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 @ Pirates: Hendricks vs Brault (Game 138)

CHC (75-62): RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-4, 3.32)  
PIT (66-72): LHP Steven Brault (0-0, 5.93) 
First pitch: 6:05pmCST

Hendricks won his second straight game on Thursday against Atlanta (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 K, 3 BB) after having not won since May. He’s 2-1 with a 2.31 in 8 starts since his return. 

Kyle is 1-1 with a 2.45 in two starts against the Pirates this season. Overall, they are 39-155 (.252) against him. Polanco is 9-22 with a HR.

Brault is in for Nova and making his first start of the season. The Cubs tagged him for 4 ER in an inning of relief last week at Wrigley. They are 13-33 (.394) against him, for their careers. Bryant is 3-4 with a HR, and Heyward is 3-6.

Quintana (9-11) and Cole (11-9) continue the series tomorrow at 6:05pmCST.

Go Cubs!

Comments

"According to Michael Schmidt of the New York Times, the Red Sox have been caught stealing catcher signs from the Yankees and other opponents using an Apple Watch." that part of the world sure does like cheating at sports.

Day off for Rizz....so, naturally, Zobrist and his .700 OPS hit cleanup. Okey-dokey. A complete list of position players with an OPS below Zobrist's: 1. Mike Freeman 2. Nobody else A complete list of position players with a higher OPS than Zobrist: 1. Everybody except Mike Freeman Even better -- Zobrist's OPS as a RH batter: .601. I think Joe's iPad has been hacked.

I think Joe's iPad has been hacked. ---------------------------------------------- Infamous Russian hacker. Username Zobie18.

unless arrieta had a late appointment for his MRI, it's a bit concerning they're still "waiting" on the results.

Dammit Joe!!! Every time CJ goes back out after finishing an inning, he struggles. EVERY TIME! Doesn't matter how many pitches he threw. Bring him in from the pen, get some outs, then take him out of the damn game. Put that in your iPad, please.

that was quick. Cubs never seem to follow a big win streak with just a loss...they just start playing bad baseball. 1-8 with RISP, bad relief...gah. The Cardinals, who were left for dead 3 days ago, are going to be right back in the division race.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

This is why the Cubs got Justin Wilson. He was supposed to provide the final piece to the bullpen puzzle, the reliable 8th inning guy who can close when Wade Davis isn't available. If there is any one thing that has gone wrong lately that could screw everything up for the Cubs, it's The Strange Case of Justin Wilson.

This one's on Maddon. Know your damn players. Edwards can't go back out and get people out. He simply can't. Maybe the leadoff walk was a clue? Most of the out he got were on the bases. Terrible game by Maddon.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

Nope. Don't know. I just know every time Joe sends him back out, I always say it's a bad idea, and it always is. But, on a brighter side -- Scooter Gennet with a 3-run shot to put the Reds up 7-1 on the Brewers. And, I'm sure our old friend Travis will shut down the Cards and drive in a few runs for us tonight.

"Jake Arrieta has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring." looks like he'll miss a start, maybe 2. also, contreras is going to play a rehab game with the high-A club thursday. hopefully he'll be back soon (friday/saturday).

Brewers last 6 series: Beat Rockies, Dodgers and Nationals, split with Cardinals, and lose to Giants and Reds (possibly get swept by Reds). Even by baseball standards, that's pretty goofy. Looks like Travis will need to hit a couple grand slams to help us out. Gave up 5 in 2 IP. EDIT: As I typed the last letter, he hit a 2-run bomb. Baseball!

18 year old OF Nelson Velazquez (Cubs 2017 5th round draft pick - PJ Education School - Carolina, PR) hit another moonshot HR Tuesday night at Scottsdale Stadium in the 9th inning of the first game of the AZL Championship Series between the AZL Cubs and the AZL Giants. (The Cubs scored nine runs over the final three innings to win 10-4 and take a 1-0 lead in the best two-out-of-three series). 

The place was absolutely electric from the first pitch, not because of the "fans" (they stayed quiet like always, and most of the spectators were scouts anyway), but because of the energy from the two benches. The players on the bench were as animated and raucous as any crowd you'd ever see at a baseball game, yelling and even singing and dancing at various points in the game (especially the Cubs players when they scored five times with two outs in the top of the 8th).   

Just to get into the AZL playoffs, the Cubs had to win 13 of their final 15 games, and even then they only made it by one game. And now they have won their first three AZL playoff games, so they have won 16 of the last 18 games. 

And the story behind the story is Nelson Velazquez. In his last 18 AZL games (77 PA) including regular season & post-season, Velazquez has hit 297/416/703 (that's an 1.119 OPS), with 7 HR & 15 RBI, 19 RUNS, 3 2B, and 1 3B, 4 SB (2 CS), 12 BB (16% walk rate), 1 HBP, and 26 K  (34% K-rate). Without Velazquez, the AZL Cubs are NOT in the playoffs. Simple as that. 

To get an idea of the gravitas of what he has been doing lately, if you pro-rate those numbers out over a 144-game minor league "full season" you get 56 HR, 120 RBI, 152 RUNS, 24 doubles, eight triples, 32 SB (16 CS), 96 walks, 8 HBP, and 208 strikeouts.

Velazquez has suddenly turned into a beast. It's like Sammy Sosa circa 1998. 

Velazquez is a five-tool outfielder who is built like a college running back (plus-speed but with a thick lower half), and he actually hits home runs in games (not just in BP), and most of the dingers have been absolute bombs. He strikes out a LOT, and he needs work on his defense in CF (although he probably has enough range and arm to play there once he gets the rough edges smoothed out), but the potential is definitely there 

And (probably not too surpringly) Nelson Velazquez has been named Cubs Minor League Player of the Month for August. 

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

TIM: No question Cam Balego is on fire right now.

BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if Balego goes through the catcher conversion program in the neat-future (at Instructs and/or at EXST). He is built like a catcher, he moves pretty well, he has a plus-arm, and he clearly has leadership qualities.  

I also would not be surprised if OF Kwangmin Kwon is converted to a LHP at some point. 

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

DJL: Kwon continues to struggle to make contact. He has above-average speed and a plus-arm and while he has HR power in BP (he won the HR Derby at Instructs post-2015), it doesn't show up in games. He is a somewhat passive hitter who seems to get fooled a lot. And he could show a bit more alertness on the bases, too.

For example, he probably could have scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 7th inning last night if he had just hustled from 3rd to home on what was a 3-2 tag-play inning-ending DP. (The Giants 1st baseman fielded a ground ball and stepped on first-base before throwing the ball home).   

Kwon is a laid-back, popular, good-natured kid (he's the type of guy who gets razzed a lot by his teammates because he takes it so well). I just don't know how much longer the Cubs will stick with him as a position-player, but I don't think they would release him before he gets a trial as a LHP. 

Red Sox beat Toronto 3-2 in 19 innings, using 12 pitchers to do so. My son is a junior at Boston College, and one of his professors cancelled class this morning because he stayed up to watch all 19 innings. Not a great use of tuition money, but you have to respect the dedication.

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...