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

Casper Wells Unfriendly to Guests at Riverview Park

Bryant Flete reached base four times (two singles and two walks), knocked-in two runs, and scored another, and Casper Wells singled twice, walked, drove-in two runs, and scored another, leading the Cubs to an 8-4 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #6 at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Nataniel Delgado (2012 NDFA - Dominican Republic - $280K bonus) clubbed a three-run home run to account for three of the four Angels runs.  

Justin Ruggiano (Cubs 15-day DL - hamstring) continued his EXST rehab, serving as a DH and batting three times. He laced a line-drive single to center and then later scored in the bottom of the 1st inning, grounded out 6-3 in his second AB, and flied out to the warning track in dead CF his last time up.  

Casper Wells (AAA Iowa 7-day DL - back spasms) also continued his EXST rehab, playing RF for seven innings and reaching base in all three of his Plate Appearances (the aforementioned two singles and a walk). He was due to hit a fourth time in the bottom of the 8th, but he had already departed for the clubhouse by that time. He looks to be 100%, and so he may be rejoining Iowa very soon.  

RHP C. J. Edwards (AA Tennessee 7-day DL - shoulder fatigue) is at Riverview Park while awaiting the results of his latest MRI. He can participate in PFP drills, but he is not yet cleared to resume throwing.  

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


CUBS LINEUP:
1. Rashad Crawford, CF: 1-4 (1B, HBP, E-1, K, K, 2 R, SB)
2a. Justin Ruggiano, DH #1: 1-3 (1B, 6-3, F-8, R)
2b. Shamil Ubiera, RF: 0-1 (BB, 6-3)
3. Bryant Flete, 2B: 2-2 (1B, 1B, BB, BB, R, 2 RBI)
4a. Casper Wells, RF-DH: 2-2 (BB, 1B, 1B, R, 2 RBI)
4b. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FOURTH TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
5. Rony Rodriguez, DH #2: 0-3 (BB, F-8, F-7, F-9, RBI)
6. Tyler Alamo, C: 0-4 (4-6-3 DP, 4-3, 4-3, 6-3)
7. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 1-4 (P-6, 6-3, 1B, K) 
8. Elliot Soto, SS: 0-4 (K, 5-3, K, E-5, R)
9. Justin Marra, DH #3: 1-4 (3-U, F-8, 3-U, 2B, RBI)
10. Mark Malave, 1B: 2-4 (6-3, 1B, K, 1B, R)
11. Adonis Paula, 3B: 1-4 (E-5, 6-3, 2B, K, R)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Jeferson Mejia: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 PO, 1 GIDP, 3/1 GO/FO, 57 pitches (30 strikes)
2. Luis Hernandez: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 2/3 GO/FO, 28 pitches (19 strikes)
3. Zak Hermans: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3/1 GO/FO, 31 pitches (18 strikes)
4. Josh Davis: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 2/1 GO/FO, 36 pitches (24 strikes)

CUBS ERRORS: 1
3B Adonis Paula - E-5 (fielding error alllowed batter to reach base safely)

ATTENDANCE: 7

WEATHER: Sunny & very breezy with temperatures in the 80's 
 

Comments

I refuse to watch tonight's game. I have the time, and I won't do it. I'm not going to add a set of eyeballs to the MLB app site, even tho I know it won't make any difference. I don't know what Renteria is thinking with this refusing to play Olt every day, but I'm boycotting the games he doesn't play in if for no other reason that it means one less home run tonight. WTF, not playing him is almost like saying, "we won't need any home runs tonight kids" EDIT: I will say this, though. I would like to see Olt get a couple regular base hits once in awhile.

Btw here is the f'ing litmus test: any doubt that Atlanta was happy as hell Olt was taken out of the lineup for extra innings the other night? Any doubt in your mind that the Cardinals are happy they don't have to face Olt four times tonight? None. No doubt. And it's not even because he's good. It's because he's dangerous and he's fairly hot. What manager doesn't play a player that unnerves the other team? Ever? Maybe an aging veteran who needs rest. That's about it.

Bryant homered again Too bad Barney and Valbuena are blocking him

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

he can't stay in AA too much longer performing like he is. sure the Ks aren't ideal, but they're not alarming given what he's doing around those Ks (including the walks). his bat is playing like a guy who's done with AA. his glove seems like a guy who's ready for LF/RF, though.

Somebody woke up Albert Almora tonight...3 doubles, 4 rbi and Ben Wells had a nice night 6ip, 3 hits, 0 runs, 8K, 0 BB

Arrieta is walking a tightrope over thin ice on the edge of the world, um with no where to turn, well I mean - he's wild tonight.

[ ]

In reply to by Carlito

It's really really bizarre. I think we've all said it - that it would be understandable if there was an established vet. Half of Olt's hits (very nearly) are home runs, which is also a little bizarre. I'd like to see that change but I also wouldn't want them to mess with his approach just yet. The only way to really see what this kid is about is to play him and give him those ABs. But you nailed it best in a post earlier up the thread. OTHER teams are intimidated by his presence. That walk yesterday? I'm glad he took it. He has eight of them now. Teams are starting to really be careful around the strike zone, and he isn't showing signs yet of reaching out for crappy pitches. When he strikes out, he strikes out Brett Jackson style, just seems to miss the damn thing. Jackson, however, doesn't smash the ball into space the way Olt does when he does connect, so teams aren't afraid of him. The thing is, even if he goes 0-4, he's a threat to turn a game around at every at bat. Why on earth would you not play him? I loved that post you wrote. It said it a lot better. It's really crazy. I just don't get it at all.

even though j.arrieta got to go 96 pitches in his last injury rehab tuneup, he's only been allowed to go 82, 81, and 82 since his return to the bigs.

baez 0-4 with 3Ks. 43K in 102ab. is b.jackson his hitting coach in iowa?

HAGSAG: I don't know if Tsuyoshi Wada has an opt-out in his contract, but we might be able to deduce some things: 

1. Any international player who was at least 23 years old and who had played all or parts of at least five seasons in a recognized foreign "major" league (NPB, KBO, Serie Nacional, et al) prior to signing his first contract with an MLB club becomes an Article XX-B FA when the player's contract expires, 

Tsuyoshi Wada was an Article XX-B player post-2013. 

2. If an Article XX-B MLB free-agent signs a minor league contract at least ten days prior to MLB Opening Day (Wada's original contract with the Cubs was signed in January), and then is either not released by 12 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day prior to MLB Opening Day or added to an MLB Active List (25-man roster) or MLB Disabled List by 3 PM (Eastern) on MLB Opening Day, the player automatically receives a $100,000 retention bonus, and the player can unilaterally opt-out of the minor league contract on June 1st if he has not been added to an MLB Active List (25-man roster) or an MLB Disabled List by that date. 

The Cubs released Wada prior to 12 PM on the 5th day prior to MLB Opening Day.

So because Wada was released by the Cubs prior to 12 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day prior to MLB Opening Day, it probably means the Cubs either did not want to pay the $100,000 retention bonus and/or give Wada the right to opt-out of his minor league contract on June 1st if he was not added to the MLB 40-man roster by that date. 

Also, because Wada was released from a minor league contract, Outright Release Waivers were not required, and so no other MLB club would have had an opportunity to claim him at the time the Cubs released him, even if another club was interested.

So the Cubs could have just not released Wada and kept the original minor league contract with the $100K retention bonus and the June 1st opt-out, but they did not. They released him (and then almost immediately re-signed him), obviously to either avoid having to pay the $100K retention bonus and/or to remove the automatic June 1st opt out.

From Wada's POV, he must have received some added benefit that he would not have had in the original contract he signed with the Cubs, or he probably wouldn't have re-signed a week before Opening Day without first testing the market. 

It's very likely that he did not receive an earlier automatic opt out (like May 1st) in his new contract (the one signed in March immediately after he was released) or he probably would have exercised it, or (more likely) the Cubs woud have made sure to add him to their 40-man roster prior to the opt-out date and then option him to Iowa. So even without knowing the particulars of his "second" contract (the one signed in March), I think we can surmise that Wada must have received additional money in exchange for a later opt-out or maybe even no opt-out at all (other than becoming a free-agent after the season if he isn't on an MLB 40-man roster by the 5th day folllowing the conclusion of the 2014 World Series). 

Again, even if Wada does have a right to opt out on a certain date (let's say July 1st), the Cubs can just add him to their 40-man roster by that date and then either place him on the 25-man roster, or else they could option him to Iowa, because he has two minor league options left. It would cost the Cubs a slot on their MLB 40-man roster to do that, but at least they could keep Wada from becoming a free-agent until the end of the season. 

If Wada is on an MLB 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2014 World Series and he is not signed for 2015, he will automatically become an Article XX-B FA. And if he is on a minor league roster at the conclusion of the World Series, he would automatically become a Article XX-D second-contract minor league FA at 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the World Series. The only way the Cubs can be sure to retain Wada for 2015 (if they want to do that) would be to sign him to a 2015 minor league successor contract (but then he would be eligible for selection in the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft), or add him to their MLB 40-man roster and sign him to a 2015 MLB contract.

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.