Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and eight players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-24-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
* Matt Mervis
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Pete Crow-Armstrong 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 8 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2
* Cody Bellinger, OF  
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

A Toast to Crane Kenney, the man with the wheelbarrow.

Submitted by moshethecubsfan on

In the absence of any significant Cubs news over the past week (we apparently signed a AAA depth reliever), I instead prepared a brief tribute to an unsung hero of the Cubs rebuild: Crane Kenney, President of Business Operations. Kenney famously said his “job [wa]s to fill a wheelbarrow with money, take it to Theo’s office, and dump it.”[1] Sometimes I think we ignore just how impressively Kenney fulfilled that goal. Only two years ago, we wondered if the Cubs could support a $140m payroll. Yet today we take for granted that the Cubs can afford to spend to luxury cap and beyond. That is a remarkable achievement that does not get nearly enough attention.

I first began following Cub finances in 2014.[2] In the three years since, the Cubs increased revenue from $266m to $434m; an astounding 63% increase. In the process, the Cubs rose to third highest revenues in baseball, behind only the Dodgers and Yankees. Since then, the Cubs have added at least $57m in revenue that I know about. If the Cubs TV deal in 2019 is as lucrative as expected, the Cubs could move past the Dodgers, and even challenge the Yankees for the #1 spot. The Cubs even managed to do it without selling away Wrigley Field’s name.

Perhaps the most impressive feet is that the Cubs were able to increase sponsorship revenue during the lean years from 2012-2014[3], when the on-field product stunk. Revenues actually rose, even as ticket sales went down. That is a testament to Kenney’s sales job. So the next time someone offers up a toast to Theo Epstein, make a follow-up toast to Crane Kenney; the man with the wheelbarrow.

 

[1] The Plan by David Kaplan, chap. 4.

[2] I got hooked by this article.

[3] The Plan by David Kaplan, chap. 4.

Tags
Finances
Wrigley Field Naming Rights
Crane Kenney

Comments

[ ]

Submitted by moshethecubsfan on Fri, 12/29/2017 - 12:51 am

To be clear, I do not endorse Kenney's work as President of Operations from 2010-2011. But his work since 2012 on the business end has been impeccable. You need only look at the circus that is Miami baseball to realize how lack of revenue destroys a franchise. Or even look at the Brewers' apparent inability and/or unwillingness to sign Arrieta/Darvish as their high-priced equivalent to Jon Lester as the next logical step towards contention. The financial turn around of the Cubs is just as important to the current run of success as any draft pick (ok maybe not Bryant).

Submitted by Jim Hickmans Bat on Fri, 12/29/2017 - 12:17 pm

Is Kenney still running around in his own "Cubs jersey?" lol.....what a dork. I think the Cubs dodged a bullet with Wadebot. At 17MM AAV, he'd need to produce 2 WAR every year as a one-inning reliever just to provide fair value on the deal. And I don't know that he can do it.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 12/29/2017 - 12:40 pm

a starter making comparable pay for expected innings would be clearing $50m+ a year. it's crazy that "legit" top-tier closers are worth 16+m these days. chapman is getting 17m, jansen 16m, davis 17m... b.morrow going out there for the cubs at 10m a year should be nice enough if he can stay healthy.

[ ]

Submitted by Jim Hickmans Bat on Sat, 12/30/2017 - 12:37 am

Let's say you can get Addison Reed for $7-8MM AAV. For the same money, I feel better about having Morrow + Reed than I would in having just Davis, if for no other reason than the mercurial nature of relievers and the "hot hand" theory. Your odds are twice as good at getting one good reliever, and your odds are half as small for suffering a devastating bullpen injury. 2 > 1. Plus, the Cubs have a pair of wildcard/lottery ticket options in J Wilson and D Maples as a bonus (tho Wilson ain't free).

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 12/30/2017 - 12:26 pm

based on what morrow was doing last year, he could end up being one hell of a deal even if 10m for him is considered a little expensive right now. he was throwing harder than he ever has and still had great control over everything. steve cishek and pedro strop are decent enough closer backups...along with a few other guys who could emerge as even stronger candidates. unlike chatwood, though, i don't see morrow as much as a gamble as much as i see him as a solid signing.

Submitted by The E-Man on Mon, 01/01/2018 - 01:50 am

Happy New Year to all. And, don’t let that door hit you on the way out, John Fox...

Submitted by billybucks on Mon, 01/01/2018 - 01:01 pm

As we enter the new year -- I really hope the Cubs buy some pitching rather than trade for it. Schwarber, Happ, JHey, Almora and Zobrist give them a very flexible outfield in terms of dealing with tough lefties or late-inning defensive replacement or double-switches. Gotta remember how young some of them are -- Happ was an effective MLB player at 22, having had only one month (116 PAs) at AAA before being called up. He struck out a lot last year -- not a big surprise, given the jump in pitching quality he was dealing with. HIs .360 OBP in the minors is encouraging.

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 01:23 am

"According to Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago, "the two clubs showing the most interest" in Jake Arrieta are the Cubs and Cardinals."

Recent comments

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Very well played game all around tonight.

  • crunch (view)

    best starter and 2 top hitters from the team gone...and they keep on winning.

    little ahead of myself here, but the RSox got 9 outs to find 6+ runs.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Richard Gallardo just left the Smokies game with an arm injury after going to the ground following a pitch. Doesn’t sound good at all.

  • azbobbop (view)

    Phil, do you think Wiggins will start out in ACL?

  • azbobbop (view)

    The level of conversation on this site is intelligent, reasoned and informative. Miles ahead of other Cub sites.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    This was Jaxon Wiggins previous "live" BP on 4/5: 

    JAXON WIGGINS: 
    ONE INNING (20 pitches - 10 strikes) 
    one batted ball in play (F-9 by Stevens)
    one walk (B. Davis) 
    one HBP (B. Davis)
    two strikeouts (Peralta & Escobar - both looking)
    three swing & miss 
    two fouls 
    four called strikes
    nine called balls 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Prior to the Cactus League game at Papago Park, three Cubs pitchers threw "live" BP on Field 1 at the Cubs Sloan Park complex, including RHRP Ethan Roberts (June 2022 TJS) and Cubs 2023 2nd round draft pick RHP Jaxon Wiggins (February 2023 TJS).  

    Wiggins last threw "live" BP three weeks ago before being shut down for a couple of weeks, and this was the first time Roberts has thrown to hitters in almost two years. 

    JAXON WIGGINS: 
    ONE INNING:
    25 pitches (11 strikes)
    no batted balls in play
    two walks (Suriel and J. Diaz) 
    three strikeouts (Carico, Lubo, and Escobar - all three swinging)
    six swing & miss
    two fouls 
    three called strikes 
    14 called balls 
    one WP 

    ETHAN ROBERTS: 
    ONE INNING 
    15 pitches (7 strikes) 
    two batted balls in play (G-3 by Carico and L-9 by Suriel) 
    two walks (Lubo and Carico)
    no strikeouts  
    no swing & miss 
    two fouls 
    three called strikes 
    eight called balls 
    one WP 

    Mat Peters was bumped by Justin Steele from his scheduled game work at Giants, so he threw two innings of "live" BP with Wiggins & Roberts. 

    MAT PETERS: 
    TWO INNINGS 
    44 pitches (23 strikes) 
    five batted balls in play (F-7, L-7, F-7, G-6, G-3) 
    three walks 
    two strikeouts (both Lubo and both looking)
    six swing & miss 
    three fouls 
    nine called strikes
    21 called balls 
    three WP 

  • crunch (view)

    wall stole a HR from busch...double.  nice to see him destroy a curve ball.

    upon further viewing, that might not have been a homer in too many parks...it had a lot of hang time, though.

  • CTSteve (view)

    I’m at the game—woot!

    If the streak breaks, it’s not my fault.

  • Cubster (view)

    Brewers lose Wade Miley to Tommy John surgery.

Click HERE for the last 50 comments