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

Cubs Acquire Alec Mills from Royals

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).

Comments

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.

[ ]

In reply to by K Dub

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.

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.

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

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.

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

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. 

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?

"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.

"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-…

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

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.

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.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

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.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

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.

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

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?

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

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).

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

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.