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

2016 Winter Meetings (Day Two)

The Cubs were quiet after the first day in Maryland. The loudest chatter involves them trading Soler to KC for Wade Davis. KC, along with the Rangers and many other AL clubs, are said to like Soler, although Baez seems to be the player most inquired about. The Cubs are also linked to Jansen and the rehabbing Tyson Ross, who is going to get an incentive-laded contract from someone.Fowler is rumored to have an offer in the 4/$60m range from Toronto and has also received serious interest from the Cardinals.

The Tigers are said to be rethinking their sell-off strategy, making the deal for Verlander that was never going to happen even less likely.

Word also come out that Schwarber is not going to play winter ball. He can skip Spring Training all together, as far as I'm concerned. The possibility of if or when he will resume catching has not been discussed. On the other hand, Heyward is planning on moving to AZ to get extra work in before camp opens. No one can say the guy isn’t trying. Also, the Cubs are hopeful that David Ross will take a position in the Cubs organization, perhaps as special assistant to Hoyer, although nothing has been formerly offered.

In signing news, the Giants took Melancon off the board, with a 4/$62m deal that includes an opt out after two years. Hill’s 3/$48m deal to stay with the Dodgers was announced. And Matt Holliday signed with the Yanks for a one-year, $13m deal.

It sounds like the Pirates are working as hard to move McCutchen as their pre-meeting rhetoric suggested, perhaps to the Rangers. Sale to the Nats sounds like it's going to happen, even without Turner. And the Indians are making a run at Encarnacion.

Go Theo!

 

 

 

Comments

"FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Cardinals met with the agents for Dexter Fowler on Monday and made an initial offer." supposedly he already has 4/60 offer(s) from other teams in the rumor mill.

Evan Grant ‏@Evan_P_Grant (Ranger beat reporter) Fort Washington, MD Have also heard that, in addition to Jorge Soler, Rangers are doing some checking on Cubs versatile OF Matt Szczur

Sale headed to Red Sox, Moncada and Kopech headed to White Sox (and certainly more).

i have been watching the MLB Network all day and am sick of that stupid DQ commercial that they have played on every commercial break! come on Cubbies, make a deal or signing to improve my mood!

http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/why-greg-holland-would-make-sens…

If Davis will cost, say, Jorge Soler plus $10 million in salary, then the Cubs could decide to invest in Holland’s upside and use the Cuban outfielder in a different trade for pitching.

Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop almost disappeared during the playoffs, but the Cubs think that can be largely written off as late-season injuries and issues of timing and sharpness. The Cubs believe in Carl Edwards Jr., but still had to carefully manage his innings and appearances during his rookie season.   

Whether or not Holland is the ultimate answer, the Cubs plan to give manager Joe Maddon some shiny new toys for the bullpen.

totally cool with pre-surgery version of Holland as well

@ESPNChiCubs Maddon says Zobrist and Schwarber are candidates to lead off in place of Fowler Dusty's head is gonna explode when he reads that.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I love seeing that Madden is willing to change his tendencies. I'd prefer Zobrist but either way Madden is seemingly going for OBP and pitch counts and it makes me happy Jay is not in that sentence.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I'm sure there are analytics showing that its better to have Bryant bat #2 vs. #3, but I'd much rather see Zobrist, Schwarber, Bryant and Rizzo 1-4. Batting 2nd instead of 3rd means an extra 16AB per year, and, by definition, all of those extra AB come in the last inning, many of which could be high-leverage situations. But, it would seem to me that having Bryant hit behind two high-OBP guys, rather than the pitcher's spot and the leadoff spot, would generate more runs in total.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Let's see: World Series MVP Guy who hit over .400 in World Series after 6 days of BP League MVP Different guy in top 3 of League MVP Pretty fucking fun trying to figure out best order for top-shelf ballplayers. Nice time to be a Cubs fan.

From Jayson Stark: "A GM in the bullpen market on where he thinks the contracts of Aroldis Chapman & Kenley Jansen will end up: 5 years, $85-95 million. Wow" could have also been re-worded to say: "A GM in the bullpen market would love for one of his rivals to drop 5/85 - 95M on a closer."

The thing about Andury Acevedo is that he was available to be claimed off waivers a month ago for $20,000 with no roster restrictions and a 4th minor league option available in 2019, so I would think it would be unlikely that a club that passed on him a month ago would select him in the Rule 5 Draft for $100,000 (the new Rule 5 Draft price, up from $50,000) with roster restrictions (can't be sent to the minors until 2018). 

No question Acevedo throws smoke (upper 90's fastball and power-slider combo), but he has major command issues, and he had knee surgery (torn ACL) last April and hasn't pitched since (not even in winter ball). 

On the other hand, RHRP Corey Black continues to dominate as the closer for Santurce in Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (the Puerto Rican winter league), and so I would say that Black is more-likely to get selected in the Rule 5 Draft than Acevedo. 

Of course all it takes is one MLB club to like a player for that player to get popped in the Rule 5 Draft, but I would say that generally speaking, the ten Cubs minor leaguers most-likely to get selected in the Major League Phase of Thursday's Rule 5 Draft are (listed in alphabetical order): OF John Andreoli, RHRP Corey Black, C-1B Cael Brockmeyer, C-1B Taylor Davis, RHRP Ryan McNeil, LHSP Jose Paulino, RHSP Jordan Pries, OF-1B Bijan Rademacher, RHRP Armando Rivero, and RHRP Daury Torrez. It's conceivable that no Cubs minor leaguers get selected, but if any do, it will almost certainly be a name or names from that list. 

Without knowing which players are available for selection in the AAA Phase, I would guess that the likes of 2B Stephen Bruno, SS Bryant Flete, INF Danny Lockhart, RHRP (ex-C) Mark Malave, SS Carlos Penalver, and CF Trey Martin are probably on the AA Tennessee reserve list, and if so, they would be the best candidates to get drafted in the AAA Phase ($12,000 draft price with no right to re-claim). 

@Joelsherman1 7m7 minutes ago Hear #Royals plan is to move Davis and Dyson, cut payroll, get some prospects, try to win with remaining pieces, reassessing July

Maddon tries to explain his World Series decisions http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18222858/joe-maddon-chicago-cubs-cri… Some highlights.. Says only wanted Hendricks to face lineup twice felt that Santana was so slow it was like giving Lester a clean inning only wanted to pitch Chapman and Lester after Hendricks HR by Davis because of location not velocity not sure he really quite understands what outcome bias means, "That's the one reality that I do know. We have oftentimes talked about outcome bias. If you had done something differently, would it have turned out better? But better than winning, I don't know what that is." My biggest issue was still bunting with Baez with 2 strikes and I know he didn't plan that out before the game.

BOOM!!!!

@JeffPassan 3m3 minutes ago Source: Cubs closing in on a deal for closer Wade Davis from Kansas City.

Olney says the same.

apparently Levine this morning said a Davis for Soler swap was discussed but Cubs wanted a little bit more back...we'll see how that turns out soon enough.

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan 49s50 seconds ago Another source confirms Cubs deal for Wade Davis is not done, but there is optimism that something will come together. certainly be some medicals passed between Davis and his forearm and Soler's leg issues if he's part of it.

@MLBBruceLevine Confirming reports on Cubs and KC trade talks being on going. Davis - Soler and another player or two ,could be involved. Stark says Nats making a late push.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

LEVINE- Hearing one for one -Cubs Jorge Soler to KC for Wade Davis. Finalization would be tomorrow. Not official as of right now .

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • 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.