Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 


Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

South Bend Cubs Thump Emeralds at Riverview

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Andy Garriola clubbed a 420+ foot solo HR over the right-centerfield fence, singled, and drew a walk, Christian Franklin singled twice, walked, and drove-in two runs, Kevin Made singled, walked twice, stole two bases, and scored two runs, Haydn McGeary doubled, walked and scored a run, Jacob Wetzel belted a solo HR, and Tyler Santana and five relievers combined to toss a four-hitter, leading the South Bend Cubs (Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) to a 5-1 victory over the Eugene Emeralds (San Francisco Giants' Hi-A affiliate) on Field #6, and the San Jose Giants (Lo-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants) took advantage of ten walks, a HBP, a WP, a PB, and two costly errors to defeat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs' Lo-A affiliate) 4-2 on Field #5, in Cactus League minor league game action Tuesday afternoon at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

FIELD #6: 

SOUTH BEND LINEUP: 
1a. James Triantos, 3B: 0-1 (K) 
1b. Yeison Santana, 3B: 0-3 (6-3, L-3 DP, P-4) 
2. Moises Ballesteros, DH: 0-4 (4-3, K, 4-3, 4-3) 
3. Kevin Made, SS: 1-1 (1B, BB, BB, 2 R, 2 SB)
4a. Haydn McGeary, 1B: 1-2 (L-9, 2B, BB, R) 
4b. Miguel Fabrizio, 1B: 0-1 (L-9) 
5a. Christian Franklin, CF: 2-2 (1B, 1B, BB, 2 RBI) 
5b. Parker Chavers, CF: 0-1 (L-6) 
6. Cristian Hernandez, 2B: 1-4 (5-4-3 DP, F-8, 1B, K) 
7. Andy Garriola, LF: 2-2 (BB, HR, 1B, R, RBI) 
8. Casey Opitz, C: 0-2 (BB, K, K) 
9a. D. J. Artis, RF: 0-2 (K, E-6) 
9b. Jacob Wetzel, RF: 1-1 (HR, R, RBI) 

SOUTH BEND PITCHERS: 
1. Tyler Santana: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 2/1 GO/AO, 18 pitches (15 strikes) 
2. Sam Thoresen: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 1/2 GO/AO, 29 pitches (17 strikes) 
3. Chase Watkins: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 20 pitches (12 strikes)
4. Grant Kipp: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/AO, 15 pitches (10 strikes) 
5. Brody McCullough: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/AO, 12 pitches (6 strikes) 
6. Jarod Wright: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 23 pitches (16 strikes) 

SOUTH BEND ERRORS: 1 
3B Yeison Santana: E-5 (errant throw to 1st base on infield single allowed batter to advance to 2nd base)  

FIELD # 5: 

MYRTLE BEACH LINEUP: 
1a. Christopher Paciolla, SS: 0-2 (P-4, K) 
1b. Josue Huma, SS: 0-2 (F-8, L-8) 
2a. Jefferson Rojas, 2B: 1-2 (2B, F-9) 
2b. Juan Mora, 2B: 1-2 (2B, K, R) 
3. Adan Sanchez, DH: 1-4 (K, 2B, F-7, F-8, R) 
4a. Pedro Ramirez, 3B: 0-2 (F-8, K) 
4b. Reggie Preciado, 3B: 2-2 (1B, 1B, RBI) 
5a. Jefferson Encarnacion, LF: 0-1 (BB, F-9, PO) 
5b. Frank Hernandez, LF: 0-2 (K, K) 
6. Cristian More, RF: 1-4 (K, K, 1B, P-5) 
7a. Miguel Pabon, C: 0-1 (HBP, F-8) 
7b. Ronnier Quintero, C: 0-2 (K, F-7)  
8. Anderson Surriel, 1B: 0-3 (F-9, F-8, 3-U) 
9a. Ke'Shun Collier, CF: 0-2 (F-8, 4-3) 
9b. Ismael Mena, CF: 0-1 (E-4)  

MYRTLE BEACH PITCHERS: 
1. Erian Rodriguez: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 5 K, 1/1 GO/AO, 46 pitches (25 strikes) 
2. Branden Noriega: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 2/0 GO/AO, 25 pitches (14 strikes) 
3. Yovanny Cabrera: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1/1 GO/AO, 36 pitches (22 strikes) 
4. Oliver Roque: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 2/0 GO/AO, 36 pitches (16 strikes) 

MYRTLE BEACH ERRORS: 2 
1. 1B Anderson Surriel: E-3 (errant throw to 2nd base attempting 3-6 FC allowed runner to reach 2nd safely) 
2. P Oliver Roque: E-1 (errant pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed runner to advance 3rd) 

MYRTLE BEACH CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Miguel Pabon: 1-1 CS 
2. Ronnier Quintero: 1 PB 

ATTENDANCE: 37 

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy with temperatures in the 80's 

Arizona 
Scoring
Service 

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

Tags
Cubs Minor Leagues

Comments

Submitted by SheffieldCornelia on Wed, 03/15/2023 - 03:13 pm

AZ Phil, thank you as always for these reports!  I apologize if this has been asked before, but I will be in town next week with the family and we may try to catch a minor league spring training game or two.  What time in the afternoon do the games usually start?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 03/15/2023 - 03:53 pm

SHEFF: Usually 1 PM, but sometimes they move games to the morning or to the evening, and when they make a change it is often done at the last minute.  

For example, last night all of the Cactus League minor league games scheduled for today across Maricopa County were moved up to the morning to try and beat the rain, but the rain got here first and it looks like it's going to be here for most of the day. 

Submitted by tim815 on Thu, 03/16/2023 - 03:23 pm

AZ Phil, I have a question, and you can go with the short answer.

 

The Cubs seem to have more RP than I'm used to them having. Are there rules limiting trading minor-league free agents, like Roenis Elias, Mark Leiter, or Curtis Taylor?

 

So many keep-able arms.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 03/16/2023 - 03:31 pm

TIM:

SHORT ANSWER: 

There are no restrictions with respect to trading Elias, Leiter, and C. Taylor.  

LONG ANSWER:

Other than a contractual "no trade" (and those are almost always only found in multi-year MLB mega-contracts like Hosmer, Suzuki, Swanson, and Taillon have), the only MLB free-agents who get an automatic "no trade" are an Article XX-B MLB free-agent who signs a Major League contract after 11:59 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series, even if the player re-signs with his former club like Drew Smyly did. (Zack Britton and Mike Minor will get an automatic "no trade" through 6/15 if they get around to signing a major league contract one of these days). 

The automatic "no trade" extends through June 15th, then it expires. 

An Article XX-B MLB Free-Agent who receives "no trade" rights this way can waive the right, but if he does, his club can trade the player only for player contracts and/or cash with a maximum aggregate value of $50,000. (in other words, the player cannot be traded for a player or players on an MLB 40-man roster).

Note that a player who signs a Major League contract after becoming a free-agent by any other means like Outright Release (Hosmer), Non-Tendered, or Article XX-D or MLB Rule 9 minor league free-agent does NOT receive automatic "no trade" rights through June 15th. 

So for the Cubs, Barnhart, Boxberger, Fulmer, Mancini, Smyly, Swanson (who also has a contractual full "no trade"), and Taillon (who also has a contractual partial "no trade") have an Article XX-B automatic "no trade" through 6/15.

Hosmer and Suzuki have a contractual full "no trade" (Hosmer from his San Diego contract that is still in effect). 

Also, if an Article XX-B MLB free-agent signs a minor league contract at least ten days prior to MLB Opening Day, and then is not selected to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) or MLB 60-day Injured List by 12 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day prior to MLB Opening Day (that will be Saturday 3/25), the player can unilaterally opt-out of the minor league contract immediately, or on May 1st if he has not been added to an MLB Reserve List or MLB 60-day IL by that date, or on June 1st if he has not been added to an MLB Active List (25-man roster) or an MLB  IL by that date.
NOTE: The $100,000 retention bonus paid to an Article XX-B free-agent signed to a minor league contract who is not released or added to an MLB Reserve List or MLB 60-day IL by MLB Opening Day has been eliminated in 2023. 

Ordinarily the above paragraph related to automatic opt outs would have applied to Tyler Duffey, but he was not on an MLB 40-man roster when he became  a free-agent post-2022 (he was on a minor league reserve list), so he was not considered a post-2022 Article XX-B MLB free-agent even though he has accrued more than six years of MLB Service time in his career. He may very well have a contractual Opening Day opt-out, however. ((I strongly suspect he does). But that could be true for any FA who signed a 2023 minor league contract (especially for veteran guys like Elias, Leiter, and Tauchman). But it would have to be a contractual opt-out. It's not automatic. 

One other thing to keep in mind about trades later this season. While most minor league players can be traded after the MLB Trade Deadline, David Bote, Michael Kay, and Manuel Rodriguez cannot be traded after the MLB Trade Deadline because they were outrighted to the minors. That would also be true of any other player presently on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster who is outrighted between now and the MLB Trade Deadline. 

Submitted by KingKongvsGodzilla on Fri, 03/17/2023 - 03:12 am

Hey, I'm loving the new look this year. Any thoughts on this Erian Rodriguez kid? Nice to see he and Ronnier Quintero in these box scores

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 03/17/2023 - 03:15 pm

darren baker (WAS) hit a grand slam in the 9th vs his dad's team to tie the game.  WAS ended up winning, too.  add another random baseball thing to the "wow, i feel old" pile.

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 03/17/2023 - 03:27 pm

stroman 4.1ip 5h 1bb 2k, 2r/er (1 hbp) vs mexico.

assad carved up puerto rico 2.2ip 1h 1bb 4k, 0r/er...throwing 94-95mph heat and good movement on the slightly lower velocity sinker.  broke a bat...all around dominating.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/18/2023 - 03:28 am

The following Cubs minor leaguers are presently in the Medical Rehab Group (limited activity - playing catch only) at Minor League Camp: 

Garrett Brown, RHP (2022 draft pick)
Luis Devers, RHP 
Joandy Duran, RHP (DSL in 2022) 
Manuel Espinoza, RHP 
Stephen Gonsalves, LHP (signed successor contract)
Jordan Holloway, RHP
Scott Kobos, LHP 
Brailyn Marquez, LHP (re-signed after being non-tendered)
Shane Marshall, RHP (2022 draft pick)
Ezequiel Pagan, OF 
Jack Patterson, LHP 
Kenyi Perez, RHP 
Tyler Schlaffer, RHP
JP Wheat, RHP (2022 draft pick)
Brad Wieck, LHP 

Also, RHP Will Frisch (pre-draft TJS in 2022) and LHP Wilson Cunningham (on Spring Break from U. of Chicago) threw "live" BP on Field # 3 yesterday (Friday).  

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 03/18/2023 - 03:43 am

So far, the only pitcher at Minor League Camp who was brought up from the Cubs DSL Academy and was not at post-2022 AZ Instructs is RHP Juan Bello. 

Submitted by George Altman on Sun, 03/19/2023 - 03:28 pm

AZ Phil, 

If the Cubs go with adding 4 NRI's to the 26-Man (e.g. Borucki or Little, Leiter, Torrens or Bote, Tauchman), who gets dropped from the 40-man assuming Hendricks & Suzuki go to the IL-15? Thanks!

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 03/19/2023 - 03:27 pm

z.mckinstry does nothing d.bote doesn't already do as well or better.  i'm not clear on what their plan is with m.mastrobuoni, but having mast and mckinstry around seems like overkill on top of overkill.  this team seems to really like mckinstry, though...no idea how to handicap that.

eric hosmer is eric hosmer and i still don't understand that low-cost "gamble" even with a need at 1st.  the cubs cast a wide net over the garbage pile looking for valuable scrap, but i think the cubs can handle being weak at 1st without hosmer helping out.  e.rios taking reps at 1st and looking capable with the glove isn't helping hosmer's chances.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 03/20/2023 - 03:36 am

GEORGE A:

1. Of course Eric Hosmer should be released, but I doubt that he will be. I suspect he was given some assurance by the Cubs that he will have a job at least until Matt Mervis is ready, and that the Cubs do not believe Mervis will be ready by Opening Day. 

2. Zach McKinstry is having a bad spring both offensively and defensively so I believe he will be placed on waivers (if  he isn't traded first). BTW, McKinstry can NOT elect free-agency if he is outrighted. And if he is claimed off waivers, so be it. Miles Mastrobuoni can do everything McKinstry can do (including play SS) AND do it better. 

3. Nick Madrigal still does not appear have a spot on the Cubs 26-man Opening Day roster and the Astros just lost 2B Jose Altuve for a lengthy period of time, so there you go... 

4. If Adrian Sampson does not win the 5th SP gig (and right now it is probably no better than 50/50 that he will), I cannot see him working out of the MLB bullpen. Also, the Cubs would probably like someone to claim his $1.9M AAV contract off waivers. But even if he does clear waivers and gets outrighted, he might elect free-agency (although I doubt he would want to give up his $1.9M salary, which would happen if he elects free-agency immediately after being outrighted). But at least he would be off the 40 while staying stretched-out at Iowa. 

5. Rowan Wick is making $1.2M and is no better than several other candidates for the pen making MLB minimum ($500K less than Wick), so if they can't trade him I would think the Cubs would be fine with another club claiming his $1.2M AAV contract off waivers. If he isn't claimed off waivers, then (as with Sampson) you outright him to the minors (which at least gets him off the 40) and maybe he will elect free-agency (but probably not because he won't want to give up his contract and forfeit his salary). 

6. Michael Rucker has value as a Chicago - Des Moines shuttle guy making essentially MLB minimum salary, but I could see the Cubs taking a chance on getting him through waivers if they absolutely need his slot on the 40, although he might get claimed and the Cubs know that and so the Cubs would probably prefer not to take that chance. 

Also, if David Bote is added back to 40 (and MLB 26-man roster) on Opening Day, I believe he would remain in Chcago only until Seiya Suzuki is reinstated from the 10-day IL, and then the Cubs will put Bote on waivers (just like they they did during the off-season) and hope that another club will claim his $3M AAV contract. If he doesn't get claimed, he will be outrighted and the Cubs will hope that Bote wil elect free-agency and forfeit the balance of his contract, except of course he won't do that. 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 03/20/2023 - 03:44 am

DJL: David Bote stlll has an option year left, so he can be optioned to the minors if he is added to the 40. 

However... 

Once Bote accrues 89 more days of MLB Service Time he will hit 5+000 MLB ST and become an Article XIX-A player, at which point he cannot be sent to the minors (optioned or outrighted) without his consent. 

So if Bote were to be added to the 40 on MLB Opening Day (3/30), the Cubs would have until June 25th to option or outright him to the minors. 

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 03/19/2023 - 03:37 pm

suzuki scheduled to take swings in the cage on sunday (flips, not live pitching).  looks like he's progressing well enough to take some harder swings.  be nice to get him back before mid-april...

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 03/19/2023 - 03:08 pm

fulmer is yet to work back-to-back games, but he's getting work early enough in games (before the B-teamers come in) to say he's most likely the 2023 closer going into the year.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    it is taking more than a minute for me to get used to craig counsell being the cubs manager.

    he's going to take the field on opening day at wrigley and get massively cheered.

    that is weird.  that's a thing that's happening, though.

    history aside, while i am horrified at the amount of money they're paying him, i welcome his style of management over what d.ross has given the team.  love d.ross and how chill + ready to deliver he kept the team, but he had a serious pitching short-hook problem that exhausted the pen and some very questionable bench/pinch-hitting use.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: If you go by what Counsell did with the Brewers, he is much more likely to go with younger players than Ross was. I think part of it was that Ross was a "veteran players manager," meaning he was well liked and respected by veteran players because he was inclined to play them over younger unproven guys. 

    And that actually might have been OK if the Cubs had been "sellers"at the trade deadline (as they clearly had planned to be before suddenly deciding to go fr it), because Ross would have played the veterans a lot the first four months of the season (which would have maximized their trade value), and then Ross would have had no choice but to play the younger guys the last two months after the veterans were traded. 

    But of course it didn't work out that way. 

    One thing about Craig Counsell that might have attracted Hoyer to him is that Counsel is very "collaborative" as a manager and welcomes and even demands lots of input from the analytics department. In fact I have heard tell that Counsell knows at least as much as the geeks know and that he routinely goes to them for information rather than waiting for it to be offered. So think of Ross as a Chevy pick-up truck, while Counsell is a Tesla. 

  • crunch (view)

    with candelario off the board to the reds, it looks like it's chapman or trade...or another year of gambling cheap on someone like gio urshela or a meh-D donovan solano.

    of course there's also this guy with a rocket arm named morel that could have played a bit more 3rd in 2023 seeing if that could be his thing, but whatever i guess.  i know accuracy isn't a strength with those throws from 3rd, but still, for his cost and a supporting middle-IF that's one of the best in MLB (if not #1) it's not the worst use of a very cheap talent.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: I believe Jeimer Candelario offers more roster flexibility in 2024 and beyond than players like Matt Chapman and/or Rhys Hoskins would, not to mention costing a lot less $$$$ (and signing Chapman would also cost the Cubs a draft pick because Toronto extended a Qualifying Offer to Chapman).  

    Also, I can't help but see visions of Trey Mancini whenever I think about the Cubs signing Rhys Hoskins. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: Time will tell.

    Certainly the Cubs are not exactly flush with lefty relievers in the system. so Adam Laskey was not redundant. 

    As far as Sheldon Reed is concerned, he pitched very well the last month of the season at South Bend and I thought that would have earned him a spot on the Iowa reserve list. 

    I presume the Cubs had good reasons for not assigning Laskey and Reed to the AAA reserve list (thus making them available for selection in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft), but without knowing who was on the AAA reserve list instead of Laskey and Reed, I can't offer an informed opinion. 

    BTW, the same thing happened last year when I had LHP Luis Angel Rodriguez on the AAA Iowa roster but the Cubs left him off and then he was selected by the Houston Astros in the AAA Phase. I couldn't figure that one out, either. 

  • crunch (view)

    reds snag candelario...

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Would Candelario be someone that is able to take a bench role once some of these younger players are coming up and need playing time and latitude?

    So crazy that his career has come full circle like this.......

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Do you feel that Counsel will be more apt to play out some of the young guys, rather than mainly sticking with veterans like Dross?

     

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Do you think they weren't protected in the AAA phase because the organization feels they're redundant or at lesser value than other players they protected, or was this just poor managment?

  • George Altman (view)

    Even more reason that Jed needs to bring back Bellinger and his LH bat.

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