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

Cubs & A's Fit to be Tied at Fitch Park

The Cubs and Athletics played to a 5-5 tie in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played this morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

Frandy de la Rosa (two-run single) and Tyler Alamo (RBI single) drilled run-scoring hits to highlight a three-run third that gave the Cubs an early 3-0 lead. Then after the A's took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a Miguel Mercedes solo home run, the Cubs came back and tied the game in the top of the ninth as pinch-hitter Tyler Pearson belted a two-out triple to right-center and scored on a game-tying Bryant Flete RBI single. The A's loaded the bases on two walks and a Cub error in the bottom of the 9th, but were unable to push across the winning run.  

Robert Garcia singled, doubled, and scored two runs for the Cubs.   

Cub pitchers allowed only four hits in the game (none until the fourth, and only one through six), but they also walked eight, hit a batter, and threw three wild pitches. Collectively, Cub pitchers threw only 53% strikes today. The two Cub catchers (Tyler Alamo and Jhonny Pereda) took a physical beating behind the plate, with numerous balls short-hopping them before hitting a collar-bone or a groin.  

Two veteran ex-MLB pitchers recently signed by the Cubs to minor league contracts saw action in today's game, as RHP Felipe Paulino (released by the Red Sox at the end of SpringTraining) and LHRP Daniel Schlereth (released by the Tigers last month) each worked an inning.  

The 6'3 260+ 31-year old Paulino came out like a house afire, striking out the first two men he faced (both swinging) on seven pitches before walking the next two hitters on 3-2 pitches, finally retiring the side on a pop-out to the first-baseman in foul territory. He cuts a rather large figure on the mound, with a physique similar to that of Jumbo Diaz or Jonathan Broxton. 

Originally signed by the Houston Astros as an International free-agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2001, Paulino has pitched in the big leagues with Houston, Colorado, Kansas City, and the White Sox. He underwent an elbow UCL transplant (TJS) post-2012 when he was with the Royals, and then missed most of last season with a right shoulder injury while a member of the White Sox. 

The 28-year old Schlereth worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 2nd (F-9, 4-3, P-4), but had command issues, going to a three-ball count on the first two hitters he faced and a two-ball count on the third hitter before retiring them. He needed 15 pitches to retire the side, but threw only seven strikes.

Schlereth was the 1st round pick (26th overall) of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008 out of the University of Arizona, and was part of the Max Scherzer/Curtis Granderson/Edwin Jackson/Ian Kennedy/Austin Jackson/Phil Coke three-team mega-deal in December 2009, going to the Tigers with Scherzer, Coke and A. Jackson (Granderson went to the Yankees, and E. Jackson and Kennedy ended up in Arizona). 

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


CUBS LINEUP
1. Kevonte Mitchell, CF: 0-2 (BB, BB, K, 6-3, R, RBI)
2. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 1-3 (2-3 SH, 1B, 3-U, K, 2 RBI)
3a. Tyler Alamo, C: 2-3 (P-3, 1B, 1B, RBI) 
3b. Jhonny Pereda, C: 0-1 (5-3) 
4a. Adonis Paula, 3B: 1-3 (K, 1B, 6-4-3 DP) 
4b. Carlos Jimenez, 3B: 0-1 (F-7)
5a. Miguel Rico, DH #1: 0-3 (5-3, 6-3, 6-3)
5b. Tyler Pearson, PH: 1-1 (3B, R)
6. Bryant Flete, SS: 2-4 (1B, P-5, 3-1, 1B, RBI, CS)
7. Roney Alcala, 1B: 0-4 (F-8, K, F-7, K) 
8. Varonex Cuevas, DH #2: 1-3 (3-U, 1B, 6-3) 
9. Robert Garcia, RF: 2-3 (1B, 4-6 FC, 2B, 2 R) 
10. Danny Gutierrez, LF: 1-3 (1B, P-3, 6-3, R)

CUBS PITCHERS
1. Felipe Paulino: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 22 pitches (12 strikes) 
2. Daniel Schlereth: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (7 strikes) 
3. Austyn Willis: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 4/2 GO/FO, 22 pitches (14 strikes) 
4. Jordan Brink: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 19 pitches (10 strikes) 
5. Jae-Hoon Ha: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 0/2 GO/FO, 20 pitches (9 strikes) 
6. Corbin Hoffner: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 20 pitches (11 strikes) 
7. Hector Perez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1/1 GO/FO, 17 pitches (10 strikes) 
8. Andin Diaz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 18 pitches (8 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 3 
1. 3B Carlos Jimenez - E-5 (two base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely)
2. C Jhonny Pereda - E-2 (overthrow at 3rd base on stolen base allowed baserunner to score unearned run)
3. 3B Carlos Jimenez - E-5 (fielding eror allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Tyler Alamo: 0-3 CS
2. Jhonny Pereda: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above) 

CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS
LF Danny Gutierrez - threw out baserunner 7-5 trying to advance from 1st to 3rd on line single to LF 

WEATHER: Partly cloudy & breezy with temperatures in the 90's 

ATTENDANCE: 6 

 

Comments

Hey, Phil! Not an AZ question, but I figure you might have a take on it: Why did McKinney start this season at A+ after being pretty successful there last year? And is it time to promote him to AA now that he has put up .305/.402/.476 with 3 HR, 12BB:11K, and a non-inflated .319 BABIP? He seems like he'd fit nicely into the AA lineup with the similarly disciplined Vogelbach and Schwarber. Is it just a matter of that AA outfield being very crowded? Also, any info on why Almora had been starting a bunch of games in LF and RF in AA prior to his DL time?

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

CHARLIE: I don't know why Albert Almora has been moved around the outfield this season at AA, but the Cubs (probably more than any other organization) value defensive versatility. Also, both Jake Hannemann and Pin-Chieh Chen are at Tennessee and they project as centerfielders, so they need to play CF, too. 

In the case of Billy McKinney, there were issues about his defense at Instructs last fall and again at Minor League Camp, and I suspect that's why he was sent back to Hi-A. He's basically an offense-first player who will almost certainly end up in LF, but even so he needs to work harder on defense, and I think the Cubs were sending him that message when they assigned him to Myrtle Beach. 

There is nothing wrong with McKinney offensively, though. He won the HR Derby at Instructs last October, and he is a really good all-around hitter with a good eye at the plate. He will be an MLB LF. I'm just not so sure it will be with the Cubs. 

I think McKinney probably could handle AA pitching OK, but there really isn't any reason to push it. He's only 20 (he would be a sophomore in college right now if he hadn't signed with Oakland), and the Tennessee OF is already crowded (with Almora, Hannemann, Chen, and Rademacher all vying for playing time).

BTW, I have come around to believing that Kyle Schwarber will be moved to LF sooner rather than later. It's not because I don't think he can be an MLB catcher, because no question he has improved defensively as a catcher, and he really wants to be a catcher, but his bat is way too valuable to take a chance on an injury sidetracking his career. Not with a bat like he has. If he moves to LF, he will be up with the Cubs in Chicago this time next year.  

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

In my view, they didn't want McKinney to get promoted before I had a chance to get a look at him when his team travels to suburban Washington in early June. (The Daytona Cubs never made it this far up the coast.) AZ Phil mentioned his age. I would just add that there was something peculiar about McKinney's numbers at Stockton and Daytona, both A+. While he hit very well at Daytona, in 210 PAs he only added one HR to the 10 he had hit at Stockton. At Myrtle Beach, he's socking HRs again.

Speaking of Almora, he was back in the Smokie lineup for the first game of yesterday's doubleheader.

Phil, snowed today here in Montana. Miss being there. Would have loved to see the big whale pitch today! I see Vogelbach is on a streak with the Smokies. Also, McKinney is on fire at Myrtle Beach.

wasn't Rick Reuschel the original big Whale? Later they toned it down to call him big daddy.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

I think it was just "The Whale". With Reuschel, it wasn't his size (listed as 6'3" @ 215 lbs. on BaseballRefernce.com, though an '89 SI piece mentions 235 to 240) -- it was how doughy and flabby it looked on him. Vogelbach looks ripped by comparison. Combine that with the fact that he always smoked the other pitchers when they ran wind sprints in the outfield before the games and got used as a pinch runner numerous times when he wasn't pitching. Guys with the best looking physiques aren't always the best athletes. Funny humans.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.

    He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • 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.