Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus four players are on the 60-DAY IL


28 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST, plus seven are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two are on the 10-DAY IL, and three are on the 15-DAY IL


Last updated 9-22-20239
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 14
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 6
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 6
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 7
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Ben Brown, P  
Brennen Davis, OF 
Jeremiah Estrada, P
Caleb Kilian, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Michael Rucker, P

10-DAY IL: 2
Jeimer Candelario, 1B
Nick Madrigal, INF

15-DAY IL: 3
Adbert Alzolay, P
Brad Boxberger, P 
Michael Fulmer, P 

60-DAY IL: 4
Nick Burdi, P
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Ethan Roberts, P
 

Minor League Rosters

Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Rockies: Series Thread (Games 145-147)

Submitted by Charlie on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 09:48 am

Despite dropping the first three games against the Diamondbacks this weekend, the Cubs pulled out a win in the final game and remain in the second NL Wild Card spot and three games back in the Central. They begin this week on the road in Colorado where they will play three games against a Rockies team aspiring to lose fewer than 100 games this season. Kris Bryant recently took batting practice but remains without a timetable for his return from a finger fracture. [Edit: He's been activated by the Rockies.] Pete Crow-Armstrong has been called up and could see duties in Denver's spacious outfield. See below for matchups.

Game 145, Monday, September 11, 7:40 pm central
CHC: LHP Jordan Wicks (3-0, 2.16 ERA)
COL: LHP Kyle Freeland (6-14, 5.09 ERA)

Game 146, Tuesday, September 12, 7:40 pm central
CHC: RHP Javier Assad (3-3, 2.83 ERA)
COL: RHP Chris Flexen (1-7, 7.36 ERA)

Game 147, Wednesday, September 13, 2:10 pm central
CHC: RHP Jameson Taillon (7-9, 5.27 ERA)
COL: LHP Ty Blach (2-1, 4.58 ERA)

Tags
2023 Series Thread
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Colorado Rockies

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 09:26 pm

k.bryant has come off the IL for tonight's game.  neat.  i mean, hope he goes 0-4 or his contributions mean nothing if he doesn't, but neat.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 09:32 pm

madrigal 3rd, wisdom 1st, bellinger CF, morel DH...

at this point it's safe to say the cubs only view morel as a DH and injury-replacement (not even rest replacement) 2nd.  i question whether he makes it past this off-season without being traded.

[ ]

Submitted by Childersb3 on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:42 am

They have to re-sign Bellinger.
That's a must.

3B and DH are the issues. Does Candy get re-signed? Does Madrigal now own 3B? Do they go after Matt Chapman? Does Morel get a legit chance at it after winter ball and ST'24?

I think the Cubs have enough depth to cover DH in house with Morel, Perlaza, Mervis, Slaughter, ONKC, and probably Matt Shaw. So, they should be able to save some cash there.

But, how do you just give up on a 24 yr old with that kind of power and natural talent, when you need power!!!

Teach Morel 1B so he can have Wisdom's role of lF-3B-1B-DH.
Trading him has too much potential to come back to haunt us (like Schwarber).

But, I do believe they'll end up trading him sooner rather than later.

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:57 am

I’d love to see Morel stick around and learn those positions. He’s a lot of fun to watch play.

Id give us less than 50% odds to sign Bellinger. In fact I’d be very surprised if he’s back next year. I just feel like the FO isn’t going to want to pay him as much money as teams like NYY and SF (who have both expressed interest) will.

[ ]

Submitted by Childersb3 on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:58 pm

Then we're aren't going to be any good next year.
You take Bellinger away from this team and we aren't much.
When he got hot, we started moving up the standings.
And I don't know who's going to replace that production (especially from the left side).
Bellinger is basically the whole off season.
I'd like to add a SP and definitely a LHRP (Hader) but Bellinger is the off season.
Unless you get Ohtani, but Bellinger won't cost as much.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:19 pm

With Wicks, Assad, Wesneski, the Thompson twins, Killian, Horton, Brown, et al, would you say we really need to add an SP or we just need to stop yanking these young guys around and putting them in the bullpen or 'enhancing' their repertoire or pitches?

Also, are we now stuck with Stroman and Smyly, on top of Taillon, meaning unless we go to a six-man rotation, we only have one spot available for the aforementioned pitchers? 

[ ]

Submitted by Childersb3 on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:07 pm

Smyly is surely opting into his last year for next season. So he'll be back.

Taillon is with us for a long while. Get used to that.

I can't imagine Stroman takes the 1 yr deal with Jed next year. Not if he thinks one club will give him 3+ years in a deal on the open market. I have to believe he's gone.

But I believe Jed will bring back Hendricks. I've been saying to let Kyle go the last two years. He's done better than I ever expected this year but I just don't think he beats top teams nowadays. Metrics might prove me wrong. But Jed/Ross love him. He might come cheaper as well.

So, Steele, Taillon, Hendricks are locks. Assad, Wicks, Wesneski, and/or Brown could take the last two spots or just one spot. 

Jed is flying to Japan to personally watch 25 yr old Yamamoto pitch. He's supposed to be the best SP on the market now with Ohtani having surgery. Urias would've been up there as well. Flaherty hasn't pitched well for BAL but I still like him.

All of this happening with Horton really one year away (at most).

If they don't sign Belli in the winter, then they'll have cash to go big with the SP and RP on the market. Yamamoto and Hader!

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 09/13/2023 - 09:17 pm

The problem with Christopher Morel is that he is a LF (or possibly a 2B) on a team that already has one, so he can either DH until Happ (or Hoerner) is gone after the 2026 season, or get traded (because he would have a lot of value to a team that needs as power-hitting left-fielder or possibly a second-baseman).  

One thing Morel clearly is NOT is a Ben Zobrist type super-utility guy, because it's very unlikely that he will be able to play any defensive position other than LF or possibly 2B in the big leagues. 

Morel does have a plus-plus arm and decent speed, so playing him in LF where he can set-up deep (near the warning track) but still be able to come in for balls and also make full use of his arm is probably the best way to go (although maybe not with the Cubs). 

If the Cubs can "exchange" C. Morel for an actual third-baseman or a catcher, that might be the best bet. 

[ ]

Submitted by George Altman on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:19 pm

Not to rain on your parade, but I always inwardly chuckle when someone says 'teach him to play ___'.

 

I have RARELY seen success at teaching a player at or above the AA level how to play ____.

 

The only example I've ever seen is whoever worked with Soriano in LF when Theo got here. Maybe AZ Phil will remember who that was. He want from a minus LF (30-35 grade) to a solid 45, maybe 50.

 

It's like Billy Beane saying to Ron Washington, 'Tell him, Wash. Tell him how easy it is to pick up 1B.'

 

Ron Washington,  'It's incredibly hard.'

 

Ron was right.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 09:33 pm

PCA pinch running in the top 7th.  tauchman pinch hit for wisdom (bellinger should move over from CF to 1st) and got a single.

Submitted by azbobbop on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 09:41 pm

I wish Ross had given Fulmer at least a game or two of lower pressure work before throwing him in tonight.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:55 pm

no cubs lineup yet...probably trying to figure out how to get tauchman, masterboney, and madrigal in the lineup at the same time.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 09:56 pm

bottom of the 1st and PCA makes his first highlight reel catch.  damn yall.  dude routes and ranges.

Submitted by Charlie on Wed, 09/13/2023 - 09:52 pm

If the Cubs could make better baserunning decisions while in Colorado I'd really appreciate that. Game 2 was rough.

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 09/13/2023 - 09:56 pm

they should give the cubs a loss for tomorrow's off-day just to let them know how disappointing they were this series.

[ ]

Submitted by Wrigley Rat on Thu, 09/14/2023 - 09:39 am

It was tough to watch and tough to hear from Sut, but I was proud of him for telling like it is - "These are the three worst games I've seen the Cubs play since I've worked for Marquee." I'd much rather hear that than, "Every team slumps... Moral victories... We'll get 'em tomorrow..."

Just like Crunch said, I like that Sut's got interest in each player - he's always around them, says he will ask him "that" tomorrow. He said something like, "Oh good - that'll give me a chance to meet the guy tomorrow" in reference to a question he had for a player on the other team. I can't see JD doing that! (But I can see Girardi & Elise doing it.)

To blabber on further, I like that the Cubs are cycling through broadcasters - I enjoy each of them in one way or another (not so much with Beth Mowins). I hope they continue this and I hope that each broadcaster likes it enough to stick with Marquee if others come calling.

Submitted by Cubster on Wed, 09/13/2023 - 09:26 pm

For scoreboard watchers…Bullets mostly dodged: Brewers, Phils, DBacks lose. Reds, Giants, Marlins (beat Brewers) got wins. 

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Thu, 09/14/2023 - 09:26 pm

Anecdote which may or may not be common knowledge: PCA's Mom is Ashley Crow, the Mom from the movie 'Little Big League'.......

Recent comments

  • crunch 09/27/2023 - 09:01 pm (view)

    cubs out here forgetting how to play D again...

  • crunch 09/27/2023 - 09:02 pm (view)

    happ finally gets HR #20.  he joins bellinger, morel, suzuki, swanson, and wisdom with 20+ HR.

  • crunch 09/27/2023 - 09:29 pm (view)

    took tailon 5 pitches to give up a HR to the 2nd batter of the game.  phew...

  • crunch 09/27/2023 - 09:59 pm (view)

    candel's back and playing 1st.  tauchman DH'ing...  j.young optioned to AAA...forgot he was here.

  • crunch 09/27/2023 - 09:49 pm (view)

    he's wearing this one for life whether he likes it or not.  you can't pull a brant brown in the last week of the season when it's 4 teams going for 2 playoff spots...especially with your last games going forward vs teams that are 1st place in their division.

    he might as well do whatever it takes to move on because it's part of the drama of this chase for the post-season no matter how the cubs do here on out.

  • Arizona Phil 09/27/2023 - 09:33 pm (view)

    FWIW, the year Brant Brown dropped the fly ball in Milwaukee the Cubs made the playoffs anyway, although they did have to play a tie-breaker play-in game with the Giants at Wrigley Field to get in as the N. L. Wild Card team (there was only one Wild Card team in each league back then)...  

  • Charlie 09/27/2023 - 09:16 pm (view)

    Ron Santo's voice came out of me while watching.

    I am really hoping for a bounce back by Suzuki tonight. That error in that moment could really get in your head -- and unfairly shift the public perception of the player for a long time.

  • Arizona Phil 09/27/2023 - 09:28 pm (view)

    F NOLDARAN: 

    The Cubs have no control with respect to Marcus Stroman or Drew Smyly exercising their player options for 2024. 

    Stroman will get $21M in 2024 if he exercises his player option and Smyly gets $10.5M in 2024 (includes a $2M salary escalator based on IP in 2023) if he exercises his player option (both likely, especially Smyly). 

    Kyle Hendricks has a $16M club option for 2024 or else a $1.5M buy-out, and it remains to be seen if the Cubs will exercise the option (which is really just a $14.5M savings because of the buy-out). I would think the Cubs will exercise the club option, because they can always trade him.  

    Also, the Cubs will be paying performance bonuses post-2023 to Yan Gomes (either $250K or $500K based on games started at catcher) and Smyly ($2M based on IP). Also, Cody Bellinger gets as $1M bonus if he wins N. L. Comeback Player of the Year Award (which is very likely).

    So with the $3M+ in performance bonuses still to be paid, the Cubs 2023 payroll AAV will likely end up just slightly under the 2023 MLB $232M CBT threshold, possibly within $1M (TBD).  

    BTW, as things stand right now it appears that the Cubs will have somewhere in the vicinity of $30M in 2024 salary to spend on additions to the roster (I am presuming that Bellinger will opt-out, that Stroman and Smyly will not opt out, that the Cubs will pick up the club options on Hendricks and Gomes but will not pick-up the club option on Brad Boxberger, and that the Cubs will tender 2024 contracts to only three or four of the arbitration eligible guys -- Steele and Alzolay for sure, probably Merryweather, plus MAYBE Tauchman and/or Leiter), with Nick Burdi, Codi Heuer, Nick Madrigal, and Patrick Wisdom likely to be non-tendered (or traded prior to being non-tendered if another club is interested). 

    However, I suspect that the Cubs will attempt to re-sign Heuer and Burdi -- and Tauchman and/or Leiter if they are non-tendered -- to 2024 minor league contracts with an NRI to Spring Training. Brandon Hughes and Ethan Roberts are not arbitration-eligible but they also are likely to be non-tendered and then the Cubs will attempt to sign them to 2024 minor league contracts with an NRI to Spring Training.

    MLB Contract Tender Day this year is November 17th (the Friday immediately prior to Thanksgiving), so I expect to see a lot of transaction-related activity at that time throughout MLB. 

    However, the deadline to add Rule 5 eligible players to the MLB 40-man roster is PRIOR TO MLB Contract Tender Day, so the Cubs will need to drop as many players from the 40 as roster slots are needed PRIOR TO MLB Contract Tender Day.

    The players presently on the 40 who are most likely to be Designated for Assignment (and outrighted if not claimed) to clear slots on the 40 prior to MLB Contract Tender Day for Rule 5 Draft eligibles would probably be Michael Rucker, Jared Young, Jeremiah Estrada, and Caleb Kilian (in that order), although the Cubs could also just DFA one or more of the players they have  already decided to non-tender and not re-sign (like Madrigal and/or Wisdom, and maybe Leiter and/or Tauchman). 

    At 9 AM (Eastern) on the day after the final game of the World Series (two or three weeks prior to MLB Contract Tender Day) is when unsigned MLB Article XX-B players are automatically declared free-agents (they do NOT have to file, it's automatic), so that's when Bellinger, Boxberger, Candelario, and Fulmer will be removed from the Cubs MLB 40-man roster, and then at 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series is when all players still on a club's MLB 60-day IL (Burdi,  Heuer, Hughes, and Roberts) are automatically reinstated to the 40-man roster.

    So by 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series, the Cubs 40-man roster will likely be full (subtracting free-agents Bellinger, Boxberger, Candelario, and Fulmer, and adding Burdi, Heuer, Hughes, and Roberts back from the 60-day IL). 

    5 PM Eastern on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series is also the point in time when unsigned minor league players eligible to be a post-2023 MLB Rule 9 6YFA are automatically declared free-agents, unless the player is added to the MLB 40-man roster or has signed a 2024 minor league successor contract. This will impact the Cubs with respect to OF Yonathan Perlaza and SS Luis Vazquez (two legit prospects who are eligible to be minor league free-agents post-2023).  

  • Sonicwind75 09/27/2023 - 09:07 pm (view)

    Ron Santo's "ohhhh nooooo" is what immediately came to my mind. 

  • crunch 09/26/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    in 1 week of play, masterboney has gone from a line of .206/.289/.265 to .262/.333/.328

    11 hits and 1 walk in 21 PA.  9 singles, 2 doubles.

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