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 vs. Padres: Series Thread (Games 60-63)

The Cubs return from a demoralizing series un New York for a seven-game stretch at home. They'll spend the first four games of that stretch raking on a strong San Diego ball club. See below for matchups such as they stand.


Game 60, Monday, June 13, 7:05 pm central

CHC: LHP Justin Steele (1-5, 4.79 ERA)

SDP: RHP Yu Darvish (5-3, 3.61 ERA)


Game 61, Tuesday, June 14, 7:05 pm central

CHC: RHP Kyle Hendricks (2-5, 5.22 ERA)

SDP: TBD


Game 62, Wednesday, June 15, 7:05 pm central

CHC: TBD (possibly Caleb Kilian)

SDP: TBD


Game 63, Thursday, June 16, 1:20 pm central

CHC: TBD (possibly Matt Swarmer)

SDP: TBD

Comments

You heard it here first, folks, the Cubs are going to rake against the Padres!

Probably delayed start. Chicago is under tornado watch with sirens blaring. Those interested can see and hear at Wrigley cam

7 losses in a row...14 games under .500...26 out 30 in MLB...102 games to go.

3rd largest media market in the nation...4th most valuable franchise in MLB (not counting ownership-owned real estate surrounding the park)

if you hate yourself as much as i hate myself, you can watch tonight's game free on mlb.tv

hendricks will be serving up home runs to the padres as the cubs try to get out of a 7 game losing streak.

Ruh roh, Liam Hendriks out with forearm strain. Could David Robertson's phone be ringing (or will they not go down that road again)?

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

sometimes it has to get closer to deadline so competition for talent can heat up, but you gotta imagine the cubs are picking up any phone calls about moving robertson, givens, or contreras...or any of the other simoniz and infield rake level talent.

i hate contreras going, but it seems to be sure thing to happen.  it would be i.happ being traded that would concern me about 2023.

I guess Eric Stout took the bullet to keep Schwindel from wearing out his arm. Gotta save those 38 mph ephus pitches for a time when they really count!

On a positive note: the Cubs are the best scoring team in baseball thru one inning. If only they can build up some stamina. On a negative note: innings 2-9.

soriano is at wrigley today!  neat.

he's in stellar shape for a 46 year old.  he looks like he could pick up a bat and strike out 4 times without breaking a sweat.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

2012 cubs were put together to fail.  it was a hard 3 years.

i'm not at all convienced that they were trying to win in 2015 (97 wins) even though things clicked in 2015.  they picked up j.lester as a keeper (much like m.stroman now), traded for m.montero, and d.fowler was signed to 1y deal (and not traded because they were winning).

kilian's 1st pitch in the 2nd goes about 10ft over the catcher....that was something...

booth pretending like it didn't happen for some reason.  that's just...weird.

Kilian does NOT have his strikeout pitch working tonight. Zero strikeouts through four innings. Not to mention the five BBs. In his first start, he had 6 Ks in 5 IP vs. the Cards.

[ ]

In reply to by JoePepitone

he's been terrible and it's lucky he's only given up 5 runs.  command/control hasn't been there at all and if the team was more healthy/robust/rested he probably wouldn't have been out for the 3rd inning.  hell, he started the 2nd throwing like yips-era rick ankiel.

At 32 mph (per Gameday), I believe I have seen the slowest pitch ever in a major league game, courtesy of Frank Schwindel. 

On the bright side, tomorrow's pitching matchup (Swarmer v. Musgrove) is in our favor. Musgrove (7-0, 1.50 era) is due for a regression to the mean. :)

One day, Jed or someone else will have the Cubs ready to win every yr like STL, SF, LAD, etc. To compete for a playoff spot without sell-offs and rebuilds. But Theo and Jed knew that the farm system just wasn't setup for that in 2012 and now in 2022. Theo got off track trying to win a 2nd WS. And he couldn't develop the arms he drafted and signed in IFA. Hopefully Jed will be able to start the system on this systemic path of production. But another rebuild was needed. The Ricketts will need to be able to spend at least 150mil every yr to do this. STL spends no more than that. And some years we'll need 200mil. The Marquee Network will hopefully be all settled down by then. It won't ever be the YES network but whatever. Cubdom will need to be patient this summer. Frank/Wis/Ort/JHey/Simmons/Villar weren't meant to win, just hopefully be flipped for future assets at best. Future assets meaning quality draft picks and Int FA signings as well. Of course the Simmons signing seems inexplicable. But he fit the profile of the others I guess. One WS title and Cubs fans forgot about pain and embarrassment. We all grew up with that. We'll survive folks.

[ ]

In reply to by Childersb3

hard to set up a farm system to win in the near-future when you trade almost everyone of value you're holding for a bunch of 18-21 year olds.  they shifted some very high value guys (darvish, rizzo, bryant, baez, kimbrell) and some bonus 1-year contract guys (chafin, tepera, pederson, etc)...and they did it mostly for a slew of very young guys and roster filler.

this team didn't try to set itself up to win in 2022.  so many pieces traded, and only 3 MLB-close players of value were obtained...madrigal, heuer, and kilian.

these trades were designed by Jed, but it was most likely presured and guided by ownership for the sake of money.  all that talent traded for roster filler and guys 2-4 years away from being ready.

the "bright side" seems to be that is going to be 2 seasons of intentionally tanking (2021/2022) with a return to attempting to compete in 2023.

gotta give fans a reason to show up to wrigley in 2023 besides their new multi-story gambling/betting palace that seems to be their big priority for 2022.  they seem to be way more interested in all the real estate in and around the park rather than the people (fans and players) that make that real estate worth something.

Sampson back, Stout DFA.

Idk why it was Stout. He didn't look bad. Mark Leiter Jr keeps dodging those bullets and for the life of me I don't know why

Beginning today (Thursday June 16) post-2021 Article XX-B MLB free-agents can now be traded without restriction (for the Cubs, that's Givens, Gomes, Norris, Robertson, Simmons, Smyly, Stroman, and Villar).    

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

So, Phil, Here's what I got as far as regulars who are/should be above Replacement level:

Morel,  3b or Cf

Hoerner, 2b or SS

Suzuki, Rf

Happ, Lf or DH

Contreras, C

Stroman, K. Thompson, Steele (maybe), some assorted Rookie RPs.

So, if Jed trades Contreras, Stroman, and Happ, who plays every day at those spots?

Or, this is anything but a 're-load'. If, Cubs want to 'compete' in 2023 while waiting for Armstrong, Caissie, B. Davis, Herz, Wicks, and K. Franklin, etc al -- I sign one of the 3 Shortstops, a LH OF/DH masher, a #3 SP, and at least 2 quality RPs -- and keep the guys above.

If not, then I wish the Cubs brain trust would quit pissing on my leg and tell me it's raining.

[ ]

In reply to by George Altman

GEORGE A: Despite what the Cubs might say about it, this is a long-term rebuild, so it doesn't really matter if the Cubs call-up the entire Iowa Cubs roster to play in Chicago after the 2022 trade deadline or in 2023-24.  

BTW, ome of the problems with a rebuild is that it doesn't always work. 

In order for the Cubs to be a playoff-caliber team 2015-20 and win the 2016 World Series, - ALL - of the following had to happen, all of which was beyond the control of Epstein / Hoyer... 

1. The Padres had to be willing to trade Anthony Rizzo for Andrew Casher (who was inherited by Epstein / Hoyer from the Hendry  regime).

2. The Reds had to be willing to trade Travis Wood for Sean Marshall (who was inherited by Epstein / Hoyer from the Hendry regime). 

NOTE: At this point in time, Epstein / Hoyer traded Tyler Colvin and D. J. LeMahieu to the Rockies for 3B Ian Stewart, which was the worst trade Epstein/ Hoyer made up until the Quintana trade in 2017. 

3. The Indians had to leave Hector Rondon available for selection in the Rule 5 Draft. 

4. The Cubs signed three of the top 2012-13 IFA (Jorge Soler, Gleyber Torres, and Eloy Jimenez), all within a twelve-month period. 

5. The Orioles had to be willing to trade Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop to the Cubs for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevinger (Feldman was a sign & flip by Epstein / Hoyer, and Clevinger was inherited from the Hendry regime). 

6. The Rangers had to be willing to trade Kyle Hendricks for Ryan Dempster (inherited by Epstein/ Hoyer from the Hendry regime), and Carl Edwards and Justin Grimm for Matt Garza (also inherited from the Hendry regime).  

7. The Astros had to take RHP Mark Appel with the 1st overall pick in the 2013 draft, leaving Kris Bryant for the Cubs. 

8. The A's had to be willing to trade Addison Russell, Dan Straily, and Billy McKinney to the Cubs for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel (Samardzija was still another SP inherited by Epstein / Hoyer from the Hendry regime, and Hammel was a sign & flip who the Cubs re-signed after he became a FA again). 

9. Joe Maddon had to become available to manage the Cubs, which happened only because Rays GM Andrew Friedman got the Dodgers job.  

10. The Astros had to be willing to trade Dexter Fowler (who was in the last year of his contract) to the Cubs for Dan Straily (acquired from the A's in he Samardzija trade) and Luis Valbuena (who came to the Cubs via waiver claim). 

11. The Diamonbacks had to be wiling to trade Miguel Montero for RHSP Zack Godley (an Epstein / Hoyer draft pick who was a SP for AZ for a couple of years). 

12. Jon Lester, David Ross, Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward, John Lackey, and Jason Hammel had to be willing to sign free-agent deals with the Cubs and Dexter Fowler had to be willing to re-sign during Spring Training 2016, but only after it became apparent that the Cubs young studs (Arrieta, Rizzo, Bryant, Hendricks, Schwarber, and Russell) were the real deal.   

13. The Mariners had to be willing to trade Mike Montgomery for Paul Blackburn and Daniel Vogelbach, and while Montgomery did get the final out in Game # 7 of the 2016 World Series, it would be nice if the Cubs still had Blackburn. 

14. The Yankees had to be willing to trade Adam Warren for Starlin Castro, and then reacquire Warren plus Gleyber Torres (the Cubs # 1 prospect at the time) and Billy McKinney for three months of Aroldis Chapman. 

With the excception of the LeMahieu trade, after they took control Epstein / Hoyer did a fantastic job of being opportunistic and pouncing on the self-scouting mistakes made by other clubs, using what actually were some valuable MLB trade chips they inherited from the Hendry regime. (Epstein / Hoyer also inherited posotion players Javier Baez  D. J. LeMahieu, Willson Contreras, and Daniel Vogelbach from the Hendry regime).

And while they generally weren't particularly good at drafting players, Epstein / Hoyer did hit on their 1st round draft picks 2012-15 (Almora, Bryant, Schwarber, and Happ), something that most other MLB clubs don't do (see the Phillies for a recent example).   

But for Jed Hoyer to now depend on other clubs doing similar stupid shit that they did ten years ago requires the same kind of serendipity the Cubs benefitted from while building the 2016 championship team. And even then, the Cubs were down 3-1 in the 2016 World Series and had to win three in a row (including the last two in Cleveland) to win the World Series, and then they did not get back to World Series again. 

And the failure to develop pitching in-house post-2011 (something the Hendry regime DID do 2006-11, after Hendry's HS buddy Tim Wilken took over as scouting director) led to the trading of Gleyber Torres, Jorge Soler, Paul Blackburn, Daniel Vogelbach, Dylan Cease, Eloy Jimenez. Jeimer Candelario, and Isaac Paredes to acquire a SP (Jose Quintana) and various bullpen arms (Aroldis Chapman, Mike Montgomery, Wade Davis and Justin Wilson), not to mention a disastrous FA signing (Tyler Chatwood).    

So don't count on this rebuild to work like the other one did ten years ago. It might, or it might not. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

And for additional serendipity, the Cubs came thisclose to acquiring Randall Delgado from the Braves for Demp instead of The Professor from the Rangers. I will forever be grateful for Dempster's decision "to think about" that Braves trade, enabling the Cubs to switch gears to the Rangers. 

I'm thinking Delgado doesn't close out the Dodgers in the NLCS or start game 7 at Cleveland 

Cubs finally catch the Reds for last place. 10 game losing streak, Cubs hotter than the weather.

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.