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

A Hawk Sighting

by Darrel Rade

According to a number of reliable and trusted sources, the Chicago Cubs will be seeing a familiar face back in uniform. It appears that Andre Dawson will be back on the Cubs payroll for the upcoming season, which is thrilling news for fans. The Hall of Famer has been working with the Marlins for the past few seasons as a special assistant. Dawson was fired from the Marlins and that decision was quickly rescinded. However, Dawson has made bigger and better plans and will be coming back to join the Cubs.

Dawson’s MLB History

Dawson enjoyed 21 years in the MLB and first started his professional career with the Montreal Expos in 1976. He stayed with the club until 1986 and joined the Chicago Cubs in 1987. Dawson enjoyed many great times as a professional player and was named the National League All-Star for eight times and was also Rookie of the Year in 1977. In 1987, with his first year with the Cubs, Dawson won the MVP Award for leading the league with 49 home runs and 137 RBIs. When he started with the Expos, he quickly was a shining star and became the regular center fielder for the team. After playing 1,443 games with the Expos, he became a free agent and campaigned to the Cubs. Due to poor knee health, Dawson was moved from center field to right field and the Cubs were hesitant to take him on the roster.

After a lengthy battle and many negotiations, the Cubs signed him and in his first year, he lead the league with 49 home runs and was named the MVP. For the next five years, Dawson became a team favorite and was one of the most popular professional players of the time. He held the highest career batting average for the team with an average of .507.

In 1992, Dawson joined the Red Sox as a free agent and hit his 400th career home run in Fenway Park. In 1993, he sustained a severe knee injury resulting in surgery. The Sox then used him as a DH. The following years, knee issues plagued Dawson until he was forced to retire as a player in 1996.

His Future with the Cubs

At this time, Dawson’s formal role with the Cubs has not been announced, but it is believed the all-star player will be a special assistant, as he was with the Marlins. While the exact role Dawson will play when he returns to the Cubs organization is unknown, many believe he will have a similar role to that of Ryne Sandberg, perhaps as an ambassador in some form. It is clear that Dawson is not returning to the Cubs as any type of coach. No matter what his new position may entail, Chicago Cubs fans will welcome The Hawk back with open arms and he will be a welcomed addition to the organization. The Cubs may not be the most favored team in the MLB, but they are a team that attracts much attention and are a preferred choice for sports bettors, especially those that engage in online sports betting at reliable sites, including those mentioned on the Canadian betting site list. The Chicago Cubs are looking forward to a positive new season with Dawson on the payroll and the team has some opportunities to win many games and even be in the running for the pennant.

Cubs Upcoming 2018 Season

The upcoming season for the Cubs will begin on March 29, oddly enough, with a game against the Marlins, which will be an interesting way for Dawson to break back into the game with his former team! The first home game is scheduled to be played on April 9, when the Cubs host the Pirates. For 13 of the last 17 seasons, the Cubs will play their first game of a new season on the road and this is the first time the team faces the Marlins as an opener since 1998.

Even though the 2017 season did not win a title for the Cubs, the team ended string and it is believed the 2018 season will pick up right where they left off. The team managers and coaching staff have been focusing on improving the bullpen that will help win regular season and postseason games, possible leading the Cubs to play-offs and even more. The Cubs have a problem that many other teams wish they had. The team has too much talent in too many positions and it can be difficult to make decisions on where and when to play these players. With some tough roster choices ahead, the Cubs have been planning since the start of the off-season and plan to open the new 2018 season with a bang.

Comments

A little yawn on the Smyly signing. Remains to be seen if he will fully recover. CRUNCH must be liking the low risk-high reward move here. Its fine for that. Hopefully it works. I am certainly hoping this is not their "starting pitching addition" for the off-season.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

as long as it's not an excuse to sign a washed-up player to a one year deal (*cough* lackey *cough*) i like the signing, yeah. a playoff-quality team getting late-season innings help while he rehabs getting ready for a bigger 2019 role works for me. given that he probably won't be back until july/august he's not much of an 2018 concern unless he's looking great going into the playoffs...assuming the cubs make the post-season...which i'm gonna assume.

I am always amazed when FA pitchers choose to sign with the Rockies. Enjoy pitching at Coors!

"He held the highest career batting average for the team with an average of .507." This looks to be an error in the above article, in the 2nd paragraph of "Dawson’s MLB History". What did you mean to say here?

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.