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

Imminently Qualified

The Cubs have until 5 PM (Eastern) today (Monday November 6th) to decide whether to extend a Qualifying Offer to any of their five post-2017 Article XX-B free-agents who are eligible to receive one. (John Lackey, Alex Avila, and Rene Rivera are not eligible to receive a QO). 

An Article XX-B free-agent is designated a "Qualified Player" if the player spent the entire immediately-preceding MLB regular season on a club's MLB Active List (25-man roster) and/or on one or more of the club's inactive lists (7-day, 10-day, and/or 60-day Disabled List, Military List, Bereavement List, et al) and/or on the Active List or an inactive list (7-day or 60-day Disabled List, Military List, Temporarily Inactive List, et al) of one or more minor league affiliates of that club, and the club offers the player a guaranteed contract (known as a "Qualifying Offer") for the following season. 
NOTE: Beginning with the post-2017 off-season, a player cannot receive more than one Qualifying Offer in his career. 

CURRENT CUBS WHO HAVE RECEIVED A QUALIFYING OFFER IN THEIR CAREERS: (last updated 7-31-2017)
Jason Heyward, OF (was extended a QO by St. Louis Cardinals post-2015)
John Lackey, RHP (was extended a QO by St. Louis Cardinals post-2015)

ACQUIRED OR SIGNED BY CUBS AFTER START OF 2017 MLB REGULAR SEASON: (last updated 8-19-2017) 
Alex Avila, C (acquired from DET in trade on 7/31)
Rene Rivera, C (claimed off waivers from NYM on 8/19)

The Qualifying Offer must include a salary at least equal to the average salary of the 125 highest-paid MLB players from the previous season. The exact amount of the average salary of the 125 highes-paid MLB players from the previous season will be communicated by the MLB Labor Relations Department (LRD) simultaneously to all MLB clubs and the Major League Baseball Player's Association (MLBPA) within ten days after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. 

2018 QUALIFYING OFFER MINIMUM SALARY: $17.4M

To be valid, a Qualifying Offer must be extended by a club no later than 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series. The LRD then provides the MLBPA with a list of players receiving valid Qualifying Offers and the amount of each offer.

MLB clubs are not permitted to extend a Qualifying Offer to an Article XX-B MLB free-agent if the player has agreed in advance to decline the offer so that the club will obtain a compensatory draft pick once the player signs with another club.

CUBS ARTICLE XX-B QUALIFIED PLAYERS POST-2017: (last updated 11-6-2017)
TBD 

The Qualified Player has until 5 PM (Eastern) on the 10th day after receiving the offer to decide whether to accept or decline. If the Qualified Player accepts the offer, he is considered "signed" and must be immediately added back to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster). If he declines the offer, the player is free to sign with any MLB club, including his former club.
NOTE: Prior to the post-2017 off-season, a player had seven days to decide whether to accept a QO. 

If a Qualified Player subsequently signs a Major League contract with another (different) MLB club prior to the MLB Rule 4 Draft (MLB First-Year Player Draft), the player's former club (the club that lost the Qualified Player) normally will receive a compensatory draft pick in the MLB Rule 4 Dtaft between the 2nd & 3rd rounds (after Competitive Balance Round "B").
EXCEPTIONS: An MLB club that receives revenue sharing funds would receive a compensatory draft pick immediately after the conclusion of the 1st round (prior to Competitive Balance Round "A") - IF - the Qualified Player signs a contract worth at least $50M (the club would receive a compensatory draft pick between the 2nd & 3rd rounds and after Competitive Balance Round "B" if the Qualified Player signs a contract worth less than $50M), and an MLB club that is a Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payor (club's payroll exceeds the so-called "Luxury Tax") would receive a draft pick between the 4th & 5th rounds.
NOTE: If more than one club receives the same type of compensatory pick, the draft order for the comp picks is the same as it is for all other rounds in that draft (clubs select in inverse order of league standings from the previous season, and in the case of two clubs finishing with the same record the previous season, league standings from two seasons back will be used to break the tie, and if If the clubs are still tied, league standings from three seasons back, four seasons back, etc, will be used to break the tie). 

An MLB club that signs an Article XX-B player who received a Qualifying Offer from his previous club forfeits its 2nd highest selection in the next MLB Rule 4 Draft and $500,000 is subtracted from its assigned International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) in the next full International Signing Period (ISP) for each Artcle XX-B Qualified Player signed.
EXCEPTIONS: An MLB club that receives revenue sharing funds would surrender its 3rd highest selection in the draft but nothing is subtracted from the club's ISBP in the next full ISP, and an MLB club that is a CBT payor (club's payroll exceeds the so-called "Luxury Tax") would forfeit its 2nd & 5th selection in the draft and have $1,000,000 subtracted from its ISBP in the next ISP for each Article XX-B Qulaified Player signed.
NOTE: The Competitive Balance Tax threshold will be $195M in 2017, $199M in 2018, $206M in 2019, $209M in 2020, and $210M in 2021. 

The next highest Rule 4 Draft pick (or draft picks) will be forfeited if a club signs more than one Article XX-B player who received a Qualifying Offer from his previous club (one draft pick forfeited for each Qualified Player signed).
NOTE: A CBT payor (club's payroll exceeds the so-called "Luxury Tax") would forfeit its 3rd & 6th highest selections if the club signs a second Qualified Player, its 4th & 7th selections if the club signs a third Qualified Player, and its 8th & 9th highest selections, 10th & 11th highest selections, et al, for additional Qualified Players signed. 

Draft picks subject to forfeiture include the club's own Rule 4 Draft picks, compensatory draft picks awarded to the club after losing an Article XX-B Qualified Player, and draft picks awarded as the result of the Rule 4 SBP Forfeited Draft Pick lottery (including draft picks that were subsequently acquired in a trade). Competitive Balance draft picks (including Competitive Balance draft picks acquired in a trade) and a compensatory draft pick awarded to a club for failing to sign a pick from a previous Rule 4 Draft are - NOT - subject to forfeiture.
NOTE: Prior to the 2018 MLB Rule 4 Draft, Competitive Balance draft picks were subject to forfeiture.

A Rule 4 Draft pick forfeited as the result of a club signing an Article XX-B player who was extended a Qualifying Offer from his previous club is not transferred to any other club (it just disappears).

A Qualified Player who signs a Major League contract after 11:59 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series receives automatic "no trade" rights that extend through June 15th of the following season, even if the player re-signs with his former club. A Qualified Player who receives "no trade" rights this way can waive the right, but if he does, his club can trade the player only for player contracts and/or cash with a maximum aggregate value of $50,000.

If a Qualified Player signs a Major League contract with another (different) club after the MLB Rule 4 Draft, or if a Qualified Player signs a minor league contract with another (different) club and either remains in the minor leagues or is later added to that club's MLB 40-man roster, the player's new club does NOT forfeit a Rule 4 Draft pick, and the player's former club does NOT receive Rule 4 Draft pick compensation. However, MLB clubs are not permitted to sign a Qualified Player to a minor league contract just to avoid losing a draft pick.

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

As was the case with Randy Rosario (claimed off waivers last week), Cory Mazzoni is an MLB Rule 55 player (which means he would have been declared a minor league 6YFA if he had been sent outright to El Paso by the Padres).  

MLB Rule 55 players cannot be sent outright to the minors after 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series unless and until the player signs a 2018 contract or agrees in advance to sign a minor league contract. But contracts are not tendered until next month, and a player does not have to sign the contract, and a club cannot unilaterally and automatically renew a player's contract until March 1st. 

So if the Cubs want to remove Mazzoni (or Randy Rosario) from their MLB 40-man roster during the off-season, the best bet would be a non-tender on December 1st, and then try and re-sign the player to a minor league contract after the Rule 5 Draft for "big league money" and an NRI to Spring Training. Of course the player doesn't have to agree to the arrangement .

The other choices would be Outright Release (where he could be claimed off Release Waivers for $1) or trade, or the Cubs can just keep Mazzoni on the 40 until March (after he either signs a 2018 contract or is auto-renewed).

So the Cubs won't be able to "sneak" Mazzoni through waivers until he signs a 2018 contract, and knowing that, Mazzoni's agent will likely advise Mazzoni to hold off signing his contract until March.

So this isn't like the David Rollins situation last year, where he kept bouncing around from club to club on waiver claims throughout the off-season. (Rollins was not an MLB Rule 55 player). 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Also, although he has used two minor league options through the 2017 season, Cory Mazzoni (like Randy Rosario) will be eligible for a 4th minor league option in 2019 should his third minor league option be spent in 2018. Mazzoni underwent shoulder surgery post-2014 and missed most of the 2016 season and the first part of the 2017 season. He also underwent knee surgery in 2014. Mazzoni was a Mets 2nd round draft pick (71st overall) in 2011 and was a Baseball America Top 15 prospect five years in a row (post-2011 through post-2015), and a Top 10 Prospect once (post-2012, back when he was in the Mets organization). He is a sinker/slider guy.

Leonys Martin was sent outright to AAA Iowa. He now has three days to decide whether to accept the outright assignment or elect free-agency.

Tricky thing about Martin,...

While he has the right to elect to be a free-agent after being outrighted (he is an Article XX-D player because has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time but less than five - AND/OR - he has been outrighted previously in his career - take your pick), he would be a fool to do that and the Cubs would be foolish to tender him a 2018 minor league contract if he doesn't elect free-agency. 

Why?

Martin made $4.85M in 2017, and if he doesn't elect free-agency and if the Cubs tender him a minor league contract by January 15th (the deadline to tender a 2018 minor league contract to an outrighted player), he will get $3.88M in 2018 (an outrighted player must receive at least 80% of his previous season's salary). And no matter what you might think about Leonys Martin, that's a LOT of $$$$ to pay for a AAA outfielder. 

BTW, Martin is - NOT - an MLB Rule 55 player so he will not be declared a free-agent. That's because he has not yet spent at least seven separate seasons in the minors. So if he wants to be a free-agent, he will have to elect free-agency per Article XX-D.

I would expect the Cubs to not tender Martin a 2018 minor league contrat on 1/13 and then try and sign him to a 2018 minor league contract for a lot less money (maybe somewhere around $1M).

BTW, while Martin is eligible for selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft, if any club was interested enough in Martin to select him in the Rule 5 Draft, that club woud have just claimed him off waivers today. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

And OF Leonys Martin has elected free-agency. (Martin was sent outright to AAA Iowa on Monday).  

As an Article XX-D player, Martin had the right to elect free-agency if outrighted to the minors. (He had three days to decide). 

So Martin is now free to sign a Major League or minor league contract with any club, including the Cubs. 

"Rockies extended a one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer to RHP Greg Holland." that legal weed must be really damn good in colorado. that's a hell of a risk. wonder if holland told them he was going to elect to be a FA regardless...

Only 9 QO's were extended: Jake, Wade, Cobb, Lynn, Cain, Holland, Hosmer, Moustakas and Santana.

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.