Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Post-2019 Draft-Excluded Players

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

So with the Cubs selecting the contract of LHRP Danny Hultzen from AAA Iowa today, Hultzen becomes the Cubs first 2019 Draft-Excluded Player.  

In addition to being a Draft-Excluded Player (which limits what the Cubs can do with him in the off-season, especially after the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft), Hultzen is also out of minor league options (so he can't be optioned to Iowa if he doesn't make the Cubs 2020 Opening Day 25-man roster), and he can elect free-agency if he is outrighted (because he has been outrighted previously in his career).

MLB RULE 6: DRAFT -EXCLUDED PLAYER

A "Draft-Excluded Player" is any minor league player who has accrued less than three years of MLB Service Time and who is eligible for selection in the MLB Rule 5 Draft, whose contract is selected, and who is added to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) between August 15th and the Rule 5 Draft.

1. A Draft-Excluded Player can be non-tendered on 12/2, released, or traded at any time, but he cannot be sent to the minors by Optional Assignment beginning with the conclusion of the MLB regular season up until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day.

2. A Draft-Excluded Player can be sent outright to the minors only if Outright Assignment Waivers are requested no later than 2 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the final game of the World Series, and if a Draft-Excluded Player is not outrighted to the minors prior to the Rule 5 Draft, the player cannot be Designated for Assignment or sent outright to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to the start of the MLB regular season.

CUBS PLAYERS WITH POST-2019 RULE 6 DRAFT-EXCLUDED STATUS: (last updated 9-7-2019)
Danny Hultzen, LHP  

Tags
Draft-Excluded Player
Danny Huiltzen

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 09/07/2019 - 09:17 pm

OF Mark Zagunis made it through waivers and he has been sent outright to AAA Iowa; 

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 09/07/2019 - 09:20 pm

Two good things about outrighting Zagunis are that he cannot elect free-agency if outrighted - AND - he is not eligible to be a minor leaue 6YFA until post-2020, so the Cubs will have him under control through next season (presuming he isn't selected in the Rule 5 Draft).

However, it is unlikely that Zagunis will get selected in the Rule 5 Draft in December since he wasn't claimed off waivers in September. ($100K Rule 5 Draft price vs $50K waiver claim price). 

Submitted by Mike Wellman on Sat, 09/07/2019 - 09:32 pm

Machado’s injury most unfortunate - he hurt it legging out an IF hit in the 1st inning AFTER the I-Cubs clinched their division last weeken. If he’d been enjoying a day off as other regs were that day he’d b in line for his just reward for a fine season - he’s a smooth ss & a patient hitter w/ some pop...

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 09/07/2019 - 09:41 pm

Nico Hoerner will be playing for the Mesa Solar Sox in the AFL starting in about a week, so if he lights it up there he conceivably could get called-up to MLB in the post-season.

Note that if Hoerner were to be called-up this season (either in September or during the post-season), he would get - FOUR - minor league options (2020-23) instead of the normal three, which would make a 2019 Hoerner call-up a bit less problematic for the Cubs.   

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 09/08/2019 - 09:51 pm

Russell hit in head by fastball to start 3rd. Looked ugly But replay shows glancing off some of helmet. Nosebleed but seems alert.  They let him stay in game. We shall see...then steals 2nd base!

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 09/08/2019 - 09:56 pm

and we’re tied on a Bote single then bad throw by Yelich. Then Lester doubles, 2-1 Lead! Zobrist doubles, 3-1.

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Sun, 09/08/2019 - 09:09 pm

Not only are we letting Milwaukee have life again, we’re letting the shitbirds extend the near insurmountable lead.

Gonna have to go at least 5-2 in last 7 vs StL.

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Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 09:26 am

I think 4th option is based on how many years since first entering professional baseball. I defer to AZP on that of course.

Excited to see what Hoerner can do, but I think this def costs someone who may have been protected from upcoming rule 5 draft their 40 man spot this November, as Hoerner wasn’t yet eligible for draft in that yet. Desperate times, though...

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 09:46 pm

Presuming Nico Hoerner is added to the 40 this year, he will be eligible for a 4th minor league option in 2023.

It's somewhat similar to when the Cubs added Kris Bryant to the 40 in April 2015 or Ian Happ to the 40 in May 2017, in both cases two years before they were Rule 5 Draft eligible. Both had four minor league options available when they were added to the 40, but the projected 4th minor league option went away once Bryant and Happ spent a season on the 40 without being optioned. 

So Hoerner's 4th minor leaue option is only available in 2023 - IF - he uses three minor league options 2020-22.  

As for how this will impact the 40-man roster right now, the Cubs could just recall LHSP Justin Steele from his Optional Assignment and place him on the 60-day IL. (He has been out since June with an oblique or lat strain). With only three weeks left in the season, adding Steele would cost the Cubs about $60K in additional MLB payroll -- the difference between the MLB minimum salary ($3,000 per day) and Steele's first-year minor league split salary (about $250 per day) over 21 days. Steele would also accrue about 21 days of MLB Service Time (no big deal at this point), but accruing MLB Service Time in 2019 would mean that the Cubs would not be able to outright Steele to the minors during the off-season or during Spring Training if he were to suffer a major injury (again, probably not that big of a deal in the big picture).  

Or LHRP Randy Rosario (who has seemingly been supplanted on the Cubs MLB roster by Brad Wieck and Danny Hultzen and at AAA Iowa by Wyatt Short and Jordan Minch) could get DFA'd, especially since he will be out of minor league options in 2020 and thus will have no value as a Des Moines - Chicago shuttle-rider.  

As for how adding Hoerner to the 40 will impact who the Cubs add (or don't added) to the 40 on 11/20  (pre-Rule 5 Draft), it probably means either SS Zack Short or INF-OF Trent Giambrone will not be added to the 40 (both were 50/50 to get added). 

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 09:03 pm

Calling up Nico Hoerner now probably means that either Zack Short or Aramis Ademan will get Hoerner's slot in the AFL. Both would benefit from playing in the AFL (it would help the Cubs make a 40-man roster decision on Z. Short more easily because they can watch him hit against upper-level pitching for six weeks and Ademan just needs more reps against more-advanced pitchers so that he will be more-ready to advance to AA in 2020). 

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).

    he will be reevaluated tomorrow.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB 

    Just a difference of opinion

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

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