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 vs. Cardinals: Series Thread (Games 62-64)

The third place Cardinals (31-29) roll into Chicago looking to knock the Cubs (34-27) out of first place for the second time in a week. Cubs fans meanwhile will be hoping for another round of turnabout, the Cardinals having answered an earlier sweep in the last faceoff. Since last weekend, the Cards went 1-1 against the Reds and the Cubs went 3-1 against the Angels and Rockies. While three wins is always better than one, the Cardinals should now have the advantage of rest.The Cubs recently added Craig Kimbrel to the 2019 payroll, but they'll have to muddle through for now as they await the cavalry. Meanwhile, a few position players are trending up lately. After looking fairly injured in the last series against the Cardinals, Javy went 7-16 with 2 homeruns. Unlikely leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber as 6-17 with a dinger of his own. David Bote boosted his stats with a 4-4, 7 RBI game in which he was a triple short of the cycle. Otherwise he went an abysmal 1-12 with 4 strikeouts. Rizzo and Bryant slumped a bit over the 4-game stretch.

The Cubs will be facing the same three starting pitchers they took on last weekend. Daily match-ups below:


Game 62
CHC: LHP Cole Hamels (4-2, 3.62 ERA)
STL: RHP Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.41 ERA)
First pitch 1:20pmCDT

Hamels pitched seven 2-hit innings allowing an unearned run against the Cards. He's been very reliant on groundballs this season, especially during stretches when he's walked a few too many.

Mikolas was good enough in his last start to earn a win against the Cubs. He went seven innings allowing one run on two walks and six hits. He didn't miss many bats, striking out three. It was good enough, but if the Cubs get a few more balls in the air, the same performance might not pass muster.


Game 63
CHC: LHP Jon Lester (4-4, 3.65 ERA)
STL: RHP Jack Flaherty (4-3, 3.76 ERA)
First pitch 6:15pmCDT

Lester earned the win against the Angels on Monday, pitching seven one-run innings and allowing only four hits and one walk. Before that, he had a string of three rough starts against the Nats, Phillies, and Astros in which he was tagged for 25 hits in 14 innings pitched.

Jack Flaherty struck out eight Cubs in five innings last weekend, but he allowed two solo homeruns and ended up with a no decision in five innings of work. Cubs hitters tagged him for three runs and a loss on May third when he walked four and struck out nine. If he can be gotten to, it's through a mix of homeruns and walks.


Game 64
CHC: RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-4, 3.14 ERA)
STL: RHP Adam Wainwright (5-5, 4.34 ERA)
First pitch 6:05pmCDT

Hendricks went seven innings to defeat the Rockies, allowing three earned runs on six hits and a walk but also striking out 10. Since his Maddux on May 3, he's looked very much like good Kyle Hendricks. He's allowed 40 walks and hits in 51.2 innings pitched going back to that game.

Based on Wainwright's eight shutout innings and two hits allowed, you'd probably think his win against the Cubs must have been pretty dominant. At the same time, he set a career high 7 walks and struck out 8. He got enough groundballs and strikeouts that, combined with some BABIP luck, he was able to work around the wildness. It's not a winning formula. He's walked 16 in his last 23 innings pitched.


Non-cable subscribers will enjoy being blacked out for the Saturday FOX broadcast and the Sunday night ESPN broadcast. Subscribers will have to suffer through the ongoing disaster that is the ESPN broadcast team.

Comments

Kimbrel will wear #24.  That's Lou Brock's old number with the Cubs.

Now I feel like they traded Brock for Kimbrel instead of for Broglio.

The broadcast just mentioned All-Star voting and that you can vote up to 5 times a day. I am curious, who actually does this? Do any of you submit all-star votes at all?

I'm assuming voting is very driven by teenage fans, but maybe there's some other demographic willing to vote multiple times.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

A sense of nostalgia mostly. My grandpa took me to a Mariners game when I was young and we got to fill in a paper ballot. I wanted to vote a certain way (my favorite players, all Cubs and Mariners) but my grandpa took it as an opportunity to have a discussion about merit. To this day it ruffles my feathers a little when guys get snubbed for an underperforming veteran, or voting slants a particular way due to some fan bases being more dedicated.

I know that it doesn’t impact me or anything I care about in the slightest. But I still enjoy it enough to vote once or twice a week.

Just saw Bert Alzolay throw 5 workmanlike innings. Only clean inning was his last, but his line featured a fine 8/1 ratio of Ks/BBs. FB sat 93; touched 95 once that I noticed. He works quickly! Haven’t checked the box, but seemed to me like most of the Ks were looking. He’s on the come.

AZ Phil, what are the chances these promotions happen for SPs:

Tyson Miller to Iowa

Javier Assad to TN

Riley Thompson to MB

Those seem to be the 3 most deserving guys to move up, with Faustino Carrera maybe being next but only 20 yrs old. 

[ ]

In reply to by George Altman

GEORGE A: With Kimbrel, Strop, Cishek, Edwards, Kintzler, Chatwood, and Montgomery virtual locks (barring injury) to remain in the pen for the balance of 2019, I think the Cubs would only target a lefty reliever if they do make a trade before the deadline (the lefty would take Brach's spot in the pen). I suspect Kimbrel will take Kyle Ryan's slot in the pen after he finishes his minor league conditioning assignment and then Ryan will be optioned to Iowa.  

Who that LHRP would be, I do not know. In the meantime Xavier Cedeno might get another opportunity, but he's still in Mesa and he could also just get released. Danny Hultzen has the best stuff among lefty relievers in the Cubs system, but he's still in Mesa, too. Also, Hultzen is out of options, so the Cubs can't really give Hultzen a look until September when active rosters expand, otherwise they risk losing him off waivers if he is added to the 40 & 25 and then the Cubs find out they need his roster slot (like if Brandon Morrow gets into pitching shape and is reinstated prior to 9/1). Junichi Tazawa is at AAA Iowa and his "out" pitch is a splitter that produces "reverse splits," so he might get a shot in the near-future. He also might have an opt-out (like maybe 7/1 or 8/1) so that could be a factor. 

Also, because of the new "hard" trade deadline on 7/31, the Cubs need to have a group of at least eight MLB-ready relievers in-house at AAA Iowa on 7/31 who can be called-up anytime they might be needed over the last two months (plus the post-season if the Cubs get there) in case of an injury to one or more of their MLB relievers. Ideally guys like Tazawa, Barnette, Cedeno, and maybe even Brach (plus K. Ryan, Maples, Norwood, Wick, Collins, Rosario, Mekkes, and Hultzen) would be at AAA as insurance inventory on 7/31 and throughout the month of August, and then they all get called-up on 9/1. Obviously they're not all going to be at Iowa on 9/1 (there isn't room for all of them), but hopefully the eight or even nine best ones will be there. 

joe buck and john smoltz for the fox broadcast...i can live with that.  nothing special, totally capable.

sunday night's game is another dose of arod and friends destroying my will to live.  this brand of sunday night suck has been heavy for the cubs in early 2019.

schwarber / bryant / rizzo / baez / contreras / heyward / bote(2nd) / almora / lester

damn.

Did the Cards wear those powder blue unis in the 70s?  They look pretty solid. 

I forgot this one started early for the FOX broadcast and... I may just skip the rest. Sheesh.

ken rosenthal stating that zobrist not coming back "seems likely"

not sure if he's riffing off the cuff or if he knows something a bit stronger.  supposedly the cubs are leaving it up to zobrist to contact the club about his status at this point.

RIP john gant's ERA.

...oh, 2 of those 4 runs belong to brebbia...nevermind...

the older dude pouring liquor from a flask out to a guy in the front row behind home plate might wanna be a bit more not-obvious about that during a nationally televised game...

tommy edman...first MLB ab...swings at a chatwood offering that bounced in front of the plate by a foot or so.

he Ks on 3 pitches.  welcome to the bigs.

tommy lasorda showed up to adrian beltre's retirement @TEX (lasorda doing anything positive on "enemy" territory is nearly a story in itself).  i really dunno how much longer we get to have him around.  this time last year he was rep'ing the dodgers at the draft and he was really showing his age.  he had to be assisted onto the field and walking tonight.  he'll be 92 in september.

being someone that was born in the mid-70s, tommy's always been an "old guy" to me, but he was a very active old guy ready to tear anyone up who disrespected dodger blue.

sunday

schwarber / bryant / rizzo / baez / cargo(RF) / contreras / heyward(CF) / hendricks(this again) / bote(2nd)

Christopher Kamka‏ @ckamka

Kyle Hendricks last 8 starts: 1.99 ERA, 58.2 IP, 42 Hits, 6 BB, 50 K, 0.818 WHIP

solid win.  MIL also won.  still tied for 1st.

@COL tomorrow night for 3 then @LAD for 4.

and of course next sunday is like, i dunno, the 20th cubs ESPN sunday game of the season.  go arod!

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.