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

Rojas & Morel Lead the Way at Sloan Park

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" 

Comments

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  

[ ]

In reply to by Dolorous Jon Lester

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. 

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

[ ]

In reply to by Childersb3

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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

  • 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.

  • 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).