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

Cubs vs. Rays: Series Thread (Games 53-55)

Submitted by Charlie on

The Cubs have three games to turn around a 2-4 homestand. They suffered a three game sweep at the hands of the Reds and are now joined at Wrigley by the 39-16 Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays sit atop a strong AL East and hold the best record in baseball. The Cubs currently find themselves at the opposite end of the spectrum, falling to last in the NL Central and holding a record better than only the farcical Oakland Athletics. They remain, however, only 5.5 back in the division. See below for matchups.


Game 53, Monday, May 29, 1:20 pm central
TBR: RHP Taj Bradley (3-1, 4.44 ERA)
CHC: RHP Marcus Stroman (4-4, 2.95 ERA)

A former 5th round pick in the 2018 draft, Taj Bradley is five starts into his rookie campaign. He features a mid-90s fastball and a plus slider and commands his pitches well. He's had solid results so far, and his peripherals suggest there's better still to come.

Stroman has been off to a strong start in all categories excepting run support so far. He could be on track for a career year of his current trends continue. He went eight innings against the Meta to earn his fourth win his last time out, the longest start by a Cub this season, just barely edging Smyly's bid for a perfect game.
 


Game 54, Tuesday, May 30, 7:05 pm central
TBR: LHP Shane McClanahan (8-0, 1.97 ERA)
CHC: RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 6.23 ERA)

The 26-year-old McLanahan has been excellent since making his MLB debut in 2021. He mixes a high-90s fastball with one of the best curveball in the majors, a frequently used split-change, and a slider. 

Hendricks made a long-awaited return from the IL against the Meta, taking a loss in his 2023 debut. He looked healthy, however, reaching the high 80s fastball velocity that is his norm and throwing plenty of first pitch strikes.

 


Game 55, Wednesday, May 31, 1:20 pm central
TBR: RHP Zach Eflin (7-1, 3.17 ERA)
CHC: LHP Justin Steele (6-2, 2.77 ERA)

Eflin spent his first 7 MLB seasons as a back of the rotation starter with the Phillies. He's have a better than expected start to the season, thanks partly to an increased rate of contact on the ground while maintaining his usual low walk rate. The Rays are getting a lot of mileage out of him so far as he's gone seven innings deep three times and has yet to be pulled before finishing five.

Steele got off to a ridiculously clean start to 2023, improving on his already great second half of 2022. He took a loss in 3.1 innings last time out, the first start of the season in which he failed to reach the sixth inning. His zero walks and zero homers allowed in the start comprise the silver lining of the outing. A fair portion of the 10 hits he allowed were off the soft-hit variety as well. However, per statcast he still allowed 9 hard hit balls, the most of any of his outings this season and all allowed while collecting his fewest outs thus far. For May only he's posted a 4.40 ERA and seen his strikeout rate dip to 7.85 per nine innings. 

Tags
2023 Series Thread
Tampa Bay Rays
Kyle Hendricks

Comments

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:30 pm

Is today the April Fool's Day lineup, and not the Memorial Day lineup, and that's why it looks like it does?

[ ]

Submitted by George Altman on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:57 pm

Ross is going to play all 13 position Players. Jed needs to leave him with Mervis, Hoerner, Wisdom, Swanson, Happ, Bellinger, Suzuki, Gomes, Morel, and Amaya. That's it until he determines Slaughter and Caissie are ready. As long as Barnhart, Mastrobouni, Rios, and Mancini are on this roster, Ross will play them. Usually not at the best time. Every manager will. This is on Jed.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:37 pm

Agreed. Trading Bellinger, Wisdom, Mancini, Tauchman, Stroman, Smyly, Hendricks, Merriweather and Leiter Jr. to maximize return is a necessity; and trading or releasing Barnhart, Rios, Madrigal, Mastrobuoni, Rucker and Fulmer to allow opportunities for younger players with potential is moreso. Having players like Assad, Alozay, and Keegan Thompson changing their use and approach, and guys like Velazquez and Amaya coming up only to ride the pine is just a waste. This isn't the 2016 or 2017 team that just needs 1 guy in 1 spot on the team to get us over the hump, and we have a loaded system now compared to then, and overall I would argue.

We have a profusion of willing and able prospects/options in the minors: Slaughter* and Morel# can handle any 3B or additional infield starts (Sergio Alcantara* is very good as well), Perlaza* (SH) Hill* (L) and Velazquez# can handle the outfield/bench, with Canario# and Davis# in the wings (I would argue Canario is the best of those 5, but he's working his way back, prayerfully soon), Amaya# splitting time with Gomes; and we have a cornucopia of pitching options, starting and bullpen.

This will allow for players in Tennessee to move up: Strumpf*, Vasquez*, Aliendo*, Murray Jr., Maldonado*, Roederer*, Cassie, PCA, Bigge*, Correa* Guzman (who we received for McKinstry), Little the younger*, Palencia*, Whitney, Wicks, the majority of whom are rule 5 eligible. 

I would say the bulk of these moves won't happen for the next 6 weeks or so (with the trade deadline being August 1st), but foregoing these moves because MAYBE we can make the post-season, or because certain players were signed, or have experience is just the fallacy of sunk cost. We need to see what we have with these prospects.

Hard to strike gold, if you're not digging.......

(* = Rule 5 eligible, # = on 40 man

Phil or someone would need to see verify if I missed anyone or their eligibility)

Submitted by CTSteve on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:17 pm

I have a hard time imagining that David Ross would be fired during the season after getting an extension. But what are the chances he's not back next year?

When does the watch begin?

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:40 pm

stro with a no-hitter through 6 and only 70 pitches...would be a perfect game if not for a HBP.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:17 pm

stro going for the complete game.  cubs haven't had one of those since 2021 (hendricks) and that was the only one for them in 2021.

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:43 pm

In the last two off seasons Jed has traded away Harold Ramirez (for Esteban Quiroz, to keep Hermosillo on the roster) and McKinstry (for a 26 year old RP who had thrown 2 games at AA, to keep Mastrobuoni and Madrigal on the 26 man roster).

Thats a pretty poor demonstration of internal scouting.

[ ]

Submitted by bradsbeard on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:57 pm

What does everybody have against Mastrobuoni? He's basically the same player as McKinstry (maybe better in the long run) but he has options.

 

Harold Ramirez was traded because he couldn't get to spring training. McKinstry they hung onto as long as they could, but nobody (among Cubs fans) really wanted him around. Glad he's making the most of his opportunity. The Guardians and Dodgers gave up on those guys too. Stuff happens.

 

 

[ ]

Submitted by First.Pitch.120 on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:25 am

Right?  MM has almost a unicorn type profile for a bench utility player - young, cheap, LHH, a bit of speed, positional flexibility, multiple options.  I get that people are ticked, but MM is part of the solution long-term, not the problem.

 

Also, a word in defense of Nick Madrigal... yes, he should have been optioned to start the season. Yes, his profile (high contact, low power, positional question) has a narrow range for long-term, high-level success. But so much of fandom talks about him like he's a bum.  He was consensus top-50 on all of the prospect lists. He demonstrated skill in the majors. After ~500 PAs (over a few years) & inconsistent playing time (injuries), the league adjusted & he hit a developmental bump. Not awesome, but not shocking. 

 

In addition, NkMdg  is a player who has had just over ~1000 PA's at AA / AAA / MLB combined.... so basically 2 uninterrupted seasons worth of PA's.    Anthony Rizzo had ~1400 minor league PA's BEFORE he even made it to the majors. Then from 2011-2013, he "mashed" a line of .238 / .324 / .412 over ~1200 MLB PA's. 

 

(Also, none of this is directed at DJL specifically... just venting some thoughts that have been simmering)

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:51 am

It’s all good I don’t take it personally.

I don’t have anything against Mastrobuoni or Madrigal. They’re both fine for what they are. But both were optionable and we could have kept McKinstry, too.

And yeah McKinstry struggled in spring and hadn’t solidified himself as a MLB player at all at the time. And fans were calling for him to go. I don’t recall having much of a reaction when it happened, but it’s not on us to know. It’s on the front office to self-scout well enough to hold onto the proper players. Happening once can happen to anyone but it’s happened two consecutive years now.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:27 pm

I agree that they should've tried to keep Ramirez and McKinstry, but sometimes there are factors we may not be privy to; not necessarily with Ramirez so much as McKinstry, perhaps McKinstry was the only player between him and Mastrobuoni that someone offered compensation for, i.e. Guzman? (and the point bradsbeard makes about Ramirez getting to spring training, or rather not being able to)

[ ]

Submitted by bradsbeard on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:48 pm

The other factor with McKinstry (which was not a factor so much with Ramirez) is that sometimes a team just doesn’t have the playing time to offer a fringe guy even if they think there is a chance he could do what McKinstry has done so far. Had they kept him, he would have gotten similar playing time as Madrigal and Mastro, or he would have displaced Wisdom’s fine start to the year. The Tigers were just in a better position than the Cubs to give him the run he’s gotten. Sometimes that’s a symptom of having a better roster (I realize what that sounds like, but the Cubs do have a better roster than the Tigers. In fact, their off-season spending is really what forced McKinstry off the roster).

[ ]

Submitted by George Altman on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:33 pm

I just really don't get this angst over Madrigal and McKinstry. By any modern metric: OPS+, WRc+, WARf or b, OPS, they are BELOW average MLB Offensive players. And Madrigal is generously 'MLB Average' on the 20-80 scale at 2B only.

Hoerner/Swanson were always going to get 150 starts at 2B/SS. Wisdom's HR power was always going to get 100+ starts at 3B.

The Cubs have bigger issues:

1. Can PCA play CF and leadoff in 2024

2. Need to continue Mervis development as a MLB 1B

3. Find a DH and TOR SP1 or SP2 for next year (like Ohtani)

4. Teach Morel to play 3B or CF before he becomes a full time DH

5. Pick up Gomes option and hope Amaya is ready to Catch by next year.

Suzuki, Happ, Hoerner, and Swanson are their only full time players until all the above happens.

I'm not a fan of the SPs or RPs except Steele, Stroman, and Alzolay.  I can see a scenario where Brown, Wicks, Palencia, Wesneski, Heuer with Leiter make significant contributions next year. 

Overall, I hope they focus on offense this off-season, like DH and 3B. I see pitching much closer to the bigs, especially if the sign a couple FA RPs better than Fulmer and Boxberger. 

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:24 pm

if they'd let morel play IF this team wouldn't need madrigal or masterboner getting serious ABs.

the starting middle IF are both SS and redundantly back each other up.  morel plays an above average 2nd and could slot there if needed.

i dunno what they have against morel and 3rd base when they're more than willing to put wisdom there.  they're not the same defensively, but both are good enough and close enough in their talents to play there.

...but rather than having him play a good 2nd or a decent 3rd they're hell bent on making him a below-average OF'r.

i mean, what the hell is the plan with morel?  he's not going to take suzuki's job, happ's job, or PCA's eventual job.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:02 pm

This and other comments on a better roster brings up a topic I've been going over for a few days: at what point do you decide a position player has done enough to lock in said position? 

I look at the extensions Happ and Hoerner received, and the contract for Suzuki and Swanson, and I wonder, would they be knocked from their stranglehold on the position if a better option presented itself, either from their lack of production, or a player with better potential was available through promotion or signing?

Starting with Happ and Hoerner, homegrown players who I watched march up through the ranks and really root for, I see them as good to very good players, not great; their ceiling is high don't get me wrong, but not Suzuki or Swanson. But Suzuki and Swanson are very good players, not great; none of these 4 are in the same league that Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo were at for a few years there (Rizzo still).

Morel or Slaughter should have 3B, Swanson has SS, Hoerner has 2B for now, but is there a scenario where if in the next 6 - 18 months, someone of Murray Jr., Vasquez, Strumpf, or Morel or Slaughter are playing really well, we give them a chance to see what they can do at 2B? Same thing in the OF, Canario, Velazquez, Perlaza, (prayerfully Davis), Cassie, PCA, Roederer, and Alcantara are all very high ceiling players, do they supplant Happ?

I just don't see Hoerner hitting more than 10 homeruns, or Swanson hitting more than 15 - 20, or Happ or Suzuki hitting more than 20 - 25; is that going to be enough for us to contend for a world series by adding a few complimentary pieces? 

Would a 2024 lineup of:

CF PCA 

2B Hoerner 

DH Canario/Morel

3B Morel/Slaughter 

RF Suzuki 

SS Swanson 

LF Happ

1B Mervis

C Amaya/Gomes 

Bench: Velazquez, Perlaza, Mancini 

Get us to world series contention? 

I don't see any 1 free agent/trade target making that big a difference, so either our prospects elevate us to contention by next year, or our window doesn't really start until 2025.......

 

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:33 pm

they sent k.thompson back to AAA, but they stuck him in the pen.  through 2 appearances they're both pretty much some of the worst work of his career and he didn't finish the inning in either...

1.1ip 7h 4bb 0k, 8 r/er (4 in each outing)

ow.

Submitted by azbobbop on Mon, 05/29/2023 - 05:36 pm

Even if the Cubs get back on track, there will still be several players available at the deadline. The one guy I hope they wall off and sign ASAP is Stroman.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:25 pm

rucker down, wesneski up...wtf...they cannot be using wesn out of the pen.  sigh.  whatever.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:53 pm

Ross.

Needs.

To.

Go.

Yanking prospects all over the place because he doesn't know how to handle them is a disgrace, why is Mancini in their instead of Mervis; let's give the bullpen whiplash moving them earlier and later in each game at random. Morel is hitting.368 batting leadoff, but let's put him 9th. I would think any random person could do better than Ross at this point.......

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:22 pm

hendricks has given up 1 run through 5 and the defense surrounding him gets an over-sized amount of credit for there only being 1 run given up.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:33 pm

they had alzolay up alone warming in the pen in the 5th when hendricks was putting guys on (before he got out of it).  warmed up for 5 minutes or so...

so anyway, merryweather is out here for the 6th.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:28 pm

i will feel enthusiastic when the cubs get to .500 again, but it's nice to win 2 in a row.

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 05:32 pm

I can't see Mervis doing any worse than Mancini, prayerfully Ross or Jed decide to just let Mervis play every day going forward............

Submitted by Eric S on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 05:45 pm

Steele removed from game after 3 innings due to “left forearm tightness”.  Hopefully the elbow is structurally okay.

[ ]

Submitted by Childersb3 on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 05:51 pm

I'm with you Crunch

I thought Wesneski deserved a chance to get out of the 7th. 

But the real mistake Ross made was keeping Leiter in after giving up the 1st 2run bomb. He walks the next guy to start the 8th, and still gets to stay in. He could've come out since he finished the 7th (I believe). He didn't have it. It happens. But Ross let him stay. That's on David.

And then Dansby and Happ strikeout with men RISP. Happ going down looking was rough. 

He just wasn't aggressive.

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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