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. Brewers: Series Thread (Games 16-19)

The Cubs start a 4-game home series with the second most wins and the best winning percentage in baseball. These 4 games give them a chance to add to their substantial early season lead in the division and to continue to beat up on their division rival, the Brewers.
Game 16, Thursday, Aug. 13

CHC: RHP Yu Darvish (2-1, 2.12 ERA)

MIL: LHP Brett Anderson (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

Yu Darvish was awesome in game one of the series and helped the Cubs to a 13-3 record. He earned his third win.


Game 17, Friday, Aug. 14

CHC: RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-1, 5.40 ERA)

MIL: RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 2.53 ERA)

After two very strong starts to open the season, Chatwood did not have his good stuff in the third. He allowed 8 earned runs in only 2.1 innings to Kansas City. The good news was that he did not walk anybody. The bad news was that he allowed 11 hits including 2 homeruns.

Woodruff has allowed no more than 2 earned runs in each of his 4 starts so far, including a loss to the Cubs on July 24.


Game 18, Saturday, Aug. 15

CHC: RHP Alec Mills (2-0, 1.38 ERA)

MIL: RHP  Adrian Houser (1-1, 2.65 ERA)

Mills missed his last opportunity to pitch due to the Cardinals layoff. He'll be pitching for the first time in 11 days. He has kept run scoring to a minimum in his first two stats by mixing speeds and inducing weak contact. His performance filling in for Quintana is a big part of the tremendous start to 2020.

After two sterling performances to start the season, Houser lost his last start to Minnesota. He allowed 4 earned runs in 5 innings on 6 hits including a homerun.


Game 19, Sunday, Aug. 16

CHC: LHP Jon Lester (2-0, 1.06 ERA)

MIL: RHP Josh Linblom (1-0, 5.68 ERA)

Lester continued a streak of solid performances to start the season by holding Cleveland to one run in six innings. All three of his starts have approached masterful, lacking only duration to break into that next level. His strikeout rate has been low so far this year, but he has held opponents to only 7 hits in 17 innings.

Remember Josh Lindblom? He's back after two seasons in the KBO, now preparing for his 118th MLB appearance and 10th MLB start. So far this season he has struck out 20 batters but managed only 12.2 innings in three starts. He's also sported a 1.58 WHIP in that time and allowed 4 homeruns.


Following the series, the Cubs plan to continue the home stand with games against the Cardinals.

Comments

Brewers Game 1: KB (LF), Rizzo, Javy, Willson (DH), Happ, Bote (3B), Souza (RF), Nico, Caratini, Darvish

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Well, shoot.

Here we go again: Nico, Rizzo, Javy, Willson, Schwarber (LF), Happ, Bote, Souza, Caratini

Not thrilled with Nico leading off when the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history was available but whatever 

[ ]

In reply to by Jackstraw

Updated Bullpen tiers:

Tier 1 (Closer/Firemen)

Wick and Jeffress (interchangeable)

Tier 2 (Preferred Setup roles)

Tepera, Sadler, Rea (!)

Tier 3 (Face lefties exclusively if possible)

Ryan (has to get that fastball out of mid-80s or head to South Bend)

Winkler 

Tier 4 (Long man innings eater)

Underwood 

Tier 10 (reserved for use when either up or down by 10+ runs)

Kimbrel

I think that covers it?

this team is amazing.  i want more than 60 games of this.  darvish since mid-season last year has been great stuff.

also, wick got to close.  kimbrel hasn't worked in quite a while.

Managerial change making a difference I think. Hopefully the changes to the amateur scouting department also bears fruit

"Chicago Cubs  @Cubs
Our Aug. 7-9 series at St. Louis has been rescheduled as three 7-inning doubleheaders at Wrigley Field.

#Cubs will be home team for Game 1. Cardinals home team for Game 2."

Brewers Game 2: Happ, Rizzo, Javy, Schwarber, Willson, JHey, Bote, Kipnis (DH), Nico, Chatwood 

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

Yet again another change to the starting lineup as Chatwood has been pulled due to mid-back tightnes. Mills to start instead - no word on who will start tomorrow 

Not the best timing with the five game series in three days coming up with the Cards - perhaps Quintana will be ready to roll by then. 

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

On the one hand I bet he'd prefer to start so it's nice he's getting the chance. On the other, he didn't look all that impressive in spring training 1.0 stretched out to start and has looked much more like a big leaguer in the small sample we've seen of him out of the bullpen.

I do wonder who we are going to call up to eat innings for our "save the Cardinals" series. I'm thinking Alzolay, maybe Cotton?

Hoerner and Happ both walk in the 5th (entire inning has had deep counts), a sequence of beauty (if you are into RBI walks). Then Rizzo unloads (I kid, a bloop single for another run). Woodruff gone after no-hitter thru 4.

starlin castro (WAS) broke his wrist diving for a ball @2nd.  he's in the 1st year of a 2 year deal for them.

i low key want the dude to get 3000 hits so the HOF voters can be confused as hell about whether they should let an average-D, low ob%, low-WAR, slap hitting guy who has 3000 hits in or not...1634 currently...long shot given his skill set and expected natural decline.

seems like he's been around forever (2010), but he only turned 30 this year.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Very good and thanks - high rising fastballs certainly beat middle-middle ones that we've seen far too many of. Read an article where the Cubs were "suggesting" to Kimbrel that he stop throwing a change up that he's been tinkering with (but not actually using in games) - that it was screwing up his deliveries for his bread and butter pitches.  Maybe they're getting somewhere with this. 

Another Cincy Red player has tested positive for cv per Ken Rosenthal. Pirates-Reds game today is probably going to be canceled.

The Cubs don't play the Reds again until 8-28.

Poor Pirates didn't play a series earlier this week with the Cardinals because of COVID - sucks. 

Rizzo has the homer but Schwarber worked a great at bat drawing a walk with two outs which set up what could have been a big inning - at least Happ got the run scoring double.

Quality outing by Rea - had not been stretched out and got into fourth inning, responsible for two runs allowed with one man still on base when he left. 

Looks like Underwood will be pitching in this game. Saddler needs to get his 💩 in order stat

Man our bullpen is trash. Even our "better" guys aren't very good. Sadler, Tepera, Ryan, etc

Also, Orlando Arcia I feel has become a Cub killer. Its a shame because Orlando Arcia is a pretty crappy player except when he plays the Cubs.

Well, I guess if you steal second base with two outs in the bottom of the 8th you're looking pretty smart. Or not

sigh.

2 games of huge tease with losses.

hours later mark grace is still trending up/down on twitter because of his ex-wife/dingbat story.

i don't think they fully understand that relationship, but here we are.

Chatwood to IL, Jason Adam selected, Cotton DFA.

The Cotton DFA is a little bit surprising, given we're going to need innings this week. Shortens our SP depth even further, too.

el mago indeed...

if it wasn't for slo-mo replay he would have had a wtf safe call sliding into 1st...almost got it...

also, this entire series has been torture.

Counsell/Brewers have had the Cubs number for a few years now.

The silver lining from this series? Craig freaking Kimbrel

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).