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

2019 MLB Rule 5 Draft

12/12 UPDATE

PLAYERS SELECTED BY CUBS IN MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE:
Trevor Megill, RHP (selected by Cubs from San Diego Padres AAA El Paso reserve list)
 
CUBS MINOR LEAGUERS SELECTED IN MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE
1. Vimael Machin, INF (selected by Philadelphia Phillies from Cubs AAA Iowa reserve list)
NOTE: Phillies subsequently traded Machin to Oakland A's 
2. Michael Rucker, RHP (selected by Baltimore Orioles from Cubs AAA Iowa reserve list) 

PLAYERS SELECTED BY CUBS IN AAA PHASE:
1. Brock Stewart, RHP (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from Toronto Blue Jays AA New Hampshire reserve list) 
2. Jerrick Suiter, 1B (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from Pittsburgh Pirates AA Altoona reserve list) 
3. Vance Vizcaino, OF (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from Colorado Rockies AA Hartford reserve list)  
4. David Masters, INF (selected by Cubs for AAA Iowa from Washington Nationals AA Harrisburg reserve list)
 
CUBS MINOR LEAGUERS SELECTED IN AAA PHASE:
1. Faustino Carrera, LHP (selected from Cubs AA Tennessee reserve list by Tampa Bay Rays for AAA Durham affiliate)
2. Carlos Sepulveda, INF (selected from Cubs AA Tennessee reserve list by Los Angeles Dodgers for AAA Oklahoma City affiliate) 
    
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ORIGINAL POST


MLB RULE 5 DRAFT

The MLB Rule 5 Draft (officially known as the Rule 5 Selection Meeting) 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.

At most 38 players can be placed on the reserve list of a club's AAA affiliate, and clubs usually leave 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 AAA Phase of the draft as players selected by the club in the AAA Phase). 

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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.

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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 start of the AAA Phase of the 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).

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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.

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2018 RULE 5 DRAFT 

The Cubs did not select or lose any players in the Major League Phase of last year's Rule 5 Draft, but they did select three players (C Rafelin Lorenzo from PIT, LHP Luis Lugo from KC, and RHP Alexander Vargas from NYY) and lost two (RHP David Garner selected by NYM and LHP Yapson Gomez selected by CLE) in the AAA Phase.

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RULE 5 DRAFT HISTORY 

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 the New York Giants in 1925), C Bob Scheffing (selected from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1940), RHP Johnny Klippstein (selected from the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949), RHP Turk Lown (selected from the 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), C Cuno Barragon (a "first-year player" selected from the Milwaukee Braves in 1960), 2B Glenn Beckert (a "first-year player" selected from the Boston Red Sox in 1962), OF Byron Browne (a "first-year player" selected from the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1963), 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).
NOTE: All amateur players -- not just bonus players -- signed by MLB clubs between December 5,1958 and August 1, 1968 who were not added to an MLB 40-man roster after the player's first "qualified season" in the minors were eligible for selection (for a discount $8,000 draft price from the then-standard $25,000 Major League Phase draft price) in a special "First-Year Player" Phase of the Rule 5 Draft, and that's how the Cubs were able to acquire Barragan, Beckert, and Browne. (A player was eligible for selection as a "first-year player" only once, and if he wasn't selected, he would fall under standard Rule 5 Draft eligibility rules after that, where the player was eligible for selection beginning with the third Rule 5 Draft after the player's first "qualified season," with a player's first qualified season depending on whether he signed his first contract before or on/after August 1st).      

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).    

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2019 RULE 5 DRAFT 

There are a total of 75 Cubs minor leaguers eligible for selection in the 2019 Rule 5 Draft. 

29 Cubs minor leaguers eligible for selection in the 2019 MLB Rule 5 Draft were placed on the AAA Iowa Reserve List, and so they are eligible for selection in the Major League Phase ONLY:
 
ASSIGNED TO IOWA RESERVE LIST - AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION IN MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE ONLY
Jose Albertos, RHP 
Javier Assad, RHP 
Craig Brooks, RHP
Bailey Clark, RHP
Yovanny Cuevas, OF 
Zach Davis, OF
Oscar de la Cruz, RHP (Article XX-D player - signed 2020 minor league successor contract) 
Donnie Dewees, OF
Scott Effross, RHP
Trent Giambrone, INF-OF
P. J. Higgins, C-INF
Bryan Hudson, LHP  
Ryan Lawlor, LHP (second contract player previously released by ATL)
Conor Lillis-White, LHP 
Luis Lugo, LHP (signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Vimael Machin, INF 
Eddy Julio Martinez, OF 
Dakota Mekkes, RHP
Jordan Minch, LHP 
Erling Moreno, RHP 
Connor Myers, OF 
Tommy Nance, RHP 
Jhonny Pereda, C (signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Eury Ramos, RHP
Duncan Robinson, RHP 
Aneuris Rosario, RHP 
Michael Rucker, RHP 
Wyatt Short, LHP 
Jake Stinnett, RHP
Matt Swarmer, RHP 
Jerry Vasto, LHP (Article XX-D player) 
D. J. Wilson, OF 
Mark Zagunis, OF (Article XX-D player)
Delvin Zinn, INF 

41 Cubs minor leaguers eligible for selection in the 2019 MLB Rule 5 Draft were assigned to reserve lists below AAA and so they are eligible for selection in the AAA Phase:

AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION IN AAA PHASE:
Jhonny Bethencourt, INF 
Corey Black, RHP (signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Casey Bloomquist, RHP
Andres Bonalde, LHP
Charcer Burks, OF (signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Jesus Camargo, RHP   
Roberto Caro (signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Faustino Carrera, LHP 
Erick Castillo, C (signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Alfredo Colorado, RHP
Marcos Encarnacion, RHP (on RESTRICTED LIST - second contract player previously released by CIN)
Emilio Ferrebus, RHP 
Wladimir Galindo, 1B-3B
Eric Gonzalez, C 
Julio Guante, RHP (second-contract player previously released by DET)
Fauris Guerrero, RHP 
Luke Hagerty, LHP (Article XX-D player - signed 2020 minor league successor contract)
Zach Hedges, RHP 
Chad Hockin, RHP 
Ryan Kellogg, LHP 
Garrett Kelly, RHP (second-contract player previously released by MIN)
Rafelin Lorenzo, C 
Marcus Mastrobuoni, C
Ivan Medina, RHP 
Fidel Mejia, INF
M. T. Minacci, RHP
Kevonte Mitchell, OF 
Rafael Narea, INF 
Richard Nunez, C-1B
Eugenio Palma, LHP 
Tyler Payne, C 
Raymond Pena, C 
Tyler Peyton, RHP
Gustavo Polanco, C-1B
Ian Rice, C-1B 
Abraham Rodriguez, OF-1B  
Carlos Sepulveda, INF 
Alexander Vargas, RHP
Willians Vasquez, RHP (second-contract player previously released by ATL) 
Omar Ventura, RHP  
Danny Zardon, RHP (ex-C-IB - second-contract player previously released by PHI)  

Comments

BTW, three of the four players selected by the Cubs in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (Stewart, Suiter, and Masters) will be minor league free-agents post-2020, and the fourth one (Vance Vizcaino) is a second-contract player (he was previously released by KC) so he could be a post-2020 minor league free-agent, too (TBD).

Incidentally, David Masters was selected by the Cubs after signing a minor league successor contract with the Nationals. 

Also, Brock Stewart (a former Dodgers Top 10 prosperct) is out of minor league options (he burned his 4th option this past season) and he can elect free-agency if outrighted (he has been outrighted previously in his career), in the event he is able to locate the strike zone and gets added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster sometime in 2020. 

Vimael Machin can play anywhere in the infield & outfield, but he also went through the catcher conversion program at post-2015 Instructs so he can even catch in a pinch, too. He could be a very useful 26th man.

Machin is bi-lingual (he is from Puerto Rico and went to college at Old Dominion), and was projected by the Cubs as a future coach or manager. He's a savvy & astute baseball guy. 

LHSP Faustino Carrera and 2B Carlos Sepulveda were among the first players signed by the Cubs out of Mexico in 2014-15. The Cubs ended up signing more than two dozen more Mexican players over the next three years. 

After losing two players off the Iowa reserve list in the Major League Phase and selecting four players in the AAA Phase, the Iowa reserve list has one slot open, so now would be an excellent time to try and outright C. D. Pelham to AAA.

Keep in mind that he can't elect free-agency if he's outrighted, and if he is outrighted, he won't be a minor league free-agent until post-2021.

And if he gets claimed off waivers? No big deal.  

Just to continue my conspiracy theory that Theo has a requirement you have TJS to pitch for the Cubs Trevor Megill had it in 2013.  The Cubs must have a support group for pitchers who have had TJS.

Phil, when does the Instructional program begin? Are there pitchers in the pitching lab now?

It's always interesting to see how many players each MLB club protects on its AAA affiliate's 38-man reserve list on 11/20.

I'm not saying it absolutely and necessarily proves what a club thinks of its own prospects, but there are 38 slots available on a AAA reserve list, and if you leave 15 slots open, I think that does say something, especially when you don't lose anybody in either the MLB Phase or in the AAA Phase. (I'm looking at you, Seattle Mariners!) 

Remember that the Cubs lost two players off their AAA Iowa reserve list in the Major League Phase (Machin and Rucker), so they had five slots open (instead of just three) going into in the AAA Phase. That allowed them to select four players instead of just three, but even then they still ended up with one slot open on the Iowa roster.  

In retrospect (and I actually thought this before the draft), I think it is fair to say that the Cubs miscalulated the value of Faustino Carrera, at least to the extent of not at least placing him on the AAA Iowa reserve list. There was really no excuse for that, IMO. Carlos Sepulveda left off the AAA roster? I guess OK, maybe. But Carrera should have been on the Iowa reserve list.    

Also keep in mind that after the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft, clubs can move players from one minor league reserve list to another without restriction. 

2019 AAA ROSTERS GOING INTO RULE 5 DRAFT

AZ protected 38 (so AAA roster full) - lost none in MLB Phase and none in AAA Phase 
NYY protected 38 (so AAA roster full) - lost ONE in MLB Phase and four in AAA Phase  
SD protected 38 (so AAA roster full) - lost ONE in MLB Phase and one in AAA Phase 

KC protected 37 (left one slot open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phase 
NYM protected 37 (left one slot open on AAA roster) - - lost none in MLB Phase and one in AAA Phase

CHW proectyed 36 (left two slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phasse
CLE protected 36 (left two slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and three in AAA Phase 
HOU:protected 36 (left two slots open on AAA roster) - lost THREE in MLB Phase and none in AAA Phase 
OAK protected 36 (left two slots open on AAA roster) - lost ONE in MLB Phase and none in AAA Phase  
PHI protected 36 (left two slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phase

CUBS protected 35 (left three slots open on AAA roster) - lost TWO in MLB Phase and two in AAA Phase
COL protected 35 (left three slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and five in AAA Phase   
MIL protected 35 (left three slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and four in AAA Phase 
MIN protected 35 (left three slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and two in AAA Phase
SF protected 35 (left three slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and three in AAA Phase  

BOS protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phase 
CIN protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and two in AAA Phase
DET protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phase
LAA protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and one in AAA Phase
MIA protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster)  lost none in MLB League Phase and one in AAA Phase 
STL protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB League Phase and two in AAA Phase
TOR protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost ONE in MLB Phase and three in AAA Phase
WAS protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) - lost ONE in MLB PHASE and one in AAA Phase
TB protected 34 (left four slots open on AAA roster) -  lost ONE in MLB Phase and one in AAA Phase

TEX protected 33 (left five slots iopen on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and two in AAA Phase
BAL protected 33 (left five slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and two in AAA Phase 

LAD protected 32 (left six slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phase 

ATL protected 30 (left eight slots open on AAA roster) - lost none iin MLB Phase and one in AAA Phase
PIT protected 30 (left eight slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase and one in AAA Phase

SEA protected 23 (left 15 slots open on AAA roster) - lost none in MLB Phase or in AAA Phase  

While I'm not saying that losing players in the Major League Phase or AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft proves a lot about the quality of an organization's minor league system (especially as far as top-end impact talent is concerned), I do believe it does say something about the depth of a system. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

i truly wonder why f.carrera wasn't more of a priority.

he throws straight up junk, but he's got great control and command over his pitchers.  he's young enough that he could find some more velocity, too.

i mean, this is a management team that decided to trade for dan haren and kyle hendricks.  they don't have an aversion to slow-tossing starters.

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

I'm also thinking they really didn't anticipate losing two players in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 and wanted to have more flexibility to pick guys, and they maybe figured Carrera had a better shot to go unpicked. It is a little surprising that the talent rich Rays are the ones who grabbed him. 

Has anyone else noticed James Norwood's picture on the Cubs top 30 prospects page is actually Brandon Kintzler?

My, the negotiations for a new comprehensive agreement between MLB and MiLB are sounding nasty all of a sudden!  I'd be interested in other takes on this.  It's easy to see the risks on the MiLB side.  I wonder though, if MLB isn't playing with fire as far as the antitrust exemption goes?  In case Trump isn't president in January, 2021, the MLB owners lose a friend.  We've already heard from Sanders and Warren supporting MiLB on this -- which is pretty amazing, considering how many bigger problems this country has -- and one can guess where mayor Pete stands.

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In reply to by JustSayin'

MLB is very much swinging their power over minor league teams around.

one of the huge issues (imo) from an outsider not involved in either power structure, is a lot of this pressure is being put heavily on teams to very quickly show a willingness to put up $$ to upgrade their facilities or straight up lose their teams...and making it a lot easier to do this, too.  many of these towns and small/medium cities cannot handle this kind of disruption, especially since a lot of these towns/cities already gave out corporate welfare in order to please owners of these minor league teams as it is.

this could end up punishing many cities/towns all over the nation that have existing minor league teams, creating a panic market to see who can pump $$ into their facilities on an artificial man-made basis.

there's a lot of other issues aside from this, but it's been a long time since MLB owners/concerns have leaned on the owners of minor league teams this hard.  it worked out very well for them in ARZ spring training facility upgrades and i think they're still a little drunk off that power.

dbacks snag m.bumgarner for 5/85m (17m/yr).

didn't realize he'd be coming that cheaply.  the longball stung him last year, but he was healthy and his stuff looked good when it wasn't flying over a fence.

brews sign a.garcia 2/20 with a 2022 team option.

cards seem close to signing kh kim (also linked to the cubs) since they have him in town taking a physical...at least talks are advanced if he's doing that.

as far as the cubs go...Maroon 5, Def Leopard, and Green Day tickets are on sale for separate in-season concerts at Wrigley.

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In reply to by crunch

kh kim to STL done.

2 guys in their starting rotation that made a name for themselves in asia...this one a native born dude, though.

no details, but he'll most likely get 3-5m a year, multi-year.  low 90s fastball, slider, curve + more...lefty...31 years old...

...and he gets 2/8m

Looks like the Cubs signed corner outfielder Noel Cuevas to a minor league contract. Cuevas will make $575K if he makes it to the major league roster. Although his numbers don't look very special, there are a few reasons he might be worth a contract:

- Mexican Winter League: .371 average in 28 games.

- When he bats 9th in the order: 37 PA 351/351/514/865

- Batting at Wrigley Field: 6 PA 833/833/833/1667

- Pinch Hitting: 28 PA 286/310/393/703

- Similarly effective vs. LHPs and RHPs

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.