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

Rule of Bum

There has been a lot of talk recently about possible rule changes in MLB, and so for the benefit of the MLB Commissioner and the MLBPA, here are my carefully considered unsolicited suggestions/solutions all in one place: 
RESERVE LIST & ACTIVE ROSTER
There is an MLB Reserve List (AKA "40-man roster"), and just like in the post-season (LDS, LCS, and WS), a club can place only 25 players on the Active List for each series (including series in September). Just like in the post-season, the 25-man Active List can change from series to series. Because most series are three games in three days, a club would only need to have three starting pitchers active for most series, effectively increasing the active list by two players. Obviously if it's a four-game series a club would need four SP on it's 25-man Active List, and five SP would need to be on the club's 25-man Active List in the case of the very rare five-game series. A "26th man" would be eligible to be activated for the second game of a doubleheader, but only if it's a make-up doubleheader scheduled as a result of a game canceled during that series.   

OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT
A club can option as many as 15 players on its MLB Reserve List to the minors, but it isn't required. For example, if a player is out of minor league options, he can just remain on the club's Reserve List and stay with the MLB club and be paid his MLB salary and accrue MLB Service Time, even if he is almost never placed on the club's Active List. But if a club decides a player on its MLB Reserve List who has minor league options available would benefit from getting regular playing time or innings in the minors, the player can be optioned to the minors. Once optioned, he must remain on Optional Assignment for at least 15 days (or the first 15 days of the MLB regular season if he is optioned to the minors prior to MLB Opening Day) unless he is recalled to replace a player who has been placed on the Injured List, the Paternity Leave List, or the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, or the player is recalled to be the "26th man" in a doubleheader. A player who is not already on Optional Assignment cannot be optioned to the minors after August 31st. All players on Optional Assignment to the minors must be recalled no later than the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season.  

WAIVERS
A player claimed off Outright Assignment Waivers during the waiver period that extends from November 11th through February 15th cannot be placed back onto Outright Assignment Waivers again for at least 30 days.   

MLB RULE 5 DRAFT
A player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft can be optioned to the minors (presuming the player has minor league options available), but he cannot be traded, released, sent outright to the minors, or placed on the MLB 60-day Injured List for at least one full year after being selected (until the conclusion of the next Rule 5 Draft). 

INJURED LISTS:
There would be a seven-day Injured List for players who have suffered an acute concussion, a 15-day Injured List for players who have incurred other injuries or illnesses, and a 60-day Injured List for players who have suffered a serious injury or long-term illness. A player who suffers an acute concussion can be placed on the 7-day Injured List either during a series or prior to the start of a series, and would be eligible to be reinstated after seven days even if it means being reinstated during a series. A player can be be placed on the 15-day Injured List either during a series or prior to the start of the series, and would be eligible to be reinstated after 15 days even if it means being reinstated during a series. All players on the 15-day Injured List must be reinstated no later than the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season or else be transferred to the 60-day Injured List. A player can be placed on the 60-day Injured List or transferred from the 7-day or 15-day Injured List to the 60-day Injured List either during a series or prior to the start of a series, and a player who is placed on the 60-day Injured List or transferred to the 60-day Injured List can be replaced on the MLB Reserve List by another player. A player on the 60-day Injured List must be reinstated no later than the 5th day after the conclusion of the World Series.  

OTHER MLB INACTIVE LISTS
A player can be placed on the Paternity Leave List or Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List during a series, and can be replaced on the Active List during the series by another player on the club's MLB Reserve List. A player who is placed on the Paternity Leave List must remain on the list for at least one day but no more than three, and he can be reinstated during a series. A player who is placed on the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List must remain on the list for at least three days but no more than seven, and he can be reinstated during a series. If a medical complication or death occurs during or after childbirth, a player can be transferred from the Paternity Leave List to the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List and days spent on the Paternity Leave List would be applied to the minimum and maximum number of days a player can spend on the Bereavemernt/Family Medical Emergency List. A player on the Paternity Leave List or Beravement/Family Medical Emergency List must be reinstated no later than 9AM on the day after the conclusion of the World Series. 

TRADE DEADLINE
The trade deadline would be midnight (Eastern) on August 15th. Trade Assignment waivers would be eliminated and no trades (including "waiver trades") could be made after the 8/15 deadline.   

POST-SEASON ROSTER ELIGIBILTY LIST
Only players on a club's MLB Reserve List or MLB 60-day Injured List as of midnight (Eastern) on August 15th would be automatically eligible to be on the club's Post-Season Eligiblity List, but a player who was on the club's MLB 60-day Injured List at midnight on 8/15 would have to be eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day Injured List and then be reinstated to the MLB Reserve List before he could be placed on a post-season active roster. A player cannot be reinstated from the MLB 60-day Injured List during a post-season series. A player who otherwise would have been eligible to be on a club's Post-Season Roster Eligibility List would not be eligible if the player spent any time on the Restricted List as the result of a JDV or JDPTP suspension during the MLB regular season. An injured player who was on the club's MLB Reserve List (and Post-Season Roster Eligibility List) as of midnight on 8/15 could be replaced on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List by any player who was in the club's minor league system as of midnight 8/15, but the injured player would have to be placed on the club's MLB 60-day Injured List and the minor league player would have to replace the injured player on the club's MLB Reserve List before he could be placed on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List as a replacement for the injured player. A player who is injured during a post-season series could be replaced during the series by another player on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List (but a pitcher would have to replace a pitcher and a postion-player would have to replace a position-player), but the injured player or pitcher would have to remain inactive for the balance of that series and the entire next series (LCS or World Series). A player who suffers a concussion during a post-season series can be replaced on the club's Active List during the series by another player on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List, and the injured player can be reinstated after seven days even if it's during a series.  

MLB SERVICE TIME
All players on a club's MLB Reserve List (or 60-day Injured List) who are not on Optional Assignment to the minors accrue one day of MLB Service Time for each day of the MLB regular season. A player on Optional Assignment to the minors does not accrue MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment. 

SALARY ARBITRATION
No change. 

MLB FREE-AGENCY
An unsigned player on an MLB Reserve List who was 19 years or older on the June 5th prior to signing his first contract with an MLB organization is eligible to be an MLB Article XX-B free-agent after eight full professional seasons have elapsed regardless of how many days of MLB Service Time the player has accrued, an unsigned player on an MLB Reserve List who was 17 or 18 on the June 5th prior to signing his first contract with an MLB organization is eligible to be an MLB Article XX-B free-agent after nine full professional seasons have elapsed regardless of how many days of MLB Service Time the player has accrued, and an unsigned player on an MLB Reserve List who was 15 or 16 on the June 5th prior to signing his first contract with an MLB organzation is eligible to be an MLB Article XX-B free-agent after ten full professional seasons have elapsed regardless of how many days of MLB Service Time the player has accrued. This would actually increase the incentive for a club to bring a player up to MLB as soon as possible in order to get maximum value from that player before he becomes a free-agent. (That would be the Kris Bryant Rule).  

MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENCY
No change. 

DESIGNATED HITTER
The DH would be used in both leagues. The DH can be used as long as the starting pitcher is still in the game. Once the starting pitcher has left the game, the DH must either be replaced in the lineup by the relief pitcher, or the DH can move to a defensive position and the player the DH is replacing in the field would be replaced in the lineup by the relief pitcher. A club can opt to have its starting pitcher be the DH, but the SP would have to leave the game if relieved by another pitcher, unless he moves to another defensive position in order to remain in the lineup after being relieved. (That would be the Shohei Otani Rule).  

PITCHERS
A starting pitcher must face at least three batters before he can be replaced and a relief pitcher who enters a game during an inning must face at least three batters before he can be replaced or else remain in the game until the third out is recorded. If the third out is recorded prior to the relief pitcher facing three batters, he can be replaced at the start of the next inning. If he is not replaced at the start of the next inning and he has not yet faced three batters, he would have to face three batters over the course of the two innings before he could be replaced. 

PITCHER INJURED DURING AN INNING PRIOR TO FACING THREE BATTERS
If a pitcher is removed from a game because of injury prior to facing three batters (or in the case of a relief pitcher, before facing three batters or recording the third out of the inning), that pitcher must be placed on the 15-day Injured List the next day and the pitcher would not be eligible to be reinstated from the 15-day Injured List during a series. 

EXTRA INNINGS
If a game is tied after eleven innings, a runner is placed at 2nd base at the start of each half-inning beginning with the 12th inning. The runner would be the batter who made the last out in the previous inning. A pinch-runner can be used, but then the player replaced by the pinch-runner is out of the game. If the runner placed at 2nd base to start an inning scores, it is considered an unearned run for scoring purposes. This rule is by no means ideal, and while I'm not crazy about it, it does at least reduce the likelihood that a position player would have to pitch in the 15th, 16th, 17th inning, etc, which in my opinion is worse and even more of a farce than placing a runner at 2nd base to start an extra inning.     

Comments

PHIL: Thanks for this AZ PHIL

How is Mark Zagunis looking? Is he progressing? Do you think he has enough tools to make the team?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

E-MAN: I don't think Mark Zagunis has a long-term future with the Cubs (he will be out of minor league options in 2020), but I do think he will eventually be an MLB corner OF with somebody. His best attribute is taking walks (he has a career .400 OBP in the minors because he is a walking machine) and so he would be an ideal lead-off hitter just for that reason alone (presuming he can draw walks in MLB as he has throughout his minor league career). Otherwise, he has below-average speed, well below-average power (especially for a corner OF), and below average defensive skills, although his arm is fine for LF and even OK for RF.

I actually wouldn't be opposed to a Schwarber/Zagunis platoon in LF and in the lead-off spot in the batting order because it probably would produce a very high combined OBP, but I doubt the Cubs would feel they can afford to carry both Schwarber and Zagunis on the 25-man roster, at least until rosters expand on September 1st. 

i really hate the 3-batter pitcher minimum proposal for relievers, but MLB seems to really want that one to happen.

they've supposedly put on the table delaying implimentation of the pitch clock (supposed to go in effect this season) for 3+ seasons if the players would be willing to make concessions about the 3-batter minimum as well as a few other things.

so far this spring there's been more than a few pitchers thumbing their nose at the pitch clock, letting it tick away and over.  there's no penalty yet at this point in spring.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

CRUNCH: The three-batter minimum seems to be directly related to MLB trying to minimize stoppage of play during an inning (same thing with mound visits). A pitching change to start an inning isn't a problem, but a mid-inning pitching change does stop the flow of the inning for about three or four minutes. Another thing that could be done with respect to mid-inning pitching changes is that the reliever who comes into the game gets two warm-up pitches instead of eight (he should be warmed-up enough already, and two warm-up pitches should be enough to get adjusted to the "game mound").  

Also, the replay system should be adjusted to where the manager cannot call time and wait up to 30 seconds while the bench coach phones the replay room. If the play doesn't obviously require replay, then the game proceeds on. Either the play is so important (like a HR being fair or foul or fan interference on a fly ball or whether a fielder catches a line drive or traps it) that replay is needed, or it's so obviously a blown call that it needs to be reviewed (like what should have been the final out of Armando Galarraga's perfect game that wasn't). 

Also, the thing with a baserunner's foot or hand coming off a bag as the result of a slide into a base without the player over-sliding with his entire body or attempting to advance to the next base should not be an out. It shouldn't be that technical. With MLB so concerned with player safety, you would think MLB would want to protect baserunners from additional injury-risk by relaxing the rule on a player maintaining contact with the base after beating a throw. And I'm not talking about a baserunner carelesly wandering off a base after the play. I'm talking about a baserunner's foot or hand naturally coming off the bag as the result of the force of the contact with the bag while sliding (feet-first or hand-first).  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Re: Base contact - such a good rule.  The value of umpires is their capability to make judgment calls just like that... they already have a similar framework in place for over-running first base - the upm reads the situation to decide when the runner is just heading back to first & when same runner is trying to score. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Re: mid-inning pitching changes - Or just put a clock on the thing so that there is ___ min/sec from when the manager signals to when the ump starts calling balls. Eliminates the extra 2 squeezed in throws in the pen, the general grab-assing on the mound, and the stroll to the mound.  Pitcher wants more warm-ups, then jog your behind out there. 

Re: pace of play - details need to be hammered out, but I think that there is something to a chess-clock-like tool.  After 20 seconds (just made up that #) for the batter up, then the clock is running for one of the teams. Pitcher on the rubber with the batter having a foot out of the box, then the batting clock is running down. Pitcher walking around the mound & the batter in the box - pitching clock is running. Puts the emphasis on the mgmt of a team resource, not just you individually getting a ball called in your PA b/c you are adjusting your batting gloves for the 5th time. And I don't think that calling a ball is enough. Your clock goes to zero, then the lead runner advances a base.  Yeah, that could really impact the game, but isn't that the point? No more than a 10/15 yrd penalty in football, a power play in hockey, a player fouling out in basketball, or shooting free-throws in the bonus. 

[ ]

In reply to by First.Pitch.120

Other practical avantage of a chess-clock charged to the team instead of a clock-per pitch is that it encourages a pace while allowing flexibility for a given pitcher, pitch, or PA.  Your starter is going deep in the game, he is totally able to take a few more seconds per pitch if he moved it along early in the game. 

tseng got destroyed...

0.2ip 4h 2bb 0k, 6r/er, 1wp

hendricks pitched 2 boring, effective innings giving up a couple hits and getting a K.

duensing and kintzler followed up hendricks getting out all 3 batters each faced (kintz with a K)

the ump's zone today stretches about a half foot up, down, inside, and out...everyone should be swinging at anything near the plate at this point in the 4th inning.

Q put in a couple good innings 2ip 1h 0bb 1k

also, grace is in the booth sharing oldschool cubs stories for a few innings now...good to hear bob again, too.

MIL bringing the "real" lineup to start the game.  lester's gonna be tested today.

lineup is lefty heavy, though.

ex-cub luke farrell took a comebacker to the face (jaw) pitching for TEX today...attended to on the mound and walked off under his own power.

"sold out since it went on sale whitesox vs cubs spring training game on a sunday...we should televise it!" - like, everyone

"nah." - television executives

maddon still going with the "there's no closer" thing...

"When you say, 'You're the guy,' then it kind of handcuffs you," Maddon said.

good money still has strop getting a majority of the closing duties, though.

darvish goes 2ip 0h 1bb 3k

he may have gone a 3rd inning if the cubs didn't take so long scoring 8 runs in the bottom 2nd.

little more light on that b.brach contract delay...

"Under the new agreement, Brach’s ’19 base salary will be just $1.65MM. He’ll have the ability to earn an additional $850K worth of bonuses based on days spent on the active roster, with $350K due for just one single day. After the season, the Cubs will decide between a $5MM option and a $100K buyout. If declined, Brach can exercise a player option at $1.35MM."

according to brach there were medical concerns about a "viral infection" (??? okay, then).

hendricks leaves after an elevated pitch count with 1 out in the 3rd, leaving guys on 1st and 3rd.

mario "who?" meza...27 year old mexican league veteran...comes in to face m.trout.  1st pitch hit a zillion miles...hendricks has to wear 2 of those earned runs.

not a bad hendricks outing, btw...just had to throw a lot of pitches.

j.flaherty (STL) struck out 7 in a row today...8 overall in 4 innings.

he's not gonna be fun the next 5+ years...

j.jeffress (MIL) lasted 3 pitches in his spring debut before being attended to by a trainer and pulled.  he was delayed because of shoulder issues.

also, j.hader made his 2nd spring appearance K'ing all 3 batters he faced...2ip 6K for him this spring.

loser update...

"Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that former Oregon State pitcher Luke Heimlich signed a contract with Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League."

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

speaking of manuvering out of things...

""We have to analyze his case," Javier Salinas, the president of the Mexican league said in an interview with the New York Times. "It’s very difficult to see him registered in the Mexican League.""

this would be the 2nd time in the 2nd country (also China, yes China) that a team signed him and the league was all "hell naw" if they deny his desire to play in Mexico.

televised night game (8:40pm EST) tonight vs SEA (SEA feed).

split squad day games tomorrow, so tonight's lineup may or may not be "B-team" heavy.

no televised games saturday, sunday is a WGN game vs MIL (4:05pm EST).

a.webster has a nice spring in progress...put in 2ip tonight

4 games, 7ip 2h 2bb 8k, 1r/er

a lot of that is vs some weak back-end of spring game innings quality hitters, but he's still looking good doing it.

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

This what I wrote about Allen Webster after an MLB Cactus League game outing just over a week ago: 

ALLEN WEBSTER:
FB: 94-97 T-98 
SL: 89-91 
CH: 88-90 
NOTE: Just - Wow! - ... Absolutely electric... power slider combined with high-velocity FB and an occasional CH... FB was hitting 97 consistently and slider was filthy... some command issues during the inning but not uncommon given the quality of the stuff... I'm telling you right now -- if the Cubs can't use him I'll betcha he can help somebody's MLB bullpen get better in a hurry...  biggest concern with Webster is that he is out of minor league options, so if Cubs add him to the 40 (and the Opening Day 25) he can't realistically get sent down to Iowa if there is roster crunch later (like when Brandon Morrow comes back) because he - WILL - get claimed off waivers... what to do? what to do?...  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

One more thing about Allen Webster, and this also applies to Taylor Davis, and to Matt Carasiti if he were to be added to the 40 at some point this season: 

A player receives Article X-D status (that is, the right to elect free-agency if outrighted to the minors) one of three ways: 

1. Has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time. 
2. Has "Super Two" status
3. Has been outrighted previously in his career. 

The third one is often misunderstood.

A player does - NOT - have the right to elect free-agency if outrighted just because he has been removed from an MLB 40-man roster previously in his career. A player gets Article XX-D status - ONLY - if he has been removed from an MLB 40-man roster by OUTRIGHT ASSIGNMENT to the minors. Getting released or non-tendered doesn't count. 

So (for example), while Taylor Davis has been non-tendered previously in his career, he has never been outrighted, so if he is sent outright to the minors by the Cubs in order to clear a slot on the 40-man roster, he cannot elect free-agency.

Allen Webster has been released previously in his career, but he has never been outrighted, so he does not have Article XX-D rights (the right to elect free-agency if outrighted), either. 

And Matt Carasiti (if he were to be added to the 40 at some point this season) does not have the right to elect free-agency if outrighted, because while he has been both non-tendered and released previously in his career, he has never been sent outright to the minors. 

Unfortunately, while Webster does not have the right to elect free-agency if outrighted to the minors, he is out of minor league options, so if he were to continue to pitch "lights out" during Spring Training and get added to the Cubs MLB 25-man roster (and MLB 40-man roster), he cannot be sent to the minors except by Outright Assignment (which would require the securng of waivers before he can be outrighted, and the way he has been throwing the ball so far this Spring he would likely get claimed off waivers if the Cubs were to add him to the 25 - and the 40 - and then find out later they need his roster slot for another player -- like Brandon Morrow when he is ready to be reinstated fron the Injured List probably sometime in May).

Cubs players on the 40 or guys receiving an NRI to MLB Spring Training who do have Article XX-D status and therefore have the right to elect free-agency if outrighted include Kyle Ryan and Rowan Wick (both are on the MLB 40-man roster and both have been outrighted previously in their careers), plus NRI Mike Zagurski, Cristhian Adames, Jim Adduci, Philip Evans, Carlos Ramirez, Johnny Field, and Christian Bergman (and Zagurski, Adames ,and Bergman are out of minor league options, too,  should any of them get added to thd 40 at some point this season).

But at least with Article XX-D players there is the caveat that if the player elects free-agency after being outrighted (instead of deferring it until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season), his contract is terminated and he receives no termination pay.  

But if a player has Article XIX-A rights (has accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time) -- as is the case with George Kontos and Junichi Tazawa, once added to the 40, an Article XIX-A player can't be sent to the minors (even if he has minor leagued options left!) without his consent. So it isn't even a matter of getting an Article XIX-A player through waivers. An MLB club can't even send him to the minors and force him to decide whether to accept the assignment or elect free-agency (and have his contract terminated) unless the player consents. Once an Article XIX-A player is on the 40, it's pretty much a matter of the club having to give the player his Outright Release (and being on the hook for what remains of the player's salary) in order to get him off the 40.  

And as a post-2018 Article XX-B free-agent, Tazawa has the extra-added benefit of getting an automatic $100K retention bonus and an automatic June 1st opt-out if he is not released or added to the MLB 40-man roster by MLB Opening Day. 

So the Cubs really need to think twice (or maybe even thrice) before adding Tazawa or Kontos (in particular) to the 40. 

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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.