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

2017 MLB Salary Arbitration Day

1/13 UPDATE  RHSP Jake Arrieta ($15,637,500), RHRP Hector Rondon ($5.8M), and RHRP Justin Grimm ($1.825M) have agreed to 2017 contracts, but the Cubs and RHRP Pedro Strop remain far apart (per Mark Gonzalez at the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs offered $4.6M, and Strop wants $6M).

It's not unusual for the two sides to agree to just "split the difference" ($5.3M would be the mid-point) and maybe they will do that at some point prior to a hearing, but a $1.4M gap is fairly signigficant. 

Remember, if it does go to a hearing, the arbitration panel cannot "split the difference." The panel must choose either the Cubs offer or Strop's figure. 


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


MLB SALARY ARBITRATION


An unsigned player under club control who has accrued at least three but less than six years of MLB Service Time is automatically eligible for salary arbitration. Also, any unsigned player with at least two years but less than three years of MLB Service Time who accrued at least 86 days of MLB Service Time the previous season can qualify for salary arbitration as a so-called "Super Two" if the player is among the top 22% in MLB Service Time of players in that group.

CUBS SALARY ARBITRATION ELIGIBLE POST-2016: (last updated 1-13-2017)
Jake Arrieta, RHP (signed 2017 contract 1/13)
Justin Grimm, RHP (signed 2017 contract 1/13)
Hector Rondon, RHP (signed 2017 contract 1/13)
Pedro Strop, RHP

If a club and a player eligible for salary arbitration cannot agree on a contract, the player can request the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) to file for salary arbitration. The MLBPA is responsible for delivering all requests for salary arbitration to the MLB Labor Relations Department (MLB LRD) on the Tuesday immediately prior to the Friday that falls during the week January 12-18. Once salary arbitration has been requested, the player submits his desired salary to the MLBPA, the club submits its salary offer to the MLB LRD, and the MLBPA and MLB LRD exchange the two figures on the third Friday in January. The MLBPA and MLB LRD then schedule a hearing with a three-person arbitration panel. Hearings are held on various dates during the first three weeks of February. 

The club's offer must be at least the MLB minimum salary, and, in most cases, must be at least 80% of the player's previous year's salary and at least 70% of the player's salary from two seasons back. However, if the player received a raise in excess of 50% by a salary arbitration panel the previous season, a 20% maximum salary reduction from the previous season and a 30% maximum salary reduction from two seasons back does not apply, and the club only has to offer at least the MLB minimum salary.

After arbitration has been requested, the player and the club can continue to negotiate back & forth, and the player can withdraw from the process any time up until the hearing. And in fact this frequently happens, as the player and the club will often agree to just "split the difference" (something the panel cannot do). If the matter does go to a hearing, the arbitration panel must choose either the club's offer or the player's figure.

Win or lose, the player is awarded a standard one-year MLB contract with no "minor league split" salary or incentive/performance bonuses. Also, the contract is not guaranteed, so if the player is released during Spring Training, the club would only owe the player 30 days or 45 days salary as termination pay, depending on when the player is released. (A player on an MLB 40-man roster receives 100% of what remains of his salary if he is released during the regular season).

NOTE
: The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is very sensitive about salary arbitration, so if a player is victorious at an arbitration hearing and is awarded a contract by an arbitration panel and then is subsequently released by his club prior to or during Spring Training, the MLBPA will almost always file a grievance on behalf of the player, claiming the player was released for economic reasons only (which is not permitted), and asking that the released player receive 100% of his salary as termination pay. In that situation, a club would have to show (by submitting official Spring Training game stats) that the released player was out-performed in Spring Training games by another player (or players) competing for that roster spot.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


SIGNED FOR 2017 (last updated 1-13-2017):
John Lackey - $22.5M (includes $5M second-installement of signing bonus)
Jason Heyward - $21.5M
Jon Lester - $20M
Jake Arrieta - $15,637,500
Ben Zobrist - $16M
Miguel Montero - $14M
Wade Davis - $10M
Jon Jay - $8M
Anthony Rizzo - $7M 
Koji Uehara - $6M
Hector Rondon - $5.8M
Brian Duensing - $2M
Justin Grimm - $1.825M
OTHER
: Dexter Fowler ($5M severance) and Jason Hammel ($2M buy-out)
2017 SUB-TOTAL: $157,262,500   

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE POST-2016:
Pedro Strop - $5.5M? (projected)

AUTO-RENEWAL (PRE-ARBITRATION) POST-2016:

PROJECTED MAJOR LEAGUE SALARY / PROJECTED MINOR LEAGUE SPLIT
NOTE
: Players highlighted in bold & underlined are likely to begin 2017 season in MLB (as things styand right now)

Albert Almora Jr
- $???K / $130K
Javy Baez - $???K / $315K
Aaron Brooks - $???K / $315K
Kris Bryant - $???K / $330K
Jake Buchanan - $???K / $86,500
Jeimer Candelario - $???K / $86,500
Victor Caratini - $535K / $???K
Willson Contreras - $???K / $185K
Carl Edwards Jr - $???K / $190K
Jacob Hannemann - $535K / $???K
Kyle Hendricks - $???K / $315K
Pierce Johnson - $535K / $86,500
Tommy LaStella - $???K / $275K
Jack Leathersich - $???K / $86,500
Mike Montgomery
- $???K  / $315K
Felix Pena - $???K / $86,500
David Rollins - $???K / $175K
Jose Rosario - $535K / $???K
Addison Russell - $???K / $315K
Kyle Schwarber - $???K / $315K
Caleb Smith - $535K / $86,500
Matt Szczur - $???K / $315K
Duane Underwood Jr - $535K / $???
Rob Zastryzny - $???K / $86,500
ESTIMATED PROJECTED 2017 SUB-TOTAL: $6.75M (majors) and $1.5M (minors) - $8.25M

ESTIMATED PROJECTED 2017 PAYROLL: $171M?

2016 PAYROLL (PAID)
: $161M+
2015 PAYROLL (PAID): $142M+

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And AS THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW, here is how things look post-2017:  

NOTE: About $90M in 2017 payroll is scheduled to to come off the books in 2018 (the salaries of the eight free-agents, plus the Fowler severance and Hammel buy-out), offset by expected likely significant raises for the three players who will be first-time salary arbitration eligible (Bryant, Russell, and Hendricks). 


ARTICLE XX-B MLB FREE-AGENTS POST-2017
(8):
Jake Arrieta
Wade Davis
Brian Duensing
Jonn Jay
John Lackey
Miguel Montero
Pedro Strop
Koji Uehara

SIGNED BEYOND 2017
(4):   

Jon Lester ($22.5M in 2018-19 & $15M in 2020, plus $2.5M signing bonus each post-2018-19 & $10M post-2020, & $25M vesting option for 2021 if 200 IP in 2020 or 400 IP in 2019-20 or $25M club option for 2021 or $10M buy-out)

Jason Heyward ($21.5M in 2018, $20M each in 2019, $21M each in 2020-21, and $22M each in 2022-23, and player may opt-out of contract post-2018 or post-2019 if 550 PA in 2019, plus $20M signing bonus deferred with $5M paid each April 1st 2024-27, or starting April 1st of the next season following opt-out)

Ben Zobrist ($16M in 2018 and $12M in 2019)

Anthony Rizzo ($7M in 2018, $11M in 2019, $14.5M each in 2020-21 with $2M club option buy-out each season 2020-21, 2019-21 salaries increase by $1M if one MVP or two Top 5 MVP 2013-19, and player may void 2021 club option with Top 2 finish in MVP 2013-19 and/or subsequent trade) 

2018 SUB-TOTAL: $67M   

PROJECTED ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE POST-2017 (5-6-7):
Kris Bryant (“Super Two”)
Justin Grimm
Kyle Hendricks
Tommy LaStella (must accrue at least 70 days of MLB Service Time to be eligible)
Hector Rondon
Addison Russell (“Super Two”)
Matt Szczur (will be very close to “Super Two” cutoff point - arbitration-eligibility TBD)
ESTIMATED PROJECTED 2018 SUB-TOTAL: ???

AUTO-RENEWAL (PRE-ARBITRATION) POST-2017:
Albert Almora Jr
Javy Baez
Aaron Brooks
Jake Buchanan
Jeimer Candelario
Victor Caratini
Willson Contreras
Carl Edwards Jr
Jacob Hannemann
Pierce Johnson
Tommy LaStella (if not arbitration-eligible)
Jack Leathersich
Mike Montgomery
Felix Pena
David Rollins
Jose Rosario
Kyle Schwarber
Caleb Smith
Matt Szczur (if not “Super Two”)
Duane Underwood Jr
Rob Zastryzny
ESTIMATED PROJECTED 2018 SUB-TOTAL: ???

ESTIMATED PROJECTED 2018 PAYROLL: ???

Comments

@CSNMooney Arrieta didn't vote in election and doesn't consider himself a Democrat or Republican: "I want a president who's going to do a good job."

@GDubCub Arrieta says his tweet was "simply calling out people that said they were going to leave the country if Trump won the election."

@CSNMooney Jake Arrieta won't make White House trip with #Cubs because of family health issues. The decision isn't related to post-election tweet.

~massive eye roll~

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Heh

family medical issues for Monday but good enough to make it to Cubs convention. 

Eye roll continues

not that I care if he goes, every right not to just as Cubs decided to pass on Trump but he can stop bullshitting

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

corey black owes jake a good amount of high-5s for distracting from his twitter'ing during/after the election. some things he said and retweeted, though not overtly awful, make jake's tiny rant look like a blip. even outside of election/trump stuff he's one of those people prone to emotionally flipping out when things aren't going his way and telling others to chill when they are going his way. some people call it "competitive spirit"...some people.

For my son's birthday (his 20th! Yikes!), I got him a pass to the Cubs Convention, as I did last year. His main take-away from the first night (other than "my face hurts from smiling so much") was that last's year's focus was on the upcoming year (they had just signed Heyward, Zobrist and Lackey -- pretty amazing, really -- and the future was enticing) while this year's focus was still on last year (and ex-player David Ross got the biggest ovation). Understandable, of course, but also probably a subtle indicator of why teams don't repeat very often. Getting swept by the Mets in 2015 was a motivator for 2016; winning the WS in 2016 was just pure joy and relief.

The magic of arbitration -- Trevor Rosenthal was terrible for the Cards last year -- 4.46 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. Gets an $800K raise to $6.4M. As an economics major, this confuses the hell out of me.

Is there a way Dallas and Green Bay can both lose? Joe Buck is there yapping too.

And...again...Packers get every break at the end. Ball caught inches inbounds (cause...of course). Crosby makes gw field goal that is off left when kicked, yet miraculously stays inside the post. MotherFucking Packers.

Crunch you right on Scott Boras. Unfortuneatly he will destroy the Cubs in a few years. His Cubs clients are (that I know of) are Kris Bryant, Albert Almora, Jake Arrieta, Addison Russell, and Jose Paulino. I hate to say it, but Theo needs to put in a "unwritten policy" that other teams have that they will not sign or draft Scott Boras players. Kris Bryants are certainly hard to pass on, but you can't let one asshole agent have more control over your team than the GMs etc do. Hopefully some of those guys will take the Kyle Schwarber attitude of taking less $$$ (which was what made us be able to sign future ace Dylan Cease, fingers crossed) for the good of the team and not Jake attitude. As tough as it to say, the Cubs need to trade Jake for the kings ransome they could get rather than lose him for a 3rd (0 on 40 man roster last year) and 5th round picks (3 on last year, Grimm, Szczur, Arrieta).

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

i would love to see jake arrieta shopped in this desperate market, but a team that's willing to trade away their slam-dunk #1 prospect for 47 innings of regular season + postseason relief pitching (a.chapman) probably isn't going to make that move. besides, they don't have the talent in-house to pull that off comfortably for a team looking to keep the momentum moving coming off their world series victory. it would help if they had a guy ready to step in, but as it is they're going with a "finger crossing" crew of #5 guys to fill the role behind lester/arrieta/hendricks/lackey. out of everyone in the mix, there's no expected future #1/#2 type starter out of that crew. 2018 is going to be interesting for the starting staff if arrieta goes away (with lackey also leaving). arrieta was a damn lucky/skillful/whatever pickup that's going to be hard to replicate and replace without spending big on $$ or talent.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

That's true, but maybe there's somebodys stupid enough (D'Backs on Shelby Miller) to make something worth while. Theo as proven is good at finding diamonds in the rough and maybe he can again. Sure would also make it a lot easier as in the NFL if you could trade draft picks, but with 40 rounds as you see in the NFL (with only 7) late rounds theres dozens of trades that really most of the time don't end up mattering in the end.

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

OK, put yourself in Theo's shoes, what are you going to do? Jake obviously not looking like him and the Cubs are anywhere near close. 1) Give in and pay him what he wants 2) Trade him now or at deadline 3) Use him in 2017 and let him walk for a 3rd and a 5th rd to watch BOS, LAD, NYY, WAS etc pay him and find the missing piece 4) Other thoughts???

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

I know Vegas odds are high on Cubs repeating and rightfully so but other than Schwarber The cubs were never really impacted by a major injury to a major player and they had Fowler fortunately. I just hate to see the Cubs get only a pick and not first-round when you see all these deals going on for pitchers like Shelby Miller Chris sale Andrew Miller, Chapman, etc. where teams give up a lot sometimes for half a year.

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

Az phil having seen them closer than most in your opinion whos likely to stay and give a hometeam discount Bryant Rizzo Russell Baez Schwarber Almora Hendricks etc going to be when it comes to contract time like by attitude etc or is it impossible to tell (unlike Jake)

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

CUBBIES-4-EVER: I would say that Rizzo, Baez, Schwarber, and Hendricks are the ones who might give the Cubs a "hometown discoutnt" in a contract extension, but Bryant, Russell, and Almora are Boras clients, so it is unlikely any of them would give up anything.

Boras likes his guys to hit free-agency as soon as possible to force clubs to compete for the player's services on the open market while the player is in the prime of his career. That doesn't mean that Bryant, Russell, and Almora couldn't eventually re-sign with the Cubs after they hit free-agency, but it would almost certainly have to be for full market value (no "hometown discount"), and the Cubs would have to outbid the other 29 MLB clubs to get a deal done.

That's why the Cubs should avoid making any more deals like the Chapman trade (which I thought was a good and necessasry trade at the time, and I still do feel that way), where they give up a "next generation" prospect like Gleyber Torres for a three-month rental. In theory the Cubs could ride Zobrist through 2019, Lester, Bryant, and Russell through 2021, and Almora through 2022, sign Rizzo, Schwarber, Baez, and Hendricks to contract extensions, and gradually infuse position players like Ian Happ, Eloy Jimenez, Jeimer Candelario, Mark Zagunis, Victor Caratini, Chesny Young, Eddy Julio Martinez, Wladimir Galindo, and D. J. Wilson, and pitchers like Rob Zastryzny, Trevor Clifton, Dylan Cease, Oscar de la Cruz, Jose Paulino, Bailey Clark, Thomas Hatch, and Jose Albertos into the MLB club to replace "core" guys as they retire or leave via free-agency. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

AZ PHIL- Thanks, I know you always hear about the Bryzo contection or say in NHL Toews/Kane or Crosby/Malkin. There's not one without the other and they match each other in contracts, taking hometeam discounts to play together instead hitting the open market for bigger contracts or even though their favorite teams as kids offered more Kane (Buffalo), Crosby (Montreal) etc.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

The Cubs' depth allowed them to absorb the damage from all the injuries except Fowler's. His 2016 performance was irreplaceable from within. Luckily, their division lead absorbed that damage. An injury to Arrieta, Lester, or Hendricks would've done much more serious damage to the team overall, and that's still the case. In that the injuries didn't happen in the one area of greatest vulnerability, the Cubs were lucky. There was and still is depth everywhere but the front of the rotation and at Catcher. If Wilson goes down, the only hope is a resurgence from Montero. But even then, there's plenty of offense to go around for a month or two.

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

To be fair, Schwarber took a slot bonus of ~pick 20 or so that draft because that's all he was going to get so you might as well go #4 overall to a great organization. He was off the radar as a top 10 or 15 pick. True that money did allow them to overspend on Cease/Sands/Steele. But I think its unfair to compare a little less draft bonus money to that to Jake pitching for 7 seasons under team control only to finally earn his free agent years.

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

CUBBIES-4-EVER: The Boras Corporation also signed-up Jose Albertos and another AZL Cubs pitcher (I think it was Junior Marte) last June. The Boras Corporation employs scouts who closely follow HS, college, and pro players just like MLB organizations do, except the Boras goal is (obviously) a bit different. Boras is willing to sign a 17-year old kid like Albertos and then wait perhaps a number of years before reaping any financial benefit from the arrangement (presuming the kid even reaches MLB). But I think you can be fairly sure that if Boras signs a minor leaguer, that the Boras Corporation believes that guy is an MLB prospect.

As far as compensation for Jake Arrieta is concerned, if he spends the 2017 season with the Cubs and then becomes a FA, and the Cubs extend a Qualifying Offer and then Arrieta declines it and signs with another MLB club prior to the 2018 June draft, the Cubs would receive one 2018 comp draft pick between the 2nd and 3rd rounds - UNLESS - the Cubs exceed the Competitive Balance Tax (AKA "Luxury Tax") threshold again in 2017, in which case the 2018 comp draft pick would be between the 4th & 5th rounds instead of between the 2nd & 3rd rounds.

So the Cubs will have to decide if keeping Arrieta through 2017 will likely be the difference between making the post-season (and possibly the World Series) or not making it in 2017, and if the Cubs do believe Arrieta is a difference-maker (and I think there is ample evidence to suppose that he is), to understand that the draft pick compensation might be only a pick between the 4th & 5th rounds (but then, that's OK if keeping Arrieta gives the Cubs their best shot at winning another World Series, right?).

So I just don't think the Cubs would trade Arrieta right now for a package of prospects (even if the package includes at least one stud pitching prospect) if it is presumed that such a trade could cost the Cubs a chance to repeat in 2017 (even if it might help them in 2018 and beyond), but if they keep Arrieta and then find themselves on the outer-edges of the N. L. Wild Card race at the trade deadline, then they might decide to trade Arrieta for a package of prospects at that time (like the Yankees did with Chapman and Miller at the trade deadline in 2016)... but again, ONLY if the Cubs are treading water at the trade deadline.

Or the Cubs could look to trade Arrieta right now for a less-attractive (because of age and salary) ace starting pitcher who is maybe two or three years older than Arrieta and making a lot more money per season but who is under club control for more years, like (just for example) somebody like Justin Verlander, who is making $28M per season 2017-19 (more than $12M more than Arrieta in 2017), but who would be under club control through at least 2019 (with a $22M vesting option in 2020).

Whether the Tigers or Cubs would make a deal like that is the question (the Cubs would probably have to include more than just Arrieta in the trade), but it would get the Tigers a younger & cheaper ace starting pitcher who is probably at least as good as Verlander in 2017, and it would also get the Tigers out from under Verlander's mega-contract as well (especially if Detroit is looking to avoid another Competitive Balance Tax hit in 2017). and then maybe retool and get younger in 2018. 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

Thanks for the share....good stuff.

Around 42:00 in he talks about giving potential draftees a neuroscience test(listen for the details) that was developed while he was in Boston. Gave Mookie Betts and Kyle Schwarber as examples of two players that scored high on it and bumped them up on their draft boards.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

It was interesting to hear how the Cubs try to gain an advantage by having more knowledge about what makes a player good than you can get from just reading a box score. To that end, I think it is telling that they had their own doctors personally examine Wade Davis before the trade. I believe is not really customary. I can only assume that the Cubs have their own way of determine what factors are good determiners of a pitchers long term health prospects.

So Trevor Clifton has "less-than-ideal size..."?

Apparently Baseball Prospectus has never actually seen Clifton, because he is at least 6'4.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Corrected: "Please note a previous version of this article referred to Clifton as "undersized" in The Risks based on prior 2016 internal reports. He has since been confirmed to be 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, rather than closer to his listed height and weight. We regret the error."

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

Corrected, sure, RR, but I think AZ Phil's larger point might be that these guys sure make it sound like they've laid eyes on the player. But if so, how do you mistake 6'4 for 5'11? It's why the "pro" scouts have to turn in mileage records and motel receipts.

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...