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

Pirates @ Cubs - Locke vs. Wood; Game 19 Thread

Cubs need a win and a Cardinals loss..granted, to the Phillies...to head back into first place.

Jeff Locke vs. Travis Wood

#Fowler CFHarrison 3B
*Rizzo 1BMercer SS
Soler RFMcCutchen CF
Bryant CFHart 1B
Castro SSMarte LF
Lake LF#Walker 2B
Castillo CCervelli C
Wood PRodriguez RF
Russell 2B*Locke P

Denorfia is unavailable with some sort of foot injury, so recently called up Junior Lake gets the start. At least it's against a lefty, which is also the reason for the Beefy start. Speaking of catchers, Kyle Schwarber has already hit a home run tonight for the Smokies, #4 on the year (Hannemann hit one as well and Alcantara one for Iowa). Otherwise, pretty quiet day in baseball so far other than if you write for an Angels blog or live in Baltimore.

 

 

Comments

I have a completely irrational and unfounded optimism that Pond is going to be not-awful, and actually-kind-of-decently-useful in this go-around with the major team...

 

Back to grading....

I think it's fortunate that Travis Wood is killing it on odd years, because the Giants only are automatic WS winners on even years. It's just an opportune circumstance.

Gordo with his daily reminder: "They’re doing it with guys like Wood (2-1, 3.04) and Monday’s winner, Jason Hammel (2-1, 3.55), outperforming winless $155 million free agent Lester (6.23, 1.569 WHIP)."

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

Well, I hate modern free agency, but I was glad the Cubs took a chance on Lester. Overall, if his body of work is good over the next three years or so, I'll be happy. I don't expect anything but an albatross of a contract by its end. He looked ok his last outing as the game wore on, so I think his arm is ok.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

I tweeted to Gordo: Never change, @GDubCub: "They’re doing it with guys like Wood and Jason Hammel outperforming winless $155 million free agent Jon Lester." He responded and then deleted it: If you (and others) can't see the context value of that, then you might at least consider not broadcasting your ignorance.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

let's flip that back to the original point while we're at it...why does it rank up there with annoying rage reserved for people who write checks for their ass to cash when it's absolutely nothing to others? if he didn't put a dollar amount on it, it's a point...if he puts a dollar amount on it, it's rage time...fixation rage time. is there room for people noticing others who seem to not like what gordo is doing keeping the narrative alive? i wouldn't even know about it if not for this board and the people who care about it. that said, even at the 10th time i'm hearing it...i don't care it's being said. just wondering why tacking loot onto a comment gets rage...

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I can't decipher that first part, so I'll just say that it's annoying to me personally, and unfair in general, IMHO, for Gordo to point out Lester's salary every day, especially in the context of "He's getting paid $155 million and he's kind of sucked so far." As if four starts is some indication that he's not earning his money. If you don't find it annoying, or can't understand why it would be, more power to you.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

i get it, and i'm not saying this to insult, but we're totally different personalities for this aspect of communication. this wouldn't even register as a thing or a major point to me even if he said it 1000 times beyond picking it up to joke about. the fact it upsets so much that it keeps being repeated here is weird to me. this is the only place i hear about it, and it's from multiple people (this doesn't mean no one else is discussing it elsewhere, just not that i've seen...i could be missing something here). as long as lester is shitting himself i don't mind if gordo tweets his name, situation, salary, spot in the rotation, baserunning stuff, etc. if lester was doing great, but making minimum a year, i wouldn't care if gordo made the point that he's doing great and only making minimum in every tweet. *shrug* again, i understand...and it's not foreign to me...i was just wondering why the fixation on him mentioning loot seems to be a trigger point.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

he mentions $155M Lester evertytime he mentions Lester, regardless of the context, it's hacky horseshit from a hacky horseshit writer and every respectable Cubs person I follow on twitter finds the passive-aggressive B.S. annoying. And everyone caught on to Gordo's B.S. years ago, he railed on the Cubs about not spending and then they spend and he was already railing on $155M Lester in spring training. He pretty much sounds like you so...

As I said earlier, it's no surprise that you don't get why it's annoying.

If he wrote last year's playoff loser Jon Lester everytime he mentioned him, it would be just as annoying. If he wrote minimum wage Hendricks everytime he mentioned him, it would be just as annoying. It has little to do with the dollar figure.

Upset isn't the right word either, anymore than being "upset" when Grandpa brings up the story of how he walked up a hill in the snow to school when everyone else is talking about what to eat for dinner that day.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

He messaged me: "Pay that much for a FA to build around & team does well while he's worst performer -- that's context that matters. Whether u like it or not." So take that message to heart, people. It's less that he's bringing up the money (though that's a large part of it) as much as it's repetitive. It's the same thing as referring to Hammel as "flip guy" in nearly every reference before he was traded. WE GET IT, GORDO.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

I know Twitter isn't the forum for this, but does he ever elaborate on why that context matters, or does he just assume it is obvious (in which case, really why repeat it)? I mean if his point is just--"Look--this guy get's paid the most, but he isn't the best! *gasp*" Then... duh? That's how the CBA works? I feel like a fun Twitter response would be to tweet criticisms of Gordo accompanied by incessant references to his salary. Like, amateur sportswriters leading the way with substantitive analysis, while $***** beat reporter Gordo repeats himself ad nauseum.

A. Cashner


7 outs..7 K's so far.

No Russell tonight...

1. Gregory Polanco (L) RF 2. Jordy Mercer (R) SS 3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF 4. Neil Walker (S) 2B 5. Starling Marte (R) LF 6. Pedro Alvarez (L) 1B 7. Jung Ho Kang (R) 3B 8. Chris Stewart (R) C 9. Gerrit Cole (R) P

vs.

1. Dexter Fowler (S) CF 2. Jorge Soler (R) RF 3. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B 4. Kris Bryant (R) 3B 5. Miguel Montero (L) C 6. Starlin Castro (R) SS 7. Chris Coghlan (L) LF 8. Kyle Hendricks (R) P 9. Jonathan Herrera (S) 2B

Yay, this game is on a channel that I get... I've never actually seen Hendricks pitch. That's right, the year is 2015 and I'm talking about which channel I can watch this on because MLB has be blacked out of Cub games. ... fuckers.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Bummer you haven't seen the next Greg Maddux. Don't worry, we are all missing this year's Ben Zobrist, because he's in Triple AAA right now. Hopefully you can see the Cubs' Mike Trout soon, or maybe Barry Larkin. Hey! I wonder how many walks the Cubbies' version of Joey Votto will get tonight.

"Tommy La Stella (oblique) has been throwing and doing work in the pool but has yet to resume hitting." also, n.ramirez has been tossing, but not off a mound...and grimm threw a pen session yesterday if you missed hearing about it.

[ ]

In reply to by Carlito

you're welcome that I left him in my Ottoneu lineup when I very much wanted to bench him.

Smarter people than me can tell us what's happening with him. His velocity seems about the same and frankly he had pitched better his last few outings before today. Does seem to be going cutter a lot this year and away from his fastball per fangraphs. I was expecting a big free agent year from him and he could still fix it before it's all said and done, but his K's are way, way down this year.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Yeah, I don't know. I mean the weird part is just his demands of #1 TOR money from the Cubs and the respect he's received in general despite the fact he's really never had sustained success. That said I do wish him well, and it seems something weird is up this year. But maybe he's just not that good?

[ ]

In reply to by Carlito

the results never seemed to match the stuff for sure...

at this point with the rash of injuries, any pitcher that turns down a reasonable extension offer is many cards short of a full deck.

He was neither my favorite nor least favorite Cub, though he did strike me as a little less than smart.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • 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.