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

Lester Throws in Intrasquad Game at Riverview

John Andreoli and Ryan Dent slugged solo home runs and Rubi Silva drilled a two-run single, leading the Iowa Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Tennessee Smokies in a five-inning Spring Training minor league intrasquad game played on Field #1 at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park this morning. 

Victor Caratini belted a two-run double and drew a walk and Kevin Brown singled, doubled, and scored a run for the Smokies. 

Jon Lester got the start for the I-Cubs, and threw 84 pitches (62 strikes) while facing 20 hitters. He allowed eight hits (two doubles, a triple, and five singles) and no walks (but two wild pitches), and he struck out four (two looking and two swinging), with a 1/6 GO/FO. Lester threw 81 pitches through four innings and and it looked like his day might be over, but then he went back out to the mound and faced one batter (Jeffrey Baez) in the top of the 5th, who rifled a triple on an 0-2 pitch. At that point, Lester was relieved.  

Lester looked VERY hittable today as the young Smokies hitters consistently squared his offerings up and made lots of hard contact. If the Cubs want to get Lester another minor league start before he faces MLB hitters, they could put him on the 15-day DL retroactive to last Friday (nine days prior to MLB Opening Day being the furthest back a DL stint can be backdated during Spring Training), and maybe have him start a minor league game this coming Sunday (the last day of Cactus League Minor League Spring Training games), and then he would be eligible to be reinstated from the DL on Saturday April 11th. (NOTE: MLB Cactus League and Grapefruit League Spring Training games are considered "official" games, so players on the DL cannot play in these games, and a DL stint cannot be backdated past the last time the player appeared in an official MLB Spring Training game; but pitching or playing in a minor league Spring Training game or in an intrasquad game does not affect DL eligiblity as far as backdating the DL stint is concerned, and a player on the DL can play in a minor league Spring Training game and/or in an intrasquad game without restriction). 

Despite being sent down by the Cubs on Monday, Javy Baez, Kris Bryant, and Addison Russell have yet to take the field at Minor League Camp. None of the three played in the Futures Game last night at Sloan Park (and the Cubs sure could have used them, too), none of the three participated in work-outs (fielding practice, baserunning drills, and BP) with the Iowa squad this morning, and none of the three played in the Lester intrasquad game (and they were not on the bench, either). So it's very possible that Baez, Bryant, and Russell are still with the big club, despite being technically on the Iowa roster.   

The game was called with two outs in the top of the 5th inning. 

Here is the box score from this morning's intrasquad game: 

TENNESSEE LINEUP:
1. Albert Almora, DH: 2-3 (1B, 1B, L-5, R)
2. Jeffrey Baez, CF: 1-3 (K, P-3, 3B, R) 
3. Victor Caratini, C: 1-2 (E-5, 2B, BB, 2 RBI)
4. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 0-3 (F-8, K, 4-6-3 DP)
5. Bijan Rademacher, RF: 0-2 (4-3, F-7) 
6. Ben Carhart, 2B: 0-2 (F-9, K) 
7, Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-2 (L-8, 1B) 
8. Dustin Geiger, 1B: 1-2 (K, 1B) 
9. Kevin Brown, LF: 2-2 (2B, 1B, R) 

IOWA LINEUP
X. David Ross, C: 1-4 (5-3, K, P-5, 1B, R)
NOTE: Ross batted 2nd in the bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings
1. John Andreoli, CF: 2-2 (HR, 2B, R, RBI)
2. Mike Baxter, 1B: 0-2 (4-3, K) 
3. Kyle Schwarber, DH #1: 0-2 (3-U, K) 
4. Dan Vogelbach, DH #2: 0-2 (K, K) 
5. Jae-Hoon Ha, LF: 2-2 (1B, 2B, R)
6. Rubi Silva, RF: 1-2 (6-3 FC, 1B, 2 RBI)
7. Chris Valaika, SS: 0-1 (BB, F-8) 
8. Stephen Bruno, 2B: 0-1 (6-3) 
9. Ryan Dent, 3B: 1-1 (HR, R, RBI)

TENNESSEE PITCHERS:
Felix Pena; 4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 5/2 GO/FO, 75 pitches (50 strikes)   

IOWA PITCHERS
1. Jon Lester: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 1/6 GO/FO, 84 pitches (62 strikes) 
2. Michael Wagner: 0.2, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 1/0 GO/FO, 7 pitches (5 strikes)

TENNESSEE ERRORS: NONE 

IOWA ERRORS: 1 
3B Ryan Dent - E-5 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely) 

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's 

ATTENDANCE: 26 


Comments

Triple :: Willson Contreras triples (1) on a line drive to right fielder Alex Burg. Jacob Hannemann scores. Wes Darvill scores. ...ah, late inning + end of march spring training games. also, they lit up fuji (who's with TEX now).

Hail Szczur!!!

Lake sent down, along with Rosscup and Schlitter.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Jumped the gun I guess, Muskat says Herrera still in the mix

@CarrieMuskat It's down to Sweeney vs Szczur vs Herrera for final 2 spots. Denorfia likely to open on DL. Coghlan day to day now. #Cubs;

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Not at all interested in Herrera. Journeyman with below average stats, including an OBP last year of .307. Szczur has looked really good this spring and is driving the ball. However, he probably doesn't have much of a chance, after winning that NCAA bet against the Maddonini.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Why would you want Herrera to hit for any of LaStella, Alcantara or Olt? He's not as good a hitter as any of them (unless you count Olt pre-August 2014). The way Szczur is driving the ball, and with his approach to the game, it would be criminal to not have him on the roster. His hitting is not Arizona-aided. He's driving the ball with extreme authority. I'm biased towards the youngsters generally, but in this case it's a clear case of a guy who has had a remarkably good spring training and should not be rewarded with those efforts with a demotion, and I don't care about how many options he has or doesn't have.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

The idea is not that you would have Herrera hit for any of them. The idea is that you may want, for example, Olt to pinch hit for the pitcher. You then double switch and put Olt in at 3B, move La Stella to 2B, and take out Alcantara from the game. But now that's it. You are locked in with your defensive 1B-2B-3B-SS and their batting order for the rest of the game. You can't make any defensive substitutions there or pinch hit for any of them. That is severely limiting, and it makes it easier for opposing managers to plan pitching matchups. And if anyone gets injured you are screwed. Rizzo pulls up with a bit of a tight hammy. No big deal, just needs to come out of the game and rest a bit. So you can move Olt to 1B, right? Except who plays 3B? La Stella could, but then who plays 2B? Ideally you have 2 catchers and carry them both, but it is what it is. Szczur did great and he will certainly be up at some point. But I expect him to start in AAA with Sweeney and Herrera up. If Sweeney continues to suck, he might be released at some point into the season.  

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

Okay, thanks W, that makes some sense - they need another infielder. But in that case, I'd still take Szczur over Sweeney right now. A bit of a gamble perhaps, but if the idea is to go into the season with the hot hand, just cut the guy who by all marks has lost his job over the guy who has by all marks, won the job. It seems like every time the Cubs put a bunch of runs on the board, Szczur is in the middle of it. Even his homers seem to be hard hit, not lucky flukes. Sweeney's 2013 and 2014 lines, combined with his spring (small sample size) is the classic journeyman's stats line. It won't be the end of the world if he goes down I guess, but it doesn't seem fair to other AAA teams for Iowa to field a lineup with Braynt, Russell, Baez, and Szczur. They may need to invoke the slaughter rule.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

While I think it is necessary for the Cubs to carry a utility infielder on the 25-man roster (in addition to Alcantara) who can play SS (as well as 2B-3B), it doesn't necessaily have to be Jonathan Herrera. 

This is the time of Spring Training when players on MLB 40-man rosters become available (either by trade or waiver claim) because they are out of options, or NRI guys with MLB experience who don't make the 40 can be easily acquired in a trade.

For example, the Cubs acquired Luis Valbuena (who was out of minor league options) off waivers from Toronto at the end of Spring Training in 2012, Donnie Murphy was claimed off waivers by Texas at the end of Spring Training last year, and Andres Blanco was traded to Texas at the end of Spring Training in 2010.   

The Miami Marlins just sent Reid Brignac (who played for Maddon in TB) to Minor League Camp, and he probably would be available in a trade for cash and/or "future considerations." 

So not to say that it won't be Herrera or that it would have to be Brignac, but it could be someone other than Herrera.   

 

http://muskat.mlblogs.com/2015/04/01/cubs-extra-bases-2b3b-combo-lester…

Cubs will rotate between LaStella, Alcantara and Olt at 2B and 3B

btw, if I'm reading the depth charts and schedule right, the only potential LH starting pitcher Cubs will face in first 2 weeks is Tyler Matzek in Colorado depending on how their rotation shakes out. As far as I can tell, no other team even has a lefty in their rotation (Cardinals, Rockies, Reds, Padres). Rockies also have De La Rosa, but he'll be out for Cubs series for sure.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

fowler, pitcher slot, alcantara, rizzo, a penguin, montero, ben zobrist fathead poster, lastella, cubs "best costume" winner... that's my prediction for the opening day lineup. this is a guy who created a lineup to "honor" tommy tutone with a "867-5309 lineup" last year...in a game that counted. fun times.

i know it's just spring training and all that, but is there any specific reason that j.lester was stashed away tossing innings in the minor league camp even after his "dead arm" thing cleared up?

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I read the answer to this question from some other post on this site I think. It had to do with being allowed to retroactively put him on the 15-day DL. A minor league spring game apparently doesn't count against that. (that's all assuming whoever wrote this was right..but it sounds logical enough)

Heard a long interview with Chris Archer today on MLB radio and he is a really impressive person. Very thoughtful, mindful and somewhat intellectual -- very impressive approach to baseball and I really liked him. Wish to f%ck McNutt had gone south in that deal instead. Oh well...

[ ]

In reply to by Carlito

archer is sneaky smart...really into humanity and how we think, act, and socialize with each other. he's doing more with his off-diamond baseball life than playing cards on the plane. david price up'd his game in that department...speaking of sneaky smart. there's more to (some) newschool baseball players than neck tattoos and screwed up facial hair. good times.

Check out the first comment from the article linked to in the tweet box - linked here for your convenience: http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/115830118/sabermetrics-managers-de… Wow, and I thought *I* was old. He may have a point about there being no competitive advantage if everyone is doing it, but that is a long long way down the road. I think it's pretty cool. Didn't I see Rizzo batting lead off one game this spring? Not sure but I think I may have. Gonna be a fun year, gentleman. Enjoy the ride.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

not touching the comment...just the article, but tony larussa would like to have a word with brian kenny about not noticing what he was doing over a decade ago. also, clint hurdle is more talk than action when it comes to the things Kenny's lauding in the article...good maddon-like personality manager, though.

Szczur is Gritty. AZ PHIL: Since you have seen the 'Nova Ultraback, are you of the opinion now that he will have a decent career in the MLB? It seems as if he may have figured some things out at the plate, for sure.. But I know you have been following him since draft so probably see the coaches working with him. Such a good dude to root for.

A. Vizcaino suspended 80 games for testing positive for PED's...traded to Cubs for Maholm, traded back for LaStella.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

holy crap...that only leaves him with 2 months of minor league ball to return to. his very young career is already littered with too much time off. bullet dodged for the cubs...unless lastella sucks. btw, for all the knocks on his D in the past he sure looked good there this spring. his range, glove, footwork, and arm all seemed to be good enough for him to stick at the position even if he'll probably not be in any gold glove discussions. i don't really have an opinion of his play at 3rd because i didn't see much of it.

i hope the cubs are in on this hour+ old t.cahill from ARZ to ATL trade rumor... it would be nice to settle the welly issue and (hopefully) make everyone happy.

Carrie Muskat @CarrieMuskat Tsuyoshi Wada struck out 7 over 3 IPs pitching in a Minor League game today. All went well. #Cubs

CRUNCH: Not true.  

Wada threw 3.1 IP, and struck out four.   

In fact the outs went: K, 5-3, K, F-9, 6-3, L-1, P-2,-P-3, K, K. Three of the four strikeouts were called third strikes, the other was swinging.  

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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...