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

Pelicans Don't Know the Way to Beat San Jose

Michael Santos tossed three innings of shutout ball and Rodney Price blasted a two run HR, as the Augusta GreenJackets (SF Giants Lo-A affiliate) edged the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) 4-3 on Field #5, and Randy Ortiz and Steven Neff (ex-LHP) belted two run triples and Ryder Jones hammered a two-run double, leading the San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants Hi-A affiliate) to an 8-5 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) on Field #6, in Cactus League Minor League game action this afternoon at Mesa Cubtown at Riverview Park.   

21-year old RHP James Norwood (Cubs 2014 7th round draft pick - Saint Louis University) got the start for South Bend and threw four innings of two-hit shutout ball, retiring the last eleven men he faced. Justin Marra drilled a two-run triple and a single for the South Bend squad, and Jacob Rogers drove-in three runs with an RBI double and two-run HR for the Myrtle Beach squad. 

Prior to the games on Fields 5 & 6, RHPs Austin Reed (2014 TJS) and Jesus Castillo squared-off in a two-inning "sim" game on Field #4. 

Here is the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only): 

FIELD #5

SOUTH BEND LINEUP:
1. Charcer Burks, CF: 0-4 (5-3, 3-6 FC, L-7, 6-3)
2a. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 0-3 (6-3, 3-U, K) 
2b. Tanner Witt, 2B: 0-0 (BB, SB) 
3. Kevonte Mitchell, LF: 1-4 (F-9, 1B, 6-3, K, R, 2 SB) 
4a. Eloy Jimenez, RF: 0-1 (5-3, BB, SB, CS)
4b. Shamil Ubiera, RF: 0-1 (BB, 4-3, R) 
5a. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 1-3 (1B, F-9, F-8, SB) 
5b. Adonis Paula, 3B: 0-1 (F-9) 
6. Tyler Alamo, 1B: 0-3 (K, 6-3, L-8, BB) 
7. Ho-Young Son, SS: 0-3 (K, K, BB, 4-3, R)
8. Justin Marra, DH: 2-4 (1B, 3-U, 3B, 4-3, 2 RBI)
9a. Tyler Pearson, C: 0-2 (K, 4-3) 
9b. Miguel Rico, C: 0-1 (6-3) 

SOUTH BEND PITCHERS
1. James Norwood: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 5/3 GO/FO, 62 pitches (39 strikes) 
2. Brad Markey: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1 1/0 GO/FO, 23 pitches (17 strikes) 
3. Dillon Maples: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 2 WP, 2/0 GO/FO, 22 pitches (9 strikes) 
4. Daniel Lewis: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 16 pitches (8 strikes) 
5. Tanner Griggs: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 3/1 GO/FO, 

SOUTH BEND ERRORS: 1 
1B Tyler Alamo - E-3 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

SOUTH BEND CATCHERS DEFENSE
1. Tyler Pearson: 0-1 CS 
2. Miguel Rico: 2-3 CS 

SOUTH BEND OUTFIELD DEFENSE
LF Kevonte Mitchell - threw out baserunner 7-2 trying score on ground single to left 

FIELD #6 

MYRTLE BEACH LINEUP
1a. Gioskar Amaya, C:1-3 (2B, E-4, K, R, SB)
1a. Varonex Cuevas, SS: 0-2 (K, 4-3) 
2a.  Gleyber Torres, SS: 0-2  (BB, 4-3, 1-3)  
2b. Eric Gonzalez: 0-1 (K, 1B)
3. Chesny Young, 2B: 0-5 (6-4 FC, 4-3, E-4, 6-3, L-9, SB)
4a. Mark Zagunis, LF: 1-2 (K, 1B, R) 
4b. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 0-2 (1-3, BB, 4-3, R) 
5. Jacob Rogers, 1B: 2-4 (K, 2B, K, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) 
6. Shawon Dunston Jr, DH: 0-4 (K, 4-3, K, 5-3) 
7. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 1-2 (HBP, BB, 1B, F-9) 
8. Rashad Crawford, CF: 2-4 (6-3 DP, 1B, F-9, 2B, RBI)
9. David Bote, 3B: 1-4 (K, F-9, K, 1B)

MYRTLE BEACH PITCHERS:  
1. Jake Stinnett: 4 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 2 HBP, 1/4 GO/FO, 63 pitches (40 strikes) 
2. James Pugliese: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 23 pitches (17 strikes) 
3. Jordan Minch: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 0/1 GO/FO, 12 pitches (7 strikes) 
4. Trevor Graham: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes) 
5. Tommy Thorpe: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 24 pitches (16 strikes) 

MYRTLE BEACH ERRORS: 1 
CF Rashad Crawford - E-8 (dropped pop fly in CF allowed batter to reach base safely) 

MYRTLE BEACH CATCHERS DEFENSE
1. Gioskar Amaya: 1-1 CS, 1 PB
2. Eric Gonzalez: 0-1 CS, 1 PB 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

ATTENDANCE: 61

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Verbal gymnastics. If baseball doesn't work out, he can always find work in politics: "When it comes down to evaluation at this time of year, for the most part, very superficially, people go right to the batting average. You can't do that. You can, but if you're going to be successful, you cannot."

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Not sure if that was it - there were a few beat writers collecting those quotes and I was reading on Flipboard. It makes some sense to me if Maddon really likes the guy. He knows a lot more about baseball than I do. My untrained eye says he'll never hit major leaguers - Maddon's experience says he at least might and that he is already a good enough fielder to help the team. I'll go with Maddon's experience over mine any day. I will say that his fielding was noticeable when I saw it live. He has this one weird and cool thing where his glove hand sort of snaps quickly to the runner on a tag and always seems to "snap" to the right place. That's just instinct, or something, and is fun to watch up close.

whatever the case ends up being, lineups are gonna be like Christmas morning every day :)

Well hopefully no one looks at Baez's OBP or SLG either., because .128/.190/.205 is hideous, no matter who is pitching, or what time of year it is, or how amazing his glove is. I hope Maddon knows what we all don't, and that Baez flips a switch and gets it going in the regular season.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

O&B: I don't think the David Ross signing was hasty, and I doubt that Maddon would have been able to keep it from happening. I think Ross was signed specifically because he has been Jon Lester's personal catcher, and Lester just feels more comfortable and confident when Ross is behind the plate when Lester is pitching.

That's why carrying three catchers in this particular case actualy makes some sense. 

On days when Lester starts, Ross is the catcher no matter whether a LHP or RHP is starting. Once Lester leaves the game, Montero can PH for Ross whenever appropriate, and you still have Castillo on the bench as a 3rd catcher.

On days someone other than Lester is starting, Montero and Castillo would platoon (with Montero starting vs RHP, ansd Castillo startng vs LHP), with the one who doesn't starts available to PH without reservation, because Ross is still available on the bench. 

If Maddon wants to send in a pinch-runner for a catcher late in a game (all three of the catchers are slow runners), no problem, because there will be another catcher available on the bench. 

And then of course if any of the three catchers goes down with an injury, it won't be necessary to call up Rafael Lopez or Taylor Teagarden. You just go with two catchers until the third guy returns. 

Now if the Cubs get a drop-dead unbelievably great offer for Castillo, they will very likely trade him. But it's not like they HAVE to trade him.

Carrying three catchers and 12 pitchers is essentially no different that carrying two catchers and 13 pitchers (which the Cubs did last season), in that it requires at least one multi-positional IF-OF "super-sub" (Bonifacio for most of last year, and Alcantara this year), plus no more than one OF back-up (the Denofia/Coghlan platoon) and no more than one INF back-up (LaStella). 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Thanks, Phil, good points all. I remember when Ross first came up - with the Dodgers if my sketchy memory serves, and I thought he was gonna be a much bigger deal than he ended up being. Ended up being a good receiver but I thought he was going to hit a bit more. He came up and hit some, and he actually did have a couple really good years at the plate, but I thought he was gonna rake.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

i'm still getting over welly's better arm, better contact, slightly better power, 3 years of club control, and cheaper 2015 price tag was overpowered by a desire to give a 38 year old a 2-year deal because he can frame some pitches better. they also "lost" r.martin to the wrong team. another team in need of getting rid of a relatively affordable mlb-ready catcher emerged with that signing in an already crowded market with few buyers.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

Beefy is a spare part on a good team or a hope-he-figures-it-out on a bad team. Cubs now have the luxury of not having to wait around for it.

But I would have preferred they kept him as back-up rather than signing Ross. They're a Montero injury away from a disaster at that spot if they trade Beefy. Unless someone really believes in Rafael Lopez. Schwarber is a good year at least from the majors with his glove.

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

The stats wouldn't freak me out so much if it wasn't for just how lost he looks up there. But Maddon must see something, or he's seen enough tape of when Baez did better, that he wants to develop him. It's ok on this team to have a light hitting infielder early on. With Russell nipping at his heels it'll be interesting to watch, at least. And I'll say this. Just about every Baez AB is an adventure.

I'm guessing Baez would get most of his starts versus lefties btw if he does make team, avoid some of his breaking ball problems. I'm guessing Maddon will be quite liberal with the pinch-hitting and days off to get him some consistent AB's.

Just a guess...

That Grantland article in the Twitter feed is thorough and inspiring. It's optimistic of course, but fairly knowledgable compared to most articles on the Cubs.

Also Maddon got to see some epic but representative E-Jax Cub performance yesterday with 1.2 IP and 8 ER yielded. Hopefully that's enough to just cut the fucker loose. I'm probably 3/44 on this but geez. So bad.

You GO, PHIL! ... (although he does swing & miss pitches in the strike zone). Haha! Classic PHIL. Thank you for your ST reports.

Blasphemy!!! Comment From Kris I’m not saying Kris Bryant is going to turn into Pedro Alvarez, but doesn’t it concern anyone that he has put up Alvarezian strikeout percentages in the minors? This seems to get brushed to the side by a lot of folks but I think there is a real chance Bryant will be a good player, rather than an elite player. 12:12 Dave Cameron: I think he’ll be better than Alvarez, but I do agree he’s more of a high floor top prospect than a super high ceiling. I don’t see him putting up too many +6 WAR seasons, but I’d expect a lot of +3 to +5 years.

So a better Pedro Alvarez? Hmm. Alvarez minors slash: .278/.372/.516 Bryant minors slash: .327/.428/.666 Maybe Bryant's D comes around a little more....maybe?

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

Got a PA issue there with those slash line comps...

Bryant seems to adjust pretty well, but he'll have the disadvantage of being a righty. 

i think his floor would be Alvarez, ceiling is Goldschmidt or Stanton. Likely in-between....

Unless that K rate becomes manageable though, there will be some .250 or less BA seasons in there.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I agree that he most likely won't be putting up those numbers in MLB, unless more contact is made. I do think he'll be better than .235/.307/.435, which is Alvarez' MLB averages The PA issue, of course, is more about last year being Bryant's only full season, split between AA/AAA. Alvarez played 60 more games in the minors. I'd hope that Bryant's bat lies closer to what...Pat Burrell than Alvarez?

more batting the pitcher 8th...at least it's a guy who's at least worthy of it...kinda. welcome to the NL maddon...hope you get this particular thing out of your system pretty quickly and simply focus on making 150+ different lineups this season.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

that's some fine ass constructive criticism there, hoss. *spits* my ideal lineup involves rizzo hitting 2nd...go figure. there's lots of systems. a very basic system of hitting your batters in descending order of effectiveness produces 1-2 more wins a season on paper rather than being "marginally effective for rare circumstances on paper even though it's marginarly harmful in real-world results so far." we have people dreaming up lineup theories based on rare occurrences with nearly insignificant results both on paper and in the real world...not to mention a lot based on how a pitcher treats an 8 hitter now being applied to a 7 hitter without much of a consideration in a lot of these scenarios. so in conclusion, jose macias got 1200 PA in his 2 years with the cubs, neifi hit 2nd his entire tenure with the team, and dusty baker ruined over a dozen pitchers.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

well Dusty Baker was terrible and that's why he's been fired from managing 3 times, twice after winning records.

if you put something in quotes, doesn't that mean you're actually quoting someone?...if you are in this case, we'd appreciate the link and the source or at least describe the source so we can find it.

Rizzo batting 2nd would be great.

You're nearly 10 years removed from most of your material...try some new stuff.

Bryant to start in LF tomorrow, Maddon says no one has told Baez he has made the team.

Well we can't break tradition...

@thekapman Theo Epstein w/me today was clear that no decision has been made on Bryant. However, he has never had a player make his debut on Opening Day.

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-theo-epstein-responds-scott-boras%E… “I have a lot of respect for Scott and he by and large does a great job for his clients," Epstein said. "The only part about it that bothers me is that he certainly could have picked up the phone before going to the national media about this. He never once called me and asked me if Kris would make the team or anything about his situation. So just from a personal level and professional respect, that would have been something that I would have done if I was in his shoes. "Beyond that, Scott has a forum and obviously people are publishing what he says. He has a job to do and he has a great client who is a fantastic kid. The person who is handling this with the most professionalism and maturity is Kris Bryant. I couldn’t be more proud of how he is handling a very difficult situation. He is getting asked about it every day. He doesn’t get to just go focus on playing the game; he is asked about this from all corners and he is handling himself in a way that makes the Cubs proud. "As far as the issue goes and the bigger picture, we are thrilled to have Kris Bryant. We are glad we chose him with the second pick in the 2013 draft and we are glad he is a Cub. I think he is going to have an incredible career and be a part of some really special things here with the Cubs.”

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

alright, pretty much copy and pasted the whole article but it's all quotes "We’ve broken in some pretty good young players over the years from Kevin Youkilis to Hanley Ramirez to Dustin Pedroia to Jacoby Ellsbury to Jon Lester to Jonathan Papelbon and we have always given them the benefit of getting into the season in the minor leagues and getting into a good rhythm whether that is on the mound or offensively or defensively and playing in games that count rather than just spring training. We want to let them get into the flow of the season and then we try to pick just the right moment, in our opinion, to have them come up and make their major league debut. "A major league debut is a sense of time and if it doesn’t go quite the right way and if you don’t put them in the right position to succeed, you can get in the way of their whole integration into the major leagues and it’s something we take seriously. I’ve never once done it. I’ve never put a young prospect in a position to make his major league debut on Opening Day. Opening Day, when it is cold out and there is a lot of attention and even veteran players don’t feel like themselves, they’re not quite into the flow of the season yet. "I’ve never done it and it’s always been for baseball reasons. This is not a different situation than we’ve faced in the past, so let’s make the best decision for the Chicago Cubs and for Kris Bryant’s development."

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.