Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

21 Cubs Are Declared Minor League Free-Agents

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

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).  

Tags
Cubs Minor League Free Agents

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 11/08/2021 - 11:53 am

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). 

Submitted by Childersb3 on Mon, 11/08/2021 - 11:02 pm

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?

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 11/08/2021 - 11:56 pm

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.  

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 11/09/2021 - 11:00 pm

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.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 11/10/2021 - 11:21 pm

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).   

Submitted by videographer on Wed, 11/10/2021 - 11:35 pm

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

  • crunch (view)

    i'd just like to take a moment to express to the world i'm still pissed willson contreras is not a cub when the pricetag was 5/87m (17.5m/yr).

    it would be nice to have a legacy-type player to stick around, especially one with his leadership and the respect he gets from his peers.  cubs fans deserved more than 1 season of contreras + morel...that was gold.

  • crunch (view)

    happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).

    he will be reevaluated tomorrow.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB 

    Just a difference of opinion

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

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