitters in a row before tiring in the 5th. Signed by the Cubs five years ago, it's taken Pena a while to put things together, but he has been one of the surprises of 2014 Minor League Camp (so far). On the other side of the coin was 24-year old RHP Zack Godley (Cubs 2013 10th round pick out of the U. of Tennessee), who followed Pena to the hill and was absolutely crushed, allowing seven runs on eight hits (including three triples and two doubles) in 1.1 IP.   

Here are the abridged box scores from the two minor league games played at Riverview Park today (Cubs players only):  

FIELD #3:

KANE COUNTY LINEUP:
1. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 1-4 (4-3, K, 1B, HBP, 5-4 FC, R, PO)
2. Carlos Panalver, SS: 1-5 (2B, K, 6-3, L-8, F-8, R, SB)
3. Kevin Brown, DH: 1-4 (L-7, 5-3, 4-3, 3B, BB, 2 RBI)
4. Jacob Rogers, 1B: 0-4 (BB, K, F-8, K, F-7)
5. Giuseppe Papaccio, RF: 1-4 (1B, F-8, 5-3, K, RBI)
6. Bijan Rademacher, LF: 3-3 (BB, 1B, 1B, 3B, SB)
7a. Mark Malave, C: 0-2 (K, K)
7b. Will Remillard, C: 0-2 (6-4 FC, 3-U)
8. Jordan Hankins, 3B: 0-3 (6-3, BB, F-8, 5-3)
9. Charcer Burks, CF: 1-3 (F-8, F-8, 1B, BB, R)  

KANE COUNTY PITCHERS:
1. Tayler Scott: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 7 R (7 ER), 5 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2/5 GO/FO, 81 pitches (40 strikes)
2. James Pugliese: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 32 pitches (23 strikes)
3. Michael Wagner: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 55 pitches (36 strikes)
4. Scott Frazier: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 1/1 GO/FO, 26 pitches (9 strikes)
5. Reinier Roibal: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 11 pitches (6 strikes)

KANE COUNTY ERRORS: 1
SS Carlos Penalver - E-6 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely) 

KANE COUNTY CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Mark Malave: 0-1 CS

FIELD #6:

DAYTONA LINEUP:
X-1. Starlin Castro, SS-DH: 2-6 (F-8, F-9, F-8, K, 2B, 3B, R, RBI)
NOTE: Castro hit 3rd in bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th innings, and 2nd in the bottom of the 7th & 8th innings) 
X-2. C. J. Edwards, DH #2: 0-1 (1-4 SH, 1-4 SH, 2-4 SH, K)
NOTE: Edwards hit 2nd in the bottom of the 1st, 5th, and 6th innings, and 4th in the bottom of the 7th inning) 
1a. Tim Saunders, DH #1: 1-3 (HBP, K, L-8, 1B, 2 R) 
1b. Marco Hernandez, SS: 0-1 (F-9)
2. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-3 (1B, F-7, BB, BB, F-8, 2 R, RBI)
3. Danny Canela, 1B: 4-4 (1B, BB, HR, 2B, BB, R, 4 RBI, CS)
4. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 1-5 (F-8, F-7, 1B, F-9, 4-6-3 DP, CS)
5. Jacob Hannemann, CF: 1-4 (F-7, 1B, K, 5-3)
6. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 2-4 (1B, F-8, 1B, K, R)
7. Cael Brockmeyer, C: 2-2 (1B, BB, 1B, BB, R, 2 SB)
8. Pin-Chieh Chen, LF: 1-3 (HR, BB, 3-1, K, R, 3 RBI)
9a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST THREE TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
9b. Justin Marra, DH #3: 0-0 (BB)

DAYTONA PITCHERS:
1. Felix Pena: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 7 K, 6/1 GO/FO, 60 pitches (38 strikes)
2. Zach Godley: 1.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R (7 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 38 pitches (27 strikes)
3. Josh Davis: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 1/4 GO/FO, 22 pitches (15 strikes)
4. Andrew McKirahan: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 34 pitches (24 strikes)

DAYTONA ERRORS: NONE

DAYTONA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Cael Brockmeyer: 0-2 CS  

Comments

d.canela's issues at NCSU weren't drug/alcohol or attitude related, fwiw. he was running into a bit of a roadblock in his career going into 2013 with brett austin slated to take a majority of the C duties and canela seeing more time as a bat-only DH/backup catcher player. he also had conditioning issues with his weight, though it's obvious he didn't miss much upper body gym time. unfortunately, he switched schools rather late in a baseball sense (which most likely limited his choices of transfer schools) and going to Lee University (out of NCAA Division 1 competition) didn't exactly help his draft stock. he went to indie ball and the cubs snagged him. power and a good eye...never was much of a defensive C, though he's got experience and a decent arm (unfortunately his bulk didn't translate well into getting good throws with the arm coming out of the crouch)...1st/DH type most likely going forward...loves the game...not lazy even with conditioning/weight issues plaguing him for quite a while.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

so you're really good or really bad if you're young, intriguing...

Cubs have to be up there this year I'd think, old man Soriano and DeJesus gone. Only over 30's I see are Jose Veras and John Baker with a couple at age 30 (Jackson, Schierholtz, Villanueva). Figure though Marlins and Astros are gonna stay near the top.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

This whole thing is reminding me a bit of the Blackhawks when the younger Wirtz started fixing the badness that was old man Wirtz. They built a good core of young players. I hope that happens here. It's looking good so far. I'm actually interested in this team. I can root for these guys cuz they're coming up through the system, or they are young enough that if they're good they should be around awhile (Olt, Rizzo). Winning a division through free agency is dead, if it ever was really alive. All the good young players are getting extended, and Miguel Cabrera just got sewn up for two more years. Is Eloy ready yet? Let's bring him up!

Az. Phil----Soler has not played in a minor league since 3/17---any word on what's going on?

CARMELO: Jorge Soler is on Limited Activity Only status, but he did take BP with the Tennessee squad Thursday morning. I don't know the nature of his injury or why he hasn't been able to play in games. 

 

Nats release Mike Fontenot. Reed Johnson is the only s-crappy player left in the league (RJ made the marlins 25 man roster).

BP mention on a bunch of relievers, last on the commentary was Jose Veras... http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=23151
Jose Veras, Cubs Second verse same as the first, with a slight alteration. Relievers are the ultimate wild card. The stop being effective or get hurt for odd reasons. Billy Koch thought that he had tendrils growing out of his fingertips once and well, that was that for his baseball career. Let’s take intellectual leaps and say Kimbrel isn’t saving as many games for whatever reason as he had in the past. That opens the door up quite a bit for the field and while Veras does play for a rebuilding squad I think it will also be a squad that will look to shop him heavily at the trade deadline. Once again, I believe in Veras’ ability, and I think he would look quite nice in high leverage situations for some team that’s suddenly found itself in a playoff chase sans a capital C closer. Enter Veras and his healthy strikeout rate and improving command. I think he'll do quite well as The Guy, wherever he is needed. —Mauricio Rubio

from the department of "there are teams worse off than the cubs"... "Astros manager Bo Porter plans to hit Jose Altuve cleanup against right-handers this season."

new drug policy

80/162/lifetime ban

no playoffs or playoff share

more urine testing

player can try and prove PED was taken accidentally or not intended to enhance performance during arbitration process

League will provide safe supplements throughout the year

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.