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

2023 Cubs Spring Training


2023 CUBS SPRING TRAINING ROSTER

40 players (MLB roster) 
32 players (Non-Roster Invitee - NRI )

* bats or throws left 
# bats both 

MLB ROSTER PITCHERS: 21 
73 Adbert Alzolay
72 Javier Assad 
25 Brad Boxberger 
86 Ben Brown 
56 Jeremiah Estrada 
28 Kyle Hendricks 
12 Codi Heuer 
47 Brandon Hughes * 
84 Ryan Jensen 
45 Caleb Kilian 
66 Julian Merryweather 
21 Ethan Roberts 
59 Michael Rucker 
41 Adrian Sampson 
11 Drew Smyly * 
35 Justin Steele * 
0 Marcus Stroman 
50 James Taillon 
71 Keegan Thompson 
19 Hayden Wesneski 
99 Rowan Wick 

NON-ROSTER PITCHERS: 17 
77 Ryan Borucki * 
49 Nick Burdi 
93 Danis Correa 
65 Tyler Duffey 
52 Roenis Elias * 
64 Jordan Holloway 
92 Bailey Horn * 
46 Anthony Kay * 
91 Ben Leeper
30 Mark Leiter Jr 
57 Brendon Little * 
61 Brailyn Marquez * 
58 Nick Neidert 
48 Vinny Nittolo 
39 Manuel Rodriguez 
95 Cam Sanders 
62 Eric Stout * 

MLB CATCHERS: 3 
75 Miguel Amaya 
18 Tucker Barnhart * 
15 Yan Gomes

NON-ROSTER CATCHERS: 3 
37 Dom Nunez * 
32 Luis Torrens 
67 Bryce Windham * 

MLB INFIELDERS: 8 
2 Nico Hoerner 
51 Eric Hosmer * 
1 Nick Madrigal 
20 Miles Mastrobuoni * 
6 Zach McKinstry *
5 Christopher Morel  
7 Dansby Swanson 
16 Patrick Wisdom 

NON-ROSTER INFIELDERS: 7  
60 Sergio Alcantara # 
13 David Bote 
79 Matt Mervis * 
43 Esteban Quiroz * 
98 Chase Strumpf 
83 Andy Weber * 
74 Jared Young * 

MLB OUTFIELDERS: 8 
88 Kevin Alcantara 
24 Cody Bellinger * 
80 Alexander Canario 
94 Brennen Davis 
8 Ian Happ # 
36 Trey Mancini 
27 Seiya Suzuki 
4 Nelson Velazquez 

NON-ROSTER OUTFIELDERS: 5 
70 Pete Crow-Armstrong * 
78 Ben DeLuzio 
89 Darius Hill * 
87 Yonathan Perlaza # 
40 Mike Tauchman * 

MANAGER 
3 David Ross 

COACHES
96 James Adduci (Assistant Hitting Coach)
63 Juan Cabreja (Assistant Hitting Coach - BP Coordinator) 
29 Andy Green (Bench Coach) 
33 Willie Harris (3rd base coach) 
68 Tommy Hottovy (Pitching Coach)
76 Dustin Kelly (Hitting Coach)  
90 Jonathan Mota (Assistant Bullpen Coach) 
55 Mike Napoli (1st Base Coach)  
81 Craig Driver (Game Strategy / Catching Coach)
53 Daniel Moskos (Assistant Pitching Coach) 
97 Alex Smith (Data Development & Process Coach) 
82 Johnny Washington (Assistant Hitting Coach) 
54 Chris Young (Bullpen Coach) 

OTHER
85 Garrett Lloyd (Bullpen Catcher) 

NUMBERS NOT CURRENTLY ISSUED:
9 (last worn by Javier Baez)
17 (last worn by Kris Bryant)
22 (last worn by Jason Heyward)
34 (last worn by John Lester)
38 (last worn by Brad Wieck)
44 (last worn by Anthony Rizzo)
69 (Cubs do not issue this number) 

RETIRED NUMBERS:
10 Ron Santo
14 Ernie Banks
23 Ryne Sandberg
26 Billy Williams
31 Ferguson Jenkins & Greg Maddux
42 Jackie Robinson

Comments

I-Cub promo schedule is out. Bobble head giveaways for Mervis, Kilian & Davis highlight it. Kisses of death? Last year by the time BD t-shirt night arrived he was back in Arizona rehabbing his back and Robel Garcia was wearing the #7 the t-shirts sported. 🤞

Stroman says on Twitter Post (or in a video) that PCA needs to be in Majors!

Marquee network folks say PCA could/plan is to skip AA and go to Iowa. Also said that would allow Alcantara to skip A+ and go to TN.

I'd love it, but no way that happens. Certainly not both skipping. PCA can jump to Majors from TN.

But, the report is that all the Cub veterans and Sutcliffe say PCA and Jaquar have already stoodd out quickly. Not surprising.

Sutcliffe also said Taillon is #1 SP and that Ben Brown stood above all others. Said his Curve was big league caliber.

And, all the Cub Vets say Mervis is a major league hitter. 

Well, at least it's nice to hear first impressions are what we had hoped.

Interesting that Brown impressed Sutty more than Wesneski, Jensen, Kilian, etc. I mean I love what Brown did last yr before and after the trade deadline. But, that's something to watch there!!

Just think: PCA comes up this season. He owns CF. Bellinger moves to 1B. Happ and Suzuki in LF/RF with Bellinger moving around if necessary. Suddenly we have an overloaded OF in Chicago. Still have prospects at every OF spot in IA, TN and SB. Mostly in MB. Depth!!

Mervis comes up for DH duty. Hosmer probably takes a back seat??

Now we add two lefty bats from within the system.

Alcantara eventually take Suzuki's spot. Maybe Happ's. 

 

There's nothing like overthinking the Cubs in Feb!!

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Also... 

Beginning in 2022, a player who finishes in 1st or 2nd place in BBWAA Rookie of the Year voting will automatically receive a full year of MLB Service Time for that season. 

In addition...   

PROSPECT PROMOTION INITIATIVE (PPI) COMPENSATION DRAFT PICK 

Beginning with the 2022 season, a PPI player is any player in an MLB club's organization who enters a season with rookie status and having accrued no more than sixty days of MLB Service Time and who is rated as a pre-season Top 100 minor league prospect by Baseball America, ESPN, and/or mlb.com Pipeline (at least two of the three), and then accrues a full year of MLB Service Time in his rookie season. Once a player receives PPI designation, he retains that designation going forward until he is traded or becomes eligible for salary arbitration (whichever comes first).  
EXCEPTIONS: A "Foreign Professional" player (at least 25 years old and has spent all or part of at least six seasons in a recognized foreign professional "major" league), or a player who signs a multi-year major league contract prior to making his MLB debut, or a player who signs a multi-year contract extension after his MLB debut that buys-out his first year of salary arbitration eligibility, cannot be designated a PPI player.  

An MLB club will receive a compensation draft pick between the first and second round of the next MLB Rule 4 Draft (First-Year Player Draft) if a PPI player wins the Rookie of the Year Award, and/or finishes in the top three in MVP and/or Cy Young Award voting prior to becoming eligible for salary arbitration.  

1. A club can receive no more than one PPI compensation pick in any one draft, even if more than one of its PPI players wins the Rookie of the Year and/or finishes in the top three in MVP and/or Cy Young Award voting;  

2. The same PPI player can generate a compensation draft pick in as many as three different drafts, as long as the player is not traded and/or has not yet qualified for salary arbitration.  

If a player selected with a PPI compensation draft pick does not sign, the club receives a compensation selection in the next Rule 4 Draft one slot lower than where the club selected the previous season. There is no further compensation if a player selected with that compensation draft pick does not sign.

A PPI compensation draft pick is subject to forfeiture if that club signs a player who was extended a Qualifying Offer from another MLB club prior to the Rule 4 Draft.

If a PPI player is traded prior to qualifying for salary arbitration, the player is no longer is designated a PPI player, and so he cannot generate a compensation draft pick for his new club.  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The Cubs have three potential PPI players in 2023:  

Pete Crow-Armstrong 
Brennen Davis
Kevin Alcantara 

PCA and K. Alcantara were rated pre-season 2023 Top 100 MLB Prospects by Baseball America, ESPN, and mlb.com Pipeline, and all three were rated 2023 Top 100 by Baseball America and mlb.com Pipeline. 

Brennen Davis and Cristian Hernandez were the only two potential Cubs PPI players in 2022, but neither got called up to MLB. 

first televised spring game this saturday (2/25).  woo.

stroman gets the start, sampson will piggyback afterwards.

d.ross on morel... “We’ve got some more established players,” Ross said. “I think he can bounce around the outfield for us as a fourth outfielder, or could be a utility player. He can play pretty much any infield position besides first. There’s a lot of growth potential there for him.”

the pitcher/hitter timer stuff really speeds up the game, a lot.  it's not like those past changes that shave a couple minutes off the game.  some people will like it.  it's a bit too rushed for my taste.

we're in the first day of spring training games and we've already got violations (machado, SD...who ended up getting a hit).

Marquee Network guys say the Cubs are gearing up for a trade to get a MLB 3B.

Rather big trade. 4/5 guys for a starting 3B

Mancini-Morel-Madrigal-Wisdom-Assad for the 3B...........okay??? Any guesses on who that would get? Don't see this happening.

Supposedly Cubs want Hosmer and Bellinger to be there 1B guys. 

Joe Girardi says PCA is MLB ready. He said some guys have that "look" at 20/21 yrs old. Joe said PCA would waste his time at AA. 150 ABs in AAA and call him up.

He also said Brennan Davis will break make the OD roster. 

Again, no way.

Gotta love ST prognostications!!

[ ]

In reply to by Childersb3

childersb3: Because he was a post-2022 Article XX-B MLB FA, Trey Mancini has an automatic full "no trade" through June 15th. He can waive that right, but if he does he can only be traded for $50,000 cash or player(s) with a maximum aggregate contract value of $50,000 (in other words, minor league player or players not an MLB 40-man roster).

And beyond that, I can't see why Mancini would waive his automatic Article XX-B "no trade" so soon after signing with the Cubs. Why would he do that? 

As for a third-baseman the Cubs might target, it could be somebody like Anthony Rendon (Angels), and if that is the case the Angels would almost certainly have to pay at least half of Rendon's 2023 $38M salary ($35M AAV) AND also take back contracts like Hendricks and Bote (about $17M combined AAV) so that the Cubs would not have to add any AAV to their 2023 payroll.

Even if something can be worked out for 2023, Rendon's annual contract AAV 2024-26 is $35M ($38M in actual annual salary 2024-26), and while trading Rendon would clear payroll so that it would be easier for the Angels to sign Ohtani to a post-2023 contract extension, the Angels would still probably have to pay-down some of Rendon's 2024-26 salary (possibly as much as half).

I could see the Mets maybe moving Eduardo Escobar ($9.5M in 2023 and $9M club option or $500K buy-out in 2024 -- $10M AAV hit in 2023 and also in 2024 if club option is exercised) if they think Bret Baty is ready. The Mets would probably have to take back David Bote in the deal for the Cubs to fit Escobar into the 2023 payroll, although the Mets could also get a Top 15 prospect back as well. 

Matt Chapman (Blue Jays) and Manny Machado (Padres) can be free-agents post-2023, but I doubt they will get traded unless Toronto and/or San Diego are unexpectedly out of contention at the Trade Deadline.  

So I guess the most obvious candidate is Ramon Urias (Orioles). He won a Gold Glove at 3B in 2022, he's under control through 2026, and he has HR power. Orioles top prospect Gunnar Henderson is projected to play 3B in MLB, which would make Urias expendable, although no way the Orioles just give him away. It might actually take Christopher Morel plus a SP prospect to get Urias, which might seem like an overpay, but it would fill a specific Cubs need with a player who is under club control for four years. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

I'd prefer a trade for Escobar over all these scenarios. Then, hoping he doesn't sign an extension with the Padres, go for broke on Machado.  With over $77M coming off the the 2024 payroll, they can certainly afford him. Davis & PCA in OF, Amaya platoon C, and Mervis DH will offer good, low cost replacements. That's what I'd do.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

AzPhil:

Wouldn't it be a fair argument to believe that Morel has a chance to better those guys?

Rendon is never healthy, and overpaid. 

Escobar is probably better than Morel today. Switch Bat. Veteran. Not expensive. Morel, Bote and a SP for him might happen.

Urias' bat seems comparable to Morel's potential. Glove obviously leans to Urias.

I don't think there's anything wrong with trying Morel at 3B.

We'll see

[ ]

In reply to by Childersb3

Childersb3: You may recall that I had Christopher Morel among my Cubs Top 15 prospects back when nobody even had him in their Top 30, so yes, I believe Christopher Morel has a higher ceiling than Eduardo Escobar and Ramon Urias. 

However...

When I see Christopher Morel right now I see a player who is very raw at the plate and in the field. He needs time at AAA to polish his game (probably at least one year, maybe more) to help him reach his potential as an MLB hitter and defender. 

So I  just don't see Morel as the Cubs # 1 3B in 2023, and whether he will ever be an everyday player at any one position or a "super-sub" capable of playing multiple positions (at least passably) is still TBD.  

As far as trading Morel right now is concerned, that depends on whether the Cubs see themselves primarily as still in rebuild /  development mode or as a legit 2023 playoff contender. 

At some point the Cubs will need to trade some of their prospects (especially position players, most especially outfielders) for established MLB players and/or MLB-ready or very near MLB-ready talent, most notably at 3B, catcher, and (whenever possible) more quality young arms like Hayden Wesneski and Ben Brown. 

The trades that immediately come to mind for me in this regard are the Angels trading OF Brandon Marsh to the Phillies for top catching prospect Logan O'Hoppe, the Marlins trading OF J. J. Bleday to the A's for LHP A. J. Puk, and the Cubs trading RHRP Scott Effross to the Yankees for RHP Hayden Wesneski.  

I could see the Cubs doing something similar with Christopher Morel.  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

A couple of additional things about Orioles 3B Ramon Urias. 

His winning the A. L. Gold Glove at 3B in 2022 was considered a surprise because he had no "reputation" as a gold glove caliber defender. However, the award is now based on measurable Statcast data and not reputation. 

Also, Urias was playing in a home ballpark in Baltimore where the LF wall was moved back at some points 30 feet and the height of the wall was raised from seven feet to 13 feet prior to the 2022 season, so his 2022 home / road splits are significant: 

HOME: 229/287/372 with 8 doubles & 8 HR in 65 games and 247 PA
ROAD: 272/328/467 with 9 doubles & 8 HR in 53 games and 198 PA

If you pro-rate his road numbers out over a full 162-game season, you get 24 HR and 27 doubles. 

And he is a "reverse split" guy who is better versus RHP than LHP. 

And as I said in the earlier comment, he is still pre-arbitration in 2023 and is under club control through the 2026 season. 

Adbert Alzolay, Zach McKinstry, Julian Merryweather, and Justin Steele come into the 2023 season out of minor league options, but the following NRI are also out of minor league options in the event any of them are added to the Cubs MLB roster in 2023:  

Sergio Alcantara, INF
Ryan Borucki, LHP 
Tyler Duffey, RHP 
Roenis Elias, LHP 
Jordan Holloway, RHP 
Mark Leiter Jr, RHP 
Mike Tauchman, OF 
Luis Torrens, C 

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.