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

Cubs vs. / @ Royals: Series Thread (Games 10-13)

How 'bout this weekend? The Cubs swept the Pirates at home, including a walk-off 11th inning victory on Sunday (and some socially distanced air-fives), we saw the new extra-inning rule, and Rob Manfred warned that the season might already be over. With Manfred now anticipating the season being played to completion--and his warning described as a "bluff" by Sports Illustrated--I guess we can proceed with another series thread.

The Cubs (7-2) greet the Royals (3-7) at Wrigley for two games before heading off to Kansas City for another two. Let's call it a 4-game series? Can the starting rotation continue to lead the way? Cubs pitchers will need to dodge blasts from old friend Jorge Soler.
Game 10, 7:15pmCDT, Aug. 3
CHC: RHP Alec Mills (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
KC: LHP Danny Duffy (0-1, 5.79 ERA)

Alec Mills looked more than serviceable in his first 2020 start, inducing plenty of weak contact in six innings and even missing a few bats. He made three relief appearances with the Royals in 2016 and spent parts of 5 season in their system.

Duffy gave up 4 earned runs to Detroit in five innings last time out, despite collecting eight strikeouts.



Game 11, 7:15pmCDT, Aug. 4
CHC: Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 4.05 ERA)
KC: Brady Singer (0-0, 3.60 ERA)

Hendricks went only 4.1 in his second start after going the distance in the opener.

23-year-old Brady Singer has gone five innings and allowed two runs in each of his starts so far.



Game 12, 7:05pmCDT, Aug. 5
CHC: TBD - RHP Yu Darvish (1-1, 2.70 ERA)
KC: TBD - LHP Kris Bubic (0-1, 4.50 ERA)



Game 13, 6:07pmCDT, Aug. 6
CHC: TBD - RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-0, 0.71 ERA)
KC: TBD - RHP Brad Keller (0-0, -.-- ERA)

Comments

Jon Heyman: At least a couple Cardinals did go to a Casino, as @TheRealJHair 1st suggested. MLB has since tightened its rule on leaving the team hotel from very strongly discouraged to not allowed. Cards Covid count going into today: 3 players, 4 staff

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

"take off your mask while you eat/drink" indoor venues has been one of the stupidest missteps in this whole thing.  i can safely say if i've been hearing this in covid briefings at work for months that government leaders have, too.

it's one of the most disasterous missteps we've taken during re-opening and there is little american appetite for ending it on a government or "personal responsibility" level.

Cards-Tigers tonight is cancelled and supposedly tomorrow's game is iffy.

MSNBC: 13 members of the Cardinals organization are positive, 7 players, 6 staff.

Sportswriters saying that the Criteria for shutting down the season is 3-4 teams with uncontrolled spread. 

Entire series between Tigers-Cards canceled.

Hanging by threads...

the "field of dreams" game that absolutely no one asked for, wanted, or cared about (STL/CWS) has been cancelled.

bryant(LF) / rizzo / baez / contreras / schwarber(DH) / bote(3rd) / heyward / hoerner / happ

m.soroka (ATL) is having to be helped off the field unable to put weight on his right leg.

it looks like he really screwed something in his calf/foot area that's not specifically the ankle.

The Cardinals have to test negative for the next two days for the Cub-Cardinal series to happen this weekend (per Len Kasper) 

a.mills is good for 140+ pitches, right?

*looks at pen*  uh...right?

he was shakey through the first 2ip and stellar since.

pen manages to string 2 good innings together...in a row!

the cubs are 8-2.

the cards are 2-3.  the marlins are 2-1.

we're 1/6th of the way into this and who knows how much longer it will last...

Cardinal Coronavirus positives include: Yadi Molina, Paul DeJong.  Relievers Jr Fernandez, Kodi Whitley. Inf Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo. 6 members of staff not yet disclosed.

Yadi posted on Instagram (in Spanish). DeJong also released a statement. The team is to fly to StL on Wednesday but need two consecutive days of testing negative before they can travel.

No new positives for either Marlins or Cards today. The Marlins are OK'd to play at Baltimore tonight (so far).

so if the marlins keep covid'ing it up and finish with a 2-1 record do they make the playoffs with their kickass .667% winning percentage?

how does this circus work?

j/k...we're not gonna get to the playoffs.

Nick Castellanos with HR number 6 tonight against the Indians.  He's just killing it to start the season

bryant / rizzo / baez / schwarber(DH) / contreras / heyward / souza(LF) / kipnis / happ

Ideally would prefer Hendricks not pitch right after Mills given their similar profiles

Schwarbs looks more comfortable defensively in left field than Souza

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

he's done nothing extordinary out there, but he's looked a lot more comfortable out there this year.

he was especially bad at anything near the line the last few seasons, not making the play or getting over there so late somewhat ordinary popouts looked like great effort.  small sample size and all, but it looks like he has a bit more of a clue.  if he can be at least average-ish out there, his arm gives him a nice plus on top of it.

[ ]

In reply to by Jackstraw

I believe that Ian Miller would be more-useful to the 2020 Cubs than Albert Almora because he is faster than Almora and is an outstanding base-stealer (if the Cubs need that late in a game), and so he can be both a high-leverage PR and a late-inning defensive replacement in CF (especially if that's all Almora was going to be).

Almora does have an option left (two actually) so it wouldn't be a big deal to option him to the South Bend ATS (and keep him with the club as a member of the traveling Taxi Squad) and call-up I. Miller, although Miller would have to be added to the 40. To make room for I. Miller the Cubs could release or outright Josh Phegley and keep him with the club as a member of the Taxi Squad (if he isn't claimed off waivers and if he is willing to accept an Outright Assignment), or otherwise Norwood or Wieck (especially Norwood) could be transferred to the 45-day IL.

And then once on the 40, I. Miller does have minor league options left it it becomes necessary or desirable to drop him from the Active List roster at some point down the line.  

Also, it would be really good for the Cubs to have an MLB-ready third catcher on the 40 who has minor league options available and who can be easily moved back & forth between Chicago and the South Bend ATS, because both Phegley and Lobaton have Article XIX-A status and can refuse an Outright Assignment or elect free-agency if outrighted (presuming the player isn't claimed off waivers).   

As for Souza, he certainly is replaceable. I would say that Hernan Perez (who is on the Cubs traveling Taxi Squad) would be more useful to the 2020 Cubs than Souza if only because he is (like Souza) a veteran RH hitter and (unlike Souza) can play all over the diamond (1B-2B-3B-SS-LF-RF) which in and of itself makes him a more-valuable bench guy than Souza. And while (like I. Miller) H. Perez would require a slot on the 40, that would just involve releasing Souza (or outrighting him, if he is willing to accept an outright assignment).   

So MLB has changed the rules again. Instead of going from 30 to 28 to 26 players this year, teams will only go from 30 to 28 this Thursday and stay at 28 through the post-season.

Thinking about the Cubs potential moves, I would imagine that Jose Quintana and Brad Weick will be added at some point before the post-season and Rex Brothers, Colin Rea, Justin Steele, and one of Josh Phegley or Daniel Winkler would be sent down to South Bend (or released).

I prefer keeping Phegley just so the Cubs can use both Contreras and Caratini each game that they want to do so. (I'd be fine if Phegley just sat on the bench as insurance.) I feel like the Cubs have enough relievers with options remaining that they can cycle them through the remainder of the year. Thoughts?

The 3-man taxi squad is also changing to a 5-man taxi squad, but I'm not sure the Cubs are utilizing that too much anyway. (One required catcher if it's full.)

jeffress used in the 8th...easy one for him.  looks like kimbrell is still the 9th inning guy.

Alec Mills was on MLB network about an hour ago. Apparently he's a really good golfer. Also, Mills has the lowest opponent avg exit velo (sub 80 MPH) among all MLB SP so far this season. That 65 MPH CV probably doesn't induce a lot of hard contact.   

“I’m in the middle of conversations with Craig (Kimbrel),” Ross said. “We’ll have those first before I talk to you guys. We’ll see where he’s at. We’ll see how his arm feels, and we’ll go from there.’’

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

Or, "Think how much fun you could have if you opt-out of the season." 

Just sayin'. 

BTW, if Kimbrel were to opt-out now, he would forfeit the balance of his pro-rated 2020 salary (about $5M that remains of his $6M pro-rated salary), but the Cubs would get under the CBT threshold for 2020 and not have to pay any penalties, and they could reset their payroll for 2021. (Right now the Cubs are about $9M over the 2020 CBT threshold, but eliminating about 5/6 of Kimbrel's original $16.5M 2020 salary would get the Cubs about $3M-$4M below the bar). 

That would actually really help out the Cubs a lot. 

So then what could the Cubs offer to Kimbrel/Boras in return?

1. A full-"no trade" in 2021-22 replacing the partial "no trade"; 
2. The 2022 $16.5M vesting option would be triggered if 55 games (appearances) in 2021 instead of 55 Games Finished and it automatically kicks in even if Kimbrel is injured at the conclusion of the 2021 season (which is not the case now), and the vesting option would include a player opt-out.  
3. If the vesting option does not trigger, the 2022 club option buy-out would be $3M regardless of the number of appearances in 2021, instead of escalating from $1M to $2M to $3M based on GF in 2021.    

That way, Ross could use Kimbrel any way he sees fit in 2021, and Kimbrel wouldn't be adversely affected financially if he works as a set-up guy or middle-reliever instead of as a closer in 2021. 

bryant / rizzo / baez / contreras(DH) / schwarber / bote(2nd) / heyward / hoerner(CF) / caratini

7/30 rainout vs CIN will be played as a 7-inning double-header on 8/29

woo!  cubs hit out of the save situation with 2 outs in the 8th!

sometimes 3 runs isn't enough to feel comfortable.

Relievers Justin Steele and Rex Brothers optioned to South Bend to meet the new 28 man roster limit. 

Still no word on who comprises the five man taxi squad that stays with and can work out with the team 

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

ERIC S: Other than assigning one catcher (who can serve as a bullpen catcher) to the Taxi Squad at home game, the Taxi Squad can only be used on road trips  

On the Cubs trip to Cincinnati last week, the Cubs definitely carried catcher Jose Lobaton, INF-OF Hernan Perez, and an unnamed pitcher (probably Colin Rea, because he was recalled while the Cubs were still in Cincinnati).

As for who will be the five guys on the Cubs Taxi Squad starting today (Thursday), it's probably Steele and Brothers (since they are already in KC with the club), Lobaton, H. Perez, and the pitcher who was on the original three-man Taxi Squad that traveled to KC and is (preferably) already on the 40 (maybe Dillon Maples?). 

Also, any pitcher on the IL who is not rehabbing at South Bend (like Wieck and/or Norwood) could be traveling with the club as well if they are able to throw. I don't know how close either are to returning to full action, but Norwood will probably get optioned if & when he is 100% although he could remain with the club while still on the IL for a few days as a back-up extra arm on the road trip (again, that's if he is able to pitch).  

Unlike Norwood, Wieck could get reinstated directly back to the Cubs MLB Active List roster once he is ready to roll because he has only been out for about ten days and since the Cubs are down to one lefty in the pen, but I don't know how close he is to returning or if he will need to ramp back up at South Bend. Also, Wieck's FB velo was down about 3-4 MPH from last year even before he hurt his hamstring, so there may be other issues with him beyond the hammy. 

top 9th, 1 out, men on 1st/2nd...alec mills steps to the plate.

they're down by 13 runs.  i want to end this, too.

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).