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 vs. Reds: Series Thread (Games 135-137)

Submitted by Charlie on Mon, 09/05/2022 - 09:17 pm

The Cubs return to Wrigely for a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds, who trail the Cubs in the division by a small margin. See below for daily matchups.

Game 135, Tuesday, September 6, 6:40 pm central

CHC: LHP Wade Miley (1-0, 2.84 ERA)

CIN: RHP Justin Dunn (1-2, 4.63 ERA)

Game 136, Wednesday, September 7, 6:40 pm central

CHC: TBD

CIN: LHP Mike Minor (3-10, 5.98 ERA)

Game 137, Thursday, September 8, 1:20 pm central

CHC: TBD

CIN: RHP Luis Cessa (3-2, 5.18 ERA)

Tags
2022 Series Thread

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 09/06/2022 - 09:52 pm

i know it's early for everyone, but im kinda stoked about thompson/steele/wesneski.

alzolay and kilian are in the mix, too.

stroman and hendricks are around for another year.

so i guess the cubs can sign aaron judge and trea turner.  maybe arenado will opt out and they can get him, too.  nice.  get it done.

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Submitted by SheffieldCornelia on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:02 pm

I'm also loving this pitching depth, but it feels like odds are better that they keep at least one of the young starters who doesn't make the MLB rotation in the MLB pen as a long reliever like they did with Steele and Thompson this year (as long as the guy proves he can handle it), and then stretch that guy out as a starter if someone gets hurt.  Keeps their innings down, avoids chance of overuse injuries, etc.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 09/06/2022 - 09:30 pm

cubs have 11 walks tonight...at the plate, not pitching...

playing crap teams is a bit of joy in 2022.

nico hits a f'n triple into the left field corner while typing this...left field...wtf...reds f'n suck.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 09/06/2022 - 09:49 pm

wesneski debut, in relief to start the 5th...ends up with the win on a starter's short-outting workload.

5ip 2h 1bb 8k, 0r, 61 pitches

he didn't give up his first hit until 4.1ip into the game.

it's kinda important to consider 1- it's vs the crappy reds 2- he faced almost all RH hitters.  still, really great outing.

Submitted by JoePepitone on Tue, 09/06/2022 - 09:43 pm

Yeah, that slider was on point. And what was that pitch he had in the upper 80's that looked like it bore into the right handed batters? A cutter? A two-seam fastball? I wasn't watching it live and I'm lost without Gameday to ID some of those non-obvious pitches. 

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Submitted by JoePepitone on Tue, 09/06/2022 - 09:53 pm

Hmmm. His scouting report (via Lance Brozdowski on the Marquee website) says he's got a cutter, sinker & change-up to go along with his four-seam fastball and the slider. So that upper 80's pitch could have been a sinker (two-seam fastball) or a change up. I'm guessing his cutter breaks away from right handers, like the slider, instead of boring into them. 
 

That slider grades out at 147 in Stuff+ ratings. No kidding!

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Submitted by JoePepitone on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:26 am

I just got a look at Rob Friedman's Twitter video, "Hayden Weseski, 92mph Two Seamer and 82mph Breaking Ball, Overlay" (posted in an article on the official Cubs.com site) and I think the pitch I was trying to identify was a high 80's two-seamer -- Gameday had the two-seamer in an 88-92mph range last night.  Anyway, that makes it a pretty effective pairing with that high-80's slider, not to mention the low 80's "breaking ball", which Gameday labeled as a curveball.  He gets movement on his pitches, for sure!

Submitted by First.Pitch.120 on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:54 am

Re: Trading For Ohtani....

Just noting that according to MLB Pipeline, the LAA org top 30 prospects contains only 5 OF-ers, with org ranks of #14, #17, #18, #21, & #30.

#14 only grades @ 45 & is playing in the Dominican right now as a 17 yr old. 
#17 is another 17-yr-old DSL player.
#18 is a toolsy, power-oriented, K-machine underperforming @ A-ball
#21 was a 1st rd pick in 2018 who just reached AA midseason w/ 80 speed, 60 field, & an OPS below .700 for the past 2 seasons.
#30 came in the Syndergaard deal & could be interesting, but is still in A ball as a 21 year old drafted in 2019

That is some thin-@$$ OF depth... Canario or Caissie would instantly become the best OF prospect in the LAA system & slot in something like 7/8 in LAA's org ranking. Heck, I think that Pinango, Perlaza, or Hill might take that title if traded (no offense to Darius or either of the Y.P.'s).

Not that it would be a 1-for-1, but I do think that the pieces exist (in the right complimenting areas) to make a deal feasible.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:29 pm

I would think the Angels would want direct replacements for Ohtani, a DH (Mervis) and a LHSP (Wicks), plus a top OF prospect (probably PCA), and a second pitching prospect like D. J. Herz, AND the Cubs would have to take back 3B Anthony Rendon and pay 100% of what's left of his contract ($38M per year 2023-26 with a $35M AAV hit for the next four seasons). All that for just one year of Ohtani, with the hope (pipedream?) that the Cubs can  MAYBE sign him to a contract extension (10/$500M?) before he hits free-agency. 

However, the Cubs are about $55M under the CBT threshold right now and will get about $35M more in AAV back post-2022 ($45M if Contreras signs elsewhere), so adding Ohtani (and whatever he will get in 2023 through arbitration) and the A. Rendon contract wouldn't break the bank. And then the Cubs would get an additional $60M AAV back post-2023 when the Heyward and Hendricks contracts come off the books. 

If a trade like that happened, the down-to-the-studs rebuild would have to be postponed indefinitely and the Cubs would suddenly become a legit 2023 N. L. Central contender AND an extremely attactive destination for an elite free-agent SS like Correa, Bogaerts, or T. Turner and/or an elite FA SP like Jacob deGrom. The Cubs might even choose ro sign Contreras and Happ to contract extensions. 

So if the Angels are actually willing tp move Ohtani post-2022 and the prospect return from the Cubs is sufficient (not to mention the added benefit of the Cubs relieving the Angels of Rendon's contract), I would make rhat trade in a Disneyland minute.     

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:39 pm

BTW, with respect to Anthony Rendon, he has played 155 games (equal to about one full MLB season) for the Angels since signing with them post-2018, and he has hit 252/359/421 (115 OPS+) with 20 HR, 35 doubles, and 90/104 BB/K in 669 PA while playing acceptable defense at 3B, all of which isn't worth $38M per year ($35M AAV) but also isn't necessarily all that bad - IF - he can stay healthy (big IF). It's not like the Cubs have a lot of better options (now or in the near-future) at 3B, and if taking back Rendon would be part of the price to acquire Ohtani, I'd be willing to take a chance on him having a bounce-back year in 2023 (and hopefully beyond). 

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Submitted by crunch on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:53 pm

i wonder where the team will upgrade.  CF and 1st are only obvious holes in the lineup (assuming they want morel at 3rd).

a rizzo return to CHI would be a bat upgrade, but he's not much of a 1st baseman anymore.  brandon nimmo is the only CF of interest, but he carries career-long injury risk.

trades open up all kinds of options beyond CF and 1st for upgrades, but that's what's in play right now.  morel is a more natural 2nd than 3rd...for all we know arenado could opt out after the season and suddenly trading madrigal is in play...or a variety of other spit-ball scenerios.

the team has a lot to work with young prospects, mlb-ready players/prospects, and established vets (such as happ) this off-season.

i'm down for whatever it takes to be favorites to win the NL Central going into spring training.

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:44 pm

there are so few people at the game you can hear 1/2 dozen different vendors yelling in the stands.

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 09/08/2022 - 09:12 pm

mckinstry is the lead off hitter and mark leiter jr is coming in the 9th for a save chance.

i am 100% officially done with the 2022 cubs.

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 09/09/2022 - 09:27 pm

pitch clock and banning the shift is a 2023 thing...also bases going from 15" to 18"

15-second clock with bases empty, 20 with runners on, batter 1 time out per PA

2 IF'rs on either side of 2nd base when pitch is released, feet on dirt when pitcher is on the rubber.

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Submitted by crunch on Sat, 09/10/2022 - 09:24 pm

the one i really hate is the man on 2nd in extras.  it screws up a lot of stats and how the game is approached.

stats aren't the most important thing, but this is a game that places a high importance on stats.

yeah, the runner at 2nd doesn't count as an earned run, but so many innings start with an intentional walk to set up force outs...amongst other things that change how the game is played such as starting the inning pitching out of the stretch.

i can't deny that it is a bit more exciting, though.

Recent comments

  • crunch 09/26/2023 - 09:59 pm (view)

    adam wainwright is calling it quits.  he had another start (or 2) ahead of him, but he's going out with that last great outing at home (7ip 4h 2bb 3k, 0r/er).  the fans gave him a lot of love.

  • Finwe Noldaran 09/26/2023 - 09:46 pm (view)

    Phil: With Brown, Killian, Thompson, Thompson, Assad, Wicks, and Wesneski (with Horton and others knocking on the door) competing to join Steele and Taillon in the rotation, do you anticipate us keeping either Stroman or Hendricks, or looking to add an SP in free agency?

    And is Smyly signed for next year? 

  • crunch 09/26/2023 - 09:15 pm (view)

    ATL 1-5 hitters have 30+ homers...1 of those with 40 homers, and another with 53 homers.  they have a guy with 21 homers hitting 8th.

    good luck cubs.  mega-extra good luck wednesday taillon...and wesn + smyly out of the pen.

  • Childersb3 09/26/2023 - 09:27 am (view)

    Padres want to restructure while still competing, yet decrease payroll.
    Snell and Hader are FAs.
    Soto has one year left on deal.
    Our bullpen is in dire need of someone like Hader.
    Snell would cost a ton and maybe Steele's presence makes Snell unnecessary, yet you cannot have enough pitching (I'd like Yamamoto)
    But, we can put a deal together for Soto. We'd have to pony up the cash to keep him to make the trade worth it long term, but we can make a value deal for the Padres.

    Morel, Canario, Mervis, Vazquez, one MiLB SP (Sanders-Arias-Gray-maybe Ferris), and Stroman (or Hendricks)
    So, it's a six for one deal.
    The issue here is that five of these guys have to be on the Padres 40man roster. That might be too much for them. So maybe BJ Murray instead of Vazquez.
    Morel is blocked from a defensive position. So he's our DH. He'd be replaced by Soto.

    We'd still keep Alcantara and ONKC to replace Happ and Suzuki eventually.
    We'd still need to figure out 3B. Maybe bring back Candelario.
    I'd resign Belli for 1B or CF if PCA isn't "ready" in Spring Training.
    Wisdom can stay to help Soto with DH spots vs LH arms.

    You'd have LH bats at DH, 1B, 3B (switch), LF (switch), CF (PCA or Tauch) with 20 HR pop at DH, 1B, LF and 15 HR pop at 3B and CF.  That's pretty solid.
    It'll cost too much for the Ricketts to keep Bellinger and Soto but that would be fun to watch.

  • crunch 09/26/2023 - 09:48 am (view)

    missing the playoffs because of an on-paper tiebreaker loss would be peak cubbery.

  • Hagsag1946 09/26/2023 - 09:10 am (view)

    Thanks Phil. I look forward to these reports.

  • Mike Wellman 09/25/2023 - 09:24 pm (view)

    Playoffs essentially start tomorrow for Cubs. Better pack for a week in Milwaukee.

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:34 pm (view)

    azbobbop: If Stroman does not opt out, the Cubs can trade him without any restrictions.

    Stroman will make $21M in 2024 if he does not opt out, and Hendricks will make $16M if the Cubs exercise the club option. 

    Also, it would cost the Cubs a $1.5M buy-out if they decline the Hendricks club option, so they would only be saving $14.5M by declining the option, not the full $16M.

  • azbobbop 09/25/2023 - 09:08 pm (view)

    Phil, if Stroman opts in, does have any trade protection?

  • Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    CRUNCH: Unfortunately all of the tie-breakers work against the Cubs in the case of a tie with AZ, MIA, and/or CIN. 

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