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

Triantos Goes Full Beast Mode at Instructs

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

James Triantos belted an RBI triple in the bottom of the first and crushed a tape-measure three-run HR in the 5th, Cristian Hernandez tripled and scored in the first, collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the 2nd, and drilled an RBI double and scored in the 5th, Haydn McGeary blasted a two-run HR, and four pitchers combined to hurl a three-hitter, as the Cubs "Red Squad" battered the Cubs "Blue Squad" 9-2 in AZ Instructional League intasquad game action Tuesday afternoon at Sloan Park In Mesa, AZ. 

Pedro Ramirez singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Ismael Mena tripled and scored to account for the Blue Squad's three hits and two runs.  

The game was pre-planned as a six-inning contest. 

Prior to the game, Nazier Mule and Koen Moreno threw one inning each (twenty pitches) of "live" BP, with Kevin Alcantara, Parker Chavers, and Raino Coran serving as the hitters.   

The AZIL Cubs have played only three games in the last ten days, instead spending most of their time working on ocular training, situational hitting, baserunning drills, fielding practice, cut-off drills, bullpen side sessions, and "live" BP, in addition to matriculating in the Pitch Lab and the Hitting Lab.  

Here is the box score from the game: 
CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" LINEUP: 
1. Pedro Ramirez, 2B: 2-3 (1B, 1B, F-8, R, RBI, SB) 
2a. Erbin Jaque, CF: 0-2 (K, 6-4 FC, PO) 
2b. David Avitia, C: 0-1 (K) 
3. Moises Ballesteros, C-DH: 0-2 (K, 4-3) 
4. Rafael Morel, 3B: 0-2 (L-4, 6-3)
5. Jefferson Rojas, SS: 0-2 (6-3, 6-3) 
6. Ethan Hearn, DH #1: 0-1 (K, BB, CS)
7. Anderson Suriel, 1B: 0-0 (BB, BB) 
8. Josefrailin Alcantara, RF: 0-2 (6-4 FC, K) 
9. Brayan Altuve, LF: 0-2 (K, L-8)
10. Ismael Mena, DH-CF: 1-2 (3B, 1-3, R) 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" LINEUP:
1. Reggie Preciado, 3B: 1-3 (K, 1B, 6-3, RBI)
2. Cristian Hernandez, SS: 2-2 (3B, L-8 SF, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI) 
3a. Andy Garriola, RF: 1-2 (K, 1B) 
3b. Christian Olivo, PH: 1-1 (1B, R, SB)
4. James Triantos, 2B: 2-3 (3B, 5-3, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI) 
5a. Haydn McGeary, 1B: 1-2 (HR, K, R, 2 RBI) 
5b. Frank Hernandez, PH-RF: 0-0 (BB) 
6a. Alexis Hernandez, DH: 0-1 (BB, 6-3, PO) 
6b. Adan Sanchez, C: 0-1 (F-9) 
6c. Carlos Ramos, C: NO AB
7a. Miguel Pabon, C-DH: 1-2 (1B, 4-3)
7b. Malcom Quintero, PH-1B: 0-1 (P-5) 
8. Cristian More, LF: 0-2 (6-4 FC, 4-3, R, SB) 
9. Ke'Shun Collier, CF: 0-1 (HBP, L-7, R) 
10. Yoanis Aleksandrov, DH #2: 0-0 (BB, R) 
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" PITCHERS: 
1. Michael McAvene: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 26 pitches (16 strikes) 
2. Luis Rujano: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 4/1 GO/AO, 34 pitches (22 strikes) 
3. Eligio Paredes: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 2/3 GO/AO, 33 pitches (17 strikes) 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" PITCHERS: 
1. Max Bain: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 0/1 GO/AO, 13 pitches (10 strikes) 
2. Yoendris Gonzalez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 PO, 3/0 GO/AO, 28 pitches (17 strikes) 
3. Carlos Garcia: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 3/1 GO/AO, 34 pitches (17 strikes) 
4. Wilber Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/AO, 12 pitches (10 strikes) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" ERRORS: 1 
1B Haydn McGeary: E-3 (missed catch on pick-off attempt allowed runner to advance to 2nd) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Moises Ballesteros: 0-1 CS, 1 PO
2. David Avitia: 0-1 CS 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Miguel Pabon: 0-1 CS, 1 PB 
2. Adan Sanchez: 1-1 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 8 (including Cubs PBO Jed Hoyer) 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

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

Tags
2022 Cubs AZ Instructional League
James Triantos
Cristian Hernandez
Haydn McGeary

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 10/11/2022 - 10:48 pm

PITCHING REPORTS FROM THE GAME (10/11)  : 

Michael McAvene: 
FB: 92-95, SL: 83-84, CT?: 86-88 
NOTE: Heater was mostly sitting at 95 / FB velo up three ticks from last outing when he threw only two FB (both 92)
: 
Max Bain: 
FB 95-97, SL 83-85, CH: 85-86   
NOTE: He has re-worked (simplified) his delivery and is throwing a much higher percentage of strikes 

Yoendris Gonzalez: 
FB: 93-96, CH 82-83, CV: 78-81 
NOTE: Very "heavy" (high RPM) FB gets mostly weak contact 

Carlos Garcia: 
FB: 91-94, CV 72-75, CH: 86-87 
NOTE: 2S FB gets a lot of ground balls 

Luis Rujano:
FB 92-95, CV 79-82, CT? 88-89 
NOTE: FB velo up a tick or two and threw much higher percentage of strikes than last outing 

Eligio Paredes:
FB: 90-93, CV 75-77 
NOTE: FB got hammered, CV is a swing & miss pitch  

Wilber Rodriguez:
FB: 95-97, SL: 84-86 
NOTE: An older, big, mean, scary RHRP who could move VERY quickly 

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Wed, 10/12/2022 - 10:33 am

That's awesome news on Bain.

Any of these guys particularly stand out to you, Phil? I'm sure the high profile guys do, like Hernandez, Triantos, Ballesteros, but any slightly more under the radar types we might see either move fast or slowly but surely climb the organization ladder? Either among pitchers or position players?

Hows McGeary's catching, by the way? Noticed he played 1B in this game.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 10/11/2022 - 10:04 pm

seems wilber rodriguez is 22, almost 23.

that's a long way from the 17 years old he was this off-season (unless that was reported wrong).

how does someone hide a mid-90s fastball til your early 20s?

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 10/13/2022 - 10:38 am

carlos correa will opt out of his contract with the twins.

he leaves behind 2 player options for 35.1m a year.

[ ]

Submitted by Alexander Dimm on Sat, 10/15/2022 - 10:09 am

Sutter, Rueschel and Burt Hooten.  I remember when they were rookies.  Sutter was amazing with the split-finger fastball (It wasn't a forkball).  If I remember right, Billy Conners taught him the pitch.  He was really the first, or one of the first, guys to come up as a relief pitcher, not as a starter, and become a full time closer.  In my feeble mind, he really changed the game for the better.  RIP Mr. Sutter.  

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/15/2022 - 10:29 pm

Long-time Cubs minor league roving pitching instructor Freddy Martin taught Bruce Sutter the split-finger FB.  Martin liked to teach the pitch whenever he encountered a pitching prospect with exceptionally large hands and long fingers, because those attributes were required for the pitch to be effective. Of course learning how  to throw the pitch was one thing, but commanding it was another matter entirely. Sutter fit the bill on both counts, and quickly became Freddy's star pupil, and it made Freddy famous. Unfortunately, Freddy died from cancer shortly after Sutter reached the big leagues.   

Prior to joining the Cubs as a coach in 1961, Martin spent 25 years (with time out for WWII) pitching in the minor leagues and in Mexico. He was a charter member of the Cubs infamous College of Coaches in 1961, a band of instructors who rotated between the MLB club and the Cubs various minor league affiliates. Even after it was disbanded at the big league level when Leo Durocher became manager post-1965 season, the College of Coaches carried on in the Cubs minor leagues for many years, with baseball "lifers" like Freddy Martin, Buck O'Neil, Elvin Tappe, and Lou Klein (to name just a few) going from affiliate to affiliate year after year to teach apt pupils what they knew about the game.

Many of the members of the College of Coaches were also scouts, and it was not unusual for one of them to sign a prospect and then personally coach the player in the minor leagues, like Buck O'Neil signing Lou Brock off the campus of Southern University and then coaching him as he moved up through the Cubs system to the big league club. (Too bad Buck never had a chance to be "head coach," because if he had, I doubtr the Cubs would have traded Brock).   

Phil Wrigley's College of Coaches (sometimes spelled "Kollege of Koaches" by its detractors) was actually way ahead of its time. While the concept of a rotating head coach and athletic director was dismissed out of hand by veteran MLB players and other MLB clubs, the idea of roving instructors rotating from minor league affiliate  to minor league affiliate is not too different from today's minor league pitching, hitting, infield, outfield, and baserunning instructors and coordinators.   

In addition to the College of Coaches, Phil Wrigley was also behind the creation of the Arizona Instructional League in 1960, designed as a place for the organization's better prospects to go after the conclusion of the minor league season to play games and receive instruction all in one place from the organization's instructors.   

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 10/14/2022 - 10:16 pm

bruce bochy looking to get back into the game.

he met with the rangers GM yesterday.  chris young is the rangers GM, btw...the ex-pitcher...that bochy managed in SD.

Recent comments

  • 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). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

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