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

Reds @ Cubs: Lorenzen vs. Hendricks (Game 130)

The Cubs complete the most awesomest 2-4 road trip ever!

Jake has had no-hit stuff all season, so it was just a matter of time. The onesie press conference was also a thing of beauty. Now we return to Wrigley and hope the bats come to life. CIN (53-76): RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-8, 5.46) CHC (74-55): RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 4.11) First pitch: 7:05pm Hendricks had a big assignment in San Francisco: pitch the game that didn’t include Jake Arrieta or Madison Bumgarner. It was one of the make-or-break games for the West Coast swing. Instead, he gave up 2 runs early and 4 ER runs total over his 6 innings and lost to Jake Peavy. Hendricks is 0-1 with a 4.91 in his two starts against the Reds this year but 2-2 with a 3.55 overall at home. The Reds are 17-61 (.279) against him. Votto is 2-4 with 2 HRs. Holmberg was originally scheduled but was demoted instead, and Lorenzen was called up. Lorenzen last started on August 11, when he gave up 7 ER in 1.1 innings in San Diego, which earned his demotion. He’s 2-4 with a 6.21 on the road and 0-1 with an 8.68 in his two starts against the Cubs this year. A date with Lorenzen looks like the perfect welcome home for some sleepy bats. The Cubs are 12-33 against him. Russell is 3-4. Fowler is 3-5 with a HR. The Cubs are 9-4 against the Reds. DeScalfani vs. Haren and Iglesias vs. Hammel will complete the set. Go Cubs!

Comments

Next year Hendricks will be the #5 after the team signs another FA. Or, a #6, perhaps. Have to see how much they shell out after they extend The Jake!

Twitter was crazy last night with Arrieta's performance. Meanwhile, Scott Boras was all over his adding machine.

In Hendricks' defense, Bryant fielded a routine grounder and threw late to second for a force. The two runners scored subsequently after two out. The runs were earned, but not really.

First post in 6 years or so. Lots of familiar names still around, nice. Was at last night's no-hitter, truly a memory for a life time. After the HR, Cubs had 12 hits and 0 runs. That's pretty hard to do. 2-4 road trip is OK, only losing 1 game to the Giants on that trip is ok, but getting schooled by good pitchers is a problem come the playoffs so can't just write that off. We've got plenty of games left against top notch pitching with STL and Pit. SF has basically a 25 game stretch against teams at or below .500 after this Dodgers series. Our 5+ game lead can disappear in a hurry if we don't take care of business against Cincy/Milwaukee/Philly. The less discussed saving grace is, even if SF gets extraordinarily hot over the last month, if the Dodgers cool off we are still in the playoffs.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

A growing concern with Soler out is our vulnerability to LHP, and not just MadBum and Kershaw. - Schwarber has K'd on 50% of his AB vs. LHP. - Although he was good yesterday, Miggy seems to struggle vs. LHP as well (too lazy to look it up). - Denorfia isn't an impact bat. EDIT: Given that the Reds starter is RHP, the Javy thing can wait a day. Maybe Javy can be part of the solution -- too bad they couldn't find a way to bring him up a day early to face tonight's LHP.

Goodnight my sweet prince "To make room for Jackson on the 40-man roster, INF Mike Olt has been designated for assignment"

Do not understand IBB an extra person into scoring position in the 5th inning. 8th or 9th, maybe it makes sense...in the 5th, no. Don't care who is batting. So 4th time in the last 5 games Cubs have scored first, only to give up the lead in the next half inning or so?

Wow. This game making me dizzy. Leads only lasting a matter of pitches, let alone outs. Grimm's ERA jumped 40% in a matter of 5 pitches.

Grimm: Before Today 38.1 IP, 5 ER. Today: 0.0IP, 4 ER

based on his past 4-5 appearances it seems t.wood isn't in danger of being stretched out to steal d.haren's starter slot. someone please steal d.haren's spot in the rotation...someone...anyone...david ross?

3 walks and Castro's 2nd error of the night, plus Russell sucking again, may mean the Reds won't need Chapman in the 9th. Let's see, Starlin -- you suck at SS, you're a butcher at 2B...ummm....maybe short field? ...Starlin is making errors faster than I can type. Holy cow.

...okay, this 9th is just embarrassing. also, castro with 2 errors in the inning, 3 in the game.

I really, really don't like this trend: Jake pitches, Cubs win; Jake doesn't pitch, Cubs lose.

Since the start of 2009, the Cubs have had four games where a player commits three errors -- three of them came from Castro.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

I've seen enough of Starlin Castro to last me the rest of this season. It really is a shame he never has been able to be consistent at bat or in the field. I have no idea why or care as this is a results oriented business. Theo is going to have to move him this winter even if it's for cents on the dollar. I don't believe he's even going to make the playoff roster.

[ ]

In reply to by George Altman

I'll check back in on a day that Starlin doesn't make three errors. But for now I would say him not making the playoff roster is a stretch. Who do you trust more than Starlin to be a RH backup middle infielder? Herrera has no bat at all, and Baez has been in AAA all season and may be as error prone as Castro and may strike out a giant proportion of the time he's at the plate. I'm also less than convinced that La Stella will step in and be a significant contributor. Starlin is at least a big part of the 2B picture for the remainder of the year. I also just can't get behind trading a 25-year-old for cents on the dollar, especially when there is no one who obviously deserves his roster spot. I think I would only be convinced that would be a good idea if he were somehow bad for the clubhouse.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

The next 4 weeks should answer this for us. If Castro starts hitting again and neither Baez or La Stella perform, he'd be on a playoff roster. If not, and one of those other two guys does well, I wouldn't be surprised if he was left off. A key error or mental lapse in a one game playoff would be killer and he is too prone to them.

AZ PHIL- Since your the roster expert, I was trying to read into the "playoff roster" and it says a player must play 1 game for the team before Sep in order to be eligible. So assuming that is correct that would make all these players ineligible correct: Baez, Jokisch, Edwards, Villanueva, and newly acquired Austin Jackson, correct?

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

Hi cubbies.4ever, we discussed this on here with Phil earlier this summer. You can see the full rules by Phil here: http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3506

The new rule simply says that the player must be on the team's 40-man (or DL, etc.) prior to midnight last night. They don't have to play a game. So that's why the transaction for Jackson, with Olt being DFAed had to happen yesterday: Jackson takes the spot on the spot on the 40-man prior to the deadline but actually plays his first game after 8/31.

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

CUBBIES4EVER: A player does NOT have to play one MLB game prior to September 1st to be eligible to play in the post-season. 

Here is how MLB post-season roster eligibility works:

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, Family 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, Family 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, Family Medical Emergency List, Paternity List, or Restricted List (extended Bereavement, Family 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, Family 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, Family 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, Family 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).

So, the Cubs automatic post-season roster eligibilty list is: 

* bats or throws left 
# bats both

PITCHERS: 21
Jake Arrieta
Dallas Beeler
Carl Edwards Jr
Justin Grimm
Jason Hammel
Dan Haren
Kyle Hendricks
Tommy Hunter
* Eric Jokisch 
* Jon Lester
Yoervis Medina
Jason Motte
Neil Ramirez
* Clayton Richard
Fernando Rodney
Hector Rondon
* Zac Rosscup
Pedro Strop
Jacob Turner
* Tsuyoshi Wada
* Travis Wood

CATCHERS: 3
* Miguel Montero
David Ross
* Kyle Schwarber

INFIELDERS
: 9
# Arismendy Alcantara
Javy Baez
Kris Bryant
Starlin Castro
# Jonathan Herrera 
* Tommy LaStella
* Anthony Rizzo
Addison Russell
Christian Villanueva

OUTFIELDERS: 7
* Quintin Berry
* Chris Coghlan
Chris Denorfia
# Dexter Fowler
Austin Jackson
Jorge Soler
Matt Szczur

Quintin Berry is automatically eligible because he was actually added to the 40-man roster prior to midnight  on 8/31, but Trevor Cahill is not automaticaly eligible because he was not added to the 40 until 9/1.   

Remember, a club's post-season active list (25-man roster) can be switched (tweaked) prior to each post-season series, so maybe a club exchanges a RH bench bat for a LH bench bat in the LDS because the opponent has a strong RHRP corps, and then adds an extra LHRP in the LCS because the opponent has a lot of dangerous LH hitters, and then in the World Series you might opt to add an extra power bat who can DH.  

Also remember that  a player who was on an organization's minor league reserve list as of midnight 8/31 could be eligible, but ONLY if the player replaces a post-season eligible player who is injured or leaves the club on Bereavement, Family Medical Emergency, or Paternity Leave.  If the player is replaced PRIOR TO the start of a series, any player can be the replacement player (regardless of position), but if the player is replaced DURING a post-season series a pitcher must replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player.  

"This is the show. We have certain expectations here. That's why you don't play." --Jake Arrieta on Twitter.

Whoa!

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.