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 @ Brewers: Series Thread (Games 79-81)

The Cubs started off their road-trip with an especially odd no-no but have followed up with three losses. They are now three games back in the division with a three-game set with the first-place Brewers that will put them at the season's midpoint. A sweep in either direction could determine the Cubs' approach to the trade deadline. The Brewers will have an advantage in that they have their top three starting pitchers going--possibly the best top three startes in the majors right now. See below for the pitching matchups.


Game 79, Monday, June 28, 7:05 pm central

CHC: RHP Kyle Hendricks (10-4, 3.84 ERA)

MIL: RHP Freddy Peralta (7-2, 2.11 ERA)

Hendricks last allowed an earned run three starts ago, allowing two solo homeruns to the Cardinals on June 12 en route to one of his eight consecutive victories. He's made only two bad starts this season, both to Atlanta in April. He also faced the Brewers twice in April, allowing two earned runs over 12 innings pitched.

Peralta has continued a breakthrough campaign in 2021, combining an already elite strikeout rate with a well below career average opponent BABIP. In four June starts he's allowed four earned runs across 24.1 innings while also striking out 31. He's 2-0 against the Cubs in three starts in 2021 and has allowed three earned runs in 15 innings pitched.


Game 80, June 29, 7:05 pm central

CHC: RHP Zach Davies (5-4, 4.31 ERA)

MIL: RHP Brandon Woodruff (6-3, 1.89 ERA)

Davies contributed six innings, including four strikeouts and five walks, to the Cubs' first combined no-hitter last time out. Prior to this season I had always thought of Davies as a pitch-to-contact groundball machine. But his most recent start has cemented the image of him now that I watch him on a regular basis; a soft-tosser who whittles and nibbles his way around hitters, walking hitters rather than giving in and getting by when he is able to miss out of the zone instead of in it. Somehow, this is Davies' first start of 2021 against his former team.

Like the other two starting pitchers the Cubs are facing in this series, Brandon Woodruff has gotten off to a blazing start and appears to be having a breakthrough season. Woodruff's breakthrough is really no surprise. The Brewers have been waiting and hoping that he would get a healthy season, and they've gotten a consistently awesome performance from Woodruff now that his body is holding up. He's one start removed from his only bad start, in which he allowed five earned runs over five innings in Colorado. To find another start in which he allowed at least three earned runs, you have to go back all the way to opening day.


Game 81, June 30, 7:05 pm central

CHC: RHP Jake Arrieta (5-8, 5.32 ERA)

MIL: RHP Corbin Burnes (3-4, 2.53 ERA)

June has skewed Arrieta's ration of decent to embarassing starts in the favor of "maybe retirement is coming for this guy." He has off been able to muddle through and eat some innings, but in two of his five June starts he has not been able to get into the fourth inning. Last time out, he allowed two earned runs over five innings against the Dodgers, striking out four, walking three, and allowing five hits. He's 0-2 in two starts against Milwaukee this season, having allowed four earned runs in 11 innings.

After four starts in which he looked nearly untouchable, Burnes came back to earth a bit at the end of April. He is still absolutely a strikeout machine who is stingy with walks. Opponents have been able to string together hits against him on occasion. The Cubs faced him once in April, striking out ten times over six innings and collecting a pair of hits and no walks. He continues to live off the cutter, throwing that upper-90s pitch more than 50% of the time. Lefties have still managed a bit better against him than righties, especially in Milwaukee where their WOBA is a full .100 higher than the right-handers'.

Comments

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Good, guess now I know to do something else with my evening.

Also Tepera to IL, Megill optioned. Nance back already, Adam Morgan purchased (wtf) and Duffy to 60 day.

I hate that they don't put Rizzo on the IL when he hurts his back. It drives me insane. They clearly made 40 man space for Adam Morgan

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

FWIW, Adam Morgan has not allowed a run in eight appearances at AAA in month of June: 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB 11 K .172 OBA, 0.80 WHIP, high ground ball rate. It's also possible he may have had a 7/1 opt-out. 

Also, Morgan has the same player profile as Rex Brothers: out of minor league options, cannot be outrighted without his consent, and eligible for salary arbitration post-2021 (he will not be a free-agent, unless he is released or non-tendered).  

g.marquez (COL) going into the 9th for COL vs PIT...no hitter in progress...only 86 pitches.

Every waiver-wire catcher looking around nervously and avoiding eye contact with the Cubs.

j.arrieta gives up 6 runs, but only 3 earned because of an arrieta throwing error.

moneyballs.

this game is hot garbage.

arrieta still sucks, p.wisdom is injured, cubs are down 7-8 in the bottom 4th...what else you got cubbies?

in other news, hoerner is supposed to be activated this weekend, but that might get moved up if p.wisdom is legit injured after his collision earlier in this game.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I expect OF Christian Franklin to have a breakout season at AA Tennessee in 2024. In another organization that doesn't have PCA, Caissie, K. Alcantara, and Canario in their system, C. Franklin would be a Top 10 prospect. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • 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.