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

AZL Cubs Check Out Small Ball Book at Sloan Park

Varonex Cuevas reached base four times (three singles and a walk), stole two bases, and scored a run, leading the AZL Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the AZL Angels in Arizona League action Thursday night at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

The Cubs did most of their damage in the bottom of the 6th inning, using "small ball" to plate three runs and take a 4-1 lead.

Jose Paniagua led-off the inning by drawing a rare (for him) walk, and advanced to 2nd base on a Varonex Cuevas bunt single. Roberto Caro laid down the first of what would be eventually two sacrifice bunts for him in the game to advance the runners to 2nd & 3rd,  and then 18-year old AZL Cubs shortstop Andruw Monasterio looped a single into short right to score Paniagua and move Cuevas up to 3rd. Monasterio and Cuevas then pulled-off a picture-perfect double steal, with Monasterio breaking for 2nd base to draw a throw (he was safe at 2nd), while Cuevas waited to break for home until he saw the throw go through to 2nd. Monasterio took off for 3rd base on the very next pitch (and he would have had 3rd base stolen easily, too), but Tyler Payne rocketed a line drive just past Monasteriio's ear into LF, as Monasterio continued around 3rd base to score the third run of the inning. Payne was then picked-off 1st base by the Angels pitcher (Payne was frozen like a deer-in-headlights two steps from 1st base, and so he took off for 2nd, but the slow-footed catcher was out by a mile).   

LHP Manny Rondon got the start for the Cubs, facing his former AZL Angels teammates for the first time. (Rondon was acquired from the Angels in a trade for catcher Rafael Lopez earlier this month). And not too surprisingly he came out firing from the gitgo, working his fastball consistently at 94 MPH (he hadn't thrown harder than 91-93 in previous ouitings) and mixing it with a hard-breaking curve. Being a bit hyped-up, Rondon did have some command problems, issuing three walks and hitting a batter, but he also struck out four while allowing only one run on four hits (all singles) in 5.0 IP. Rondon threw 85 pitches (52 strikes) over his five innings of work, the most pitches I have ever seen a non-rehabbing pitcher throw in an AZL game. 

To the best of my knowledge, Rondon is only the second pitcher acquired in a trade by the Cubs who went directly from one AZL team to the AZL Cubs during the AZL season. The last one (and the only other one I can recall) was 19-year old fireballing 6'3 280+ RHP Jose Ceda, acquired from San Diego for veteran INF Todd Walker on July 31, 2006. Ceda moved from the AZL Padres to the AZL Cubs after the trade.

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


AZL CUBS LINEUP:
1. Robert Garcia, RF: 1-3 (P-6, K, BB, 1B)
2. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 1-1 (HBP, 2B, BB, 3-U SH, R, SB)
3. P. J. Higgins, 3B: 1-4 (2B, 6-3, 6-4 FC, 5-3, RBI)
4. Jose Paniagua, 1B: 0-3 (K, F-9, BB, K, R) 
5. Varonex Cuevas, DH: 3-3 (BB, 1B, 1B, 1B, R, 2 SB)
6. Roberto Caro, CF: 1-2 (4-6 FC, 1B, 1-4 SH, 1-3 SH) 
7. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 1-4 (K, P-4, 1B, 6-3, RBI), SB)
8, Tyler Payne, C: 1-3 (6-3, 5-3, 1B, BB, RBI, PO)
9. Donnie Cimino, LF: 0-4 (L-7, K, 6-3, F-9) 

AZL CUBS PITCHERS
1. Manny Rondon: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 3/6 GO/FO, 85 pitches (52 strikes) 
2. Trey McNutt: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0/3 GO/FO, 16 pitches (11 strikes) 
3. John Williamson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 19 pitches (11 strikes) 
4. Luis Hernandez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 2/1 GO/FO, 32 pitches (22 strikes) 

AZL CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

AZL CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE
Tyler Payne: 1-2 CS 

AZL CUBS BASERUNING ADVENTURES
1. Carlos Sepulveda was thrown out 7-6-5 attempting to stretch double into triple in the 3rd inning
2. Varonex Cuevas was thrown out 9-2 attempting to score from 2nd base on single to RF in the 4th inning
3. Tyler Payne was picked-off 1st base in the 6th inning

Comments

Yaz? Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN 13s13 seconds ago There is some speculation within the industry about a possible BOS/Cubs/Padres three-way blockbuster taking shape. Lots of pieces that fit. 0 retweets 0 favorites

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Not a lot of time to finished a 3-team trade with lots of pieces, but John from the Cubs Den noted that the Red Sox have scouted Baez.

Haha. Well said guys. I agree btw. Ho hum. Literally just a veteran who might eat a couple innings.

haren supposedly for a minor league IF'r and RHP. also, there's mixed signals on the cubs/pads front about whether things are moving quickly or grinding to a halt. personal speculation...haren's here to make hendricks expendable in a trade because he's the only SP worth a damn (and a known commodity) anywhere close to 2016 MLB-ready now that cj edwards seems to be a pen guy.

Fish getting Juan Pinyero (Ivan's brother?) and Elliot Soto. Seems like we traded them one Pinyero before...it didn't work out well.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

im not a haren fan because he's pretty much a mid-80s fastball and a low-80s cutter...and he's prone to giving up the longball even though he's actually inducing a good amount of ground balls. still, not much was lost in this trade worth caring about. pineyro has some decent upside with his pitch mix and youth, but he projects to be an end-rotation starter at best anyway. he's also rule5 eligable and it's a diceroll that the cubs would have him on the 40-man with all the talent to protect this offseason. soto's just a bench guy or "AAAA" fodder at best...practically no power, not much speed, decent D at SS/2nd.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Ivan=Juan=John I think there may also be a Jovan Pineyro, a Jean Pineyro, a Johannes Pineyro, a Giovanni Pineyro, an Ian Pineyro and an Evan Pineyro. The Marlins can have them all. He's changed his passport so many times now, he don't know what he looks like

ArizonaPhil. On another board, someone posted Rule 40 (a)(3), which he claims says that in order to be eligible for the post season roster, they must be on the 25 man roster on August 31. This seems to be contrary to your article, although I may well be misreading it. Are you familiar with the above rule?

DAVID P: The rule was changed last year.

link

Here are the current (2015) MLB post-season roster eligibility rules:

A club's Active List (25-man roster) must be submitted to the MLB Commissioner prior to the start of each post-season series (LDS, LCS, and World Series).

1. A player who received a Prohibited Substance Suspension prior to the start of Spring Training, during Spring Training, during the regular season, or during a post-season series (Wild Card, LDS, LCS, or World Series), is ineligible to play in any MLB or minor league post-season game(s) or series in that season, even if the player has completed serving the suspension.

2. All other players on a club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), MLB 60-day DL, and Restricted List (extended Bereavement, Family Medical Emergency, or Paternity Leave ONLY) prior to midnight (Eastern) on August 31st are eligible to be included on a post-season Active List (25-man roster), but a player on an MLB club's Disabled List (7-day, 15-day, or 60-day), Bereavement List, Medical Emergency List, or Paternity List is eligible to be included on a post-season Active List only after spending the minimum number of days required to be served by a player on that list.

3. Any player on the Disqualified List, Ineligible List, or Restricted List (for any reason other than extended Bereavement, Medical Emergency, or Paternity Leave) as of midnight August 31st is ineligible to be included on his club's post-season Active List.

4. A post-season eligible player who is placed on an MLB Disabled List, Bereavement List, Medical Emergency List, Paternity List, or Restricted List (extended Bereavement, Medical Emergency, or Paternity Leave ONLY) prior to the start of a post-season series can (with the approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced on his club's LDS, LCS, or World Series Active List by a player who was on a Reserve List or Disabled List, Bereavement List, Medical Emergency List, Paternity List, or Temporarily Inactive List of a minor league affiliate from that organization prior to midnight August 31st. However, the minor league player must be added to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) before he can be added to the club's post-season Active Roster.

5. A player on a post-season Active List (25-man roster) who is injured or leaves his club on Bereavement, Medical Emergency, or Paternity Leave during a post-season series can (with the approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced on his club's Active List prior to the conclusion of that series by another eligible player, or by a player who was on a Reserve List or Disabled List, Bereavement List, Medical Emergency List, Paternity List, or Temporarily Inactive List of a minor league affiliate from that organization prior to midnight August 31st. A minor league player must be added to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) before he can be added to the club's post-season Active Roster.

6. If a player is replaced during a post-season series, a pitcher must replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player.

7. If a pitcher or position player is replaced during a post-season series, the pitcher or position player is ineligible to be reinstated to his club's Active List (25-man roster) for the balance of that series and the next series (LCS or World Series).

as rumored for a potential deal (NOT rumored to be accepted at this point), it would suck to lose baez from an upside POV, but carrasco for 3/19m with 2 team option years at 9m and 9.5m....damn...that's a hell of bargain for 3-5 seasons. it would be easy for him to fetch more than twice as much if he was a FA at the end of the year.

race to the deadline! mets get y.cespedes (z.wheeler not part of deal) the trade deadline has passed...last 10 minutes only had 1 big "under the wire" announced trade. there's always trades that leak out past the deadline because the agreements haven't been announced/leaked, so there's still hope for the cubs getting something done.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

BOB R: Yes, Junior Lake will be out of minor league options next year. Same goes for Matt Szczur, Mike Olt, Christian Villanueva, Yoervis Medina, and Brian Schlitter.

Neil Ramirez, Hector Rondon, and Jacob Turner were already out of options (and I'm just listing the guys with less than five years of MLB Service Time who will be out of minor league options next year). 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

A player on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster had to be either Designated for Assignment or transfered from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL at 1 PM (Eastern), which is when the trades had to be officially filed with the MLB office. (Junior Lake gets dropped to make room for Hunter, but the two players traded for Haren were not on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster). 

The Cubs 25-man roster does not need to be adjusted until Haren and Hunter actually report to the team, and they have 48 hours to do that. 

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

if lake could still play a passable CF (he's more of a corner guy now, LF mostly because of the average arm) i would be more concerned. as it is, 2+ (hopefully +) months of hunter for lake seems to be a decent risk considering what's already in AAA on lake's level. sczuzruraurzrzruczur can fill lake's most-likely-use as bench OF on the team and cover CF.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Lake having an average arm? I always thought AZ Phil mentioned Lake as having one of the strongest throwing arms in the Cubs' minor league system. He's played about 1/3 in Right Field, 2/3 in Left Field in Iowa this year, so he has been mostly used in the corners. AZ Phil always said he had great tools (arm, speed, power, etc.) but had a hard time putting it all together with consistency. He seems to have learned how to take a walk this year at AAA.

I think I'll miss Lake's terrible OBP and high K rate the most. And his shirt always tucked out in the back.

aww...ben rowen DFA'd before we got a chance to see that circus. dude throws 80mph. his game is 100% submariner deception.

Dan Haren started last night (Thursday) for Miami, so the Cubs will still need to bring somebody else up to start on Sunday (presemably either Tsuyoshi Wada will be reinstated from the 15-day DL, or Clayton Richard will be recalled from Iowa).

Or I guess Travis Wood could get a "spot start" on Sunday, and then go back to bullpen once Haren goes into the rotation next Tuesday or Wednesday. 

Cubs released RHP Zach Cates (acquired from SD post-2011 in the Rizzo-Cashner deal) and catcher Justin Marra (Cubs 2011 15th round draft pick - Toronto, ON). 

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.