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

Cubs @ Tigers: Games 28-30

Having barely dodged a sweep at the hands of the 3rd-place White Sox, the Cubs now take-on the 4th-place Tigers in Detroit. Unlike the hot Sox, the Tigers are 2-8 in their last 10 games. This could be a chance for the Cubs to add to their lead before a stretch of 18 games against NL Central opponents Aug. 28-Sep. 13.


Game 1, Monday, Aug. 24, 6:10 pm central
CHC: RHP Alec Mills (2-2, 4.76 ERA)
DET: RHP Casey Mize (0-0, 6.23 ERA)

Alec Mills took his second loss and had his first really bad start of 2020 last time out. He couldn't get out of the fourth and allowed 6 earned runs. With the Cubs' offense slumping, he'll need a return to form in order to get back on the winning side of the books.

23-year-old Casey Mize made his MLB debut on Aug. 19, exiting after 4.1 with his first 7 MLB strikeouts under his belt. Prior to that start, he had not pitched above AA. He features a mid-90s fastball to go with a good cutter and splitter and the occasional curveball.


Game 2, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 6:10 pm central
CHC: LHP Jose Quintana (probable, 0-0, -.-- ERA)
DET: RHP Spencer Turnbull (2-2, 3.65 ERA)

As of my writing this, the Cubs game 2 starter is still TBD. However, Jose Quintana should be available to make his first 2020 appearance. Quintana went 13-9 with strong peripherals in 2019, yet will mostly be remembered as having a down year due to a 4.68 ERA. His recent hand injury adds the biggest wrinkle to his narrative. Has he recovered well enough to command his pitches? We may find out soon. He will likely be on a strict pitch count and may piggy back with someone like Colin Rea.

Spencer Turnbull made 30 starts for the Tigers in 2019 and put up respectable numbers except for his 3 and 17 record. Taking his performance alone, he certainly didn't deserve 17 losses. He has yet to surrender a homerun in 2020, but there are several Cubs who should be ready to turn that trend around. He has reverse splits in 2020, but in the larger 2019 sample lefties had a significant advantage against him. The difference could be more than just luck--he has thrown his changeup more in 2020.


Game 3, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 6:10 pm central
CHC: LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 5.06 ERA)
DET: LHP Michael Fulmer (0-0, 9.53 ERA)

Lester has gotten roughed up two games in a row, and in the last start he couldn't get out of the second. He surrendered 4 homeruns to the White Sox; weak contact was nowhere to be found. He'll need sharper movement and command to handle the Tigers' lineup. The aggressiveness of their best hitters may play into the veterans' hands if he can hit his spots.

Michael Fulmer is off to a rough start to his fourth season in the Tigers' rotation. He's made four starts and has yet to pitch more than 3.0 innings in a start. In only one of those starts, a scoreless 3 innings on Aug. 10, has he managed to allowed less than one earned run per inning. Fulmer missed all of 2019 following Tommy John surgery and had another surgery on his elbow in March of this year.

Comments

Q will pitch out of the pen when he gets back and chatwood will soon return to slot into the rotation...

Bases loaded and curl up into fetal position? Check

Base running foolishness? Check

Alright then, now that we checked those boxes perhaps we can start playing like a first place team should play

Cubs pop their run differential back to double figures: from +4 to +10

So now they only trail the Dodgers (+79) by a measly 69 runs

mark grace is in the booth calling the ARZ game (for ARZ).

okay.

he's been put on pause from Marquee because of the fallout from his ex-wife "dingbat/all in the family" story...and he's in the booth for Fox Sports AZ tonight... *shrug*

i mean, he's not taking bob brenly's slot full-time f'sure because he's solidly holding on to that gig.  it's just odd to tune into a late night ARZ game and hear grace in the booth again.

moving into "mid-season" trade time...i wonder what talent the cubs will give away for a month of work out of a mid-level, non-impact relief pitcher to add to the pool of a dozen they already have in-house.

the 9-21 angels are strongly shopping talent (especially d.bundy).  rough start for joe maddon's new club...

AZ PHIL: What happened w/Tom Hatch? What was so "terrible" that they got rid of an upper-round draft choice who is now performing well for the Jays? Asking for a friend (or two). Thanks.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

E-MAN: The Cubs had a group of about eight or ten minor league piching prospects last season who were very similar (MLB prospect but mid-level ceiling) such that trading one (or three) wasn't really a big deal because there were still six or seven left in the pipeline pretty much just like the ones who were traded.  

Also, the Cubs actually had David Phelps under control through the 2020 season, but decided after the club's late September meltdown (and after he hit his escalator bonus) not to exercise his 2020 club option and also not to offer contracts to Strop, Cishek, and Kintzler, and instead cut payroll and start fresh with some different (and cheaper) bullpen arms. 

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I definitely was tracking that and was annoyed when he appeared in his 40th especially because the season was toast by then. I know you do right by your players but that was a little overkill.

If you were to give up Hatch, might as well get more than two months out of the return. I think Phelps would have been back this year for $3 mil 

it's nice marquee network is trying expose people to some "non-standard" stats, but showing a lineup with only OPS numbers gives no information...do they get on base?  are they slugging?  are they somewhere in the middle and which way do they lean?

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

CRUNCH: I was never a fan of OPS as an offensive "shorthand." It would be like having a stat that combines stolen bases and home runs, because OBP and SLG combined don't really tell you anything.   

So I much prefer the AVG/OBP/SLG "triple slash line" (plus HR rate, BB% ,and K% if there is room) as "basic" stats. And then statcast stuff like average exit velo and line drive & hard contact rates are really useful, too. 

And actually those same stats (but in reverse) would be the best stats for pitchers, too, with some added info like first-pitch strike %, pitch types and usage, FB velo, spin rate, and outcomes based on the number of outs and the ball-strike count.   

And as you may recall, I believe WAR is total bullshit (unless it's used to describe a player subjectively -- like the 20-80 scouting scale does). Like "so & so is a five win player," or "so & so is a two win player," etc, because we know in our heads kind of what that number means. But otherwise WAR is an attempt to use stats to compare disparate things that cannot be compared objectively/statistically. 

barf.

Tigers grand slam. Cubs run differential no longer double digits

Cubs still looking for their first extra base hit with the bases loaded

Tony Watson, lefty reliever might be obtainable from Giants. He's what the bullpen is currently lacking. 1-month rental should generate low level talent in return, no?

Anyway, I can hope he's better than Justin Wilson (who wasn't at the end of a contract, so was more expensive, ie Candelario and also got Avila short term). 

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Bowden proposes wild trades including some Cubs ones, in The Athletic article:

Trade pitching prospects Brailyn Marquez and Kohl Franklin and catching prospect Miguel Amaya to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed closer Josh Hader. 

The Cubs’ window for another world championship is this year and the next and because they’ve decided to hold on to their entire core, they might as well go for it one more time. Cubs fans won’t like this idea after watching Eloy Jiménez on the South Side of Chicago and Gleyber Torres in the Big Apple, but remember how great that parade was? Wasn’t it worth it? So let’s go one more time and trade top pitching prospects Marquez and Franklin and top catching prospect Amaya to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed closer Josh Hader. Hader, 26, is the best closer in baseball. He’s pitched in eight games this year and hasn’t given up a hit or a run while striking out 13 and walking 5 in 8 1/3 innings of work. The two-time All-Star is a game-changer and is controllable through 2023. The Brewers need to quickly retool somehow because they have one of, if not the worst, farm systems in baseball. This trade would allow them to build back their system while solving their long-term catching position with Amaya while Marquez would immediately become their top pitching prospect and Franklin wouldn’t be far behind.

The backup (and more realistic) plan would be to deal for Trevor Rosenthal of the Royals, but Chicago is built to win now and it’s time for Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein to try and go big one more time with a mammoth trade for Hader.

Cubs cutting a bunch of staff in scouting and player development.

This really sucks for them, hate to see it happen.

Also sucks for the team given how they just overhauled these departments in hopes of building a better pipeline.

Just ugh all around.

happ(LF) / rizzo / baez / schwarber(DH) / contreras / heyward / bote / kipnis / almora(CF)

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

giants/dodgers are talking about whether they will play tonight.

we might be on the cusp of a full sports strike if this keeps flowing.

also, jason heyward is not playing tonight for similar reasons and d.ross is in full support (he was initially in the lineup).  according to p.mooney, the rest of the team is playing with the support/urging of heyward.

buckle up sports fans.

Trump demands MLB follow CDC new guidelines. No covid testing unless there are symptoms. Season over. 

Just kidding. But the CDC taken down by corrupt and stupid politicians is deplorable. 

awww... epic cubs comeback ends short on a lightning-fast comebacker to the pitcher.

at least things got good for a little while.

[ ]

In reply to by Jackstraw

i have no idea what's been so important about pumping money into supporting candidates down ballot on the state level, myself.  it's not like there's some thin margin of moderate and "extreme" R, but the ricketts family has been picking favorites in primary battles.

on the national level, senators ben sasse and deb fisher are very safe and not going to age out at any time soon.

Ian Happ did not look comfortable in RF last night. I wonder if he was having trouble with the lights or if he just wasn't seeing the ball well.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

"MLB commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement Thursday saying that he "has not attempted in any way to prevent players from expressing themselves by not playing, nor have I suggested any alternative form of protest to any Club personnel or any player."



This is in response to a hot mic moment from Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, who indicated that Manfred suggested the Mets and Marlins stage something more in line with a symbolic walkout before playing an hour later than originally scheduled as opposed to a full postponement. Van Wagenen later retracted his comments and apologized to Manfred, saying that symbolic gesture idea was actually Jeff Wilpon's."

STL loses both games of their double-header tonight.  they're still in 2nd place, but with a 11-11 record (cubs 18-12).

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.