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

Nationals @ Cubs: Roark vs Arrieta (NLDS Game 4)

WAS (1-2): RHP Tanner Roark (0-0, —)
CHC (2-1): RHP Jake Arrieta (0-0, —) 
First pitch: 3:00pmCST (TBS)

Arrieta left his last start early (Sept. 26 in St. Louis) with a strained hamstring. Let’s hope it holds up. He went 3 innings and gave up 3 runs and was tagged with the loss. 

He went 14-10 with a 3.53 for the season, including going 5-2 with a 2.90 at Wrigley. In 7 post-season starts, Arrieta has a 3.64 ERA. 

Jake gave up 5 ER in 4 innings and lost to the Nationals in DC in June. Overall, they are 32-134 (.239) against him. Rendon is 4-11; Murphy is 5-17. Lind and Werth have taken him deep.

Roark last pitched an inning of relief (Oct. 1) against the Pirates, in which he gave up 2 ER. He gave up 6 ER in 4.2 innings in Philly, for the loss. For the season, he went 13-11 with a 4.67. On the road, he went 7-5 with a 4.26.

He beat the Cubs at Wrigley in June (6.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, 3 BB). For their careers, they are 17-79 (.215) against him. Bryant is 5-11 with a HR. 

Hey, let’s close out the series at home—and on Trans’s birthday!

Go Cubs! 

Comments

Chance of rain today. Let's do our thing today. I don't want to look at that Strasberg guy again.

What are the chances Lackey ends up pitching in this thing? Arrieta's recent hamstring injury and the impending rain do not bode well.

30m til gametime and it's officially in delay. supposedly it might get cancelled depending on what it looks like in 30m.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

What a fucken scam. If they start the game at the normal day game time at Wrigley, 1:15, then they beat the rain no problem. But no, TBS, a fucken cable channel that NOBODY watches, gets to dictate the start time. And now the Nats get the advantage of pitching Strasburg on normal rest for game 4. Nice!

My jerk friends want to take me out to dinner to celebrate my 40th... right at the start of the Cubs game. The jerks!.  :)

In an absolute perfect world, this game gets delayed until maybe 9 central, and then the Cubs win.  In a next-to-perfect world, the game gets cancelled, but Dusty Baker decides to pitch Roark tomorrow anyway, and we win tomorrow.

I'm hearing it is postponed until tomorrow at 3:08. I guess MLB wanted a 5 game series.

"Dusty Baker said he's not sure whether his team would go with Tanner Roark or Stephen Strasburg." Dusty should be fired if Strasburg doesn't pitch.

So with the game postponed, should the Cubs go with Hendricks tomorrow? Couldn’t hurt to let Arrieta’s hammy get another day of rest. And if the Cubs can win this series without him, then he would be really well rested for the NLCS.

This postponement is an epic benefit to the Nats. Guess Mother Nature is returning the favor for The Game 7 delay in WS.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

Well, at least this way we get to use Strop and Davis tomorrow, who are really the only guys I'm comfortable with coming out of the pen. So unless Strasberg gets well and starts, I'm feeling pretty good about it. That is, of course, unless he comes out of the pen in the 4th to protect a 2 run lead till the 8th. That would really suck. So I think the easiest thing to do would be to score about 6 runs in the bottom of the 1st, before Dusty has time to warm anybody up.

So, I asked my boss, "Can I leave a little early for the Cubs game this afternoon?" He said, with a grin, "As a salaried employee you are expected to to put in the work when needed. When things come up, you are a professional and we don't monitor that." Hopefully I can play that card tomorrow since I stayed today (and kept checking Jesse Roger's tweets for postponement). Wondering if there is any "momentum" lost - knowing that they have to face Stras again?

This postponement really favors the Dodgers who don’t need any help as it is a already. Now the game 4 starters won’t be ready to go till game 3 of the NLCS. So I think it’s become even more important for the Cubs to clinch in game 4. Would be nice to have both Hendricks and Lester fresh for games 1 and 2 if they advance...

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Speaking of canoes, I'm tired of seeing Michael Bradley paddling around midfield like a boy in a bathtub. Maybe we've seen him for the last time. The USMNT should follow the Cubs' example and clean house and go young. Way too many of these mediocre veterans play in the league of last resort, MLS.

[ ]

In reply to by Jackstraw

Actually, we lost the last America's Cup event this summer to New Zealand. The event was held in Bermuda. Each win counted as a single point, 7 points were needed to win. NZ started at -1 for some reason and still outpointed Team Oracle by a 7-1 margin. The races I watched were not even close. Next event will be held in southern summer of 2021 off NZ somewhere. They use foiling catamarans (AC45) with a wing for a sail that can run at 40 knots. Impressive to watch.

Hearing some noise that Strasburg will start, but I haven't seen it confirmed.

For a short time today, on Wikipedia, the owner, gm, and president of the Washington Nationals was listed as Anthony Rizzo. I hit refresh and it changed back to Mike Rizzo. I wish I would have gotten a screenshot.

with trea turner + schwarb playing i decided to revisit that 2014 draft. i was hoping the cubs would snag aaron nola (best college pitcher not named carlos rodon), but it's hard to argue about snagging the best college power bat. 1st overall pick braidy aiken threw 132ip 134h 101bb 89k (yes, 101bb) in A ball. ow. 2nd overall pick tyler kolek (MIA) missed all of 2016 with TJ surgery he had in april 2016, but he didn't make it back til august 2017 where he totally crapped himself with a line of 3.2ip 4h 14bb 1k (yes, 14bb) in 5 appearances (4 starts) in rookie ball. ow. heavily cubs-linked alex jackson (6th overall) put up a "meh" season of .267/.328/.480 split between A+/AA, but he did it as a 21 year old playing a bit over his head.

Well, with Addy's error, Cubs have "blinked" first. Hopefully the guys can pick Addy up like they did for Schwarber a couple days ago. Could see Lackey possibly getting an appearance today given Jake's high early pitch count.

.... .... ....fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[ ]

In reply to by Transmission

I presume you refer to the g**** s*** by the eighth-place hitter on a night in which several guys hit drives that would be out of the park on a neutral evening. The ballpark was silent, as everybody there "knew" the wind would knock it down. Happ went up, and when he didn't come down with the ball, there was a brief ballpark-wide WTF moment. Even the scoreboard hesitated. The guy next to me said, "You know, the wind died down for a few seconds just as that happened." I leave you all to your metaphysical/theological/existential reflection on that...

lame.

I remain amazingly calm. Not that I think the Cubs will win the series, but that I just don't care nearly as much so soon after last year. Bummer that the rain really changed the dynamic of the series though.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

Especially if the Cubs lose tomorrow, there will be a zillion chin-puller essays (FanGraphs, go!) about Cub fans and the difference made after 2016. I have been a Cub fan for 52 years, so I need say no more. The championship was a miracle, a dispersal of demons, the elimination of a curse. So now what? I think, just speaking for myself, that I will remain a fanatical Cub fan, but what happens in the postseason won't be the kind of apocalyptic event that a failure in Game Seven in 2016 would have been. I still will acknowledge the magnitude of what has happened--Dear Lord, I have attended Cubs postseason games for three years--in a row!--but there will, for me, always be the detachment brought about by the fact that THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES!

[ ]

In reply to by fullykräusened

I concur with my man Krausened. The era of consistent playoffs is -- incredibly! -- here. No matter what happens tonight, it has been a great three-year run, and most of the group will be back for several more years. Knocking out the Brewers and Cardinals at the end of the season was awesome. I am obviously hoping the season continues after tonight, but, if not, I will at peace with it. At least, eventually. Plus, there's no crying in baseball.

Congrats to TBS -- they get exactly what they wanted -- Cubs in a prime-time Game 5. Good corporate decision not to move the game up and get it played yesterday at 1:00pm. Assholes.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

I know I'm commenting more tonight than I have in all my years on TCR, but I was there and I'm working through the experience. (And just took my winter jacket out of the drier. Thank heaven for years of freezing at Wrigley.) I also know that this is completely a First World Problem, but I hate the way the TV networks jerk around the people who buy tickets for the Division Series. It's clear that we are literally window dressing for their broadcasts.

Hard to believe that all happened in the 8th inning, eh? Yeesh that inning has sucked all freaking year.

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

I was just about to say...Theo's primary job this off-season is to get the 8th inning eliminated next year. Kind of like a lot of high-rise elevators have no 13th floor. Get it done, Theo. In 4 games, Cubs have given up 9 runs in the 8th inning and 3 in all other innings combined. Not like we weren't aware of the issue, but, yikes.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

It's become clear to me that while Edwards may have the stuff to be a future closer, he doesn't have whatever that "thing" is that can't be measured by sabermetrics that separates great stuff from being a great closer. You could just see him get rattled and his control disappear.

[ ]

In reply to by Sonicwind75

I agree that Edwards seems perceptibly rattled at times. Not sure if you are saying he's not closer material right now or he's not the type of person to become a great closer, but I would point out that at Edwards's age, Davis was putting up mediocre numbers as a starting pitcher. I'm still hoping Edwards can grow into more confidence and consistency as he gets more experience.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

You're right, its too early to say and I'm probably overreacting with recency bias. Maybe he can grow into it, hopefully, but the Cubs shouldn't go into next year counting on that growth. Initial indications are that he's not a natural ice in the veins type of dude.

8th inning aside. Pretty much impossible to win a game with O runs, 3 hits and 14Ks

For those of you that weren't there tonight, you should know that there were times that drizzle "sheets" descended upon Wrigley. Very difficult playing conditions. I was hoping that they could keep it to one run, but fuck, pro hitter Murphy keeps their inning alive. I wanted Lester to finish the inning and didn't get my wish. But 12 Stras Ks, I don't know if they had much of a chance with that shit. Too bad for Addy, bad E-6.

You're right, E, that it was nasty. Maybe Addy's error was partly due to a wet ball, though he did kind of circle it; anyway, it was a boot. And you're also right that Strasburg's performance-- in spite of mold--would have been hard to overcome.

Could be worse -- we could be Indians fans. Brutal exit 2 years in a row -- up 3-1 in the WS last year, and lose 3 straight, including Games 6 and 7 at home. Up 2-0 in the ALDS this year, and lose 3 straight, including Game 5 at home. Ouch.

I am so glad i bought a sports sync radio and do not have to listen to the idiots on TV.

Lots of very low Cubs batting averages this series -- that will happen when you face Strasberg and Scherzer 3 games out of 4.

Man, if the Cubs can pick off one win on a non-Scherz/Stras day, the story to this series will have to be how they outlasted the Nat's overpowering top of the rotation.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • 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.