Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus one player is on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# 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 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Reds: Quintana vs Romano (Game 43)

CHC (23-19): LHP José Quintana (4-3, 5.23) 
CIN (16-30): RHP Sal Romano (2-4, 4.84) 
First pitch: 6:10pmCST

Q gave up 6 ER in 4.2 again the Braves on Monday. That’s a paddlin’. The Reds are 11-33 (.333) against him. Barnhart is 2-3, and Votto is 2-5.

Romano gave up 6 ER in 2.1 innings in San Francisco his last time out. Oh, you’d better believe that’s a paddlin’. The Cubs are 6-22 (.273) against him. Baez is 2-3, and Happ is 1-2 with a HR.

Darvish and Mahle finish out the series tomorrow at 12:10pmCST.

Go Cubs!

Comments

Javy and Schwarber riding pine to start game two. Zobrist in RF, JHey in CF, Happ in LF and TLS at 2B

Zobrist, TLS, KB, Rizzo, Willson, Happ, Addy, JHey and Q

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

The only guy Joe ever gave the "tough love" treatment was Starlin Castro, due to his lack of concentration and discipline. Joe never publicly calls out Javy for his laughable lack of plate discipline, although he tries to allude to it in a positive way (i.e. praising Javy when he hits to RF). Now that Javy's defense has become very spotty and he is a liability at the plate, I wonder if Joe will get a little tougher with him.

Needed that outing from Q: 7 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 4 walks and 7 Ks on 100 pitches. Nicely done. 

heyward 2-4 with a triple on his return (though that triple should have been a popout to RF).  i'll take it.  welcome back.

Second straight poor outing for Alzolay tonight (4.1 IP, 9 hits, 4 runs) - the Braves rainout probably a good thing   

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

alzolay, de la cruz, and b.little are struggling... j.albertos is being a straight up disaster...tseng is working on disaster, himself... a.lange and b.hatch aren't doing bad, but they're not impressive. m.zangunis is doing well, but he's got a "bench" type ceiling expectation. d.underwood is doing well, but command issues (and hitability because of it) has always haunted him. right now d.bote is looking like the only guy who has a chance of cracking anyone's MLB top-100 prospect lists. the system is looking kinda picked over and trashy. it's still early, though.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

This is why I am intrigued by the Machado conversation. Even Theo says the Cubs window closes after 2020 or 2021. Think of the barren years of Bears post-Ditka, Bulls post-MJ, or the current Blackhawks. Young teams that grew up together and won championships before the window slammed shut. The Cubs minor league system is a disaster. Not a single position player worth a damn. Almost every pitcher is underperforming. They need to go all out to win another WS in the next 3-4 years. If that means renting Machado, then moving Baez to SS and Happ to 2B next year, then go for it.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

BILLYBUCKS: The thing about the Manny Machado trade chatter is that if the Cubs had to give up (let's say) Addison Russell to get Machado and then the Cubs are unable to sign Machado to a contract extension before he becomes a free-agent (Machado is a Boras client and the Boras Corporation values free-agency above all else), there is nothing to prevent the Cubs from winning the Machado sweepstakes once Machado becomes a FA.

What has always kept that possibility from being considered is that with Russell at SS and Bryant at 3B and with both under club control through 2021, why would the Cubs pursue Machado once he becomes a FA post-2018? They don't need a shortstop or a third-baseman. But if the Cubs were to trade Russell to get Machado, then signing Machado long-term would actually fill an immediate need (SS), and give the Cubs an eventual fall-back at 3B down the road in case Kris Bryant (who is also a Boras client) doesn't re-sign with the Cubs after he becomes a free-agent post-2021.

And if there is concern that if the Cubs trade Russell to get Machado and then Machado signs elsewhere once he becomes a FA and you don't want to go into 2019 with Javy Baez as the only viable SS option, nothing would prevent the Cubs from either signing or acquiring via trade a reliable veteran Zack Cozart/Jordy Mercer/Freddy Galvis-type SS to provide a bridge until Aramis Ademan is ready (ETA probably 2021).

As far as what the Cubs would have to give up in addition to Russell to get Machado, the Cubs farm system is very deep with second-tier pitching prospects, meaning they could trade five pitchers and still have five left who are almost exactly the same (or with pretty much the same ceiling or chance of success) as the five they traded. Flip a coin. (And I am NOT saying the Cubs would have to trade five pitching prospects to the Orioles in addition to Russell to get Machado, only that the Cubs can AFFORD to trade multiple pitching prospects because of the redundancy they have built into the minor league pipeline and the fact that all five of their MLB starting pitchers are signed or under club control for another two or three years beyond 2018).

So I really don't see much reason for the Cubs not to acquire Machado - IF - the Orioles are actually willing to move him for Addison Russell (as the centerpiece in the deal). Machado is an ELITE player. He is one of the top sluggers in baseball. Addison Russell is a good player, but there is no comparison between Russell and Machado offensively. (Not to mention acquiring Machado would also prevent one of the Cubs rivals from getting him, which is one of the reasons the Cubs got Chapman in 2016 and Quintana in 2017). 

But based on the way Peter Angelos runs the Orioles, I'm not convinced that they will trade Machado at all for anyone. They very well might just keep him all year and then make him a Qualifying Offer (which he will certainly decline) and take the 2019 comp draft pick.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The problem with trading for Machado is that he's a rental. Adding that the Cubs (like any other team) could bid on in him in the offseason doesn't really change that. Given what you argue above, AZ, why not keep Russell through the season, try to sign Machado as a FA assuming someone doesn't overpay to extend him, and then use Russell or Baez to acquire club-controlled pitching or something of the like? If the Cubs window is 2018-2020, then they need players for 2019-2020 more than they need a player for August and September of 2018.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Not AZ Phil, but, my take -- if you have a 3-year window, and can significantly increase your chances in the current year, and increasing your chances this year doesn't significantly impact your chances in 2019-2020, I say take a shot at Machado. If it's Russell, Monty and a couple of young arms, the next 2 years aren't really compromised if Manny is a rental. Move Javy to SS and Happ to 2B. No real place for Monty anyway-- the rotation is full through 2020, plus Smyly. As you say, those assets could be used for other pieces, but, if you can get an elite player and have a chance to win now, I say go. Once the window closes (see Ditka Bears, MJ Bulls, current Blackhawks), it takes a long time to re-open.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

CHARLIE: To me the Cubs acquiring Manny Machado in a trade in 2018 is similar to the Cubs acquiring Aroldis Chapman in 2016... Chapman was a rental, the Cubs were doing just fine without him, and the Cubs would have gotten into the playoffs anyway, etc. But in my opinion (and I can't prove this due to it being an alternate universe thing), I don't believe the Cubs would have made it to the World Series (much less won the World Series) in 2016 without Chapman.

That's just my opinion.

Same thing with Machado, except unlike 2016 with Chapman, I don't see the Cubs as a definite playoff team in 2018 without Machado, as they would have been in 2016 without Chapman. The Cubs could get into the playoffs this year, or they just as easily won't. But with Machado, the odds of the Cubs getting into the 2018 post-season improve greatly. No guarantees, of course, but Machado would give the Cubs a much better chance to get into the LDS and LCS in 2018, and once there, a better chance to get to the World Series, and then once in the World Series, a better to chance to win it all. I believe Machado would be a real genuine difference-maker.

I think I explained in my earlier post what the ramifications of the Cubs acquiring Manny Machado in a trade for Addison Russell this season would be going forward post-2018 so I won't rehash it, other than to repeat that Manny Machado is a significant upgrade over Addison Russell. That may not be obvious to everyone, but it is to me, just like (to me) Aroldis Chapman was a significant upgrade over Hector Rondon in 2016.

But I can certainly understand the argument against making a trade for an elite player who is also a rental, just as I understood why people were opposed to the Chapman trade in 2016 (which was a trade I liked when it happened and still do now). It's just a difference of opinion, or maybe just a different POV. I just think you go for it when you can.

That said, there is no certainty that the Orioles will even trade Machado, or if they do, that they would want Addison Russell back in the deal. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Cubs "window" may be a year longer than I thought. The entire core is under club control through 2021. Only Zobrist (FA 2020) and LaStella (FA 2021) come due before 2022. However, Bryant's arb-years are going to be very pricey -- he's already getting paid $11MM, and he has 3 more arb years to go. The rotation will be a big challenge -- everyone except Darvish becomes a FA after 2020. Not unusual for pitchers, but there may be a lot of holes to fill, and if the current group performs this year and the next 2, it will be hard to get a read on the young guys. So enjoy the next few years -- the 2015-2021 window will probably be unlike anything we will ever see again!

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

"picked over and trashy" As someone who got his knees and forearms sunburnt while sitting through a 16-2 combined double-header loss by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to the last-place (until yesterday) Frederick Keys--I agree with your characterization of the Cubs' farm. The Cubs lost as many games as possible for two or three seasons and then made the top-10 draft picks count. All those picks have graduated to the majors and there's no talent below them. There used to be some talent distributed through the organization back when they drafted bodies (instead of heads, or whatever it is they look for today).

Seen all 4 of AA’s home starts - first 2 = 13 IP/ 3 hits...2 this week = 9/17...crisis of confidence? 

VA PHIL: Agreed. Also, SPF50 is your friend. Always carry it in your car.

AZ PHIL: You are so right on Angelos. He is not in good health, his sons run the team, they should have traded him LAST year, and I think (my opinion) the Arrieta/Strop trade will make any pound of flesh - should there be one to take - hurt. The logic AZ PHIL shares is solid, so here’s to Addison going on a tear between now and the deadline.

Recent comments

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Use pitchers when you believe they're good. Don't plan their clock.

    I'm sorry. I'm simply anti-clock/contract management. Play guys when they show real MLB potential talent.

    If Brown hadn't been hurt with the Lat Strain he would've gotten the call, and not Wick.

    Give him a chance. 

    But Wesneski probably gets it

  • crunch (view)

    alzolay...bro...

  • crunch (view)

    wow.  what a blown call.  go cubs, i guess.