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

Pirates @ Cubs: Nova vs Quintana (Game 158)

PIT (80-76): RHP Ivan Nova (9-9, 4.01)
CHC (91-66): LHP José Quintana (13-11, 4.11)
First pitch: 7:05pmCST

Quintana gave up 5 ER in as many innings and lost to the White Sox on Friday. He had a no-decision in Pittsburgh (5 IP, 1 ER) on August 19. Overall, the Pirates are 11-52 (.212) against him. Dickerson is 4-9

Nova, who had a no-decision against the Brewers his last time out (4.1 IP, 1 ER), is 2-1 with a 2.33 in three starts against the Cubs this season. For their careers, these Cubs are 41-176 (.233) against him. Happ is 4-17 with 3 HR, and Contreras is 5-11.

Lester and Williams tomorrow at the same time.

Go Cubs!

Comments

The Brian Duensing Watch: If he pitches in two more regular season games, Duensing's 2019 salary will escalate $250K to $3.75M. (Otherwise will be $3.5M). 

Tyler Chatwood Walk Watch: Despite not having pitched for 17 days, Tyler Chatwood still leads MLB in walks (by nine over Lucas Giolito, who has thrown 168 more innings than Chatwood). 

Hitting 366/400/521, Cubs minor league catcher Ali Solis has helped lead los Sultanes de Monterrey to the Mexican League de la Zona Norte championship and a berth in Serie del Rey (the Mexican League Championship Series) versus the eventual winner of the Mexican League de la Zona Sur series between Mexico City and Oaxaca (which is still in process).

In addition to Solis, los Sultanes feature ex-Cub minor league pitchers Darin Downs and Nick Struck. But the problem for Solis is that he is still under contract to the Cubs and was only loaned to Monterrey, and a player under contract to an MLB organization who is loaned to a Mexican League club must be returned to the MLB organization no later than September 30th (which is when Serie de Rey begins). So it will be interesting to see if the Cubs release Solis so that he can sign with Monterrey (which is his hometown team) and remain eligible to play in Serie de Rey, or if he is returned to the Cubs organization on Sunday. Again, Solis is playing for his hometown team, and it may mean a lot to him to try and help lead los Sultanes to the Mexican League championship (which would be Monterrey's tenth Mexican League championship and their first since 2007).

Los Sultanes have the largest stadium in the Mexican League, and if MLB ever does expand to Mexico, Monterrey would probably be the most-likely location (1.35 million population, the second wealthiest city in Mexico, capital of the state of Nuevo Leon -- which borders Texas, and only 400 miles from Houston). 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The Cubs have sold the contract of catcher Ali Solis to los Sultanes de Monterrey so he will be able to play for his hometown team in Serie del Rey (the Mexican League Championship series) starting this week. The Cubs had loaned Solis to Monterrey in August, but minor league players who are loaned to Mexican League clubs must be returned to their MLB organization no later than September 30th.  

Also, RHRP Mario Meza has been returned to AA Tennessee from Yucatan. 

Baez swinging at a 3-0 pitch with runners on 1st and 2nd and no out is absurd.  He got damn lucky it was an error and not a double play. 

What was the review on Heyward's foul ball about?  I'm following the game on Gameday and and there was no other explanation other than the Pirates called for the review of a boundary call and the call was upheld.

[ ]

In reply to by JoePepitone

it hit off the net and the PIT catcher caught it behind the plate with the home ump calling it an out...but the 3rd base ump saw it and was like "home ump dude, wasn't a catch, it hit off the net" and the home ump was like "a'ite" and after a short delay it was ruled a foul ball.

Cardinals player trips and falls on his face between 3rd and home.  Would have scored easily on an error to tie the game in the 8th.

Apparently the Cardinals think screwing the Cubs is more important than making the playoffs.

wow...this game was inches from being tied...well, not inches...but damn close off the top of the wall under the nets.

This is all very well deserved.  Can’t put the game away at the plate, can’t throw a damn strike with a 4 run lead, fans can’t let players catch the ball, no closer.   Good stuff all around

Feels like this game will be a microcosm of the season. Should be all good, gets sideways and yet to be determined. 

I was personally rooting for Gore to try a straight steal of home to end the game.  Almora Jr. ruined my fun.

Very realistic chance Cubs and Dodgers meet in the wildcard game.  That would seem like fitting misery for both teams.  I’m sure we’d handle Kershaw well.

alternatively, we’d face the Brewers or Dodgers in the first round of the division series.  Heh.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

BLOCKHEAD: The Dodgers have Hill-Ryu-Kershaw lined up to pitch FRI-SAT-SUN at SF, with Buehler to start a tie-breaker game on Monday (if necessary) or else the Wild Card game on Tuesday (if the Dodgers don't win the division and don't have to play a tie-breaker game but are Wild Card team #2). So it would be good (for the Cubs, if they are Wild Card team #1) for the Dodgers to have to start Buehler in a tie-breaker game on Monday and then have to pitch Ross Stripling (or Rich Hill on three days rest) in the Wild Card game on Tuesday. 

Also, the Giants pushed-back Madison Bumgarner's final start of the season to Friday vs Dodgers (Bumgarner will be starting on six days rest).

Something else to remember about a possible Brewers at Cubs N. L. Central Championship tie-breaker game on Monday is that it would - NOT - be an elimination game (for either club), but the Wild Card game on Tuesday is a one-and-done elimination game. Therefore, it would not be wise to get too crazy about trying to win a tie-braker game on Monday (if there is one) if it means adversely affecting the club's chance to win the Wild Card game on Tuesday (for the club that loses the tie-breaker game). So while winning the tie-breaker game would be desirable (because then you avoid having to play in the Wild Card game), winning the Wild Card game is absolutely imperative. 

When Gore pinch-ran, I thought the play was to have him steal then have Freeman bunt him to third.  Odd sequence.

AZ Phil, so if we tie the Brewers, the head to head record of 11-8 against them means nothing for the Division? 

[ ]

In reply to by Childersb3

Childrrsb3: It means the Cubs get the home-field in a Game #163 tie-breaker game with the Brewers to determine the N. L. Central Champion. Otherwise it has no significance.

Also, because of head-to-head records, the Cardinals would get home-field in a Game #163 tie-breaker game with either the Rockies or the Dodgers to determine Wild Card team #2 because the Cardinals won the season-series against both the Dodgers and the Rockies, and the Dodgers would get the home-field in a Game #163 tie-breaker game with the Rockies to determine the N. L. West Champion because Dodgers won their season-series with the Rockies. However, if the Cardinals, Dodgers, and Rockies finish with the same regular-season record and so it's a three-way tie and the Rockies play at Dodgers on Monday in a Game #163 tie-breaker to determine the N. L. West Champ and then the loser of that game plays the Cardinals on Tuesday in a Game #164 to determine the N. L. Wild Card team #2, the Cardinals automatically get home field for that game. (The Cardinals actually have home-field over both the Dodgers and Rockies anyway, but if they didn't, they would get home-field in a Game #164 by virtue of the team they play having lost the tie-breaker game for N. L. Division Champ the day before).

Also, if the Cubs were to tie the Braves for the same regular-season record, the Braves would play the Wild Card winner in the NLDS because although the head-to-head record between the Cubs and Braves is 3-3, the Braves have a better intra-division record in the N. L. East than the Cubs do in the N. L. Central. (The Brewers own the tie-breaker over the Braves if they finish with the same record because the Brewers won the season-series with the Braves). This tie-breaker between the Braves and Cubs also would apply if the Cubs were to play the Braves in the NLCS. (But again, the Braves would get home-field only if the Braves and Cubs finish with the same regular-season record, and presently the Braves are three games behind the Cubs with four games to play -- the "magic number" for the Cubs to clinch a better regular-season record than the Braves is 2 going into Thursday's games). But if the Braves and/or Dodgers and Rockies have the same regular-season record and the Dodgers or Rockies are N. L. West Champions and one of them plays the Braves in the NLDS or NLCS, the Dodgers and Rockies (just like the Brewers) get home-field over the Braves because (like the Brewers) both the Dodgers and the Rockies won their season-series with the Braves.

BTW, I don't know why intra-division records would trump intra-league records when determining home field in the NLDS, NLCS, and World Series (if both clubs have the same regular-season record and are either tied head-to-head or in the case of a World Series match-up may not have played each other that season), but it does. In my opinion intra-division records should be a tie-breaker for home field only if it's a tie-breaker game between two teams from the same division to determine the division champion (like if the Cubs play the Brewers to determine N. L. Central Champ) where both clubs are tied head-to-head (which is not the case this year with the Cubs and Brewers, and would never be the case if clubs within a division play an odd number of games against each other). Otherwise intra-league games should be the tie-breaker, in my opinion.

And in the case of a World Series tie-breaker for home-field, I think that inter-league records should be the #1 tie-breaker instead of intra-division (or even the club's intra-league record). But inter-league records mean nothing in a tie-breaker for World Series home-field. Apparently MLB owners want the games played within a club's own division to mean the most and then games played within a club's own league to matter next-most and games played against clubs from the other league (inter-league games) don't matter at all (except as they might apply to a club's overall regular-season record).

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

If the Cubs do play the Brewers in a Game #163 tie-breaker game on Monday to determine N. L. Central Division champion, Jose Quintana would be in-line to start the game for the Cubs, and Quintana has pitched very well in five of his six starts versus Milwaukee in 2018. (Quintana has been the most-effective Cub starter versus the Brewers this season).

Also keep in mind that although the game does not count in the standings, individual player stats from a tie-breaker game do count toward a player's regular-season stats.

And again, it would - NOT - be an elimination game, so the loser lives to fight another day (in the N. L. Wild Card game, which - IS - an elimination game).

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.