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 @ Phillies: Hendricks vs Lively (Game 128)

CHC (68-59): RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 3.52)
PHI (47-80): RHP Ben Lively (1-4, 3.70)
First pitch: 6:05pmCST

Hendricks’ winless streak continued on Sunday, with a no-decision against the Blue Jays (6 IP, 3 ER, 6 K, 2 BB). He’s 2-2 with a 3.46 on the road this year. Overall, the Phillies are 7-38 (.184) against him. Galvis is 3-6.

The rookie Lively had a no-decision in San Francisco his last time out, giving up 2 ER over 6 innings. He’s 1-1 with a 3.18 at home this year. None of the Cubs have faced him.

It’s Lackey (10-9) and Nola (9-9) tomorrow at 12:35pmCST to wrap up the road trip.

Go Cubs!

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

he's a bit of an oddball considering that while baseball may not be a top priority in his overall scope of life, he still stays in baseball shape and ready to play. it's not like he's an underachiever simply cruising on natural ability (sup, ian stewart). even before he was a cub, he was a bit notorious for being aloof and even leaving without permission when private life stuff popped up. it's not some euphemism for drugs or other "bad" issues, it's that his life outside the game and the people in it seem to be really important to him. he doesn't seem to respond well to being backed into a corner and he seems more than willing to bail on that kind of stuff, even if it costs him money. i think he's pretty confident that 40K a year or 400K a year, his wish to feel content at what he's doing overrides any $$ amount.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Crunch's assessment seems spot-on from what I've read.  I've known the type in other professions. Hell, I'm trying to be that type, in my own profession.  To me as a fan, he's a breath of fresh air. 

What I don't quite get and wonder if anyone wants to take a crack at answering:  Given all we hear about (and see of) his amazing hit tool and his ability to hit for a high average in his sleep, why isn't he thought of around the game as a possible every-day option at 2nd or 3rd? Defense that bad, or he's a victim of type-cast as this generation's prototypical pinch-hitter?

 

[ ]

In reply to by Transmission

I very much support prioritizing personal happiness over careerism. But I aso wonder what it says about you when you have an opportunity to have some fraternal goofiness and you just stick with your last name. Could've gone with 3 AM or whatever Maddon calls him! That said, all but 3 or 4 of the nicknames are boring as heck.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

yeah, la stella and lester (no surprise there) didn't seem to want to take part in the fun with the names. i don't even think they did the "decorative cleats" thing, either, but im not sure. cj "carls jr" edwards won the shoe game, imo.

I'm in Philly tonight, seeing the game as part of my brother's bachelor party. Wish me good vibes for the Cubs and also for me not to get a battery thrown at me.

rizz-oh! cubs with a 2 run lead. #29!

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Rizzo is fascinating -- he is a very hot/cold hitter, but his numbers over time are remarkably consistent. Over the last 3 years his OBP has been: .386, .387, 385. HRs have been: 32, 31, 32. Now, this year -- 6 HR each month. Baseball, man -- it's the best.

for some reason i really like the whole corny as hell "wave to the dugout" thing that happens when a runner gets on base for the cubs. shooting fake arrows into the air is so 2012. finger guns is for amateurs.

Dear CT STEVE and BRICK: Thank you for the good work tonight. Please stay there, overnight. Go again tomorrow.

HAGSAG: The four players on the Cubs 10-day DL will be reinstated (Lester, Russell, and Grimm probably on 9/1 or soon thereafter, and Contreras later), and Victor Caratini (3rd catcher) and Rob Zastryzny (stretched-out as a starter) are virtual locks to get called-up. 

The other potential call-ups are probably still TBD, but IF-OF Mike Freeman (signed to a minor league contract by the Cubs less than 24 hours after he elected free-agency after being outrighted to the minors by the Dodgers) would seem to be a likely September addition, because he can play anywhere in the INF and OF and he is a high-percentage base-stealer. I doubt that Freeman would have signed with the Cubs so quickly after becoming a FA if the Cubs did not give him a virtual guarantee that he would be called-up to Chicago in September. 

I think the Cubs would like to call-up Eddie Butler as an extra starting pitcher, but he's been on the DL at Iowa for a while now and I don't know if he can get back into starting pitching shape before the minor league season is over. Otherwise he will probably be assigned to Advanced Instructs in Mesa and get reps there in case he's needed in the post-season. If Butler is unable to pitch (as a starting pitcher) in September, the Cubs might call-up RHSP Seth Frankoff from Iowa instead, since Frankoff is stretched-out as a starter. But Frankoff's slot on the 40-man roster might be needed for somebody else.  

I do think the Cubs will try to acquire another MLB RP before the midnight 8/31 post-season roster eligibility deadline, but if they can't I would think RHRP Pierce Johnson could get recalled just to provide additional RP depth (since he's already on the 40-man roster). Same goes for LHRP Jack Leathersich, although both have had difficulty throwing strikes at AAA. 

The Cubs might also call-up an outfielder, probably Mark Zagunis (if he is ready to play -- he's presently on the DL at iowa) or else Jake Hannemann, but it's possible that the Cubs could call-up John Andreoli (just for September), and then drop him from the 40 after the season.  

Besides Frankoff, the other player presently on the 40 who could get dropped to make room for potential September addition(s) would be RHRP Jose Rosario (who has had a "dead arm" all year). However, since Rosario is on the DL at AA Tennessee, he cannot be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers until he is healthy enough to pitch. So if he is not ready to return to action when the Cubs need his 40-man roster slot, Rosario would have to be either released or else recalled from his Optional Assignment and then placed on the MLB 60-day DL (more-likely released).

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.