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

Spingola Bat Speaks Loud & Clear in Pro Debut at Sloan Park

Daniel Spingola belted an opposite-field RBI double into the LF corner (first pro hit) to give the Cubs the lead and next batter 18-year old Andruw Monasterio followed with a towering two-run home run off the LF foul pole (first pro HR) to highlight a four-run 7th, as the AZL Cubs rallied to overwhelm the AZL Rangers 11-5 in Arizona League action Tuesday night at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.

P. J. Higgins collected four hits (a triple, a double, and two singles), drove-in a run, and scored two more, D. J. Wilson tripled, singled twice, and scored twice, Jose Paniagua singled three times (including two run-scoring hits) and scored a run, and Carlos Sepulveda singled, doubled, walked, scored three runs, and drove-in another with an RBI GO, to aid the Cubs cause.

RHRP Jared Cheek (Cubs 2015 21st round draft pick - U. of Georgia) threw two perfect innings for the Cubs to pick-up a two-inning save. Cheek was moved-down to the AZL Cubs last week after struggling at Eugene, but he dominated the young Ranger hitters in his AZL debut.

Cubs 2015 31st round draft pick Daniel Spingola (Georgia Tech) was activated from the AZL Cubs 7-day DL prior to the game, making his pro debut (as DH) a bit later than most of the other 2015 Cubs draft picks. (Only 2015 3rd round pick LHP Bryan Hudson has yet to make his game debut, although he is throwing "live" BP). Spingola suffered a college baseball career-ending ankle injury prior to the ACC tournament in May, but the Cubs drafted him anyway.

Spingola was also selected by the Cubs in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft (24th round), but he elected to return to Tech for his senior year to complete his degree in biomedical engineering. So by rule, Spingola had to give his approval before the Cubs could draft him again after failing to sign him after drafting him the previous year.

In addition to his 7th inning RBI double, Spingola also flied out to right in the 2nd, walked in the 3rd, lined out to shortstop on the 5th, and singled in the 8th, going 2-4 for the night.

INF Varonex Cuevas was released to make room for Spingola on the AZL Cubs active roster. . 

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


AZL CUBS LINEUP:
1. Robert Garcia, RF: 1-5 (4-3, 1B, 1-3, 6-3, 6-3, RBI)
2. D. J. Wilson, CF: 3-5 (3B, 6-3, 1B, F-7, 1B, 2 R)
3. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 2-4 (3-U, BB, 6-4-3 DP, 1B, 2B, 3 R, RBI)
4. P. J. Higgins, 3B: 4-5 (1B, 2B, 3B, 5-3, 1B, 2 R, 2 RBI)
5. Jose Paniagua, 1B: 3-5 (5-4 FC, P-4, 1B, 1B, 1B+E7, R, 2 RBI)
6. Michael Foster, LF: 0-5 (5-3, E-6, K, K, 5-3, RBI)
7. Daniel Spingola, DH: 2-4 (F-9, BB, L-6, 2B, 1B, R, 2 RBI)
8. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 2-5 (1B, K, F-8, HR, F-8, 2 R, 2 RBI)
9. Marcus Mastrobuoni, C: 0-3 (HBP, F-8, P-4, 6-3)

AZL CUBS PITCHERS
1. Manny Rondon: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 3 WP, 1 BALK, 4/4 GO/FO,  70 pitches (49 strikes)
2. Tyler Skulina: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 17 pitches (11 strikes)
3. Tanner Griggs: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 6/0 GO/FO, 24 pitches (18 strikes)
4. Jared Cheek: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R. 0 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GO/FO, 26 pitches (17 strikes);

AZL CUBS ERRORS: 3 
1. P Manny Rondon: E-1 (errant throw to 1st base on bunt single allowed batter to reach 2nd base)
2. SS Andruw Monasterio: E-6 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely);
3. P Tanner Griggs: E-1 (errant throw to 3rd base on delayed stolen base attempt allowed runner to score) 

AZL CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Marcus Mastrobuoni: 0-2 CS

Comments

AzPhil, I've been looking for any updates on Bryan Hudson, who signed with the Cubs after this year's draft, but no luck. Is he injured? Thanks in advance.

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...