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

Cubs Finalize AAA and AA Rosters for 2018 Rule 5 Draft

12/13 UPDATE


PLAYERS SELECTED BY CUBS IN MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE:
NONE
 
CUBS MINOR LEAGUERS SELECTED IN MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE
NONE 

PLAYERS SELECTED BY CUBS IN AAA PHASE:
1. Luis Lugo, LHP (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from Kansas City Royals AA Northwest Arkansas affiliate) 
2. Rafelin Lorenzo, C (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from Pittsburgh Pirates AA Altoona affiliate) 
3. Alexander Vargas,  RHP (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from New York Yankees Lo-A Charleston affiliate)  
NOTES:
Luis Lugo was signed as a 17-year old IFA by CLE in 2011 and gradually worked his way up through the Tribe system as a SP, before becoming a minor league 6YFA post-2017 after reaching AA in his seventh minor league season... he signed a 2018 minor league contract with BAL but was released at the end of Spring Training... he pitched in Italy for a couple of months before being acquired by KC in July... He was assigned to AA by the Royals where he worked as a SP/RP "swingman", and then he signed a 2019 minor league successor contract with KC post-2018... The 24-year old 6'5 hurler has been one of the top lefty relievers in Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional (the Venezuelan winter league) post-2018, putting up a 0.79 ERA and 0.79 WHIP with a .153 OppBA and 7/15 BB/K in 14 games (22.2 IP) for Lara... He will likely begin the 2019 season in the AA Tennessee bullpen...   
Rafelin Lorenzo was signed by TB ($250K bonus) as a 16-year old IFA on the first day of the 2013-14 International Signing Period (ISP)... an outstanding defensive catcher with a plus arm and HR power, the 21-year old backstop was selected by the Pirates in the AAA Phase of last year's Rule 5 Draft, and split the 2018 season between the GCL Pirates and Lo-A West Virginia, hitting a combined 307/319/474 in 33 minor league games... he projects to be a back-up catcher at either Myrtle Beach or at South Bend in 2019... 
Alexander Vargas was signed by NYY as a 16-year old IFA on the first day of the 2014-15 ISP after the contract Vargas signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2013 was voided by MLB due to a rules violation... Now 21, Vargas has progressed steadily through the loaded NYY system as a SP/RP "swingman," finally reaching AA (albeit just two appearances) this past August... He will likely begin the 2019 season at either AA Tennessee or at Hi-A Myrtle Beach, depending on where he would best fit (TBD)...  
 
CUBS MINOR LEAGUERS SELECTED IN AAA PHASE:
1. David Garner, RHP (selected by New York Mets for AAA Syracuse affiliate from AA Tennessee)
2. Yapson Gomez, LHP (selected by Cleveland Indians for AAA Columbus affiliate from AA Tennessee) 
NOTES:
David Garner was the Cubs 7th round pick in the 2012 draft out of Michigan State where he was the Spartans closer... he features a mid-90's FB and a plus CV and pitched well enough out of the bullpen in 2017 (first at AA Tennessee, then at AAA Iowa, and finally with the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League) that he was projected as a possible MLB bullpen call-up in 2018 and so he received an 2018 NRI to Spring Training with the big club... however, he missed the 2018 season after being suspended by MLB twice (once in March, and the again in June) after testing positive for a "Drug of Abuse" (which usually means marijuana), so his his future in pro baseball is a bit cloudy right now (hopefully not up in smoke!)... If he is able to avoid further suspensions, Garner could conceivably be in the Mets MLB bullpen at some point in 2019...   
Yapson Gomez is a 24 year old rubber-armed little lefty (he's only 5'10)... he was signed by the Cubs out of Venezuela as a 19-year old IFA in 2013 and spent three seasons (2013-15) as a SP/RP "swingman" for the VSL Cubs... he was moved-up to the AZL late in the 2015 season and stayed there in 2016... he was at Extended Spring Training in both 2016 and 2017 (and he pitched well there) before splitting the latter part of the 2017 minor league season between Eugene and South Bend... he returned to South Bend at the start of the 2018 season, before being moved-up to Hi-A Myrtle Beach in August... he features a low 90's FB with sink, a solid CV, and a solid CH, and he uses the pitch-mix to gets lots of ground ball outs... he was assigned to the Iowa reserve list prior to the Rule 5 Draft last year so the Cubs apparently were not as enamored with him this time around as they were this time last year, possibly because of his age and/or because he is eligible to be a minor league 6YFA post-2019...      

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

11/21 ORIGINAL POST 

In addition to deciding yesterday (Tuesday 11/20) which players to add to their MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) to protect them from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, the Cubs also had to decide which of their 74 Rule 5 Draft-eligible players to place on the 38-man AAA Iowa reserve list. 

The decision whether to place a Rule 5 Draft-eligible player on the AAA Iowa reserve list or on the AA Tennessee (or Hi-A Myrtle Beach) reserve list matters because Rule 5 Draft-eligible players on AAA reserve lists can only be selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft ($100,000 draft price with a right to possibly eventually re-claim player for $50,000), but Rule 5 Draft-eligible players on reserve lists of affiliates below AAA can be selected in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft ($24,000 draft price with no right to re-claim). 

The 2018 MLB Rule 5 Draft will be held on the last day of the Winter Meetings (Thursday December 13th), and minor league reserve lists are used to determine eligibility for selection in the Rule 5 Draft. Once the reserve lists are filed, Rule 5 Draft eligible players on minor league reserve lists are essentially "frozen," meaning the player cannot be added to the MLB 40-man roster, transferred to a different minor league reserve list, or traded, until the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft. 

However, free-agents can be signed to minor league contracts throughout the "quiet" (frozen) period (and free-agents who meet Rule 5 Draft eligibility who sign a minor league contract can be selected in the Rule 5 Draft), and players can be sent outright to the minors during most of this "quiet" period as well. (A player on an MLB Reserve List can be outrighted to the minors up until two days prior to the Rule 5 Draft, and all players sent outright to the minors prior to the Rule 5 Draft are automatically eligible for selection, even if they otherwise would not be Rule 5 Draft eligible).  

While the Cubs did not select any players in last year's Rule 5 Draft, they did lose one player in the Major League Phase (RHRP Pedro Araujo was selected by the Baltimore Orioles off the AAA Iowa roster) and three players in the AAA Phase (INF Andrew Ely was selected by the New York Mets, C-1B Alberto Mineo was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays, and LHP Chris Nunn was selected by the Houston Astros, all three selected off the Cubs AA Tennessee roster).

Araujo spent 74 days on the Orioles MLB 25-man active roster in 2018 before being placed on the DL with a sprained right elbow UCL on 6/11 (and he remained on the DL for the rest of the season), so he remains an MLB Rule 6 Selected Player and will need to spend an additional 16 days on an MLB Active List (25-man roster) in 2019 before Selected Player status is removed and he can be optioned or outrighted to the minors. 
 
Among the more-notable players selected by the Cubs in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft over the years are OF Hack Wilson (selected from New York Giants in 1925), C Bob Scheffing (selected from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1940), RHP Johnny Klippstein (selected frrom Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949), RHP Turk Lown (selected from Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951), OF Jim King (selected from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954), INF Johnny Goryl (selected from the Baltimore Orioles in 1955), OF Monte Irvin (selected from the New York Giants in 1955), C Cal Neeman (selected from the New York Giants in 1956), 2B Tony Taylor (selected from the San Francisco Giants in 1957), SS Jose Arcia and C Bill Plummer (both selected from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967), OF Cleo James (selected from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969), LHP Willie Hernandez (selected from the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976), C Jody Davis (selected from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980), RHP Rodney Myers (selected from the Kansas City Royals in 1995), OF Josh Hamilton (selected from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and then traded to the Cincinnati Reds in a pre-arranged deal immediately after the draft concluded in 2006), and RHP Hector Rondon (selected from the Cleveland Indians in 2012), and probably the most-notable Cubs minor leaguers lost in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft are 2B Eddie Mayo (selected by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1942), INF Billy Klaus (selected by the Boston Braves in 1949), RHP Billy Muffett (selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955), OF Jason Dubois (selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002 but then later re-claimed by Cubs), LHP Andy Sisco (selected by the Kansas City Royals in 2004), RHP Randy Wells (selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007 but then later re-claimed by the Cubs), LHP Donnie Veal (selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008), INF Ryan Flaherty (selected by the Baltimore Orioles in 2011), and INF-OF Marwin Gonzalez (selected by the Boston Red Sox and then traded to the Houston Astros immediately after the draft concluded in 2011). 
NOTE: Hack Wilson and Monte Irvin, (both selected by the Cubs - see above) and RF Roberto Clemente (selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1954 Rule 5 Draft) are the only members of the Baseball Hall of Fame who were selected in a Rule 5 Draft.

The Cubs have actually lost many more players in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (most-notably 1B Justin Bour, who was selected by the Miami Marlins from the Cubs AA Tennessee affiliate in 2013) than they have in the Major League Phase over the past few years, a testament to the depth of their farm system. They are likely to lose a few more players in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft this year as well.

The most-notable players selected by the Cubs in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft over the years are C Vic Roznovsky (selected by the Cubs from the San Francisco Giants AA El Paso affiliate in 1963), C Chris Krug (selected by the Cubs from the St. Louis Cardinals AA Tulsa affiliate in 1964), OF Brock Davis (selected by the Cubs from the Houston Astros AA Dallas-Ft. Worth affiliate in 1968), RHP Heathcliff Slocumb (selected by the Cubs from the New York Mets Little Falls affiliate in the NYP league in 1986), and OF Roosevelt Brown (selected by the Cubs from the Florida Marlins AA Portland affiliate in 1997).    

At most, only - 38 - players can be placed on the AAA Iowa Reserve List, and clubs usually leave a few slots open on their AAA affiliate's reserve list for minor league free-agents who are signed and for players who might be outrighted in the weeks prior to the Rule 5 Draft draft, and for players the club might select in the AAA Phase (a club must have as many slots open on its AAA affiliate's reserve list prior to the start of the draft as players selected by the club in the AAA Phase of the draft). 

The Cubs assigned 35 of their 2018 Rule 5 Draft-eligible minor league players to the Iowa Reserve List yesterday, and these 35 players can only be selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft ($100,000 draft price with the possibility that the player could be re-claimed later). So three slots have been left open on the AAA Iowa Reserve List for a free-agent who might be signed to a minor league contract or a player who might get outrighted to the minors prior to the Rule 5 Draft, or for a player or two the Cubs might wish to select in the AAA Phase.  

The remaining 39 Rule 5 Draft-eligible Cubs minor leaguers were assigned to the AA Tennessee (37) and Hi-A Myrtle Beach (2) reserve lists, and so those 39 players are eligible for selection in the AAA Phase of the 2018 Rule 5 Draft ($24,000 draft price with no right to re-claim). 

Among the players on the AAA Iowa reserve list who could get some interest from MLB clubs in the Major League Phase are RHSP Trevor Clifton, C-INF P. J. Higgins, RHSP Erick Leal, RHSP Erling Moreno, C Jhonny Pereda, C-1B Ian Rice, LHP-SWING Manuel Rondon, and RHRP Craig Brooks. All it takes is one MLB organization to like a particular player for that player to get selected, so the Cubs could very well lose one or more players in the Major League Phase this year.  

Probably the most-notable Cubs minor leaguers who will be available for selection in the "bargain bin" AAA Phase are RHSP Ryan Williams, RHRP David Garner, RHP-SWING Preston Morrison, RHP-SWING Casey Bloomquist, OF Wynton Bernard, RHRP Jose Rosario, LHRP Ryan Kellogg, 3B Jesse Hodges, and C Will Remillard

RHSP Enrique de los Rios and LHSP Riger Fernandez probably have the highest upside of the 39 eligible for selection in the AAA Phase, so one of them (or perhaps both) could be selected. 

And Erick Castillo (considered to be the best defensive catcher in the Cubs system) could get poached by a club looking for a quality AA or AAA back-up catcher with strong defensive skills.   

So I expect the Cubs to lose at least two players in the AAA Phase, maybe more. 


CUBS MINOR LEAGUERS ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION IN 2018 RULE 5 DRAFT (last updated 11-20-2018)

There are a total of 74 Cubs minor leaguers eligible for selection in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft. 

Here are the 35 Cubs minor leaguers eligible for selection in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft who were placed on the AAA Iowa Reserve List and so they are eligible for selection in the Major League Phase ONLY:
 
IOWA RESERVE LIST
Luis Ayala, OF  
Alberto Baldonado, LHP (signed 2019 minor league contract on 11/20)
Corey Black, RHP (signed 2019 minor league contract on 11/5)
Andres Bonalde, LHP  
Craig Brooks, RHP 
Charcer Burks, OF  
Roberto Caro, OF (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Trevor Clifton, RHP 
Scott Effross, RHP 
Emilio Ferrebus, RHP 
Johnny Field, OF (Article XX-D player - outrighted to AAA Iowa 11/20)
Wladimir Galindo, INF
Jacob Hannemann, OF (Article XX-D player)
Zach Hedges, RHP  
P. J. Higgins, C-INF 
Danny Hultzen, LHP (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Ryan Lawlor, LHP (Second-Contract Player signed for 2019)
Erick Leal, RHP (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Vimael Machin, INF 
Brad Markey, RHP 
Ivan Medina, RHP  
Jordan Minch, LHP 
Kevonte Mitchell, OF
Erling Moreno, RHP 
Rafael Narea, INF 
Eugenio Palma, LHP  
Yeiler Peguero, INF 
Jhonny Pereda, C 
Eury Ramos, RHP 
Ian Rice, C-1B 
Manuel Rondon, LHP
Jake Stinnett, RHP  
Jerry Vasto, LHP (Article XX-D player - outrighted to AAA Iowa 11/20)
Chesny Young, INF
Rob Zastryzny, LHP (Article XX-D player) 

In addition to the 35 players listed above, 39 Cubs minor leaguers eligible for selection in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft were placed on either the AA Tennessee or Hi-A Myrtle Beach reserve list and so they are eligible for selection in the AAA Phase:

TENNESSEE RESERVE LIST (see NOTE below)
Anderson Acevedo, RHP (Second-Contract Player signed for 2019) 
Tyler Alamo, C-1B 
Gioskar Amaya, INF (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Luis Aquino, RHP (Second-Contract Player signed for 2019) 
Yasiel Balaguert, 1B-OF (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Wynton Bernard, OF (Article XX-D player - signed 2019 minor league contract on 11/12) 
Casey Bloomquist, RHP 
James Buckelew, LHP (Second-Contract Player signed for 2019)
Erick Castillo, C (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Alfredo Colorado, RHP  
Yan de la Cruz, RHP (Second-Contract Player signed for 2019)
Enrique de los Rios, RHP 
Wander Feliz, RHP 
Riger Fernandez, LHP 
Hector Alonso Garcia, RHP   
Robel Garcia, INF (signed 2019 minor league contract on 10/29)
David Garner, RHP  
Dalton Geekie, RHP (Second-Contract Player signed for 2019)
Yapson Gomez, LHP
Eric Gonzalez, C 
Jose Alejandro Gonzalez, RHP (ex-OF)  
Jesse Hodges, INF  
Ryan Kellogg, LHP 
Junior Marte, RHP 
Marcus Mastrobuoni, C  
M. T. Minacci, RHP 
Preston Morrison, RHP 
Richard Nunez, C-1B 
Pablo Ochoa, LHP 
Tyler Payne, C 
Henrry Pedra, INF  
Chris Pieters, OF-1B (signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
Will Remillard, C 
Ruben Reyes, LHP (ex-OF) 
Andry Rondon, RHP 
Jose Rosario, RHP (signed 2019 minor league contract on 11/13)
Franklin Tineo, C-!NF 
Sucre Valdez, RHP  
Ryan Williams, RHP
NOTE: 37 of the 39 players listed above were assigned to the AA Tennessee reserve list and two (A. Acevedo and Y. de la Cruz) were assigned to the Myrtle Beach reserve list, because there wasn't room for everybody on the Tennessee roster (AA roster limit is 37).  
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

RULE 5 DRAFT 

The MLB Rule 5 Draft is held on the 2nd Thursday in December and is presently the last order of business at the MLB WINTER MEETINGS. It is a mechanism that allows MLB clubs to select (draft) players off minor league reserve lists.

There is a "Major League Phase" where an MLB club can select Rule 5 Draft-eligible players off the reserve lists of minor league clubs (any minor league classification) for $100,000 ("Major League Phase" Rule 5 Draft price increased from $50,000 to $100,000 beginning with the December 2016 draft), and a "AAA Phase" where a club's AAA minor league affiliate can select Rule 5 Draft-eligible players off the reserve lists of minor league clubs of a lower classification (below AAA) for $24,000 (Rule 5 "AAA Phase" draft price increased from $12,000 to $24,000 beginning with the December 2016 draft). 
NOTE: Effective December 2016, the "AA Phase" (where a club's AA minor league affiliate could select Rule 5 Draft-eligible players off the reserve lists of minor league clubs of a classification below AA for $4,000) has been eliminated.

There is no limit on the number of rounds in each phase (there could be one, there could be three, there could be five or more). As long as at least one club is still selecting players, the phase will continue, but as soon as all 30 teams have a full reserve list (so that clubs can no longer make selections) or have passed, the phase is over. 

There is no limit on the number of Rule 5 Draft-eligible players any one organization can lose in a Rule 5 Draft.


RULE 5 DRAFT ELIGIBILITY

1. A minor league player who was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract is eligible for selection starting with the 5th Rule 5 Draft following his first qualified season, and a minor league player who was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract becomes eligible for selection starting with the 4th Rule 5 Draft following his first qualified season.

2. If a player signs his first contract after the conclusion of the season of the MLB or minor league club to which he is first assigned (even if he signs prior to the Rule 5 Draft), the next season is considered to be the player's "first qualified season" for Rule 5 eligibility purposes. (Depending on the minor league, the conclusion of a minor league club's season could be as early as the first week of August, or as late as the second week of September). 

3. A player eligible to be an MLB Rule 55 minor league free-agent who signs a minor league successor contract prior to being declared a free-agent and a free-agent with prior MLB and/or minor league service who signs a minor league contract prior to the Rule 5 Draft is eligible for selection if the player was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 5th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract, or the player was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 4th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract.

4. Any player on a minor league reserve list who has either been released or had his contract voided and then re-signs with the same MLB organization within one year is eligible for selection.

5. Any player on a minor league reserve list who has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career is eligible for selection.

6. A player on the Voluntary Retired List, Disqualified List, or Ineligible List is not eligible for selection.

7. An MLB club can designate any player on a minor league reserve list "eligible for selection" in the Rule 5 Draft even if the player would not normally be eligible, but once a player is designated "eligible for selection," he remains eligible for selection in all subsequent Rule 5 drafts. 
NOTE: A club might do this if the club is planning to release the player during the off-season.  

8. A minor league player-manager who would be eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft if he was only a player can be selected, but if he is selected, the player-manager can reject the selection and retire. He has 30 days to decide. If he rejects the selection and opts to retire as a player, the player-manager is ineligible to be reinstated as a player for a minimum of one year.   


RULE 5 DRAFT RESTRICTIONS:


1. A minor league player eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft cannot be added to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), traded to another organization, or transferred from one minor league reserve list to another within the same organization, starting with the filing of minor league reserve lists on November 20th (or November 19th if November 20th falls on a Saturday or November 18th if November 20th falls on a Sunday) up through the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft.

2. A Rule 5 Draft-eligible player cannot be sent outright to the minors beginning at 5 PM (Eastern) on the third day prior to the Rule 5 Draft through the conclusion of the draft.

3. A club must have as many slots open on its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) prior to the Rule 5 Draft as the number of players it selects in the Major League Phase, and an MLB club's AAA affiliate must have as many slots open on its reserve list prior to the Rule 5 Draft as the number of players the affiliate selects in the AAA Phase.  

4. A club can select a player off the reserve list of one of its own minor league affiliates, but if the player is selected in the Major League Phase, the club is bound by the same Rule 5 roster restrictions as if it had selected the player off the reserve list of another club's minor league affiliate. 
NOTE: This actually happened at least once a number of years ago, after a club (Atlanta Braves) inadvertently left one of its top prospects off its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) when minor league reserve lists were submitted to the MLB Commissioner on November 20th. 

5. A player eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft cannot be "covered up" from selection, either by agreement between two clubs or by effect (such as by concocting a phony injury and placing the player on the disabled list in an attempt to decrease a player's value when the player is not really injured). Also, a player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft cannot be "hidden" on a disabled list to help the drafting club fulfill Rule 5 roster obligations (such as by leaving the player on the DL after he is healthy enough to play). If the MLB Commissioner believes a club "covered up" a player to avoid losing the player in the Rule Draft or "hid" a selected player on a Disabled List, the offending club or clubs are subject to a penalty (TBD by the MLB Commissioner). 



MLB RULE 6: SELECTED PLAYER 

A "Selected Player" is any player selected in the Major League Phase of the MLB Rule 5 Draft. 

1. A Selected Player must be placed on the drafting club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) immediately after selection and must be tendered a major league contract by 5 PM (Eastern) on the day of the draft. 

2. A Selected Player can be traded at any time, but the player cannot be Designated for Assignment, released, or sent to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day, and then only if Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured and the player's former club declines to reclaim the player. 

3. If a Selected Player spends at least 90 days on an MLB Active List during the MLB regular season following selection, the player ceases to be a "Selected Player" at the conclusion of the MLB regular season. If time spent on an MLB Active List is less than 90 days in the season following selection, the player remains a Rule 6 Selected Player into the next season, and the player continues to be a Selected Player until he has spent 90 days total on an MLB Active List. 

4. If a club wishes to send a Selected Player to the minors, the player must be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers, where any of the other 29 MLB clubs can claim the player for the $50,000 Rule 6 waiver price (formerly $25,000), and if claimed off waivers, the player continues to have Rule 6 Selected Player status. 

5. If the Selected Player is not claimed off Outright Waivers, the player then must be offered back to the club from which he was drafted, and the player's former club can re-claim the player for $50,000 (formerly $25,000), with the player being automatically outrighted to the Reserve List of the minor league club from which he was drafted. The club from which the player was drafted usually has 72 hours to decide whether to re-claim the player, but it has only 24 hours to decide if the player is eligible to be an Article XX-D or Article XIX-A minor league free-agent if outrighted to the minors (player has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time, qualifies for salary arbitration as a "Super Two" player, and/or has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career). NOTE: A Selected Player with Article XIX-A rights (player has accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time) cannot be re-claimed and outrighted back to the minor league club from which he was drafted unless the player consents in advance to the assignment. 

6. If a Selected Player is returned (outrighted) to the minor league club from which he was drafted, and if the player has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time, qualifies for salary arbitration as a "Super Two" player, and/or has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career, the player can elect to be an MLB Article XX-D minor league free-agent (or Article XIX-A minor league free-agent if the player has accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time) after being outrighted (he has three days to decide), or he can accept the Outright Assignment and defer the right to be a minor league free-agent until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. (An outrighted Selected Player with "Super Two" rights who has not previously been outrighted to the minors can elect free-agency if he is outrighted to the minors, but he cannot defer free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season). 

7. If a Selected Player is returned (outrighted) to the minor league club from which he was drafted, the drafting club is responsible for any portion of the player's salary above what the player was paid the previous season. 

8. If the club from which the Selected Player was drafted declines to re-claim the player, the player no longer has Rule 6 Selected Player status, the drafting club retains the player, and the player can be sent to the minors or released. 

9. A player selected in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft must be assigned to the Reserve List of the AAA club that drafted the player and he must be given a 15-day trial during Spring Training with that club, but the player can be assigned to the Active List of any minor league affiliate in the MLB club's organization once the minor league regular season commences. Also, unlike players selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft, a player selected in the AAA Phase does not have to be offered back to the club from which he was drafted if the player is ultimately assigned to the Active List of a minor league affiliate below AAA.

Comments

 Behind the scenes wheels are turning. Radio interview w Gordon Wittenmeyer speculated that it took a few weeks to negotiate a save face exit for Hickey.

Anyone like Tommy Hottovy as a coaching staff addition? AZ Phil, have you interacted w Hot Tom? Theo/Boston regime roots, as he was drafted by Red Sox way back when (2004). Lefty pitcher.

He been an advanced scout and currently the run prevention coordinator for the Cubs and been in the organization since 2014.

"Danny Farquhar (head) has been medically cleared to return to baseball activities."

nice.  scary stuff behind him...

Jacob Cruz has left the Cubbies as their minor league hitting coordinator to become the Pirates assistant hitting coach.

I would expect the Cubs to try and sign 2B-3B-LF Cory Spangenberg to a minor league contract with an NRI to ST once he clears Release Waivers. If the Cubs sign him he would essentially replace Jason Vosler at Iowa, and he could get a call-up at some point in 2019 (he has one minor league option left if he were to be added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster).   

Spangenberg was the 1st round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in 2011 (one slot below Javier Baez) back when Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod were running the Padres, so there is that connection.  

Some of you may have noticed that LHP Andres Bonalde was placed on the AAA Iowa reserve list on Tuesday, making him eligible for selection only in the Major League Phase. He is eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft this year because he was signed (as a 16-year old J-2 IFA out of Venezuela) in July 2014.

Now 20, the lanky 6'6 lefty missed the 2017 season after almost dying from complications from appendicitis suffered while at the Cubs Dominican Academy during Spring Training (he had to be flown to the U. S. after his condition worsened), and then he missed the 2018 season after undergoing left elbow surgery this past April (probably TJS, but I'm not sure). So he spent the entire 2018 season at the Cubs UAPC in Mesa but he was unable to participate in field drills. 

Even though he missed two full seasons and has yet to pitch in the AZL, the Cubs still consider him to be a legit LHSP prospect. 

BTW, if you are wondering how the Cubs themselves value certain minor leaguers in their own organization, just examine the AAA Iowa and AA Tennessee reserve lists and see which Rule 5 Draft-eligible pitchers and position players were placed on the Iowa roster (making them eligible for selection only in the Major League Phase - $100,000 draft price with the possibility the player could be re-claimed later) and which ones were placed on the Tennessee roster (making them eligible for selection in the AAA Phase - $24,000 draft price with no right to re-claim).

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In reply to by Arizona Phil

I was less-surprised that the Cubs placed LHP Andres Bonalde on the AAA Iowa reserve list after missing two full seasons for medical reasons than I was the Cubs placing infielders Rafael Narea and Yeiler Peguero and outfielder Luis Ayala on the AAA roster instead of RHP Enrique de los Rios, LHP Riger Fernandez, and LHP Yapson Gomez. 

While the Cubs (obviously) value Narea, Peguero, and Ayala more than they do de los Rios, Fernandez, and Gomez, the general rule-of-thumb when deciding which Rule 5 Draft-eligible players to place on the AAA roster and which to place on the AA roster is that (all things being more-or-less equal) pitchers trump position players, especially if it's a position player whose ceiling would appear to be AA utility infielder or AA 4th OF. 

For those of you who follow the Cubs farm system, after AA Tennessee SS Carlos Penalver was released in May, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed the light-hitting defensive whiz with a plus-arm and converted him to a RHP, and they were favorably impressed enough with what they saw of him in the AZL to offer Penalver a 2019 minor league successor contract (which he signed). 

Meanwhile the Cubs converted two of their AZL outfielders to pitcher during the summer (Ruben Reyes is now a LHP amd Jose Alejandro Gonzalez is now a RHP), and both are eligible for selection in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft.  

so far, all i can tell from off-season rumors is the yankees are going to sign everyone except m.machado unless they happen to sign m.machado.

also, the cardinals are going to sign or trade for everyone, too.

At least Clarkin hasn't had to find a new house.  Just has to remember which side of town to drive to.

Cubs AA Tennessee Hitting Coach Jesus Feliciano has been hired as the new 1st base coach of the Los Angeles Angels. Perhaps not coincidentally, Feliciano served as a coach with the AFL Mesa Solar Sox post-2018 on MSS manager Lou Marson's staff, and Marson is the manager of the Angels' AA Mobile affiliate in the Southern League. 

Today (Monday) at 5 PM Eastern is the deadline for clubs to outright players to the minors prior to the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday. If a player is not sent outright to the minors by today's deadline, the player cannot be outrighted until the Rule 5 Draft has concluded.

sam williams and riley ferrell are probably out of the cubs reach, but i wouldnt complain about seeing zach thompson (WSox) on a pen gamble.

it seems likely they're going to snag someone (if not multiple).

Remember that a club can only select as many players in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft as there are open slots on the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) - PRIOR TO THE START OF THE DRAFT, and likewise a club can only select as many players in the AAA Phase as there are open slots on its AAA affiliate's reserve list (38-man roster limit) - PRIOR TO THE START OF THE DRAFT.

So if (for example) the 38-man reserve list of a club's AAA affiliate is full and then one or more players are selected from that club's AAA affiliate in the Major League Phase (creating at least one open slot on the AAA affiliate's reserve list), the AAA affiliate's reserve list is still considered to be "full" once the AAA Phase starts. 

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In reply to by Arizona Phil

Also keep in mind that unlike the June draft there is usually no consensus among scouts as to which player is the #1 prospect in the Rule 5 Draft. All it takes is one club to like a particular player for that player to get selected, and there is no accounting for what some clubs might see in a particular player. 

well, that was boring.

at least nothing of interesting value was lost.

nice info for the new guys picked up in the minor league phase.  thanks for tracking it all, phil.

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.