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

Chatwood to the DL Sure Sounds Like a Good Idea...

Every now & then I see someone suggest the Cubs should just put Tyler Chatwood on the DL so that he doesn't take-up a spot on the 25-man roster from a pitcher who would be more-useful to Maddon and the Cubs. The problem is,
a club cannot place a player on an MLB DL unless the club physician signs off on it - AND - (where there is no physical evidence to corroborate the diagnosis) the player consents (or"plays along," so to speak). 

So an MLB DL assignment requires either some tangible confirmation evidence of injury (like an x-ray or MRI) or illness (blood test) to justify the DL assignment, or the player has to claim an injury (like "my shoulder is stiff," or "my calf hurts," or "my back is tight"). If there is no physical evidence of injury or illness and the player does not claim an injury, the club cannot place a player on an MLB DL. The club cannot compel the player to claim an injury or an illness. In the case of struggling LHRP Brian Duensing, the Cubs might have said something like "we can trade you to Texas as part of the Hamels deal, but we can't if you have an injury that will keep you from rendering service for a while." But the Cubs could not compel Duensing to claim that he had a sore shoulder. It would have been entirely up to Duensing to go to the team doctor and make the complaint.    

Also, for a player on an MLB 10-day DL, the injury or illness must be re-certified by the club physician every ten days. Again, this would require cooperation from the player if the injury or illness cannot be confirmed by physical evidence. 

If a player is on an MLB 10-day DL but is no longer complaining of pain or stiffness, the player cannot remain on the DL unless he is on a minor league rehab assignment, and then the player can unilaterally decide when the rehab assignment is over (up to a maximum of 30 days for a pitcher or up to 21 days for a position player, although a minor league rehab assignment can be renewed once for pitchers or players rehabbing from TJS). So if a player remains on a minor league rehab assignment even after he is 100% back in shape, it has to be 100% the player's decision to remain on the assignment.

So in the case of RHRP Anthony Bass (for example), he could tell the Cubs at any time ("I feel great and my rehab is over and I'm ready to rejoin the MLB club"), and if he does that the Cubs are stuck. Bass is out of minor league options, so the Cubs would either have to reinstate him from the DL immediately or -- if there is no room for him on the 25-man roster -- DFA him and place him on Outright Assignment Waivers (which are irrevocable) and risk losing him off waivers (which would probably happen).

But from Bass's POV (and with his agent's advice) he probably realizes this, and he doesn't want to be claimed by KC, or Miami, or San Diego, or Baltimore. He knows Maddon likes him and has confidence in him and so quite naturally he would prefer to remain with the Cubs and have a chance to pitch in the post-season (or at least in meaningful games in September), so he doesn't pull the "reinstate me or waive me" card, He just keeps his mouth shut and remains on his rehab assignment at Iowa, where he is paid his MLB salary and receives his MLB per diem and accrues MLB Service Time while patiently waiting for a spot on the 25 to open up, either by virtue of another pitcher going on the DL with an injury in the next few days, or when Active List rosters expand on September 1st (whichever comes first).   

It's different for a player on an MLB 60-day DL, especially in the case of transferring a player who is already on the 10-day to the 60-day DL. The club physician is not requred to re-certify a player's injury or illness every ten days once the player is on the 60-day DL.

So (for example), even if RHRP Justin Hancock (who went on the Cubs MLB 10-day DL on June 26th with a right shoulder strain and then was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 31st) is 100% healthy, he must remain on the Cubs MLB 60-day DL until he has spent at least 60 days on the DL (or even longer if he is on a minor league rehab assignment, as long as his rehab assignment has not expired). Also, Hancock (or his agent) would know that while he is on the 60-day DL he is paid his MLB salary and MLB per diem and accrues MLB Service Time, whereas if he was reinstated from the DL he would be optioned to Iowa and be paid his minor league split salary (which in his case is about about 1/10 of his MLB salary) and not accrue MLB Service Time or receive his MLB per diem. So he would be smart to keep his mouth shut, disappear, and just quietly remain on the 60-day DL for the rest of the season, especially if there is no clear path for him to the Cubs post-season roster. 

Not requiring re-certification by the club physician every ten days is also why the Cubs will probably recall Adbert Alzolay (who is on the AAA Iowa 7-day DL with a lat strain) from his minor league optional assignment and place him on the MLB 60-day DL on September 1st (to open up an additional spot on the 40-man roster for Chris Gimenez, Drew Smyly, or Yu Darvish). Once Alzolay is on the Cubs MLB 60-day DL, he would stay on the DL until the conclusion of the World Series and a physician's re-certification of disability would not be required every ten days. 

However, because days spent on a minor league DL do not do not count toward the minimum number of days a player must spend on the MLB 60-day DL, Alzolay would have to spend at least 60 days on the DL before he could be reinstated. And since a player cannot participate in the Arizona Fall League while he is on the 60-day DL, Alzolay would not be able to pitch in the AFL until at least October 31st (which is about 2/3 of the way through the AFL schedule) since he could not be reinstated from the 60-day DL until he has spent at least 60 days on the list, so he would probably have to get his "make-up for lost 2018 innings reps" at post-season AZ Instructs instead.  

BTW, the DL works a bit differently in the minor leagues...

If a minor league team wants to place a player on the 7-day DL (which is the minor league's version of the MLB 10-day DL), the club just has to notify the league office (the Carolina League office for Myrtle Beach, the PCL league office for Iowa, etc) that a player is unable to render service and the player goes on the DL. A certification form signed by the club physician is not required and the MLB Commissioner is not involved. That's why you see certain players bounce back & forth/on & off a minor league 7-day DL throughout the course of a minor league season, especially players who are kept around as "roster depth" (a third catcher, a 5th outfielder, a second utility guy, a 6th or 7th SP, or an extra man in the bullpen). As long as the player does not protest, the DL assignment is all good.

And from the player's POV, the club will say "you can go on the DL or we can give you your release... your choice." And of course most minor league players (especially the ones who are just hanging-on as roster depth) will be more than agreeable to a somewhat murky DL assignment (which is why a minor league 7-day DL assignment is sometimes called  the "phantom DL"). In fact some free-agents who are signed as minor league organizational depth during the off-season sign their contract knowing that is how they will be used, moving back & forth between the 7-day DL and the active roster (as needs arise), and maybe serve as 1st base coach or bullpen catcher or maybe throw BP while waiting to be reinstated. And they are OK with that.   

Also, unlike players on an MLB DL, minor league players cannot refuse a rehab assignment and cannot terminate the assignment unilaterally, and a player on a DL of a full-season affiliate can only be sent on a rehab assignment to a short-season affiliate (in the case of the Cubs, that would be Eugene, AZL Cubs #1, or AZL Cubs #2, but not "Foreign Rookie" affiliates DSL Cubs #1 or DSL Cubs #2). So for example, a player on the Iowa 7-day DL cannot be sent on a rehab assignment to AA Tennessee or to Hi-A Myrtle Beach. Players on the DL at Iowa, Tennessee, Myrtle Beach, or South Bend can only be sent to Eugene, AZL Cubs #1, AZL Cubs #2 for their rehab assignment. And there are no rehab assignments for minor leaguers prior to the start of the short-season leagues in June. Rather, a player on a minor league DL who is rehabbing is assigned to Extended Spring Training (which is not considered an official rehab assignment, so there is no max time-limit on a player rehabbing at Extended Spring Training, other than the end of EXST and the start of the short-season leagues in June). 

Comments

Alex Cobb's last six starts for BAL (vs TEX, TOR, TB, NYY, TB, and BOS): 

37.1 IP, 36 H, 13 R (9 ER), 8 BB, 25 K, 1 HBP, 2 HR  
2.17 ERA - 1.18 WHIP 

AZ PHIL- Do teams really do that or else.... towards players on the DL or is that just a hypothetical situation?  Seems kind of shady, but business is business, especially with a salary cap and MLB time/options accured.  Also putting Alzolay on the 60-DL would start his time clock (given just a month) and the Cubs would be ok with that?

[ ]

In reply to by cubbies.4ever

cubbies.4ever: If Adbert Alzolay is recalled from his Optional Assignment and placecd on the Cubs MLB 60-day DL on September 1st, it would be so that Alzolay's slot on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster can be used by another player the Cubs would like to have on their MLB Active List in September (like Gimenez, Darvish, Smyly, Hannemann, K. Ryan, Freeman, Coghlan, or maybe even Anthony Bass). Otherwise, the Cubs would have to drop a player from the 40 they might want to keep post-2018 (like Tseng or Zastryzny). 

However, as I mentioned in a comment here at TCR last month, there is a downside to adding Alzolay to the 40 just so he can be placed on the 60-day DL. One is that he would begin to accrue MLB Service Time as soon as he is recalled and placed on the MLB 60-day DL, and that could eventually affect when he becomes eligible for salary arbitration and free-agency. And secondly, a pre-arbitration player on Optional Assignment to the minors has a "split contract," meaning he is paid one salary while he is on Optional Assignment and a different (much higher) salary if he is on the MLB 25-man Active List or MLB 10-day or 60-day DL. 

So if Alzolay were to be reinstated from the Iowa 7-day DL, recalled from his Optional Assignment, and placed on the Cubs MLB 60-day DL, he would begin to accrue MLB Service Time - AND - his salary would immediately increase from his first-year minor league "split salary" ($44,500) to the MLB minimum salary ($555K) which would be pro-rated based on the number of days left in the MLB regular season (which as of September 1st would be 30 days), meaning an increase from about $240 per day (minor league split salary daily rate) to roughly $3,000 per day (Major League daily minimum salary), or over the course of the final 30 days of the MLB regular season an overall salary increase from about $7,200 to $90,000 (a difference of $82,800). And that is $82K+ the Cubs would probably prefer not to pay if it can be avoided. 

So while the Cubs would probably prefer not to recall Alzolay and place him on the MLB 60-day DL in September, it might be necessary even though there are a couple of hidden costs involved if they do. But again, it wouldn't be necessary until September, and it would only happen if the Cubs decide Alzolay's slot on the 40 is needed for another player.

I wonder if the Cubs could pull off a Chatwood (plus a meaningful prospect) for Russell Martin swap. Say the Cubs pay the difference in salary after this year to make it even (about $5.5M). The Blue Jays could clear a little bit of salary and maybe get something out of Chatwood if he can turn it around. And they’d get a prospect as well (maybe Caratini if he could get to them on waivers). The Cubs would get their veteran catcher and could potentially use Montgomery in the rotation next year or pick up Hamels’ option. 

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.