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 @ Cardinals: Series Thread (Games 44-46)

The Cubs (22-21) passed the one-quarter mark during the week and take on their division rivals, the first place Cardinals (25-18), for the first time in 2021. The slumping Brewers (21-22) have surrendered the second place spot to the Cubs for the time being. At just over a fourth of the way through the season, the Cubs have just about played to expectations. They've yo-yoed around .500 while getting some pleasant surprises in the early going (Kris Bryant, Jake Arrieta, Craig Kimbrel), and some significant disappointments (Zach Davies, Kyle Hendricks, several hitters). Most recently, Jason Heyward has headed to the IL with a hamstring issue, but lefty sluggers Joc Pederson and Ian Happ have stepped up their performances just in time to pick up some slack. The Cubs have an opportunity to cut the Cardinals' lead in the division during this three-game set. See below for the pitching matchups.


Game 44, Friday, May 21, 7:15 pm central

CHC: RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 5.27 ERA)

STL: RHP Carlos Martinez (3-4, 4.35 ERA)

Kyle Hendricks continues to work on his return to normalcy (and a reasonable ERA). Last time out, he went 8 efficient innings in a win against Detroit. He allowed only one earned run and struck out eight on his way to victory. Over his last three starts he's allowed six earned runs in 20 innings pitched, much of htat coming on soft contact, and he's collected 17 strikeouts. He looks more familiar each time out. Paul Goldschmidt has troubled him in the past, going 10 for 29 with six doubles and striking out only five times. New Cardinal Nolan Arenado and long-time redbird Matt Carpenter each have two career homers off of him while now other Cardinal on the active roster has taken him deep.

As recently as 2018, Carlos Martinez was the Cardinals' Opening Day starter. That same season, however, he found himself in the bullpen after a series of IL stints. Lat and rotator cuff injuries kept him in the bullpen throughout 2019, and he made 5 starts in the shortened 2020 season. That means his 7 starts in 2021 are the most he's made since 2018. He hasn't entirely found his footing. For one thing, he's not missing anywhere near as many bats as you would expect him to. His strikeout rate is about half of his career average. His fastball velocity is almost exactly where it was in 2020, under 94 mph on average, a couple of ticks below where he sat earlier in his career. He's gotten by, however, partly by allowing less than half a homer per nine innings. Cubs hitters Contreras and Happ have feasted off of Martinez with over 1.000 OPS for each of them in a total of 32 ABs (combined). Bryant, however, is 7 for 34 with 15(!) strikeouts.


Game 45, Saturday, May 22, 6:15 pm central

CHC: RHP Adbert Alzolay (2-3, 4.62 ERA)

STL: RHP Miles Mikolas (0-0, -.-- ERA)

Alzolay continued a run of remarkable consistency last time out by going five innings, allowing three earned runs (on two homers), and earning the win. He struck out only three, but otherwise this is more or less the start we've come to expect in early 2021. He's been nearly a two-pitch guy, using his fastball 48.9% of the the time and his slier 42.1% of the time. As might not surprise you, that's lead to a quick hook, especially when lefties are due to get their third look at him. It's probably ungenerous to focus too much on the next step forward for him--staying healthy and in the majors has already been a major step forward. But the next step is probably working a third pitch effectively into the mix. Perhaps he can lean on the changeup or curve to get lefties off-balance.

Mikolas missed all of 2020 due to surgery on the flexor tendon in his pitching arm. This will be his 2021 debut and the start of his third season as a Cardinal. He's held his own against the most formidale Cubs hitters. Eric Sogard is 3 for 5 with a homerun and two doubles off of him.


Game 46, Sunday, May 23, 6:08 pm central

CHC: RHP Zach Davies (2-2, 5.58 ERA)

STL: RHP Adam Wainwright (2-4, 4.63 ERA)

Like Hendricks, Davies has had somewhat of a comeback sub-plot. Over his last four starts, he's allowed only five earned runs in 21.1 innings and he's brought his walk rate back to earth. The core of the Cardinals lineup, Arenado, Carpenter, and Goldschmidt, have pretty much crushed him over their careers.

Adam Wainwright defied aging curves to enjoy a surprisingly strong 2020. He had his lowers ERA since 2015 and accrued 1.1 fWAR across 10 starts. He also enjoyed a .247 BABIP. The batted-ball fates have not favored him to that degree in 2021, however, and his ERA is back into the mid-4s. He's been up and down throughout his starts so far. He pitched a complete game against the Phillies back on 4/26, although he took the loss. Most recently, he allowed six earned runs to the Padres across 4 innings. Anthony Rizzo has seen a ton of him and appears not to enjoy it all that much: he has a .648 OPS in 60 ABs. Ian Happ is 8 for 14 with four homeruns off the veteran righty--not facing an Ace until he's on the wrong side of 35 has its advantages!

Comments

nice that mlb.tv is doing (nearly) full pre-game and post-game this season.  dunno if it's every team, but it's a lot of teams.

nico hoerner hits the hell out of the ball for a guy that gets very little elevation on what he hits.  it may be on the ground and/or into the gaps, but it's traveling quickly while doing it.

With a brutal anle injury for Jason Adam, do they have to 60 him with the MLB club to get his roster spot refunded, still? Or can they refund it with a MiLB stint?

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

TIM: Jason Adam can either remain on his Optional Assignment and be placed on the Iowa 7-day IL in which case he would continue to be paid at the minor league split salary rate and he would not accrue MLB Service Time, or if the Cubs find that they need his MLB 40-man roster slot at some point he can be recalled from his Optional Assignment and be placed directly onto the MLB 60-day IL in which case he will be paid at the MLB salary rate and he will accrue MLB Service Time beginning with the day he is recalled and placed on the MLB 60-day IL. So since recalling Adam and placing him on the MLB 60-day IL would mean he would be paid at the MLB rate and accrue MLB Service Time, the Cubs will want to wait as long as possible to do it, at least until they actually need his MLB 40-man roster slot.  

Also, if Adam is initially placed on the Iowa 7-day IL and then is later recalled from his Optional Assignment and placed on the Cubs MLB 60-day IL to free-up an MLB 40-man roster slot, time spent on the Iowa 7-day IL will - NOT - count toward the minimum 60 days he would need to spend on the MLB 60-day IL. Only days spent on an MLB 10-day IL (or MLB 7-day concussion IL) can be applied toward an MLB 60-day IL assignment. 

In addition, a player on an MLB 40-man roster can only be placed on the club's MLB 60-day IL or transferred to the MLB 60-day IL from the MLB 10-day IL or MLB 7-day concusion IL if the club's MLB 40-man roster is full (taking the 40 down to no less than 39 players and leaving at most one slot open), except in September if a player is placed on the MLB 60-day IL or transferred to the MLB 60-day IL the MLB 40-man roster must be full - AND - another player must immediately replace that player on the club's MLB 40-man roster. 

Jason Adam with an "open dislocation of the ankle" - If you want to ruin your next three meals, "Google Image" it.

arod bitching about how contreras is giving signals to the pitcher too early.  laments how a fastball high is coming and everyone knows it.

slider down/inside thrown for a strike looking.

arod still continues his rant as if that didn't happen.

I think the  ESPN booth has ARod tonight and I really never paid much attention to him as a color commentator, he is really really bad.  I'm putting on Pat and Ron (which I should have done anyway). Mute switch, check. Now where did I put that dang radio?

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

I really thought he might get better with practice, but I think he's actually less humble and no more insightful now than he was a couple years ago.

There's no good way to have an ESPN broadcast of your home team, of course. Maybe they're marketing strategy is to just go the "hate clicks" route?

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Why is there replay infrastructure if it's not going to be used to get calls right? Asking for a friend...

I hate that the infallible-machismo of umpires prevents them from admitting that there are calls that are just too close for them to see . It would actually make me respect them more since I would know that they weren't just fronting if they weren totally sure. 

I'm a Realtor & let me tell you, I call immediate BS on any seller that has been in a house for 20+ years & puts nothing on the condition report. Makes me more suspicious than actually telling me what has happened with the house.

ESPN mic'ing up the pitching mound so high in the mix is weird.

do we really need to hear every pitcher grunt?  yes, i guess...

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

On the ESPN broadcast, when the camera shot was showing the runner on 1st taking a lead & then cut to the standard CF view of the pitch, there seemed to be some sort of weird cut. Almost like the time stamps didn't align or the Matrix had a glitch. I wasn't sure if it was actually happening or if it was just me not being used to that shot cut. Probably me, but the timing sure felt off. 

contreras just took a kimbrel 100mph fastball off his (glove) wrist.

he's gonna stay in, but thankfully there's a day off tomorrow.

I really believe ESPN anything is unwatchable.  Baseball might be the worst because of ARod, or maybe because I forgot more about the game than he will ever know......and that's not a comment on my baseball IQ but that his peaks at about a 65.

Tribune article today says ESPN crew including Matt V and ARod called the Cubs game from monitors in Bristol Conn. Article says it's a handicap, no shit Sherlock.  I say ARod put in an unlistenable  effort. I realize there are many broadcasters still not attending road games in person but there is a difference between bad color commentary and screeching fingernails on a chalk board. Also, apparently the ESPN broadcast misspelled Harry Caray as "Carey"...predictably sloppy work unless it's a Yankee vs Redsox game.

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.