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, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* 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
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

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




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Rojas & Morel Lead the Way at Sloan Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Jefferson Rojas belted a two-run HR to cap a three run first inning and drilled an RBI single and stole a base in the sixth, Rafael Morel singled three times, stole a base, scored three runs, and drove-in a run, Pedro Ramirez singled, walked, stole two bases, and scored a run, and SP Nick Hull and three relievers hurled seven innings of one-run ball and struck out ten, as the Cubs "Blue Squad" defeated the Cubs "Red Squad" 6-1 in AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Friday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Andy Garriola laced a single and a double, stole a base, and scored a run for the "Red Squad" in a losing cause.  

The game was pre-planned as an eight-inning contest. 

Here is the box score from the game: 
CUBS "RED SQUAD" LINEUP: 
1a. Ke'Shun Collier, CF: 0-3 (E-6, K, K, CS) 
1b. Carlos Ramos, C: 1-1 (1B) 
2. Reggie Preciado, 3B: 1-4 (1B, F-8, K, L-9, SB) 
3. Cristian Hernandez, SS: 0-4 (L-9, K, K, F-8)
4. James Triantos, 2B: 1-3 (K, 1B, BB, K) 
5a. Moises Ballesteros, 1B: 0-2 (F-8, 4-6-3 DP) 
5b. Miguel Pabon, 1B: 0-0 (BB) 
6a. Andy Garriola, RF: 2-2 (1B, 2B, R, SB) 
6b. Cristian More, CF: 0-1 (6-3 DP) 
7a. Malcom Quintero, C: 1-2 (K, 1B, RBI)
7b. Yoanis Aleksandrov, C-DH: 0-1 (K)  
8. Alexis Hernandez, DH-LF: 0-2 (BB, P-4, K) 
9a. Christian Olivo, LF: 1-2 (P-4, 1B) 
9b. Frank Hernandez, RF: 0-1 (L-8) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" LINEUP:
1. Pedro Ramirez, 2B: 1-3 (BB, F-7, 1B, K, R, 2 SB) 
2. Ismael Mena, CF: 0-4 (K, F-8, 1-3, P-4) 
3. Haydn McGeary, C-DH: 0-3 (5-3, 6-3, 5-3) 
4. Rafael Morel, 3B: 3-3 (1B, 1B, 1B, 3 R, RBI, SB)
5. Jefferson Rojas, SS: 2-3 (HR, F-9, 1B, R, 3 RBI, SB) 
6. Ethan Hearn, DH #1: 1-3 (6-3, 1B, K, RBI, SB) 
7. Anderson Suriel, 1B: 1-3 (4-3, K, 1B) 
8. Josefrailin Alcantara, RF: 0-2 (K, K, BB) 
9. Erbin Jaque, LF: 0-2 (K, BB, K, R, SB)
10. Brayan Altuve, DH #2: 0-1 (K, BB) 
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
11. Adan Sanchez, DH-C: 0-2 (P-3, K) 
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER

CUBS "RED SQUAD" PITCHERS: 
1. Grant Kipp: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 4/2 GO/AO, 41 pitches (24 strikes) 
2. Michael Arias: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 0/2 GO/AO, 37 pitches (21 strikes) 
3. Max Bain: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/AO, 15 pitches (11 strikes) 
4. Luis Rujano: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 20 pitches (10 strikes) 
5. Michael McAvene: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 12 pitches (7 strikes) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD PITCHERS: 
1. Nick Hull: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 0/4 GO/AO, 50 pitches (34 strikes)  
2. Brandon Birdsell: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 1/1 GO/AO, 26 pitches (21 strikes) 
3. Frankie Scalzo Jr: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 1/1 GO/AO, 31 pitches (16 strikes) 
4. Mason McGwire: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/AO, 14 pitches (6 strikes) 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" ERRORS: 2 
1. SS Cristian Hernandez: E-6 (fielding miscue allowed batter to reach base safely) 
2. P Michael Arias: E-1 (errant pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed runner to advance to 3rd) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Malcom Quintero: 0-1 CS 
2. Yoanis Aleksandrov: 0-3 CS 
3. Carlos Ramos: 0-2 CS, 1 PB 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Haydn McGeary: 1-3 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 13 (including Mark McGwire)

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen" 

Tags
2022 Cubs AZ Instructional League
Jefferson Rojas
Rafael Morel

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/07/2022 - 10:51 pm

PITCHNG REPORTS FROM THE GAME: 

Nick Hull:
FB 90-92, SL 83-85 

Grant Kipp:
FB 87-91, CV 78-79, SL 80-82, CH 83-84  

Michael Arias: 
FB 96-98, CV 79-80, CH 86, SL 83-87  

Brandon Birdsell: 
FB 92-95, CV 76-77, SL 82-83, CH 86-88 

Frankie Scalzo Jr: 
FB 93-95, CV 77-80 

Max Bain: 
FB 96-97, SL/CT: 85-88, CV 82-83 

Luis Rujano: 
FB: 91-94, CV 76-80 

Mason McGwire: 
FB: 92-94, CH/SPLIT: 85-88

Michael McAvene: 
FB: 92, CV 81-82, SL/CT 86-87  

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:23 am

DJL: I don't remember what Scalzo's FB velo was last year at instructs or at Minor League Camp, but 95 seems to be his top out velo. Keep in mind these instructs velo readings are calibrated and certified, while the guns at college stadiums and minor league ball parks are usually not, so sometimes you will see an unusually high FB velo that's not real in a college or minor league game during the season that is one or two or sometimes even three MPH too "hot." 

Michael Arias is a converted SS and his FB velo has been consistently 96-98 all year. The problem is his secondary pitches. He found a slow CV at the end of ACL that he could command but it tended to hang. The slider is more electric but he can't command it consistently. The CH is new. I hadn't seen it before. Bottom line is, he has to find at least one effective and reliable seconday pitch that he can command. 

Submitted by Childersb3 on Fri, 10/07/2022 - 10:27 pm

Phil, any thoughts on Birdsell? Any one particular pitch of his grab your attention?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:18 am

Childersb3: Birdsell's FB/SL combo is really good. He also throws a CV and a CH but they're just "show me" pitches at this point. If he can refine all of his pitches he can be a SP, but otherwise the FB/SL combo should play pretty well out of the pen at the higher levels. 

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:43 pm

jackson "the artist formally known as clint" frazier elects FA, shocking no one.

1.5m gamble.  like the 4m defense-only SS they signed, it was a stupid gamble.  frazier's D in the OF is schwarber-eque on a good day.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:30 pm

ESPN not moving games going into extras to make way for scheduled college football.

that's at least some respect ESPN is putting on the game.  TB/CLE game is great.  boog and glanville on the mic.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:49 pm

2 games down to the last out in the 9th with the tieing run at the plate at the same time...hell of a day of baseball drama.

SD goes down (series tied 1-1) and STL stays alive with a hit.

...and STL is done, PHI win the series.  arenado/goldschmidt went 1-15 in the 2 games.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 11:14 pm

The winner of the Glendale Desert Dogs at Mesa Solar Sox game played this afternoon at Sloan Park would get one of the two slots in Friday's AFL play-in game in Peoria that will determine the opponent for the first place Surprise Saguaros in Saturday's AFL championship game in Scottsdale.  

Unfortunately for the Solar Sox, the Desert Dogs rallied for seven runs in the 8th (none of the runs scored off Cubs pitchers) to overcome a 4-3 deficit and take the first slot in the play-in game by a score of 10-4. 

However, despite the loss, the Solar Sox have not been eliminated, as the winner of tomorrow afternoon's Peoria Javelinas versus Mesa Solar Sox game at Sloan Park will get the second slot in the Friday's play-in game. 

So coming into Wednesday's game the Solar Sox had two chances to secure a play-in game slot. They had to win just one of their last two games, both at home. They lost the first one, but they still have one left. 

Recent comments

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: I think there was an issue with Luke Little coming into a game with men on base. He seems to need a "clean" inning to be dominant. So he is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AAA. Same goes for Michael Arias. He needs to come into a "clean" inning, and is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AA. Porter Hodge is a more versatile pitcher, a better version of Keegan Thompson (multi-inning RP). But Little, Arias, and Hodge (probably in that order) are the Cubs top three RP prospects (all three are Cubs Top 15 prospects).

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    So, let’s do a little war gaming. Taillon is back for tonight’s game. He pitched two rehab games, just a few innings each, and not especially sharp. Let’s face it, he hasn’t been lights out since the Cubs gave him the big contract. In other words, as flat out bad as Hendricks has been, the chances of Taillon being the savior don’t look exactly promising.

    If Taillon is equally ineffective or perhaps even worse, what’s the next move? Winning teams can often find a way to work around a dud fifth starter - kinda. Two dud starters make things much more difficult.

    I believe the biggest reason for the recent bullpen moves was dissatisfaction with the recent blowing of big leads and the recognition that the bullpen wasn’t all it was thought to be. In other words, they are exploring alternate options and configurations. If similar juggling becomes necessary (even more so than it already is), what kind of reasonable maneuvering do we think could be explored?

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