Cubs MLB Roster

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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 @ Dodgers: Series Thread (Games 83-86)

Submitted by Charlie on Thu, 07/07/2022 - 07:55 am

The Cubs continue their road trip with a 4-game series in Los Angeles. See below for the matchups such as they stand with an extremely stretched Cubs rotation.

Game 83, Thursday, July 7, 9:10 pm central

CHC: RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (2-2, 4.85 ERA)

LAD: RHP Tony Gonsolin (10-0, 1.54 ERA)

Game 84, Friday, July 8, 9:10 pm central

CHC: RHP Keegan Thompson (7-3, 3.41 ERA)

LAD: LHP Tyler Anders (9-1, 3.09 ERA)

Game 85, Saturday, July 9, 9:10  central

CHC: TBD

LAD: LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-2, 2.79 ERA)

Game 86, Sunday, July 10, 3:10 pm central

CHC: TBD

LAD: LHP Julio Urias (7-6, 2.57 ERA)

Tags
2022 Series Thread

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 07/07/2022 - 07:21 pm

I read somewhere on-line (I can't remember where) that OF Rafael Ortega will not be arbitration-eligible until after the 2023 season, but that is not true. Ortega is a lock to be eligible for arbitration as a "Super Two" post-2022, because he will have accrued 2+145 MLB Service Time (comfortably within the "Super Two" range) by the end of the 2022 season because he is out of minor league options and therefore he will for sure remain in MLB for the entire season. 

Nick Madrigal and Adrian Sampson are the other two on the 40 who could be eligible for salary arbitration as a "Super Two" post-2022, presuming they are not optioned to the minors for any significant period of time. Sampson in particular needs to remain on the MLB  Active List for the balance of the 2022 regular season to ensure being eligible for arbitration as a "Super Two" post-2022. That's probably why Sampson was angry after the Cubs optioned him to AAA in May, and why he is desperately trying to avoid being optioned to the minors again. 

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 07/07/2022 - 07:41 pm

justin steele goes on the paternity list.  congrats on having sex, dude.  woo.

stroman and smyly are both expected back up and getting the dodgers lineup as a welcome back.

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 07/08/2022 - 07:11 pm

c.morel fist bumping the ump and a confused will smith to start the game...before K'ing on 3 pitches.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:10 am

rowan wick starting the bottom of an extra inning with a man on 2nd?  a'ite then...

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:58 am

David Robertson signed a one-year contract with a $3.5M base salary for 2022 with an additional $1.5M in potential performance and roster bonuses. As of today (7/9), Robertson has earned $850K of his performance and roster bonuses, with the additional $650K still out there. He also gets $100K if he is traded. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:05 am

Seiya Suzuki signed a five year contract (runs through 2026) with a FULL "NO TRADE" for the entire five seasons, and Christopher Morel, three of the Cubs top 5 prospects (B. Davis, Crow-Armstrong, and K. Alcantara), another one (Caissie) in the top 10, plus five more in the top 25 (Velazquez, Canario, Pinango, Roederer, and  Nwogu) -- not to mention Crook, Hermosillo, and D. Hill -- are outfielders. 

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Submitted by Childersb3 on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:31 pm

Sorry, I'm not saying OWKC is a bad OF at all. I'm saying he's still young enough to learn a different position that is prime for a lefty. Rizzo had a cannon as well. I'm selfish, I want slugging lefty 1B. Maybe Mervis or Ball will br that guy (even though Mash fields RH). We can't keep all of these OFs. Some will have to get flipped or position switched. For the moment I'm ignoring the fact that not all of them will "make" it. Maybe it's Pinango that starts learning 1B.

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Submitted by Charlie on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:52 pm

Morel might be best suited for CF defensively, but management would be foolish not to give him a chance to be a rover for at least the next year or two, unless it suppresses his offense.

I'd put my money on Velasquez getting DH and 1B opportunities before too long, unless Schwindel really turns things around.

Happ should be looking appealing to some competing clubs as the trade deadline approaches.

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Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:42 pm

i'm about done with schwindel/rivas at 1st...this is the kind of 1st base tandum you see on clubs with basement-level payrolls on bad years.  you can generally pick up or luck into a clumbsy slugger to fill the role.  at lease rivas plays 1st D decently...not much positive to say about either guy in any other area, though...well, aside from being a positive influence in the clubhouse.

pj higgins isn't a bad option compared to what's in-house at the moment, but even though he's a good reciever, he's a bit short for 1st (lacking reach).

as far as trading happ...that would signal to me this club is not serious about 2023 if that happens.  i am looking at it as possible, but hoping it doesn't happen.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:07 pm

Ian Happ's trade value will probably never be as high (for the Cubs) as it is right now today. I would actually be more-inclined to extend Nico Hoerner than Happ (Hoerner is a FA post-2025). I would prefer the Cubs put mega-bucks into a premier top of the rotation arm (like Joe Musgrove) than one of the big name post-2022 free-agent shortstops. 

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Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:38 pm

agree that happ is about as hot as it gets, and he's got an outside shot at the all-star game...still...yeah, i wouldn't be surprised whatever direction the team is looking to go.

kinda makes stroman's 2-year deal pointless, though.  but hey, the point could have been to trade him, too.

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Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:21 pm

they can...but will they?

biggest real estate boom in the US in forever and all that wrigley-adjacent property valuation far outpaced anything COVID stripped from the ownership...they signed a 100m deal with DraftKings for that sports book they're opening next year...etc...

we know they will spend again, but when and what's the ceiling?  you'd think having thompson/steele/stroman and possibly killian in the mix would kick open a potential starting window.  waiting for the 12 year old bats in rookie and A ball to hit puberty is a nice future pipeline, but they're not on the same timeline as the current possible SP crew.

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Submitted by DavidP on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:40 pm

You don't want to have all your players on the same timeline.  We tried that once before.  They all come up together, and then all leave together.

I think that like last winter, they will sign a couple of high priced free agent this winter.  I agree with Phil that their money would be better spent going after pitching this year rather than a shortstop, expecially since Hoerner seems capable of playing the poition well.  Sign two of the top five pitchers this winter and we will see a substantially improved team.

Many people seemed to have forgotten about Davis when looking at next year.  Certainly, the thought of back surgery carries an ominous danger, but from what I have heard, this is not a structural problem with the spine, requiring rod implants or fusion, but rather a problem with the blood vessels surrounding the spine, and the Cubs seem to believe that it is entirely fixable.  If so, we will have a new center fielder to come in along with any pitching they can sign.  It looks to me that the front office is entirely serious about 2023, even if Contreras and Happ are traded.

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Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:51 pm

yeah, cubs have oportunity and pipeline.  given what thompson/steele is showing...along with stroman being around rather reasonably...i think the cubs got an oportunity to try to compete, like really try, in 2023.  they're going to have to spend to realize that oportunity, though.

meh as hell that this extremely rich team didn't at least set themselves up to try this season, but the writing was on the wall a couple offseasons ago when the cubs started trading for guys young enough to get carded for buying cigarettes and continued that with most of the trades to come.  aside from kilian and madrigal, almost everyone picked up was on the same timeline.

i am very interested to see what the team is targeting in trades coming up.  they looking near-MLB-ready or they looking to cram more kids in Rookie-A+?

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:02 pm

CRUNCH: The only two players the Cubs are looking to trade who can get a decent return right now are Willson Contreras and Ian Happ. The Cubs clearly have no intention of offering Contreras a contract extention so he absolutely has to be traded, and Happ's value has never been higher than it is right now, and it won't be any higher after the trade deafline. In fact it probably will start to decline. Also, the Cubs are loaded with top tier outfield prospects and they already have blocked one of the three OF spots (RF) through 2026 with Seiya Suzuki (who has a - FULL NO TRADE - through 2026!). 

Although he has been closing for the Cubs, David Robertson would probably be considered a set-up  guy and back-up closer (like Ryan Tepera was last-year) in a contending team's bullpen. And the Cubs got LHRP Bailey Horn back for Tepera. 

If a player were to be traded to a contender with payroll issues, the Cubs are in a position where they can pay the remaining salary of any of the traded players (minus the pro-rated MLB minimum salary) and even take back a bad contract or contracts, if it means getting a better prospect or prospects in the deal. 

For example, if the Cubs were to trade Willson Contreras to SD, they could take back Eric Hosmer's contract as part of the deal, and then also get a better prospect or prospects back in return. 

On the other hand, the Mets are supposedly willing to acquire bad contracts in deadline trades so that they don't have to give up their better prospects, so the Mets are probably a bad trade match for the Cubs. The Cubs would want the other club's BETTER prospects, not a lesser return plus salary relief. 

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Submitted by George Altman on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:12 am

In today's MLB pitching staffs, what is a SP? They go 2 1/2 times thru the order. If they've got Stroman, Steele, Thompson, & Kilian, then invest 1 Musgrove type SP and better bullpen arms than Martin, Norris, and Wick. 

This franchise has $$ to add Musgrove, Bogaerts, and a LH power bat to go with Hoerner, Morel, B. Davis, Suzuki, and Mervis.

That would be a group.thst could compete for a playoff slot in 2023 and add Caissie, PCA, Alcantara, Herz, Wicks, etc in 2024/2025 for the next core.

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Submitted by Charlie on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:35 am

The Cubs need two good SP to compete next year, IMO. Counting on Thompson and Steele to continue at their current rate and Kilian to take a leap forward and those those three + Stroman + 1 FA to mostly stay healthy is a recipe for disappointment. Better to create a rotation that pushes at least one of the three youngsters into a depth/relief spot.

I'm very happy with Thompson and Steele, but they might already be performing at their full potential.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:20 pm

CHARLIE: The top MLB post-2022 FA SP are probably in this order: 

1. Joe Musgrove, RHP  
2. Sean Manaea, LHP 
3. Jameson Taillon, RHP
4. Noah Syndergaard, RHP 
5. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP 
6. Clayton Kershaw, LHP  
7. Chris Bassitt, RHP 
8. Mike Clevinger, RHP 
9. Chad Kuhl, RHP 
10. Michael Wacha, RHP 

If they don't trade him at the deadline, the Cubs do hold a club option for 2023 on Drew Smyly (FWIW), and of course Kyle Hendricks and Marcus Stroman are signed through 2023 (Stroman with a player opt-out after 2023 and Hendricks with a club option for 2024). 

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Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:47 pm

Agree that Happ is a goner. I was never all that bullish on him until this year... he's really done an excellent job figuring out how to cut down on Ks. 
But as you said in a different post, so many of the team's top prospects plus Seiya are all OF, that it makes him more expendable. I'd like to see a Hoerner extension as well but the FO doesn't have a great track record on these things so I guess we will see. And very much agreed they desperately need SP.

Submitted by azbobbop on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:24 pm

Mervis is the quiet prospect. Excited about his career projectory and results. Get him to Iowa soon.

 

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/09/2022 - 07:47 pm

if n.velazquez plays another game in CF that sutcliffe calls, we might lose sut to a heart attack or stroke.

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:21 am

How valuable is it to get the #1draft pick? Say in contrast to #5? Right now the Cubs have the 5th worst record at 34 wins behind Oakland's 29 wins. I'm sure there is value in early selection in subsequent rounds but that's more general than specific. I realize baseball's first round is nothing like the NBA or NFL. Those watching the amateurs closely always have strong opinions and a Kris Bryant, Kerry Wood or Dwight Gooden can really help change a team's near term trajectory. More insights appreciated.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:36 am

CUBSTER: In 2013, the Astros had the 1st overall pick and the Cubs had the 2nd overall pick, Stanford RHP Mark Appel was considered the consensus best player or pitcher in the draft and it was presumed that anybody picking 1st would take Appel, which exactly is what the Astros did. That meant the Cubs got to choose between  3B Kris Bryant (considered to be the best position -player in the draft) and RHP Jon Gray (considered to be the second best pitcher in the draft), and they selected Bryant, and the rest is history.

Would the Cubs have selecfed Mark Appel if they had had the 1st overall pick in 2013? Very possible. 

So while it is good to have as high a draft slot as possible, having #1 overall doesn't guarantee anything. Mike Trout (considered by many to be one of the greatest players of this generation) was the 25th overall pick in 2009, so 24 clubs blew it.  

The new draft system goes into place next season, and so beginning in 2023 there will be a lottery for the top  six picks of the draft, very similar to the draft lottery in the NBA. The 18 clubs that do not qualify for the playoffs in the previous season have a chance to get one of the first six picks, but the clubs with the three worst records have a better statistical chance. Once the first six picks of the first round are established, the draft reverts to worst records get the higher picks.

At present the Cubs have the fifth worst record in MLB, so if the standings stay the same through the balance of the 2022 MLB regular season, the absolute lowest the Cubs will pick in the first round of the 2023 draft is #11 overall (but that's only if the top six picks go to clubs with a better record than the Cubs, which is statisically extremely unlikely to happen), but they could very well get a top six pick, or even #1 overall, depending on how the lottery goes.   

However, clubs that pay into revenue sharing (like the Cubs, Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, et al) will not be able to get a top six pick two years in a row, and clubs that receive revenue sharing (STL, MIL, CIN, PIT, et al) cannot get a top six pick three years in a row.   

Fortunately for the Cubs, they are picking #7 (just outside the top six) in 2022, which means they can qualify for a top six pick (conceivably even the first overall pick, depending on how the ping-pong balls bounce) in 2023. But if they get a top six pick in 2023, they can't get a top six pick again in 2024. That's why it isn't a problem for the Cubs to have a really bad record in 2022 (actually, the worse the better), because it gives them a better  statistical chance to get one of the top six picks (or even the #1 overall pick) in 2023. 

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:34 pm

Thanks Phil. Exactly the info I was looking for since top prospect rankings are easy to look up from the usual sources. I wonder how the new Cubs GM will affect the next two drafts in terms of priorities like college vs high school and position players vs pitching.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:57 pm

bote gets 1st base today...what a mess that position is...

contreras DH, higgins catching...

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:24 pm

5 batters into the game and g.lux in LF has given up 2 free outs with bad defense.

should be no runs going to the bottom 1st.  it's bases loaded, 1 out, 1 run in.

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:46 pm

PJ Higgins is the next best surprise after Morel. Supposedly his best position is 3B and I don't think he's gotten any play there yet. If Contreras gets traded he will get in significant catching time.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 07:03 pm

happ joins contreras in the AS game...so does contreras's brother (replacement for harper, injury).

both contreras bros will be starters.  happ on the bench.

Submitted by Cubster on Mon, 07/11/2022 - 07:43 pm

Sahadev Sharma with an article in the Athletic on possible Cub draft picks at #7 (Sunday's draft). I'll just throw out the players he names and anyone with insights can chip in. Termarr Johnson Atlanta HS 2nd baseman; Elijah Green Bradenton, FL HS OF; Brooks Lee, Cal Poly SS and switch hitter; Cam Collier, Chipola College 3B; Kevin Parada, Georgia Tech Catcher. In a less likely mention is SS Zach Neto and  OF Gavin Cross at Virginia Tech.

Subscription required...

https://theathletic.com/3414229/2022/07/11/cubs-zeroing-in-mlb-draft/?s…

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    It used to be that teams did not want to trade within their own division for PR reasons, but I don't see that with Ben Cherington in Pittsburgh or with Hoyer / Hawkins in Chicago, so the Cubs might target Ke'Bryan Hayes.

    He's a Gold Glove defender, a decent enough hitter (105 OPS+ in 2023), and he's under control at a VERY reasonable price ($8.75M AAV) through 2029 (with a club option for 2030). 

    One thing about the Cubs is that they can afford to overpay (which is what they would have to do) with a package consisting of a decent young MLB player to replace Hayes in the lineup (like Christopher Morel, who could play LF in Pittsburgh) and prospects like outfielders Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, or Kevin Alcantara (pick one), a power-hitting 1B-DH like Matt Mervis or Haydn McGeary (pick one), SS Luis Vazquez (who is MLB-ready but will never play SS in Chicago), 3B B. J. Murray (who could replace Hayes by 2025 if not sometime in 2024), and an MLB-ready SP like Hayden Wesneski. 

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:02 pm (view)

    boog and glanville calling the PHI@MIL game on ESPN2.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:59 pm (view)

    bellinger is my #1 want, but i fear he's the #1 want of many teams and will get crazy money + years, with the years being the big sting.  they need to replace bellinger's production if they don't get him no matter what position(s) played.

  • 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.

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