Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 


Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Culling the Cubs 2-0-2-3

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

If they so desire, the Cubs could add as many as 13 minor league Rule 5 Draft-eligible players to the MLB 40-man roster post-2022 (or perhaps even one or two of them during the month of September).  

So strictly as a thought-experiment, here is what the Cubs MLB 40-man roster - COULD - look like on November 18th, when off-season reserve lists must be filed with the MLB Commissioner in preparation for the 2022 Rule 5 Draft. 

|+++++++++++++++++++++++


PROJECTED CUBS MLB RESERVE LIST (prior to reserve lists being filed on 11/18)

* bats or throws left 
# bats both 

27 players (plus one player on Restricted List who doesn't count against the 40) 

PITCHERS: 14 (plus one player on Restricted List)
Adbert Alzolay (out of minor league options) 
Javier Assad (has post-2022 Draft-Excluded status)  
Kyle Hendricks (signed thru 2023 / club option w/buy-out for 2024) 
* Brandon Hughes 
Caleb Kilian (will get a 4th minor league option in 2025) 
* Brailyn Marquez (will get a 4th minor league option in 2024) 
Ethan Roberts 
Manuel Rodriguez (will get a 4th minor league option in 2023) 
Michael Rucker 
Adrian Sampson (probable "Super Two" post-2022 - TBD) 
* Justin Steele (out of options in 2023) 
Marcus Stroman (signed thru 2024 but has opt-out post-2023) 
Keegan Thompson 
Erich Uelmen 
Alexander Vizcaino (on Restricted List - does not count against 40-man roster - gets a 4th minor league option in 2024 if he is on the 40)
NOTE: Rucker would be outrighted (and he can elect free-agency if outrighted) if the Cubs sign a SP like Carlos Rodon, Sean Manaea, or Chris Bassitt or a RP closer like David Robertson, Sampson would be traded or outrighted if the Cubs sign both a SP  AND a closer (and Sampson could elect to be a FA if he is outrighted), Marquez (2022 shoulder surgery) and Roberts (2022 TJS) can be placed on MLB 60-day IL on the first day of 2023 Spring Training (the day pitchers & catcher report) which would open up two additional slots on the 40 for any  additional MLB free-agents signed late in the off-season or during Spring Training, and/or for an NRI RP and/or NRI utility position player added to the 40 by Opening Day, and if & when Vizcaino is reinstated from the Restricted List he would be outrighted to the minors (if he isn't claimed off waivers) and if he is outrighted he can NOT elect free-agency.    

CATCHERS: 3 
Miguel Amaya (will get 4th minor league option in 2023)
Yan Gomes (signed thru 2023 wilth club option for 2024) 
P. J. Higgins 
NOTE: Amaya - MUST - catch on a regular basis at Iowa in 2023 and must master AAA so that he can be ready for MLB in 2024 when he will be out of minor league options

INFIELDERS: 5 
Nico Hoerner (arbitration-eligible)                 
Nick Madrigal ("Super Two" arb-eligible post-2022) 
Christopher Morel (will get a 4th minor league option in 2024)
* Alfonso Rivas 
Patrick Wisdom 
NOTE: Madrigal would be traded, released, or outrighted if Cubs sign a FA SS like Carlos Correra, Xander Bogaerts, Trey Turner, or  Dansby Swanson, and Rivas (who can NOT elect free-agency if he is outrighted) would be outrighted if Willson Contreras accepts the QO or if Cubs sign a FA 1B like Josh Bell (I project Matt Mervis as the Cubs future DH, not as the future 1B).    

OUTFIELDERS: 5 
Alexander Canario (will get a 4th minor league option in 2024)
# Ian Happ (arbitration-eligible) 
Franmil Reyes (arbitration-eligible post-2022) 
Seiya Suzuki (signed thru 2026)
Nelson Velazquez 
NOTE: Reyes would be traded, released, or outrighted if Contreras accepts QO - AND - Cubs sign a FA 1B like Josh Bell. 

++++++++++++++++++++

So the Cubs could then add as many as 13 Rule 5 Draft-eligibles to the 40 by 11/18. This would (by FAR) be the most players added to the Cubs 40-man roster in preparation for the Rule 5 Draft. However, Rule 5 Draft-eligible minor leaguers added to the 40 after 8/15 have Draft-Excluded ststus, meaning they can't be sent outright to the minors after the reserve lists are filed on 11/18  and up until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day, so once they are added to he 40 they are essentially locked on the 40 during the last half of November, December, January, February, and the first half of March. 

PITCHERS TO BE ADDED TO THE 40: 9  
Ben Brown, SP 
Danis Correa, RP 
Luis Devers, SP (would get a 4th minor league option in 2026)
Jeremiah Estrada, RP  
Kohl Franklin, SP 
Ryan Jensen, SP
* Brendon Little, RP  
Cam Sanders, RP  
Hayden Wesneski, SP
NOTE: If not on the Cubs 2023 MLB Opening Day roster, MLB ready or near-MLB ready pitchers like Correa, Estrada, Jensen, B. Little, Sanders and Wesneski would likely be at AAA Iowa and would be available to ride the Des Moines-Chicago "shuttle" whenever needed in 2023, while B. Brown, Devers, and Frankiin would likely be metriculating at AA Tennessee.   

INFIELDER TO BE ADDED TO THE 40: 1 
Jake Slaughter 
NOTE: On Opening Day 2023, Slaughter would likely be at AAA Iowa and would be available to ride the Des Moines-Chicago shuttle in 2023. 

OUTFIELDERS TO BE ADDED TO THE 40: 3 
Kevin Alcantara (would get a 4th minor league option in 2026)
Brennen Davis 
* Yohendrick Pinango 
NOTE: On Opening Day 2023, B. Davis would likely be at AAA Iowa and if he appears to be MLB-ready he could possibly get called up to MLB at some point during 2023, Pinango would likely be at AA Tennessee in 2023, and Alcantara would likely be at Hi-A South Bend in 2023.  

+++++++++++++++++

MLB ARTICLE XX-B FREE-AGENTS (at 9 AM Eastern on the day after final game of World Series): 
Willson Contreras, C (will definitely be extended a QO and he very well might accept it) 
* Wade Miley, SP 
* Drew Smyly SP  

WILL BE RELEASED PRIOR TO 11/18: 
* Jason Heyward, OF 

WILL BE OUTRIGHTED SOMETIME PRIOR TO 5th DAY AFTER FINAL GAME OF WORLD SERIES 

GROUP ONE (can elect free-agency if outrighted): 
David Bote, INF (signed through 2024 with club options for 2025-26)  
* Steven Brault, RP (arbitration-eligible post-2022) 
Luke Farrell, SP (still pre-arbitration but out of minor league options)
Michael Hermosillo, OF (still pre-arbitration but out of minor league options) 
Codi Heuer, RP (arbitration-eligible post-2022 - January 2022 TJS) 
Mark Leiter Jr, RP (still pre-arbitration but will be out of minor league options in 2023) 
Alec Mills, SP (arbitration-eligible post-2022 - out of minor league options) 
* Sean Newcomb, RP (arbitration-eligible post-2022 - out of minor league options)   
* Rafael Ortega, OF ("Super Two" arb-eligible post-2022 - out of minor league options)  
Rowan Wick, RP (arbitation-eligible post-2022)    
* Brad Wieck, RP (arbitration-eligible post-2022 - July 2022 TJS - out of minor league options) 
NOTE: Bote is signed through 2024 with club options w/buy-out for 2025-26 so he would probably accept an outright assignment and then he would get an NRI to MLB Spring Training, and Heuer and Wieck are TJS rehabbers so they would probably sign a 2023 minor league successor contract to continue rehabbing with Cubs medical & training staff. One or more of the other eight could possibly sign a 2023 minor league contract with an NRI to MLB Spring Training, but it's not very likely. 
 
GROUP TWO (will be declared minor league 6YFA on 5th day after final game of World Series if outrighted) 
Kervin Castro, RP (will get a 4th minor league option in 2024 if he is still on the 40 at that time)
Narciso Crook, OF 
Anderson Espinoza, SP (will get a 4th minor league option if still on the 40 in 2023)
* Zach McKinstry, INF (will be out of minor league options in 2023)
Frank Schwindel, 1B 
Nicholas Padilla, RP 
NOTE: These players are the ones most-likely to sign a 2023 minor league successor contract (with an NRI to MLB Spring Training). 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Even with 13 additions to the 40, a number of notable Cubs minor leaguers would still be eligible to be a minor league 6YFA and/or eligible for selection in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft.  

NOTABLE CUBS MINOR LEAGUE 6YFA FA (if player does not sign a 2023 minor league successor contract): 
* Bryan Hudson, RP 
# Yonathan Perlaza, OF  
NOTE: Player would become eligible for selection in 2022 Rule 5 Draft if he signs a 2023 minor league successor contract

NOTABLE CUBS MINOR LEAGUERS WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION IN 2022 RULE 5 DRAFT: 
Pablo Aliendo, C 
* Bryce Ball, 1B 
Chris Clarke, SP 
Yovanny Cruz, RP
Richard Gallardo, SP 
Nelson Maldonado, 1B-OF   
* Cole Roederer, OF 
* Darius Hill, OF 
Levi Jordan, INF 
Michael McAvene, RP 
Fabian Pertuz, INF 
Chase Strumpf, 2B-3B
Riley Thompson, SP 
Cayne Ueckert, RP 
Luis Vazquez, SS 
Luis Verdugo, 3B 
* Andy Weber, INF  
* Jared Young, INF-OF 

So in terms of free-agency, I expect the Cubs will have a limited but expensive shopping list consisting of a big-time SS (Correa, Bogaerts, T. Turner, or Swanson), a 1B (probably Josh Bell), a SP (Rodon, Manaea, or Bassitt), and an established closer (possibly David Robertson). However, there is no guarantee that just because the Cubs might want to sign those guys that they will be able to do it, and if they can't, the Cubs would likely have go full rebuild mode again next season, and therefore 2023 could even be worse than 2022 (but with 2024 and especially 2025 being brighter).

Tags
2023 Cubs
Cubs Future Roster Moves
Cubs Roster Strategy

Comments

Submitted by George Altman on Sun, 08/28/2022 - 08:28 pm

Phil,

Any thoughts on who might get taken off this list during Rule 5?

I'm thinking Clarke, Hill, & R. Thompson most likely?

Submitted by Childersb3 on Sun, 08/28/2022 - 08:13 pm

Thanks for theorizing Phil. 

I'm anti Rucker. I'd rather keep Heuer than Rucker

I love Devers. Saw in person this yr. Won't light up radar guns but knows how to pitch. But I don't see him being taken in the Rule5 by another team. Hopefully we can be save a 40 spot here. Maybe add CClarke or BHudson.

Also, BMarquez or BHudson? You're probably right with Marquez but he just isn't available to pitch.

I like keeping ASampson over AEspinoza. Try to sneak Anderson Espinoza back to Iowa on a MiLB deal.

If Willy does in fact accept a QO, which I agree he will accept, keeping 4 catchers on the 40 is hard to do. Someone would probably have to go. Higgins or Gomes?

I love how you think Slaughter gets a spot. Love it.

Rivas however, don't see it. If they don't sign a 1B, I'd like to see them add Mervis, but really move Happ to 1B and open up LF for someone else. Another LH bat? DHill or Perlaza? Won't happen but just a thought.

I'd hate to lose Perlaza. Would hate it!!

The only other name that I was hoping we could save a 40 spot was KFranklin. He hasn't been results great. Been better with time, but another team hiding him on their 40 for a full yr is probably at minimum problematic for them.

It's going to be crazy at the end of the season.

Does Jed buy FAs. Spend big. Do we trade for Ohtani (no way Jed has the guts to trade all of his best prospects but doing it for 21st century Babe Ruth would be justified).

Or do we just protect every prospect we possibly can and play some young guys!!

The worst option is only protect some guys, sign marginal FAs in order to flip them for one more sell off / pseudo tank effort.

It would be awesome to get JBell, CCorrea, Rodon or Manaea, and a top RP, with Ohtani. Instant change. 

We are allowed to dream

[ ]

Submitted by JoePepitone on Sun, 08/28/2022 - 08:56 pm

"We are allowed to dream"


Yes, we are! When I was a young child growing up in the 1960's, my parents bought a record album called, Let's Sing Songs in German​​​​​​. One of the songs was Die Gedanken sind frei,which means "The thoughts are free", i.e., you may be able to outlaw what we say but our thoughts are beyond the control of others. That had a certain resonance in post-WWII Germany, I'm sure!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274334756855
 

Yes, we are, Mr. Childers, yes we are!

[ ]

Submitted by JoePepitone on Sun, 08/28/2022 - 08:03 pm

The same record album also had other profound selections, such as Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestolen (fox, you have stolen the goose!). That rollicking little tune is playing on repeat in my head at this very moment. Be thankful I'm the only one here experiencing that particular earworm. 

Submitted by cubbies.4ever on Wed, 08/31/2022 - 08:52 pm

AZ PHIL- I love the 13 Rule 5 idea.  My only disagreement would be I'm not sure I'd trade Madigral.  You'd be trading a guy who has high draft pedigree coming off injury.  Don't get me wrong I have been very dissappointed in him, but you'd be trading him REALLY low return at this point.  If they are willing to get rid of Rizzo, Baez, Bryant, Schwarber, what would stop them from trading Hoerner who is at the highest point of his career if you sign a SS.  They don't seem to be in a hurry to extend Happ or Contreras either, so I'd give Madigral one more chance before trading him for a bag of balls.  Hoerner and Morel have played OF.  Can the new SS, Nick, or Nico play 3rd?  Maybe.  If nothing else Madigral becomes the new David Bote/Tommy LaStella.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 10/06/2022 - 10:23 pm

Today (day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season) the following occurs: 

1. All players on optional assignment to the minors must be recalled. 

2. For clubs not active in the post-season, all players on the 7-day IL (concussion),10-day IL, and 15-day IL are automatically reinstated. 

3. All players selected in the MLB Rule 4 Draft (First-Year Player Draft) who were not placed on a minor league active list after being signed will now count against the club's 180-man minor league Domestic Reserve List (the DRL limit expands to 190 at 5 PM Eastern on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series).  

4. Injured players may be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers. A player on an MLB 60-day IL who is claimed after being placed on Outright Assignment Waivers can be transferred to the 60-day IL of the claiming club. 
NOTE: All players on a 60-day IL must be reinstated no later than 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the  final game of the World Series; 

5. The MLB office is now closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays up until the start of Spring Training. This affects the filing of contracts, trades, and the waiver wire (a waiver can only be requested when the MLB office is open for business, and weekends do not count toward the two day waiver claiming period for a player who has been placed onto waivers on a Thursday or on a Friday). 

6. Article XX-D players who were outrighted off the 40-man roster and accepted the outright assignment (for the Cubs, that's Clint Jackson Frazier, Michael Hermosillo, and Sean Newcomb) can elect free-agency beginning today up through October 15th.  

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 11/05/2022 - 11:18 pm

The MLB contract tender date has been moved up from December 2nd to the Friday prior to Thanksgiving (which could be November 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22, depending on the date of Thanksgiving that year). So this year, the contract tender date will be November 18th, which coincidentally happens to be the same date as the reserve list roster filing deadline, although they will not be on the same day in most years.  

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 11/07/2022 - 11:29 am

The off-season reserve list roster filing deadline has been moved-up from 11/18 to 11/15 this year, so it will not be on the same day as the contract tender deadline. 

The contract tender deadline being moved-up from 12/2 to the Friday prior to Thanksgiving is part of the new CBA and will be that way going forward, but the off-season reserve list roster filing deadline is determined by the MLB Commissioner and is not part of the CBA and so it can change from year to year, probably depending on the contract tender date. MLB will probably want the roster filing deadline to be a few days prior to the contract tender deadline. 

Recent comments

  • Childersb3 (view)

    AZ Phil, do you think Shaw can be a consistent .290-.300/25-30HR/90-100RBI hitter?
    Those HR totals are probably unrealistic but I'll keep them there for now.

  • crunch (view)

    i know it's still very early, but i'd like to go into the xmas-to-newyears part of the off-season with something more than...*checks list*...patrick wisdom avoids arbitration with a 1-year deal

    also, steven brault retired and was spotted at the winter meetings with a demo reel and making contacts trying to break into broadcasting (not a joke).  unless he's more optimistic than talented (we already know he can sing) he should make it one day because he seems to be very serious about it.

  • Cubster (view)

    I blame Jason Schmidt’s 3/44

  • Craig A. (view)

    Was all that stuff with the Blue Jays just to squeeze an extra $10 million/yr out of the Dodgers?  It's more than enough to cover his California income taxes!

  • crunch (view)

    unless he pitches into his late-30 that is gonna sting.  a 70m DH...ow.

    it's great to take care of 2 roster spots in 1 player, and i'm sure the team will cut into the pay with the amount of merch/etc he can sell just by being attached to the team....but yeah, i'm not mad the cubs didn't go that extreme.

  • WebAdmin (view)

    Shohei Ohtani to join Dodgers according to ESPN. 10 years for $700 m

  • Cubster (view)

    I'm getting the feeling that Todd Walker might be a Shaw comp. A valuable hit first player but limited albeit not awful on defense. Hopefully, he has more upside. Not a bad floor if Steve Garvey is his ceiling.

  • Wrigley Rat (view)

    AZ Phil - If that's the level of return, I would want NO part of that trade to Cleveland for Clase and Bieber. I have some faith that the Cubs have a strong plan for which prospects they will keep (even if they dangle them in trade talks) and which they will move, because they have plenty of solid prospects they can trade but they shouldn't be trading any of the ones they hope will be future core players. Some guys are redundant, so I hope they choose the right players to keep and the right players to move. It's always important for a team to know its own minor league players better than scouts from other teams (obviously), but I don't think that's always been the case for the Cubs and many other clubs. 

    Cubster - I watched an interview with Carter Hawkins a couple days ago where he said that although Morel hasn't gotten into any Dominican games at 1B, the Cubs did send coaches down with Morel to work on first base skills during practice. So he is developing those skills, whether the Cubs end up using him there or not will probably be dependent on a lot of factors including how those coaches think he looks at the position while training. 

  • tim815 (view)

    He could still play SS at Double-A, but Vazquez, Hoerner, and Swanson are much better defensively, arm strength or not. I'd be good leaving Shaw at SS with McGeary and Ballesteros around, but by the first of June (?), 1B might make sense in DM.

  • crunch (view)

    i have no reason to see a problem, it just seems like it's his most obvious reason to give pause on him at 1st.

    the cubs situation dictates 2nd/SS isn't an option.  his arm dictates 3rd isn't an option.  1st or CF seems to be his best path and he's only played CF in summer ball back in highschool/college...and of course PCA is a better + closer to the bigs CF.

    it's a lot safer to say he's made for 1st than it is he's made for 3rd.  even as a SS his arm is weak, and it's not like his glove is so great he needs to stay in the middle-IF.

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