Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

Last updated 10-2-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 22
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Brad Boxberger
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Tyler Duffey 
Jeremiah Estrada
Shane Greene
Kyle Hendricks
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
# Jeimer Candelario
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 8
Kevin Alcantara
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

60-DAY IL: 6
Nick Burdi, P
Michael Fulmer, P 
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Nick Madrigal, INF
Ethan Roberts, P
 


 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Batter Rockies at Fitch Park

Junior Lake doubled twice, singled, walked, stole a base, and scored three runs, Jeffrey Baez doubled twice, scored twice, and knocked-in a run, Shawon Dunston Jr belted a two-run triple, singled, stole a base, and scored two runs, Brad Zapenas drove-in three runs with a double and two sacrifice flies, and Xavier Batista hammered a solo home run (his third HR in two days), as the Cubs drubbed the Rockies 13-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #4 in Mesa,AZ.

The game was pre-planned as a ten-inning affair so that more pitchers could get game work.  

Junior Lake (fractured rib cage rehab) played CF for seven innings and batted five times, going 3-4 with two doubles (both rifled off the LF fence), a line-drive single, and a walk, plus a strikeout (swinging). 

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):



CUBS LINEUP
X. Junior Lake, CF: 3-4 (2B, 2B, K, BB, 1B, 3 R, SB)
NOTE: Lake batted five times, hitting 2nd in the bottom of the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th innings
1. Shawon Dunston Jr, LF: 2-5 (3-U, 1B, 4-3, 3B, 3-1, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB)
2a. Steve Clevenger, 1B: 1-2 (1B, F-9, BB, RBI)
2b. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 0-1 (F-8 SF, 4-3, RBI)
3a. Jose Morales, DH #1: 0-4 (5-3, F-9, 4-6-3 DP, K)
3b. Rashad Crawford, CF: 0-1 (3-U)
4a. Xavier Batista, DH #2: 1-2 (F-8, BB, HR, 2 R, RBI)
4b. Garrett Schlecht, PH: 0-1 (P-6)
5a. Justin Marra, C: 1-2 (F-9, 3B, R, RBI)
5b. Wilfredo Petit, C: 1-2 (1B, F-8, R)
6. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 2-3 (F-9, BB, 2B, 2B, 2 R, RBI)
7. Mark Malave, 3B: 0-2 (F-9, 5-3, BB, BB, R, RBI)
8. Brad Zapenas, 2B: 1-2 (F-9 SF, 2B, F-9 SF, 5-4 FC, 3 RBI)
9. Francisco Sanchez, SS: 1-4 (K, F-8, 2B, K, R, RBI)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. James Pugliese: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 6 K, 1 GIDP, 66 pitches (50 strikes), 5/4 GO/FO
2, Armando Rivero: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 22 pitches (14 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
3. Carlos Martinez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 34 pitches (22 strikes), 0/6 GO/FO
4. Mike Hamann: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 9 pitches (6 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
5. David Villegas: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 6 pitches (5 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO

CUBS ERRORS: 3
1. SS Francisco Sanchez - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely - eventually scored unearned run)
2. SS Francisco Sanchez - E-6 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely)
3. C Wilfredo Petit - E-2 (Catcher's Interference allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Justin Marra: 0-1 CS
2. Wilfredo Petit: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above)

ATTENDANCE: 11

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures 100+

 

Comments

AZ Phil: When management feels that Junior Lake is ready...will he be ready for Iowa? or Chicago? ...and where will he play in the field at that point? I'm expecting Iowa, but to Chicago after the July trade deadline to replace whatever OF(s) gets dealt. Brett Jackson seems to have his feet (and bat) stuck in the mud this year so Lake's bat will carry him ahead of BJax.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

CUBSTER: I would expect Junior Lake to go to Iowa when he completes his rehab at EXST, and once there to be moved around between 3B and the three OF positions.

IMO, Lake will eventually end up a RH platoon OF capable of playing all three OF slots, sort of like a Scott Hairston or somebody like that. 

I suppose he could be used as a supersub IF-OF at the MLB level, but he's a bit of a Bull in a China Shop when it comes to playing infield. I would say outfield will be his ultimate destiny, and depending on how well he hits, he could be more than a RH platoon OF. 

Like Josh Vitters, I expect Lake to be traded.

Two more two baggers for Cubbles for 3-1 lead /cubs lead mlb in doubles //go figure

Joe West is an idiot I know he didnt blow the call but under his leadership umpiring is sloppy and abrasive. He can be thanked when they are replaced by video cameras

carlos marmol's trade value is creeping just above a can of simoniz, but well below an infield rake...forget about the package of both. ...also, zach putnum sucks.

per sun-times/Ginetti: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/20475486-573/cubs-manager-… With two days off next week, the Cubs will give left-hander Travis Wood extra time off, skipping him until the home game Friday against the Pirates. ‘‘He’s pitched a lot of innings already [72] and thrown a lot of pitches in those games in a lot of stressful innings,’’ manager Dale Sveum said. ‘‘And he’s been on the bases a lot in the games he’s pitched.’’ --- Sunday- EJax; Monday-off; Tues/Anaheim-Feldmania; Wed-Garza; Thurs-off. The week with two days off also stretches Shark (actually everyone) out...Ninja won't pitch for a week (saturday to saturday)

Sure hope the Cubs never had an actual chance to get Dominic Brown for Soriano as was briefly rumored.

c.marmol out for the 8th after throwing 30 (mostly bad) pitches last night. this game sucks, btw...every time it looked promising the cubs screwed it up. marmol walks the leadoff hitter...and the following hitter... bb, bb, K, CS, bb, RBI single, K... 1ip 1h 3bb 2k ...34 pitches

more of the future (puts on shades)...Cougars win 3-2 in 10: Kane County Bottom of the 10th Pin-Chieh Chen flies out to left fielder J. D. Williams. Albert Almora doubles (6) on a fly ball to center fielder Jeremias Pineda. Tyler Jones intentionally walks Dan Vogelbach. Jeimer Candelario singles on a line drive to right fielder Adam Walker. Albert Almora to 3rd. Dan Vogelbach to 2nd. Rock Shoulders walks. Albert Almora scores. Dan Vogelbach to 3rd. Jeimer Candelario to 2nd.

the ramon ortiz experiment in TOR may be over...though it probably shouldn't have existed in the first place...he was pitching worse than he was when he was a cub in 2011. 3rd pitch of the 3th inning...he walked behind the mound...spiked his glove down...trainer out...pointing to his pitching elbow...in tears walking off the mound. though i'm sure he was hurting, it was tears of a game/season/career not ending on his terms more so than pain. it was just 2 weeks ago he got his 1st win as a starter since 2007. 40 years old...sucking before this happened...buh-bye guy.

[ ]

In reply to by Koyies Bansaw

Five pitchers were shut-down during the course of Minor League camp last March and haven't pitched since:

Marcelo Carreno
Gerardo Concepcion
Michael Jensen
Jin-Young Kim
Casey Weathers

There are a couple of others who were throwing at Minor League Camp, then went active for a while at EXST, and are now shut-down again: 

Dayan Diaz (forearm strain)
Andrew McKirahan (2012 TJS) 

Tthere are those who were active with full-season teams or at EXST and are now shut-down at EXST:

Daniel Adrian (knee)
Josh Conway (fractured elbow)
Ryan McNeil (May TJS)
Starling Peralta (unknown)
Dae-Eun Rhee (unknown)
Ryan Searle (sprained elbow UCL)

These two are throwing "sim" games and could appear in an EXST game this week:

Carlos Gutierrez (2012 shoulder surgery rehab)
Chang-Yong Lim (2012 TJS rehab)

The following position players are at EXST but are not playing in games: 

Stephen Bruno (unknown)
Trey Martin (left shoulder surgery rehab)
Greg Rohan (back surgery rehab)

It is not unusual for pitchers who are diagnosed with elbow or shoulder injuries that do not require surgery or biceps or triceps tendonitis to be shut-down for two or three months, as happened with Ben Wells (sprained elbow UCL) and Zac Rosscup (biceps tendonitis) last season. That coiuld very well be the case with Carreno, Concepcion, Jensen, and/or JY Kim,

I guess we can't know until the year has run its course, but the Castro and Rizzo contracts are going to be significant indicators of the success of the TheoCorp regime and its strategy for building the team. They were both risky maneuvers, in my opinion. Doling out huge wads of cash for unproven players just seems like a risky strategy. Castro for me is the biggest concern. He looks like a singles hitting Vlad Guerrero - swinging at everything near the plate but not having anything to show for it. I don't think it makes sense to give up on a guy who has shown as much hitting potential as he has - this could be just a nasty, protracted slump, but it does make the overall contract strategy pretty interesting. Rizzo, despite his occasional 0 fers, is a lot less of a concern for me. He's got some nice numbers for a 23 year old, especially considering what a terrible start he had to the year and then his post contract slump. I guess for me, the Rizzo contract made a lot more sense than the Castro one did, especially considering all the shortstops bounding about in the Cubs system. On a side note, I kinda wish they'd release Marmol. I doubt the Cubs need any Simoniz.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

If this is the new norm for Castro, then the contract will start sucking very soon. If he puts up numbers similar to his 2011 and 2012 seasons, then the contract is just fine. It doesn't reach 8 figure annual salary until 2018. I'm hoping he ends up at 2b. I hope they just cut ties with Marmol too. I think it's time to start throwing shit at the wall in the bullpen to see what sticks. Any random AAA or AA guy can walk the bases loaded too.

Cubs Draft... I think I'd like to see the Cubs take one of the third basemen. I don't know anything about them, though, so maybe I'm hoping they are taking another Junior Lake (see AZ's description of his infield skills above) and don't even know it. But top round pitchers make me nervous the way top free agent pitchers do. They are a puffy tendon away from being a total waste. Better to build your staff by picking a bunch of potential guys in the lower rounds and seeing what sticks.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

if you're talking about Kris Bryant, I haven't seen any real conviction that he'd stay at 3b. He's probably begin there, but seems like he's destined for the OF or 1B.

 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

moran will most likely stick at 3rd (though there's been some (imo) weird rumblings about him not being able to play well there that seem out of place given his arm...footwork can be improved), but he's more of a gap power guy than a true power hitter...some believe it will develop, though...and he's a good hitter. not many are high on bryant staying at 3rd even if someone lets him try to initially make it there.

Bruce Miles‏@BruceMiles2112 #Cubs say DFA'd reliever Alex Burnett has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Class AAA Iowa.

Baez in BA Notebook

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-notebook-javier-baez-pow…

Baez has tantalizing bat speed and power potential, but his free-swinging approach has started to eat into his on-base percentage this year. We talked about this on the Prospect Handbook Podcast, but sometimes the best way for an aggressive hitter like Baez to become a more disciplined hitter isn’t by having the organization mandate he start taking the first pitch or emphasizing walks. Sometimes a young hitter just has to swing at bad pitches, then learn that those are the pitches he needs to lay off because he can’t do damage with that slider that dives off the plate or that tempting fastball above the strike zone. Some players never make the adjustment, but the talented ones learn from their mistakes. With Baez, the adjustments are already starting to come as a 20-year-old in high Class A Daytona. On Saturday Baez went 5-for-6 with three doubles and a home run, then followed that up yesterday with a 2-for-4 day to bring him to .281/.322/.519 with nine walks, 56 strikeouts and nine home runs. Baez is going to have to put in major work to clean up his defense, though, as he’s looked out of place at shortstop with 24 errors in 51 games.

Mock Draft at BA

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2013-experts-draft/

2. CUBS (Jim). You’re not going to draft for need at the top, but the Cubs’ biggest need dovetails nicely with the elite prospects in this year’s draft. They need pitching and there are two obvious frontline starters in this crop. I’m mildly tempted by Bryant, but the choice comes down to Gray and Appel, and the Astros have made it easy here by taking Gray off the board. I like Gray a little more because I think his stuff is more electric when he and Appel are at their best, but I’m happy with Appel at No. 2. He has more polish, a deeper repertoire and a longer track record, and he has dominated this season like scouts always hoped he would: MARK APPEL.

Recent comments

  • George Altman 10/03/2023 - 10:40 pm (view)

    I hope their top priorities are Bellinger, 2 RPs better than Fulmer/Boxberger (ideally 1 LH), and a 3B (Chapman my 1st Choice). That will put them right up to $237-257M AAV limit, but I don't see a playoff berth doing anything less.

    If they really want Alonso, Morel would be a good opening piece of that offer. 

    Unfortunately, Stroman will opt in ($23.7M) and Smyly ($11.5M) will be back. Steele, Taillon, Assad, Wicks will be rotation pieces. Would love a SP2 FA but don't see how they keep an effective offense and improve their bullpen while adding that.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    i cannot imagine getting a legit 3rd, whether signing or via trade, isn't the highest priority for the team.  it's almost obvious they don't see morel there.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:19 pm (view)

    I’m just hoping they have an actual 3B next year so we don’t need to worry about the M boys, Bote, and P Whiffy eating all the 3B at bats next year.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:13 pm (view)

    Willson was a OF/3B when we signed him too.

    On a less successful but still got to the show note, PJ Higgins was another college IF converted to C

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    truth...and personally, i'd give him ABs (especially at 3rd) over the 2 singles-hitting-ceiling guys that got the shot.  i'm sure he can cover the ob% and defense while surpassing the power of anything masterboney and madrigal brought to the team.

    i don't view bote as a solution at 3rd, but i find it hard to believe he couldn't outperform either of the main options they had there for a huge chunk of this season.

  • KingKongvsGodzilla 10/03/2023 - 10:47 pm (view)

    Color me impressed by this assignment for Trice right out of the draft as a convert. Seems worth following after the success of Caratini

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:33 pm (view)

    Bote always has great spring trainings.

  • Childersb3 10/03/2023 - 10:37 pm (view)

    We'll see what they do with 3B
    Is it Candelario?
    Does getting Alonso or signing Belli effect their 3B choice?
    It's just a shame they didn't give it to Morel in May and let him get settled there.
    He made some nice plays at 3B in his limited time.
    I saw him in person make a great play toward the bag in Yankee Stadium. Looked smooth. Made a nice quick and accurate throw.
    I'm seeing analysts predict Chapman to Cubs.
    Defense over Offense is what they're saying.

    Bote, Morel, or Slaughter would've been interesting to watch 3B this year.
    But Jed was committed to showing "someone" Madrigal had value.
    Of course, he did fine. But that's your point. He was just fine. We had a lot of guys who were just fine.

    The Mastro love was just odd to me.
    He was the OD RF. That was crazy to me.
    We had Velazquez and Morel. Suzuki was a RH bat. But Mastro beat out all others b/c he had the LH bat. Just aggrevating.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:46 am (view)

    i can't believe they gave 450-ish PA to 2 guys who combined for 21 doubles and 3 homers while david bote sat around in the minors with more pop in his bat even though he can play 3rd just as well as either of the other 2 guys who combined for .310 ob% and .330-ish slugging.

    masterboney in particular was only "hot" for 2 weeks (mid-july/late-sept) out of the season and pure trash in between those games.

    bote got paid 4m last year to ride the bus in iowa.  he gets 5.5m to do it next year.  a .323/.447/.548 spring training line couldn't save his slot in the majors last year...no idea what he'd have to do this spring to get him back on the 40-man.

  • crunch 10/02/2023 - 10:13 pm (view)

    supposedly going to play in the dominican winter league.