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

PCA Cannot Be Stopped, He Can Only Be Contained

Pete Crow-Armstrong singled, doubled, tripled, reached base on an HBP, scored a run, and drove-in another, Jordan Nwogu tripled, singled twice, and drove-in a run, Pablo Aliendo laced a two-run triple, scored a run, and drew a walk, Luis Vazquez drilled a two-run single, walked, and scored a run, Owen Caissie ripped an RBI double, walked, and scored a run, and Zach Davis singled twice, scored two runs, and stole a base, as the Tennessee Smokies (AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) rallied to overcome an early 4-0 deficit and defeated the Hartford Yard Goats (AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies) 9-5 on Field #5, and the Albuquerque Isotopes rallied for four runs in the 9th and defeated the Iowa Cubs (AAA affiliate of the Cubs) 6-4 on Field #6, in Cactus League minor league game action Saturday afternoon at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

Nelson Velazquez belted a solo HR and Matt Mervis singled twice, walked, and collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly for the I-Cubs in a losing cause.   

Iowa catcher Dom Nunez left the game in the top of the 2nd inning after being struck by a batter's back-swing, and I-Cubs Yonathan Perlaza injured his left shoulder in the top of the 9th after crashing into the RF wall while attempting to catch one of two run-scoring doubles in that inning (he left the field under his own power). As the result of the Nunez injury and with I-Cubs back-up catcher Caleb Knight having traveled to Tempe with the Cubs MLB squad, Jake Washer had to be "drafted" from the Tennessee squad to catch the AAA game (Tennessee was playing on an adjacent backfield, so he didn't have to go very far), and he had two hits, scored a run, and threw out a runner attempting to steal.   

Miguel Amaya caught the first seven innings of the AA game on Field #5, and threw out a runner trying to steal. 

All three of the pitchers who worked for AA Tennessee were temporarily moved-up from lower levels (Richard Gallardo and Sheldon Reed from South Bend and Grant Kipp from Myrtle Beach), and Riley Martin was temporarily moved-up to AAA Iowa from AA Tennessee (and Martin blew the save on Field #6).   

In minor league camp roster news, OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, infielders Chase Strumpf and Andy Weber, 1B Bryce Ball, catchers Miguel Amaya and Bryce Windham, and RHPs Samuel Reyes and Joe Nahas have been moved-down from the AAA Iowa squad to the AA Tennessee squad, OFs Yohendrick Pinango and Brad Beesley, catcher Ethan Hearn, and RHP Jarod Wright have been moved down from the AA Tennessee squad to the Hi-A South Bend squad, OF Christian Franklin, C Malcom Quintero, 1B-C Miguel Fabrizio, INF Rafael Morel, LHP Chase Watkins, and RHP Gregori Montano have been moved-down from the Hi-A South Bend squad to the Lo-A Myrtle Beach squad, LHP Christian Winston and RHP Mathew Peters were moved-down from the South Bend squad to the Extended Spring Training (Mesa) group, and LHPs Jose Aquino and Joel Machado, RHPs Gleiber Morales, Starlyn Pichardo, Cristian Rojas, Jose Romero, and Tomy Sanchez, C Adan Sanchez, INF Jefferson Rojas, and OF Ismael Mena have been moved-down from the Myrtle Beach squad to the EXST (Mesa) group. 

Also, because of the injury to INF James Triantos (knee surgery - torn meniscus), INF Juan Mora has been moved up to Hi-A South Bend from Lo-A Myrtle Beach.  
           
Updated minor league camp assignments & organizational depth chart (updated 3/25): https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-organizational-depth-chart

Here are the abridged box scores from the two minor league games played on the Riverview backfields Saturday afternoon (Cubs players only): 

FIELD #5

TENNESSEE LINEUP:
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF: 3-4 (1B, HBP, 3B, 2B, P-6, R, RBI) 
2a. Miguel Amaya, C: 0-3 (L-7, 5-4-3 DP, HBP, F-9, R) 
2b. Bryce Windham, C: 0-1 (L-6) 
3. Owen Caissie, RF: 1-4 (3-6-3 DP, BB, 2B, 4-3, K, R, RBI) 
4a. Jordan Nwogu, LF: 3-3 (3B, 1B, 1B, RBI)
4b. Zach Davis, LF: 2-2 (1B, 1B, 2 R, SB) 
5. Bryce Ball, 1B: 0-5 (P-6, 5-4 FC, 4-6 FC, K, K, R) 
6. Andy Weber, 3B: 1-4 (K, K, F-8, F-9 SF, 1B, RBI) 
7. Luis Verdugo, 2B: 1-3 (F-8, HBP, BB, F-9, 1B, R, RBI)  
8. Luis Vazquez, SS: 1-4 (4-3, 1B, L-6 DP, 6-3, BB, R, 2 RBI) 
9a. Pablo Aliendo, DH: 1-2 (BB, 3B, K, R, 2 RBI) 
9b. Chase Strumpf, PH-DH: 1-2 (1B, F-7)  

TENNESSEE PITCHERS
1. Richard Gallardo: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1/3 GO/AO, 66 pitches (39 strikes) 
2. Sheldon Reed: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 4/1 GO/AO, 37 pitches (16 strikes) 
3. Grant Kipp: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 1/3 GO/AO, 35 pitches (24 strikes) 

TENNESSEE ERRORS: 1 
2B Luis Verdugo: E-4 (fielding miscue allowed batter reach base safely) 

TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE
1. Miguel Amaya: 1-1 CS 
2. Bryce Windham: 0-2 CS 

FIELD # 6

IOWA LINEUP:
1. Ben DeLuzio, CF-DH-RF: 1-4 (HBP, 1B, L-8, F-8, 5-4-3 DP, R, RBI) 
2a. Brennen Davis, RF: 0-3 (6-4-3 DP, F-9, K) 
2b. Yonathan Perlaza, RF-DH: 0-1 (5-3) 
2c. Dilan Granadillo, PH: 0-1 (1-U) 
3. Matt Mervis, 1B: 2-2 (1B, F-7 SF, BB, 1B, RBI, PO) 
4a. David Bote, 3B: 1-3 (K, 2B, 6-4 FC, RBI) 
4b. Jared Young, 3B: 0-0 (HBP, CS) 
5. Nelson Velazquez, LF: 1-4 (5-3, K, HR, K, R, RBI) 
6. Jake Slaughter, 2B: 0-3 (K, 6-3, 3-U, HBP) 
7a. Sergio Alcantara, SS: 0-2 (K, BB, K) 
7b. Levi Jordan, SS: 1-1 (1B) 
8a. Dom Nunez, C:  NO AB 
8b. Jake Washer, C: 2-4 (1B, F-7, 1B, K, R) 
9. Darius Hill, DH-CF: 1-3 (BB, F-7, K, 1B, R)  

IOWA PITCHERS
1. Caleb Kilian: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 3/2 GO/AO, 51 pitches (33 strikes)
2. Riley Thompson: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 2/1 GO/AO, 49 pitches (36 strikes)
3. Eric Stout: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 0/2 GO/AO, 18 pitches (10 strikes) 
4. Riley Martin: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 1/1 GO/AO, 39 pitches (19 strikes) 

IOWA ERRORS: 1 
SS Sergio Alcantara: E-6 (fielding miscue allowed batter to reach base safely) 

IOWA CATCHERS DEFENSE:  
Jake Washer: 1-1 CS  

ATTENDANCE: 87 

WEATHER: Mostly sunny with temperatures in the 60's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

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

Comments

Well, one Riley pitched pretty well yesterday. 
 

Tennessee will be an interesting follow.  I like PCA starting at Tennessee - get hot and move up to Iowa.  Seeing Davis and Amaya get through a season without extended DL stints would be a victory in itself. 

Early season Tennessee is gonna be a fun team to follow! Like you said I imagine a few of those guys will be in Iowa by the end of June. 

I'm trying to figure out why they sent Amaya to AA. The only thing I can think of is weather as he can get more consistent work early in the seaaon

[ ]

In reply to by bigsky33

No minor league activity today (Sunday 3/26). No morning workout, no games.  

Yesterday (Saturday) was the final AAA game. The Iowa Cubs  squad will now provide depth for the Cubs MLB squad in the last three Cactus League games.

In fact, the Iowa Cubs will supposedly be playing as the Chicago Cubs versus White Sox on Tuesday. Hopefully the fans won't mind too much, but given the price of the tickets they might.

The Cubs have re-claimed RHP Chris Clarke (selected by the Seattle Mariners in the Major League Phase of the December 2022 Rule 5 Draft).

So Clarke got six weeks of MLB Spring Training experience (and maybe learned something useful), the Cubs get him back - AND - make a $50,000 profit ($100,000 Rule 5 Draft price, and the reclaim fee is $50,000).  

By rule Clarke must be sent outright to the minor league reserve list from which he was drafted (AAA Iowa), although he can be assigned to any affiliate in the system once the season starts. 

Because the return of a Rule 5 player involves an automatic outright assignment, Clarke will have Article XX-D status going forward, meaning if he were to be selected to an MLB 40-man roster again sometime in the future, he would have the right to elect free-agency if he were to be outrighted.

BTW, that's how and why Michael Rucker has Article XX-D status (he was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2019  Rule 5 Draft, and then was reclaimed by the Cubs the following Spring Training and automatically outrighted back to AAA Iowa).  

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

CUBSTER: I've thought about it as lot since the game ended and I have talked to others about it who have been going to Spring Training games for many years, and I cannot remember any Spring Training nine inning game I have attended (and I've been going to Cubs Spring training games since 1978) that went less than two hours (I am not including rain-shortened games that did not go nine innings).  This game was unbelievable. It was like a "Turn Back the Clock" Game, but not just with throwback uniforms. The game was actually played like it was fifty years ago. 

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

That's hilarious and awesome. The story of the whale reminds me of the WKRP in Cincinnati episode where the boss (Gordon Jump) decides releasing turkeys from a helicopter would be a good Thanksgiving promotion. Later, he walks into studio covered in turkey feathers: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

These fun minor-league promotions are a great idea. I just learned that MiLB has an outreach program to attract Latino/a fans, "La Copa de la Diversión," or "The Fun Cup," where teams have games as an alternate Spanish identity. For example, the Beloit Sky Carp (already one of the great names) are going to be "Las Paletas de Beloit," complete with a logo of a paleta (Mexican popsicle-my favorite is tamarindo) tossing a baseball.  Yes, the Rocket City Trash Pandas (my favorite name) are getting in on the act, becoming "Los Lunaticos de Rocket City." 

[ ]

In reply to by KingKongvsGodzilla

KKvG: Richard Gallardo looked OK in the first two innings (gave up a solo HR to the second man he faced in the 1st), but then he lost the strike zone after that and it got pretty ugly. FB was 92-95 and he had good bite on his breaking ball, although he couldn't throw it for strikes (it was more of a chase pitch that got a few swinging strikes, at least until he couldn't throw the FB for strikes either). 

In Minor League Camp roster news (3/27), RHP Chris Clarke, RHP Danis Correa, LHP Bailey Horn, RHP Kyle Johnson, RHP Chris Kachmar, RHP Cayne Ueckert, and RHP Blake Whitney, and C Caleb Knight have been moved down from the AAA Iowa squad to the AA Tennessee squad, RHP Tyler Santana and INF Scott McKeon were moved-down from the AA Tennessee squad to the Hi-A South Bend squad, and RHP Kevin Valdez was moved-down from the Lo-A Myrtle Beach squad to the Extended Spring Training (Mesa) group.  

With C Luis Torrens likely to be on the Cubs MLB 26-man Opening Day roster and with C Dom Nunez injured in a game on Saturday (severity of injury unknown at this time), it appears that AA Tennessee catchers C Jake Washer and/or Bryce Windham - MAY - be moved up to the AAA Iowa squad from the AA Tennessee squad (TBD). 

Current Cubs Minor League Camp assignments / depth chart: 

https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-organizational-depth-chart

Hi Phil,  anything happening on the back fields the rest of this week? And, when does extended spring training start?  Looking forward to watching!

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    18-year old SS Jefferson Rojas almost made the AA Tennessee Opening Day roster, and he is a legit shortstop, so I would expect him to be an MLB Top 100 prospect by mid-season. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Among the relievers in the system, I expect RHRP Hunter Bigge at AAA Iowa and RHRP Ty Johnson at South Bend to have breakout seasons on 2024, and among the starters I see LHP Drew Gray and RHP Will Sanders at South Bend and RHP Naz Mule at ACL Cubs as the guys who will make the biggest splash. Also, Jaxon Wiggins is throwing bullpen sides, so once he is ready for game action he could be making an impact at Myrtle Beach by June.

  • 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...