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

21 Cubs Are Declared Minor League Free-Agents

21 Cubs minor leaguers were declared post-2021 MLB Rule 9 (formerly MLB Rule 55) minor league free agents at 5 PM (Eastern) on Sunday 11/7.
CUBS POST-2021 MLB RULE 9 MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS:

SIX-YEAR MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS
Jose Almonte, RHP 
Abiatal Avelino, INF
Joe Biagini, RHP 
Dakota Chalmers, RHP
Yovanny Cuevas, OF  
Johneshwy Fargas, OF 
Taylor Gushue, C
Mike Hauschild, RHP 
P. J. Higgins, C-INF 
Tyler Ladendorf, INF 
Ryan Lawlor, LHP 
Luis Lugo, LHP 
Dillon Maples, RHP 
Ian Miller, OF
Kohl Stewart, RHP  
Marcus Walden, RHP 
Joe Wieland, RHP 

SECOND CONTRACT MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS:
Juan Gamez, RHP (previously released by MIN)
Alex Katz, LHP (previously released by BAL)
Ryan Kellogg, LHP (previously released by CUBS)
Jackson McClelland, RHP (previously released by TOR)

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Only four of the 16 Cubs 2021 Rule 9 second-contract minor league players were declared free-agents, which means the other twelve are signed for 2022. 

Also, RHRP James Bourque, C Erick Castillo, OF Donnie Dewees, LHSP Ben Holmes, LHRP Bryan Hudson, RHRP Nicholas Padilla, C Tyler Payne, LHSP C. D. Pelham, C Raymond Pena, RHRP Eury Ramos, and RHRP Aneuris Rosario were eligible to be a Rule 9 minor league 6YFA, but each of them signed a 2022 minor league successor contract prior to being declared a 6YFA. Therefore, these players will now be eligible for selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft, so it is possible that one or more (like maybe Bryan Hudson?) could be added to the Cubs MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) when minor league reserve lists are established on 11/19 in preparation for the 2021 Rule 5 Draft. 

In addition, RHRP Adrian Sampson (who was sent outright to AAA Iowa on Friday) has until the end of today (Monday 11/8) to decide whether to accept his outright assignment and sign a 2022 minor league contract with the Cubs, or elect free-agency.  

A club receives no compensation for losing a minor league free-agent.

A minor league free-agent can sign a major league or minor league contract with any club (including the player's former club) without any restrictions, so it's possible that one or more of the Cubs minor league free-agents will eventually re-sign with the Cubs at some point during the off-season. However, if the Cubs offered a 2022 minor league successor contract to a player prior to the player becoming a free-agent, the club's offer going forward will certainly be less than what the player was offered to sign a minor league successor contract (if a club is willing to increase its offer or even offer the same money after a player declines to sign a successor contract, nobody would ever sign one).  

Comments

So the Cubs 190-man off-season Domestic Reserve List now stands at 182, with eight slots are open for free-agents who might be signed to minor league contracts in the coming days & weeks. (It will be 183 with seven slots open if Adrian Sampson accepts his outright assignment today and signs a 2022 minor league contract). 

AzPhil, 

Thoughts on Cubs chances of keeping Chalmers?

I mean, our pitching is lite everywhere. He should stay for the right price shouldn't he?

Today's Mesa Solar Sox game was probably the most entertaining and exciting AFL game I can remember.

Most AFL games really drag and despite the pitch clock the pace can get maddingly slow, but this game was different. 

Down 10-0 early, the Solar Sox stormed-back in the middle innings to edge the Scottdale Scorpions 11-10, thanks to five shut-out shut-down innings by Cubs RHP Caleb Kilian (acquired frrom SF in the Kris Bryant trade) in innings 4-8 and a clutch grand slam HR high over the right-centerfield fence by Andy Weber. 

Weber also lofted a high fly triple off the CF wall and scored on a sac fly, and likely AFL MVP Nelson Velazquez lined a double into the LF corner and blooped a single to CF. 

With the ability to play 2B-3B-SS, Weber is definitely staking a claim for a spot on the 40. 

Kilian needed only 51 pitches and five minutes or less per inning to cruise through his five innings of work, featuring a 93-96 T-97-98 FB and a sweeping swing & miss 76-79 MPH CV. This is the best I've seen Kilian throw. An amazing outing in what is an extreme hitter's league.   

SP Ryan Jensen was unable to miss many bats and was tagged pretty good early, despite mixing a 95-98 MPH FB, a hard upper 80's SL/CT, a CH, and a CV.

Kilian clearly knows how to pitch, and no question he is the better SP prospect of the two. Kilian could be ready for MLB sometime in 2022, Jensen probably not so much.  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

it would be nice if they'd televise more AFL games again.  i realize it's probably not worth it because of the cost to broadcast and have an announce team, but meh...

MLB.tv has an off-season package, but it's only for the dominican games (spanish language) and none of the other winter leagues.

if it wasn't $25 (or if other leagues were involved) i'd spring for it.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

CRUNCH: MLB Network will be televising the AFL "Fall Stars" game this coming Saturday and also the AFL Championship Game the next Saturday.

Cubs RHP Caleb Kilian, OF Nelson Velazquez, and INF Andy Weber have been named to the Fall Starts East roster, and there is a very good chance that Mesa will win the AFL East and play in the Championship game, with Kilian on schedule to start that game (again, presuming the Solar Sox win their division).   

Here is another write up by Baseball America on the AFL on Tuesday: 

Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — Velazquez has turned the Fall League into a combination of Christmas and Groundhog Day. Like clockwork, he gets up, takes quality at-bats, spits on tough offspeed pitches, makes loud contact and hits a ball a very long way. Then he goes home, goes to sleep, wakes up the next morning and does it all over again. This time, the victim was Peoria righthander and Pirates prospect Roansy Contreras, who was on such an upward trajectory this year that he made his big league debut.

In his first at-bat against Contreras, Velazquez worked the count full before getting a 94 mph fastball on the inner half of the plate. For most players, that might lead to a swing and miss or weak contact. Instead, Velazquez pulled his hands in, got the barrel to the ball and drove it some 400 feet down the right field line for a truly impressive combination of hittability and impact. His eight home runs are the the most in the league, and he also tops the circuit in average, RBIs, and slugging percentage. If he can catch Bryson Stott for the RBI crown, he will win both the traditional and sabermetric triple crowns.

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.