Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

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

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Baseball is back (for optimists).

I believe we're all optimists at heart or the being a Cubs Fan thing falls apart.
But there's a tug of war illustrated here that's happening, too.
Yes, we're all thrilled that baseball is back. 
I may weep when I hear Pat Hughes' voice on the transistor out by the grill. 
But also, I can't help thinking that Lucy's holding that football and telling me to kick.

Here's hoping it all actually happens. 

Comments

angels are missing 10-ish players from today's workout and mike trout isn't sure he'll participate this year (pregnant wife, newborn on the way).  welcome to the angels, maddon.

MLB has confirmed 38 positives (players/coaches/personel/etc) so far.

the cleveland indians have released a statement that they are open for dialogue about the future of the team's name.

twitter is all over it and seems to be all about going back to "cleveland spiders", an unrelated dead MLB team lineage in cleveland from the 1800s (some guy named cy young played for them).

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

"I've been thinking about it and been thinking about it before we put out that statement," (Terry) Francona said. "I know in the past, when I've been asked about, whether it's our name or the Chief Wahoo, I think I would usually answer and say I know that we're never trying to be disrespectful. And I still feel that way, but I don't think that's a good enough answer today. I think it's time to move forward. It's a very difficult subject. It's also delicate," he said.

d.price (LAD) to sit out the season.

LAD isn't going to get d.price at all in 2020 and they got m.betts for 60-ish games until he's a FA.  ow.  that duo cost them jeter downs, alex verdugo, and connor wong.

Wittenmeyer tweet: Hendricks and Darvish combine for 4 Ks in a pair of scoreless half-innings.

Press box wag: "Cubs hitting sucks this year"

phillies now have 7 down with covid...freddy freeman (ATL) has symptomatic covid with fever/chills/aches for the past 3 days...some players on multiple teams are still awaiting initial test results so they can join spring training 2.0 with their teams...

also, this photo of pablo sandoval (SF) taking grounders at 3rd... https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EcHFTylVcAAE5SI?format=jpg

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

freddy freeman + aaron nola are also positive star players.

the scary thing is freeman tested negative on tuesday.  by thursday he was sick and tested positive shortly afterwards.  some may question the strength of the MLB test if they were the ones who gave freeman's initial negative...

Two White Sox test positive for Covid. Not yet disclosed who they are. Reminder that the Cubs are going to be scheduled to play the WSox for 6 games.

"Yu Darvish threw his new pitch, a two-seam/splitter hybrid, during his first intrasquad game appearance on Saturday.

Darvish, who already had 10 different pitch variations in his arsenal, is calling this new pitch "The Supreme.""

Dodger's Stadium is a testing site. Except, you can't just get a test. You have to be symptomatic. Cough, cough...this is really not going well.

Dodger stadium Covid testing site was closed without notice today. Long lines, pissed off people. ClusterF*cked Americans as the virus spreads. Here is the WSCR link that says KB is pissed about the lax testing by MLB.

https://670thescore.radio.com/cubs-kris-bryant-criticizes-mlb-lax-coron…

"We have had guys that showed up here on Sunday (June 28) and hadn't gotten tested again until seven days later," Bryant said. "And then you don't get the results for two days either. So that's nine days without knowing. If we are want this to succeed, we are going to have to figure it out."

Joey Gallo tests Positive. 

My take on MLB issues getting tests is that it's a slice of the dysfunctional American dilemma by having corrupt, science-denying, lying, racist Federal government officials and it's worse now in Republican states due to the Governors lax approaches, in an effort to suck up to you know who. I listened to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo in his conference today and his leadership converted a full-blown local pandemic to a  flat curve and what seems to be a successful and appropriate cautious opening. It took 3 months and some cooperation from, of all people, New Yorkers. Too bad the United States is no longer united and the Red portion of the country is definitely not cooperative and if anything more crazed then ever.  Jackie Robinson, our own Ernie Banks and Branch Rickey must be horrified if they are able to watch from Baseball Heaven.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Well, back in February (I think; that was about 17 years ago now), our diaper staining commander in his own mind declared we had 15 cases in the U.S. and that would quickly go to zero. 130k dead and rapidly rising now 4 months later I still have brain dead neighbors in SoCal saying if Biden gets elected we're screwed. I wonder what they think screwed looks like. 

"Angels summer camp workouts are optional on Monday due to COVID-19 testing delays.

The testers simply failed to show up to Angels camp on Sunday, and there were also apparently some shipping issues with samples during the July 4 holiday weekend. The Astros, Nationals, and Cardinals have outright canceled their Monday workouts because of delays within MLB's testing protocol."

neat.  this is going just great.

but hey, i'm sure a month from now we'll be done with all this crazy virus stuff going on...as players consider multi-game road trips through FL/TX/AZ/CA.

MLBPA sent a memo to player agents Monday saying that it and the league are “actively pursuing an additional medical lab site to increase the speed and efficiency of test processing and reporting,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets.

Try Toronto? or Mexico City (if you can climb the wall)

Is Cubs 3rd draft pick Jordan Nwogu not going to sign?  Most teams are done signing.  Since the Cubs have the other 4 signed there's not a question of negotiations.  I thought Little (using his viral video of 105 mph as leverage) or Moreno being a promising HS SP would be the tough ones.

cubs taking full advantage of that "night games deal" with the wrigleyville neighborhood...almost all the home games will be night games.

8 home day games, 6 on the weekend.

anthony rizzo is in mid-season form.

he sat out today with lower back tightness.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Unfortunately, Kimbrel in Cub mid season form as well, giving up a two out, two run oppo homer to Willson. 

Kimbrel Cub stats which I tried to bury but were dug up again: gave up a career high 9 home runs in only 20 2/3 inning, averaged a career high 9.1 hits allowed per 9 innings and served up a 6.53 ERA for his troubles. And no full spring training build up period again.  Still hopeful he's got something left in the tank this year and next but man, he's got my full attention going into the season

"Shohei Ohtani threw just 15 of his 50 pitches for strikes in an intrasquad game Tuesday.  Trent Rush had him at eight walks, a hit by pitch and six wild pitches before he was shut down for a day. "

ow.

On the bright side regarding Kimbrel. It doesn't have the lasting bad side as the Mets arrangement with Bobby Bonilla. Unless they want to re-negotiate Kimbrel's terms.

BobbyBo: he'll get paid $1,193,248.20 a year every year until 2035, when Bonilla is 72 entire years old. ... Questionable sports contracts – The New York Mets are payingretired outfielder Bobby Bonilla $1.2 million a year until he is 72, as part of a deferred payment deal negotiated after he retired.

There is that re Kimbrel - at worst, just another year on the books.

 July 1st is Bobby Bonilla Day - the day that check is cut and paid annually. 

I think what your saying applies to all franchises in all big-time team sports.  The virus is asymptomatic in many carriers.  The national positive test % rate is mid/high single digits.  If your pro sports franchise does 3-4 x better than that, it still means some players and coaches will test positive and things will grind to a partial or complete halt.  At least baseball didn't try to "bubble" in AZ and FL, which are looking like two of the worst (and worst-led) states in which to be located at the currrent stage of the pandemic.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).