Projected Cubs Post-2019 World Series Roster
As things stand right now....
POST-2019 DEADLINES:
Any player on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) who is released during the period of time beginning on September 1st up until the first day of Spring Training cannot be re-signed by the same club to a major league contract and cannot be placed back on that club's MLB 40-man roster until May 15th.
Any 2019 outrighted Article XX-D minor league player who elected to defer free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season and who was not subsequently added back to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) prior to the conclusion of the MLB regular season or who did not sign a 2020 minor league successor contract can file for free-agency beginning at 9 AM on the day after the final game of the MLB regular season up through October 15th. 1B-OF Jim Adduci was the only Cubs 2019 Article XX-D outrighted player, and he filed for free-agency at his first opportunity (9/30). Once he becomes a free-agent, the player can sign a major league or minor league contract with any club (including the player's former organzation), and the player's former club receives no compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
An unsigned Article XX-D player who is sent outright to the minors after the conclusion of the MLB regular season and prior to being tendered a major league contract or prior to signing a tendered major league contract can elect free-agency immediately.
Any unsigned Article XX-B player on an MLB 40-man roster is automatically declared a free-agent at 9 AM on the day after the final game of World Series. The player does not have to file. It's automatic.
Over the five days after the final game of the World Series, 2020 club and/or player contract options for MLB players with Article XX-B rights must be exercised and/or declined by the deadline as stated in the contract, but all contract options must be decided by 5 PM Eastern on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series.
MLB clubs must decide by 5 PM Eastern on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series whether to extend a Qualifying Offer to an MLB Article XX-B free-agent who is eligible to receive a QO. Any player who received a QO previously in his career and/or any player who did not spend the entire previous season with that MLB organization (including the MLB club and/or a minor league affiliate or affiliates) cannot be extended a QO. Players who are extended a QO have ten days to decide whether to accept or decline the QO.
Any Article XX-B MLB free-agent who signs a major league contract after 11:59 PM on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series receives an automatic "no trade" right through June 15th.
Any minor leaguer eligible to be an MLB Rule 55 second-contract free-agent or 6YFA who is not added to an MLB 40-man roster or who has not signed a 2020 minor league successor contract will be automatically declared a free-agent at 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series. Once declared a free-agent, the player can sign a major league or minor league contract with any club (including the player's former organization).
Minor league players eligible for selection in the 2019 Rule 5 Draft must be added to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) no later than November 20th to be draft-excluded. Any Rule 5 Draft-eligible free-agent who signs a minor league contract prior to the Rule 5 Draft is eligible for selection.
2020 contracts must be tendered to unsigned MLB players under club control no later than December 2nd (the deadline was November 30th last year only because 12/2 fell on a Sunday). If an unsigned MLB player under club control is not tendered a contract, the player becomes a free-agent and is free to sign a major league or minor league contract with any club (including the club that non-tendered the player). Non-tendering a player allows a club to cut a player's salary more than the maximum allowable 20% and eliminates a player's right to request salary arbitration, although once non-tendered the player can sign with any club without restriction and the player's former club receives no compensation if the player signs elsewhere. A non-tender also allows a club to remove a Draft-Excluded or unsigned Rule 55 player from its MLB 40-man roster who otherwise cannot be removed by Outright Assignment during the off-season, and to avoid the possibility that a player on the 40 that the club wishes to retain in the minor leagues could be claimed off waivers.
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PROJECTED CUBS POST-2019 WORLD SERIES MLB RESERVE LIST:
32 players (plus probably at least four minor league 6YFA and/or Rule 5 Draft eligible players -- see below)
* bats or throws left
# bats both
PITCHERS: 17
Adbert Alzolay (auto-renewal... Alzolay will have one minor league option left in 2020)
NOTE: Alzolay is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be sent outright to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs 2020 contract
Tyler Chatwood ($13M in 2020 then free-agent post-2020)
NOTE: Chatwood cannot be sent to minors without his consent
Yu Darvish ($84M 2020-23 but can opt-out with no termination pay after 2019 World Series, but Cubs will almost certainly extend an Article XX-B Qualifying Offer if Darvish opts-out)
NOTE: Darvish full "no trade" expires after 2019 World Series and then he has partial "no trade" (must designate 12 clubs to which he cannot be traded) until he becomes a 10/5 player and gets a full "no trade" rights post-2022 7/31 MLB trade deadline... also, salary escalates $2M in all subsequent seasons if he wins a Cy Young Award or $1M in all subsequent seasons anytime he finishes #2-5 in Cy Young
Kendall Graveman ($3M 2020 club option with no buy-out required if option is declined... Graveman will have one minor league option left in 2020)
NOTE: Graveman has a clause in his contract that requires Cubs to either release or non-tender him if 2020 club option is declined... can elect free-agency if he is outrighted to minors
Kyle Hendricks ($54M 2020-23 plus $16M vesting option in 2024 if Top 3 Cy Young in 2020 or else $16M 2024 club option with $1.5M buy-out)
NOTE: Hendricks also has $3M per season salary escalator if he finished Top 10 Cy Young in any season prior to 2024
* Danny Hultzen (Draft-Excluded Player... auto-renewal... Hultzen is out of minor league options)
NOTE: If Outright Assignment Waivers are not requested by the 5th day after the final game of the World Series a Draft-Excluded player cannot be outrighted until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day, plus Hultzen also has right to elect free-agency if outrighted because he has been outrighted previously in his career
Craig Kimbrel ($16M 2020-21 and $16M vesting option or else club option in 2022)
NOTE: Kimbrel 2022 vesting option activates if at least 110 GF 2020-21 and at least 55 GF in 2021, otherwise $16M 2022 club option with $1M buy-out or $2M buy-out if at least 53 GF in 2021 or $3M buy-out if at least 53 GF in both 2020-21, plus full "no trade" expires on 10-30-2019 and then Kimbrel must designate eight clubs to which he will not accept a trade
* Jon Lester ($15M salary in 2020 plus $2.5M signing bonus payment due on 12-31-2019 and $10M final signing bonus payment due next 9/15, and a $25M 2021 vesting option if 200 IP in 2020 (possible, although he hasn't thrown 200 IP since 2016) or 400 IP 2019-20 (which won't happen) or else a $25M 2021 mutual option with a $10M buy-out if 2021 club option is declined
NOTE: Lester has 10/5 full "no trade" rights
Dillon Maples (auto-renewal... Maples will have one minor league option left in 2020)
NOTE: Maples is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract
Alec Mills (auto-renewal - Mills will have no minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: Mills is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract
James Norwood (auto-renewal... Norwood will have one minor league option left in 2020)
* Kyle Ryan (will be eligible for salary arbitration as a "Super Two"... K. Ryan will have one minor league option left in 2020)
NOTE: K. Ryan has Article XX-D rights because he has been outrighted previously in his career and so he can elect free-agency if outrighted
* Justin Steele (auto-renewal... Steele will have two minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: Because Steele did not accrue any MLB Service Time in 2019, he can be outrighted to minors even if he is injured up until 15 days prior to MLB Opening Day
Duane Underwood Jr (auto-renewal....Underwood will have no minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: Underwood is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract
Allen Webster (auto-renewal... Webster has no minor league options left)
NOTE: Webster is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract... Webster is a likely 12/2 non-tender candidate and if he is non-tendered Cubs will probably try and re-sign him to a 2020 minor league contract after Rule 5 Draft
Rowan Wick (auto-renewal.... R. Wick will have one minor league option left in 2020)
NOTE: R. Wick has Article XX-D rights because he has been outrighted previously in his career and so he can elect free-agency if outrighted
* Brad Wieck (auto-renewal... B. Wieck will have one minor league option left in 2020)
CATCHERS: 2
# Victor Caratini (auto-renewal... Caratini will have two minor league options left in 2020... under club control through 2023)
NOTE: Caratini is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract
Willson Contreras (1st time eligible for salary arbitration... under club control through 2022)
INFIELDERS: 9
Javier Baez (2nd time eligible for salary arbitration... under club control through 2021
David Bote ($13.5M through 2024 and $7M club option or $1M buy-out in 2025 and $7.6M club option or $1M buy-out in 2026... Bote will have two minor league options left in 2020)
Kris Bryant (2nd time eligible for salary arbitration... under club control through 2021)
* Daniel Descalso ($2.5M in 2020 and then $3.5M club option or else $1M buy-out in 2021)
NOTE: Descalso will just get released and Cubs will eat balance of his contract if his 40-man roster slot is needed
# Robel Garcia (auto-renewal... R. Garcia will have two minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: R. Garcia is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract
Nico Hoerner, INF (auto-renewal... Hoerner has four minor league options left because he will get a 4th minor league option in 2023)
* Tony Kemp (auto-renewal... Kemp has no minor league options left)
NOTE: Kemp is a Rule 55 player so he cannot be outrighted to minors after 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series or until he signs a 2020 contract
* Anthony Rizzo ($16.5M club option in both 2020 and 2021 or else $2M buy-out)
NOTE: Rizzo may void 2021 club option if traded
Addison Russell (2nd time eligible for salary arbitration... under club control through 2021... Russell will have two minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: Russell can elect free-agency if he is outrighted to minors... he is likely to be non-tendered if he isn't traded before 12/2
OUTFIELDERS: 4
Albert Almora (1st time eligible for salary arbitration... under club control through 2022... Almora will have two minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: Almora can elect free-agency if outrighted to minors
# Ian Happ (auto-renewal... Happ will have two minor league option left in 2020)
* Jason Heyward (gets $86M 2020-23... Heyward can opt-out after 2019 World Series and if he does his $20M deferred signing bonus must be paid in full on 4-1-2020
NOTE: Heyward has partial "no trade" (must designate 12 clubs to which he cannot be traded) through 2020 MLB trade deadline then will have "10/5" full no trade rights beginning post-2020
* Kyle Schwarber (2nd time eligible for salary arbitration... under club control through 2021... Schwarber will have three minor league options left in 2020)
NOTE: Schwarber can elect free-agency if outrighted to minors
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ARTICLE XX-B MLB FREE-AGENT (at 9 AM Eastern on day after final game of World Series): 13
Tony Barnette, P (presently on Restricted List but 2020 $3M club option will be declined - no buy-out required)
Nicholas Castellanos, OF (not eligible to receive an Article XX-B Qualifying Offer)
* Xavier Cedeno, P
Steve Cishek, P
* Cole Hamels, p (given the way his season ended Cubs will almost certainly - NOT - extend an Article XX-B Qualifying Offer to Hamels)
* Derek Holland, P ($6.5M 2020 club option will definitely not be exercised - no buy-out required)
Brandon Kintzler, P
Jonathan Lucroy, C
Brandon Morrow, P ($12M vesting option will not apply & $12M club option will certainly be declined so $3M buy-out)
* Jose Quintana, P ($10.5M club option will - PROBABLY - be declined after World Series so it will - PROBABLY - be a $1M buy-out if he isn't traded)
David Phelps, P ($5M 2020 club option plus $3M+ in potential performance bonuses will probably not be exercised - no buy-out required)
Pedro Strop, P
# Ben Zobrist, INF
NOTE: The only free-agent the Cubs will likely attempt to re-sign is Nicholas Castellanos (and signing Castellanos would make it a lot easier for the Cubs to trade Kris Bryant), although the Cubs might offer a "first-come/first-served - take-it-or-leave-it" one-year contract with a low base salary plus modest performance bonuses to one or maybe two of their veteran FA relievers (Strop, Kintzler, Phelps, and/or Cishek).
MINOR LEAGUERS LIKELY TO BE ADDED TO CUBS MLB 40-MAN ROSTER: 3-4 (possibly more)
NOTE: Any of the following players who are added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster would (like Danny Hultzen) have Draft-Excluded status and thus could not be sent (outrighted or optioned) to the minors until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day, so the Cubs will need to estimate approximately how many roster slots they believe will be needed during the off-season for free-agents and waiver claims before they start adding any of the "on the bubble" guys to the 40. (It's better to lose a player in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft for $100,000 with the chance you might get him back because the claiming club can't keep the player on its MLB active list for an entire season than to lose a player off waivers for $50,000 with the claiming club able -- in most cases -- to option the claimed player to the minors)
LOCK:
Miguel Amaya, C (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Cubs #1 prospect, a Top 100 MLB prospect, and one of the top catching prospects in baseball
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VERY LIKELY:
P. J. Higgins, C-INF (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Above-average defensive catcher who also plays 1B-2B-3B and so he could be an ideal "26th man" on the expanded MLB active list
Colin Rea, P (2019 PCL Pitcher of the Year... eligible to be minor league 6YFA at 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series if he isn't added to the 40)
NOTE: Rea will have two minor league options left if added to the 40 making him potentially a very useful Des Moines - Chicago shuttle-rider in 2020-21
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LIKELY:
Tyson Miller, P (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Mostly-dominated in AA but then got hammered after mid-season promotion to AAA
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"ON THE BUBBLE" TO GET ADDED TO 40 (depending on how many 40-man roster slots are expected to remain open): ???
Jhonny Pereda, C (eligible to be minor league 6YFA at 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series)
NOTE: Won Gold Glove Award as the top defensive catcher in minor leagues in 2019... Projected as an MLB back-up catcher, Pereda could get added to the 40 even if he signs 2020 minor league successor contract, but his chances to get added to the 40 actually improve if he does NOT sign a successor contract
Zack Short, SS (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Legit SS who is MLB-ready defensively but he will have to show improved bat in AFL to be considered for the 40 this year
Trent Giambrone, INF-OF (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Legit MLB 2B or bat-first INF-OF utility prospect but might not be MLB-ready... Giambrone's chances to get added to the 40 improve considerably if Pereda and Z. Short are not added
Oscar de la Cruz, P (eligible to be minor league 6YFA at 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series)
NOTE: Cubs want to keep de la Cruz in the organization but not on the 40... so while he's already a long-shot to get added back to 40, ODLC will - NOT - get added back to 40 if he signs 2020 minor league successor contract
Trevor Clifton, P (eligible to be minor league 6YFA at 5 PM Eastern on 5th day after final game of World Series)
NOTE: Like de la Cruz Clifton is a long-shot to get added to the 40... while the Cubs really don't want to use up a 40-man roster slot on Clifton they also would prefer not to lose him to minor league free-agency just yet, so (like de la Cruz) Clifton will - NOT - get added to 40 if he signs a 2020 minor league successor contract
* Jordan Minch, P (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Minch will have to pitch "lights out" in AFL to be considered for the 40 (and so far he has looked good but not great), and even then he might not get added
Matt Swarmer, P (Rule 5 Draft-eligible)
NOTE: Swarmer is a default candidate to get added, meaning only if there's room on the 40 and most of the others "on the bubble" are passed over, and maybe not even then
Dakota Mekkes, P (Rule 5 Draft eligible)
NOTE: Same as Swarmer only moreso
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