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 @ Brewers: Arrieta vs Davies (Game 152)

CHC (84-67): RHP Jake Arrieta (14-9, 3.48)  
MIL (81-71): RHP Zach Davies (17-9, 3.89) 
First pitch: 7:10pmCST

Don’t say revenge. 

The Cubs could have stepped on the neck of the Brewers last week at Wrigley, but opted to get swept instead. Now the magic number to clinch the division is 8. I have no problem with having that happen on Sunday.

Arrieta last pitched on September 4th in Pittsburgh (2.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 K, 1 BB) before his hammy starting barking. He had been on quite a run before that, so let’s hope he picks up where he left off.

He’s 2-0 with a 2.08 in two starts against Milwaukee this season. Overall, the Brewers are 28-126 (.222) against him. Braun is 7-24 with 3* HR.

Davies lost in Miami his last time out (4 IP,  er, 2 K, 0 BB). In four starts against the Cubs this season, he’s 2-2 with a 3.96. For their careers, the Cubs are 45-161 (.280). Bryant is 9-25 with a HR.

No word on what ailment Braun will suffer over the weekend—other than the obvious. If Bernie Brewer is a no-show, it’s because I slashed his tires.

Lackey (11-11) and Woodruff (2-2) throw tomorrow at 6:30pmCST on ESPN*.

Go Cubs! 
 

Comments

While the Cubs magic number over the Brewers is indeed eight, it's seven over the Cardinals, so for the Cubs to clinch the N. L. Central on Sunday they would not only have to sweep the Brewers four-straight, but the Cardinals would have to lose at least three of their next four (one at CIN and three at PIT).  

Of course another possibility is that by the end of the weekend the Cubs will be a 1/2-game behind the Brewers, and then what the Colorado Rockies are doing in San Diego will be just as important to the Cubs as it is now to the Brewers and Cards. 

Here is how the MLB Rule 33 tie-breakers work: 

SEEDING - TWO CLUBS SAME DIVISION: In the case of a tie between two clubs for a division championship, the club with the best head-to-head record gets the #1 seed and gets the home game. If the two clubs are tied head-to-head, then intradivision winning percentage (record within division) is used to determine seeding. If clubs are stil tied, then the intraleague winning percentage (the record within the clubs' own league) over the last half of intraleague games played is used to determine seeding. If still tied, then go one additional intraleague game further back from half (not including games two clubs played against each other) until one club has a better wnning percentage.  

SEEDING - TWO CLUBS TIED - WILD CARD: Same procedure as two clubs tied for division except intradivision winning percentage (record within club's own division) is not used (go directly from head-to-head to second-half intraleague record if head-to-head tied). 

SEEDING - THREE OR MORE CLUBS TIED - DIVISION: Club with best head-to-head against the other clubs gets #1 seed, then the head-to-head between the two remaining clubs, etc. If one club has a better head-to-head record against a second club and the second club has a better head-to-head record against the third club and the third club has a better head-to-head aganst the first club, then composite record among the three clubs in common games against each other is used. If still tied then go to last-half of intraleague record.

SEEDING - THREE OR MORE CLUB TIED - WILD CARD:  Club with best head-to-head against the other clubs gets #1 seed, then the head-to-head between the two (or more) remaining clubs. If one club has a better head-to-head against a second club and the second club has a better head-to-head record against the third club and the third club has a better head-to-head aganst the first club, then composite record amiong the three clubs in common games against each othet is used. If still tied then go to intradivision record, and then go to last half of intraleague record.   

TWO TEAM TIE FOR DIVISION OR WILD CARD: The two clubs play each other in a tie-breaker game on the Monday after the conclusion of the MLB regular season.  

THREE-TEAM TIE FOR DIVISION OR WILD CARD: Clubs choose designation based upon seeding. Clubs are Designated Club "A," Club "B," or Club "C". Club "A" and Club "B" play on Monday at Club "A" and Club "C" gets a "bye." The winner of Monday's game between Club "A" and Club "B" is the home team on Tuesday versus Club "C." 

TWO-TEAM TIE FOR DIVISION AND THREE-TEAM TIE FOR WILD CARD WITH TWO OF THE TEAMS TIED FOR WILD CARD ALSO TIED FOR DIVISION: The division winner is determined first and then the loser of the division tie-breaker game plays a wild card tie-breaker game at the third club (the club from the other division that was tied for the Wild Card) the next day after that. .

FOUR-TEAM TIE FOR DIVISION OR WILD CARD: Clubs are seeded and then choose (in order of seeding) to be either Club "A," "B," "C," or "D." Club "B" plays at Club "A" and Club "D" plays at Club "C" on Monday, and then the two winners play at home of Club "A" or Club "B" on Tuesday.

Other more-complicated permutations are based upon this same seeding system. First head-to-head (with common/composite record used if three or more clubs are tied and head-to-head is inconclusive), then intradivision record (if division tie-breaker but not for wild card tie-breaker), and finally record in last half of intraleague games played (with additional games added backward from half-way as necessary). 

If a club tied for the Wild Card is also tied for a division, the division winner is always determined first, and then the club that loses the division tie-breaker plays as the road team in the wild card tie-breaker. 

The MLB Commisioner may move tie-breaker games to other sites or schedule a doubleheader at one particular site depending on circumstances (weather, travel, etc)  

Tie-breaker games are considered "regular season" games for individual statistical purposes (HR, ERA, W-L, BB/K, OBP, SLG, etc), attendance, revenue, and gate receipts, but the games do NOT count in the standings, so draft order and waiver claim priority are not affected by the outcome of a tie-breaker game. 

Why are they not letting Otani come to America and choose who he wants to play for at a free market contract rate? It's obvious he wants to play for the Cubs. #freeotani #racistMLBantiasians #fixisin #stopthecubhate #otaniwewanti

So it's felt like the Cubs offense has been Jekkyl and Hyde with wins/losses and offense but I ran the #s vs other division leaders and the Cubs have averaged 7.2 runs/win and 3.15 runs/loss and the other division leaders have averaged 6.60 runs/win and 2.61 runs/loss. The Cubs have scored .6 more runs per win and .54 more runs per loss so pretty much a wash. As frustrating as some of the games are then they definitely aren't unique.

Brewers get back-to-back walk and score. Cubs get back-to-back walks with Rizzo and Contreras up and get nothing. Crap. Other than Schwarber HRs, there has been no offense the last 3 games. Ugh.

As I said yesterday, I believe this series decides the Division. If they lay an a egg, its on them and no one else.

"Justin Wilson" is 2017 for "Adam Warren". Really, truly awful. Didn't like Joe going to Strop in the 7th for just (ha!) that reason -- who was going to pitch the 8th? With only 4 decent bullpen guys, this team cannot survive 5-inning starts.

happ and baez!!! tie game with 2 out in the top 9th. happ with the pure hustle and baez with the hit to get him in.

5th infielder time. happ gets to play IF in this version of the circus shift. bases loaded, 1 out, bottom 9.

I can't stop giggling that we have Wade Davis on the Cubs roster. Wadebot 2.0, so nice. Let's hope he gets the next couple of days off now.

[ ]

In reply to by Jim Hickmans Bat

Looking to next year, I think the Cubs will either: - Make CJ the closer and hope he can improve his control and become next year's Knebel. This assumes they believe he can handle the workload. - Continue their practice of trading young, blocked talent (Torres, Soler) to get a top-level closer by trading Caratini. I think Joe likes having an experienced catcher, Caratini is too young to sit, and the Cubs don't really have any other pieces to trade (maybe Almora?) that could bring back a reliable closer. I don't see Theo paying Davis what the market rate will be -- he just turned 32, and the Cubs will likely need to pay up for an SP next year.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Rondon? For argument's sake... was really good (maybe not elite) in 2014, 2015, & for the first 2/3 of 2016. I'm not sure I'm arguing for the plan, but he's still an asset. If somebody is going to take us to the cleaners on a trade in the off season, there are worse ideas than riding him for a few months & picking up somebody mid-season (Jeurys Familia? AJ Ramos? Brad Brach?).

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Agree with you about CJ as closer-of-the-future. He throws his explosive fastball so smoothly, with so little effort, he should have excellent control, and will, I think in the not-too-distant future. But he's still a little nervous and jittery. He's getting over it. He had a terrific 9th inning last night; but then in the tenth, with a lead and a save situation, he started missing again. It's psychological right now. Both of his pitches are better than Rondon's. It's why Edwards never gets hit. He just tenses up and gets a little wild.

Just...WOW! Cubs down to their last strike...Brewers load the bases with one out in the 9th, and have a 3-1 count on the batter...EFFING WOW! Wade Davis is something else. My goodness.

Davis was so clutch, he should get the win AND the save. To quote Bill Raftery -- ONIONS!

As I said yesterday -- if you're going to lose, it's better to lose big and save your good bullpen guys. The difference in this game was we had our closer and they didn't have theirs.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

...and the Mets. I think Nelson's injury will be a problem for them. They have already said he will miss a "chunk" of next year after surgery. But, yeah, they have young, exciting talent, and hit for a lot of power. Again, if not for Braun, they would be a very likable bunch.

Let me not forget to salute Gary Jones for almost blowing the game. Only a third-base coach could get Bryant thrown out running the bases. Watch the top of the third if you don't get the reference. Here's my quick version: Rizzo hits a ground single to right with two on and one out. With the right fielder playing at Rizzo depth, Jones for some reason tries to stop the guy on second from scoring but Jay thinks he's crazy and scores easily. Meanwhile, Bryant sees the stop sign and stops, but then realizes Jones is crazy and gets thrown out trying to take third after all. Bryant's run would have been the third run, which would have given the Cubs a lead into the 8th. Wilson doesn't come in with the Cubs protecting a lead.

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.