Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

Last updated 10-2-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 22
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Brad Boxberger
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Tyler Duffey 
Jeremiah Estrada
Shane Greene
Kyle Hendricks
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
# Jeimer Candelario
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 8
Kevin Alcantara
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

60-DAY IL: 6
Nick Burdi, P
Michael Fulmer, P 
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Nick Madrigal, INF
Ethan Roberts, P
 

 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Rojas & Morel Lead the Way at Sloan Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/07/2022 - 10:34 pm

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

  • Childersb3 10/03/2023 - 10:46 pm (view)

    I understand this is a cost saving and control idea. But I wouldn't be happy giving up ONKC or Alcantara for Hayes and/or Bednar.

    I'm not saying they aren't good players. They are. They've never been "tested" with playing for a good team, but that isn't their fault. They produce good results. But not Jaguar and Big Red.

    Canario won't get to play for the Cubs, just like Velazquez, so he should probably go. Same for Mervis and Vazquez. Wesneski can get better but Bednar would certainly help us.

    But not to big power hitting OFs that are 21 yrs old and younger at AA already. I'm still holding out hope for the ONKC-PCA-Jag left to right OF. I'm just not giving up on that.

    Hayes for Morel kind of stings. I'd love for Morel to get a full year at 3B. Even if he failed there miserably, I'd like to give him a shot.

    Phil always comes up with common sense angles. This trade idea fills needs for sure and fills them with cost saving effective players.

    I'm thinking Morel goes to NYM for Alonso.

    We'll see what Jed cooks up.

  • Arizona Phil 10/03/2023 - 10:18 pm (view)

    It used to be that teams did not want to trade within their own division for PR reasons, but I don't see that with Ben Cherington in Pittsburgh or with Hoyer / Hawkins in Chicago, so the Cubs might target Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes and closer David Bednar.

    Hayes is a Gold Glove defender, a decent enough hitter (105 OPS+ in 2023), and he's under control at a VERY reasonable price ($8.75M AAV) through 2029 (with a club option for 2030). 

    Bednar is first-time salary arbitration-eligible post-2023 and under control through 2026. 

    One thing about the Cubs is that they can afford to overpay (which is what they would have to do to get both Hayes and Bednar) with a package consisting of a decent young MLB position player to replace Hayes in the lineup (like Christopher Morel, who could play LF in Pittsburgh) and prospects like outfielders Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, or Kevin Alcantara (Pirates pick one, leaving the other two for the Cubs), a power-hitting 1B-DH like Matt Mervis or Haydn McGeary (Pirates pick one, leaving the other one for the Cubs), SS Luis Vazquez (who is MLB-ready but will never play SS in Chicago), 3B B. J. Murray (who could replace Hayes at the hot corner in Pittsburgh by 2025 if not sometime in 2024, and he obviously would be blocked in Chicago if the Cubs get Hayes), and an MLB-ready SP like Hayden Wesneski. 

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:02 pm (view)

    boog and glanville calling the PHI@MIL game on ESPN2.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:59 pm (view)

    bellinger is my #1 want, but i fear he's the #1 want of many teams and will get crazy money + years, with the years being the big sting.  they need to replace bellinger's production if they don't get him no matter what position(s) played.

  • George Altman 10/03/2023 - 10:40 pm (view)

    I hope their top priorities are Bellinger, 2 RPs better than Fulmer/Boxberger (ideally 1 LH), and a 3B (Chapman my 1st Choice). That will put them right up to $237-257M AAV limit, but I don't see a playoff berth doing anything less.

    If they really want Alonso, Morel would be a good opening piece of that offer. 

    Unfortunately, Stroman will opt in ($23.7M) and Smyly ($11.5M) will be back. Steele, Taillon, Assad, Wicks will be rotation pieces. Would love a SP2 FA but don't see how they keep an effective offense and improve their bullpen while adding that.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    i cannot imagine getting a legit 3rd, whether signing or via trade, isn't the highest priority for the team.  it's almost obvious they don't see morel there.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:19 pm (view)

    I’m just hoping they have an actual 3B next year so we don’t need to worry about the M boys, Bote, and P Whiffy eating all the 3B at bats next year.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:13 pm (view)

    Willson was a OF/3B when we signed him too.

    On a less successful but still got to the show note, PJ Higgins was another college IF converted to C

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    truth...and personally, i'd give him ABs (especially at 3rd) over the 2 singles-hitting-ceiling guys that got the shot.  i'm sure he can cover the ob% and defense while surpassing the power of anything masterboney and madrigal brought to the team.

    i don't view bote as a solution at 3rd, but i find it hard to believe he couldn't outperform either of the main options they had there for a huge chunk of this season.

  • KingKongvsGodzilla 10/03/2023 - 10:47 pm (view)

    Color me impressed by this assignment for Trice right out of the draft as a convert. Seems worth following after the success of Caratini

Click HERE for the last 50 comments