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

Chris Denorfia & Pierce Johnson Rehabbin' at Riverview

Marcos Derkes belted a bases-loaded triple and RHSP Taylor Black tossed three innings of no-hit ball, leading the Rockies to a 6-4 victory over the Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #6 at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park.  

The Cubs Cactus League EXST record dropped to 16-15-5 with today's loss. 

Jose Paniagua drilled an RBI triple and a single and Ho-Young Son ripped an RBI double, singled, reached base on an HBP, and stole a base for the Cubs in a losing cause.

Son is now hitting a robust 417/520/561 (and the .417 batting average leads the EXST Cubs for players with at least one PA per Cactus League EXST game), with four doubles and a triple, five walks and four HBP (so he is the Anthony Rizzo of the EXST Cubs), only three strikeouts (none in his last 33 PA), and five SB (albeit with two CS and four PO) in 18 Cactus League EXST games (50 PA). He also leads the EXST Cubs in multi-hit games with six (Frandy de la Rosa and Kevonte Mitchell have five a piece), and he made just his second error of the Cactus League EXST season today. Son will very likely be the starting shortstop for the Eugene Emeralds once the Northwest League season begins play next month. 

OF Chris Denorfia (on Cubs MLB 15-day with a hamstring strain) was a DH in today;s game and batted four times, once in each of the first four innings.

He struck out (swinging) on three pitches his first time up (and looked bad doing it), then grounded out 6-3 on the first pitch he saw the second time up, walked on four pitches in his third AB, and roped a line-single to left on the first pitch of the AB in his fourth and final Plate Appearance.

Denorfia jogged to 1st base when he ran (that's called "fuck 90 when I'm rehabbing my hamstring"), and Kevonte Mitchell was inserted into the game as a Designated Pinch-Runner the two times Denorfia reached base. Mitchell took advantage of the two opportunities by stealing a base and scoring two runs (Herb Washington, eat your heart out!).

RHP Pierce Johnson (on AA Tennessee DL with a lat strain) got the start on the mound for the Cubs today and looked a lot better today than he did in last Thursday's intrasquad game, working two innings of no-run/no hit ball (25 pitches - 19 strikes), and allowing just one baserunner (he hit the first man he faced) before easily retiring the last six in a row (4-3, P-4, K, K, F-8, 3-1).

His fastball velocity was better than last time, too, as he was working mostly at 92 MPH, and he touched 94 (the very first pitch of the game). He threw 12 consecutive strikes at the end of his outing (including all ten pitches he threw in the top of the 2nd), and was able to command all of his pitches (something he was not able to do last time out).

RHP Jesus Castillo (one of two pitchers acquired from the Diamondbacks in the Tony Campana deal a couple of years ago) followed Johnson to the hill and had a very poor outing, allowing three runs on two walks and two hits (one of which was the Derkes bases-loaded triple) in just one-third of an inning.

Usually a starting pitcher, LHP Jose Paulino had his outing pushed-back to the middle innings to accomodate Johnson and Castillo, and although he did allow three runs (two earned) on three hits, four walks, an HBP, and a balk in 3.2 IP, he was throwing his two-seamer harder than usual, working at 91-93 and touching 94-95 while getting a ton of ground balls (8/0 GO).  

LHRP Andin Diaz had his fastball gas consistently up to 94-95 MPH over the last two innings of the game (no runs/no hits allowed) 

Prior to the Cactus League EXST game on Field #6, RHP Marcelo Carreno (post-2013 right shoulder surgery) and RHRP Corbin Hoffner threw a one-inning "sim" game on Field #4. This was the first time Carreno (acquired as the PTBNL from the Tigers in the August 2012 deal that sent IF-OF Jeff Baker to Detroit) has faced hitters this year, while Hoffner is trying to perfect his new exteme sidearm (almost "submarine") delivery by getting extra work throwing against hitters on days he would normally just throw a bullpen side-session.  

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

CUBS LINEUP
X-1. Chris Denorfia, DH #1: 1-3 (K, 6-3, BB, 1B) 
NOTE: Denorfia led-off the bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings
X-2. Kevonte Mitchell, PR (2 R, SB)
NOTE: Mitchell pinch-ran for Denorfia in the bottom of the 3rd & 4th innings
1. Ho-Young Son, SS: 2-3 (HBP, F-8 DP, 1B, 2B, RBI, SB)
2. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 0-3 (4-3, K, F-8 SF, F-9, RBI)
3. Eloy Jimenez, RF: 1-3: (5-3, 2B, F-9)
4. Joey Martarano, 1B: 1-3 (K, 1B, K)
5a. Alberto Mineo, C: 0-2 (K, 6-4 FC) 
5b. Erick Castillo, C: 0-1 (3-1) 
6. Roberto Caro, DH #2: 0-3 (4-3, 1-3, F-8)
7. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 0-3 (6-3, K, 3-U, RBI)
8. Varonex Cuevas, 3B: 0-3 (3-U, K, L-4)
9. Calvin Graves, LF: 0-1 (5-3, BB, BB, 2 R)
10. Jose Paniagua, DH #3: 2-3 (3B, 1B, K, RBI)

CUBS PITCHERS
1. Pierce Johnson: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 2/2 GO/FO, 25 pitches (19 strikes)
2. Jesus Castillo: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 22 pitches (9 strikes) 
3. Jose Paulino: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 BALK, 1 GIDP, 8/0 GO/FO, 69 pitches (37 strikes) 
4. Andin Diaz: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 2/3 GO/FO, 35 pitches (19 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 3
1. P Jose Paulino: E-1 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed runner to advance to 3rd)
2. C Erick Castillo: E-2 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed runner to advance to 3rd)
3. SS Ho-Young Son: E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to rrach base safely)  

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE
1. Alberto Mineo: 0-1 CS 
2. Erick Castillo: 1 E (see above)

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

ATTENDANCE: 13 

Comments

Haha! Somehow I don't think #fuck90 is likely to catch on Twitter. It sounds like he had some shitty ABs today despite the decent results, hopefully he turns it around.

ugg...ESPN the game so far... - hendricks takes the mound "Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux." - every ESPN announcer - bryce harper makes his way to the plate "Gosh, Bryce is swell. He's God's gift to the game. He's young! BRYCE!" - every ESPN announcer

I thought I heard on ESPN... A1: Jordan Zimmerman is from Univ Wisconsin, Steven's Point A2: Now that's good scouting

Nats pitch around Rizzo to get to Castro...one pitch later, they are out of the inning. Better get used to it....I think we will be seeing this a lot.

/pen'd WAS takes a 2-1 lead in the 8th.

Bryant Is pretty, pretty, pretty good

WAS decides to pay back the cubs earlier baserunning stupidity with some of their own in the top of the 9th. awesome.

That was pretty sweet. Cubs and all their growing pains are still a pretty fun team to watch. Harper will be in a bad mood tomorrow, and will yell at umps. Good stuff.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

"Scrubs"? The team you speak of is cir. 2012, 2013, and half the season last year. The 2015 Cubs with several top 30 MLB prospects, plus the top "framer", Lester, Arietta, Hamels, Castro and Rizzo cannot be considered "scrubs" unless you have to press your weird nicknaming fetish.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

he could be a rather badass hitter who also K's 150+ times...at least until (if) he turns a corner on that issue. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think both of those first two will turn out to be correct. Don't see Bryant having a shorter 2-strike swing in there. Very repeatable, in control, long swing. I'm wondering if he's already decided that over the long haul he'll be more successful/helpful to the cause putting that swing on some fraction of balls (while missing others) rather than upping his contact rate a bit with a shorter swing???? Leave the OBP to Rizzo and he'll do the SLG.

[ ]

In reply to by Jackstraw

He honestly seems to me like a guy studying, observing, trying to figure it all out. If I'm a pitcher, that's a pretty scary thought. A lot of guys, their second time around the league, pitchers start to exploit their flaws. I have a suspicion that with Bryant it's gonna be the other way around.

Cubs Minor League games to be broadcast Want to watch the Cubs Minor Leaguers but can’t go to the games? Comcast SportsNet will carry 15 live Minor League games this season, beginning Sunday with the Iowa Cubs vs. the Padres’ El Paso Chihuahuas at 6 p.m. CT. Additional games featuring young Cubs will be June 7 at 5 p.m. CT on CSN+ when Myrtle Beach plays hosts to Carolina. Please note that Sunday’s game will be on the main Comcast SportsNet channel location while the remaining 14 telecasts will air on CSN+. Please check CSNChicago.com’s channel finder to locate the games. http://muskat.mlblogs.com/2015/05/26/cubs-minor-league-games-to-be-broa…

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.