Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Acquire Alec Mills from Royals

Submitted by Arizona Phil on
The Cubs acquired 25-year old RHSP Alec Mills from the Kansas City Royals Wednesday evening in exchange for minor league OF Donnie Dewees. 

LHRP David Rollins has been Designated for Assignment by the Cubs to make room for Mills on the MLB Reserve List (40-man roster).   

Mills had been Designated for Assignment by Kansas City earlier Wednesday after the Royals signed free-agent (and ex-Cub) RHSP Jason Hammel, so the Cubs did not waste any time going after Mills once he hit the DFA list.    

Mills was selected by the Royals in the 22nd round of the 2012 draft out of UT - Martin, and he had a couple of decent (but not exceptional) seasons as a SP/RP "swingman" in the lower minors before sustaining a torn elbow ligament. He underwent Tommy John Surgery in July of 2013, but he recovered from it very well and returned to action as a full-time starting pitcher in late 2014, and he is actually a better pitcher (and a much better prospect) now than he was before the TJS. 

The 6'4 190 Mills was rated the Royals #12 prospect by Baseball America coming into the 2016 season. He made his MLB debut (working in relief) on May 18th (he was called-up as the "26th man" in a doubleheader), and was optioned back to AAA the next day. He then made two more relief appearances for the Royals in September. Meanwhile, Mills had a fine season in the minors in 2016 (split between AA Northwest Arkansas and AAA Omaha), putting up a 3.22 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a .252 Opp BA, and an outstanding 31/122 BB/K in 125.2 IP (24 games - 23 GS).

Although he was not used as a starting pitcher at the big league level with the Royals, Mills projects as an MLB rotation starter going forward, with excellent control (just 45 BB allowed in 239 IP 2015-16), a 90-92 MPH fastball that touches 94, a plus-change, a serviceable breaking ball, and legitimate swing & miss stuff (233 punch-outs in 239 IP over the past two seasons). He will likely be in the AAA Iowa starting rotation in 2016 (he could even be the #1 starter there), available to get a recall if an "emergency" starter is needed and it's his turn to pitch, and he will very likely compete for a job in the Cubs MLB starting rotation in 2018 (Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, and Brett Anderson are free-agents post-2017).  

Mills has two minor league options left, so the Cubs will have no problem sending him back & forth to Iowa in both 2017 and 2018.

Dewees was the Cubs 2nd round draft pick out of the University of North Florida in 2015, and while I am a big Donnie Dewees fan (I considered him to be one of the Cubs Top 15 Prospects post-2016), I did not see a long-term future for him with the Cubs. He is an excellent "fly-hawk" albeit with a well below-average arm, he has plus-speed (50 SB in 195 minor league game), and his "ceiling" is probably a Brett Butler-type lead-off hitter (high contact/good bunter/not much power), but because he has a rag-arm he might have to play LF in MLB (although because of his plus speed, CF is still a possibility), and also because of his weak throwing arm he really does not project as a "4th outfielder" at the big league level because he can't play RF (an MLB 4th outfielder needs to be at least passably-adequate at all three outfield positions).

David Rollins has been claimed off waivers five times (twice by the Cubs) since the end of the 2016 season, and so now the Cubs will (once again) try to secure Outright Assignnment waivers, and if they can (if no other MLB club claims him), he will be sent outright him to AAA Iowa (most certainly with a standing NRI to Spring Training). If waivers can be secured and the Cubs outright Rollins to the minors, he will remain under club control through the 2018 season (presuming he isn't traded, released, or selected in the December 2017 Rule 5 Draft).
Tags
Cubs Roster Moves
Alec Mills
David Rollins
Donnie Dewees

Comments

Submitted by K Dub on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:09 am

I liked Dewees a fair amount but wasn't very high on him and he was most likely a 4th OFer for the Cubs. This is a smart move for a team that's in win now mode. Starting pitching depth was the biggest need going into the off-season and this FO has addressed that need about as well as they could with Anderson, Butler and now Mills to go along with Zastryzny. KC gets a good hitter with speed in exchange for a DFA'd pitcher. Good trade for both teams considering their respective needs.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:35 am

The Royals got to see Donnie Dewees up close & personal at Advanced Instructs last fall, and Dewees went 6-12 with a double, a walk, two stolen bases, and three runs scored in three games versus KC. I don't know if the Cubs were necessarily "showcasing" him, but it couldn't have hurt his value to play like that against some of the Royals best prospects.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:03 am

The Cubs are getting down to the nub as far as players who can be dropped from the MLB 40-man roster if they acquire (by trade or waiver claim) another player who has been Designated for Assignment over the next four or five weeks. It doesn't mean the Cubs can't make another Butler or Mills type trade or claim a Floro or a Rollins off waivers or even sign a major league free-agent if one drops into their lap (as happened with Dexter Fowler last year), but it will be difficult to find room for anyone on the 40 right now.

Caleb Smith is a Rule 5 player so he can't be outrighted to the minors until Outright Assignment Waivers are secured AND (if waivers are secured) the Yankees elect not to reclaim him, and even if waivers are secured, he can't be outrighted until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day, the eight Draft-Excluded players (Buchanan, Caratini, Hannemann, Leathersich, Pena, Rosario, Underwood, and Zastryzny) can't be sent to the minors (outrighted OR optioned) until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day, Szczur can't be sent outright to the minors until he signs a 2017 contract and contracts cannot be automatically renewed until March 1st (plus Szczur would certainly get claimed if the Cubs put him on waivers), and there is no way the Cubs are going to DFA Butler or Mills after giving up talent to get them.

So with Dylan Floro and David Rollins having already been moved off the 40 (and I figured they would be the first two to go), that leaves Aaron Brooks and Pierce Johnson as the only two players on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster who can (realistically) be Designated for Assignment (and outrighted if waivers can be secured) right now (that is, until at least 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day). The Cubs could release a Draft-Excluded player (like Buchanan or Leathersich) or try and trade Szczur, but there isn't a lot of wriggle room on the 40 right now if they acquire another player.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:07 pm

Q-MAN: Aaron Brooks finished the season on the 60-day DL, but as far as I know he is healthy now. Same goes for Brett Anderson. They would be the only ones I can think of, unless somebody got hurt during the off-season and it hasn't been reported yet. Remember, if a player is placed on the 60-day DL during Spring Training he must remain on the 60-day DL for at least the first 60 days of the MLB regular season. Unlike a 7-day or 10-day DL assignment, a 60-day DL assignment cannot be backdated, and time spent on the 60-day DL during Spring Training doesn't count toward the 60-day minimum.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:40 pm

TIM: Conor Mullee is not on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster.

Mullee (August 2016 ulnar nerve surgery), Zac Rosscup (March 2016 shoulder surgery), Christian Villanueva (February 2016 broken leg), and Gerardo Concepcion were non-tendered on 12/2 and then Mullee, Rosscup, and Concepcion were signed by the Cubs to 2017 minor league contracts with an NRI to Spring Training after the Rule 5 Draft (so they couldn't get selected). I don't know if Mullee and Rosscup are ready to pitch yet, and if not they will probably spend the first part of the 2017 season at Extended Spring Training. 

Meanwhile, Villanueva signed a 2017 minor league contact with the San Diego Padres, reuniting him with A. J. Preller (who was the Rangers Scouting Director when Texas signed Villanueva out of Mexico in 2008). BTW, Villanueva did play for the Cubs in Advanced Instructs post-2016 prior to getting non-tendered, and he looked just fine. That could end up being a good signing by the Padres. 

Submitted by The E-Man on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:28 am

AZ PHIL: Do you see Rickie Week's little 'bro Jemile getting many starts/abs? No doubt Jen Hoyer likes him from his Padres time, but based on last year, this kid can't hit his weight - which isn't much with his thin 5'9 frame. How is this player any better than the Cubs current high level farm system's better players?

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:08 pm

"According to Forbes, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has a $1.6 billion "handshake agreement" to sell the team." this is from a Forbes staff writer, btw...not one of those occasionally crappy/questionable blog-like user submitted Forbes stories. loria paid $158m for the team 15-ish years ago. good f'n riddance loria family. this time stay gone.

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:29 pm

"Major League Baseball plans on testing a rule change in the lowest levels of the minor leagues this season that automatically would place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings, a distinct break from the game’s orthodoxy that nonetheless has wide-ranging support at the highest levels of the league, sources familiar with the plan told Yahoo Sports." what the ever-living fuck is this bullshit? no. just no. period. no. get that the hell out of here. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb-plans-to-test-new-extra-innings-rules-…

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:46 pm

Placing a runner at 2nd base at the start of an extra inning is stupid. They might as well have a home run derby or a foot-race between each team's fastest player to decide the game.

However...

Minor league baseball is different than MLB. The primary purpose of the minor leagues is player development, not winning the game. Winning is nice, but it's secondary to player development. Minor league games that are tied after nine innings should just be declared a tie. The Arizona Fall League has been doing this for years. Playing extra innings to determine a winner in a minor league game is not that important. It really doesn't matter. Nothing useful is served by going beyond nine innings in a minor league game. It could even be detrimental to player development.

In the major leagues, games should generally be automatically suspended after 12 innings, and the game should be re-started in the top of the 13th the next time the two teams meet, playing the balance of the suspended game before the scheduled game. The suspended game followed by a regularly scheduled game should be treated as a doubleheader, with a "26th man" (normally a pitcher) eligible to be recalled from the minors. Only if the game is the last game between the two teams that season would the game continue beyond 12 innings.

Submitted by Charlie on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:38 pm

You can't say the Cubs front office doesn't stick to a strategy. They've built that rotation depth piece by piece since they announced that intent a few months ago.

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Submitted by crunch on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:03 pm

it's the depth of a kiddie pool (in talent, not amount), but it's there nonetheless. having enough SP to have guys fight for a position in AAA isn't a bad place to be. brett anderson must have had one hell of a workout for them considering how he ended the year last season. here's to hoping we never see dallas beeler again.

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Submitted by The E-Man on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 02:49 pm

Ha! Amen to that 'bro! After last year, we certainly can feel for the most part, this bunch knows what they're doing. How cool it would be if one of these reclamation projects, or rookies, just catch fire and put pressure on John Lackey's spot. I believe that John has gotten the best out of his arm, and wouldn't mind it if one of the new Cubs with their performances made him the Glendon Rush of the staff as a result.

Submitted by Hagsag on Fri, 02/10/2017 - 02:56 am

I know the bullpen looks loaded, but I still would like Travis Wood back in the fold.

Submitted by John Beasley on Sat, 02/11/2017 - 02:00 am

AZ Phil: Jerry Crasnick of ESPN wrote an article about perpetual waiver-wire guys like David Rollins (http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18654828/journeyman-pitcher-david-ro…). Texas GM Jon Daniels is quoted as saying that GMs feel for guys like Rollins but can't agree what a reasonable solution is because the waiver wire process is designed to help guys like Rollins have a shot at someone's 40-man roster. It seem to me that an easy solution is to say that a guy can't be designated for assignment more often than a certain number of times, like twice in a calendar year for example. Any thoughts?

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 02/11/2017 - 02:34 am

JOHN B: The problem with frivolous multiple waiver claims is much more of an issue during the off-season than it is during Spring Training or during the MLB regular season, so I would say the best solution would be that the waiver price should be increased from $20,000 to $50,000, and any player claimed off waivers during the waiver period that runs November 11 - February 15 would have similar status as players covered under MLB Rule 6 ("Selected Players" and "Draft-Excluded Players"), which is to say a player claimed off waivers during the waiver period that is in effect 11/11 - 2/15 cannot be Designated for Assignment, released, or optioned or sent outright to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day.

That would mean a player can be claimed off waivers only once during the off-season (after November 10th), but once he is claimed, the player knows he won't get claimed off waivers again until at least 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day.

So an off-season waiver claim would be somewhat like a selection in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (a Rule 6 "Selected Player"), except the claiming club doesn't have to offer the player back to the club from which he was claimed before he can be sent to the minors, and the player doesn't have to remain on the claiming club's 25-man roster during the regular season. He just has to remain on the claiming club's MLB 40-man roster until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day. In that sense it's more like a Rule 6 "Draft-Excluded Player" (roster restrictions removed 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day), except a Draft-Excluded Player isn't claimed off waivers or selected in the Rule 5 Draft from another MLB organization. (A Draft-Excluded Player is moved up to a club's MLB 40-man roster from the reserve list of one of the MLB club's own minor league affiliates to exclude the player from being eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft).

Submitted by Charlie on Mon, 02/20/2017 - 02:41 pm

Hey, Phil! Any observations from live batting practices or the first few days of full squad workouts?

Recent comments

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: I think there was an issue with Luke Little coming into a game with men on base. He seems to need a "clean" inning to be dominant. So he is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AAA. Same goes for Michael Arias. He needs to come into a "clean" inning, and is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AA. Porter Hodge is a more versatile pitcher, a better version of Keegan Thompson (multi-inning RP). But Little, Arias, and Hodge (probably in that order) are the Cubs top three RP prospects (all three are Cubs Top 15 prospects).

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    So, let’s do a little war gaming. Taillon is back for tonight’s game. He pitched two rehab games, just a few innings each, and not especially sharp. Let’s face it, he hasn’t been lights out since the Cubs gave him the big contract. In other words, as flat out bad as Hendricks has been, the chances of Taillon being the savior don’t look exactly promising.

    If Taillon is equally ineffective or perhaps even worse, what’s the next move? Winning teams can often find a way to work around a dud fifth starter - kinda. Two dud starters make things much more difficult.

    I believe the biggest reason for the recent bullpen moves was dissatisfaction with the recent blowing of big leads and the recognition that the bullpen wasn’t all it was thought to be. In other words, they are exploring alternate options and configurations. If similar juggling becomes necessary (even more so than it already is), what kind of reasonable maneuvering do we think could be explored?

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