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

Jaque Fleet Feet on Display at Riverview

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 09/26/2022 - 09:29 pm

Erbin Jaque belted a two-run inside-the-park HR, Pedro Ramirez singled, doubled, and drew a walk, and Haydn McGeary singled twice and drove-in a run, as the Cubs "Blue Squad" blanked the Cubs "Red Squad" 4-0 in AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Monday afternoon on Field # 1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was pre-planned as a seven-inning contest. 

Pedro Ramirez saw his first-ever pro game action in CF, as the Cubs are attempting to exploit his power / speed combo all over the diamond. He was mostly a SS in the DSL in 2021, but was moved to 2B in the ACL this season to accommodate Cubs top SS prospect Cristian Hernandez. Ramirez also played some 3B in the ACL.   

The Jaque inside-the-park HR was amazing. It was like watching "The Freeze" race a fan at an Atlanta Braves game. The hit itself was an oppo-field line-drive into the right-centerfield alley, and CF Ismael Mena got to it quickly. Parker Chavers was on 1st base and was running on the pitch, but Jaque caught up with him at 3rd base and they both scored standing up about a foot apart.

Jaque may be the fastest runner I have ever seen on a baseball diamond. He is really, really fast. That said, there may be some issues with his hit tool. Despite the blazing speed displayed with the inside-the-park job, he also struck out swinging against DSL Cubs Blue Pitching Coach Jose Zapata.

Cubs 2022 4th round pick Nazier Mule once again served as a DH, the second time he has done so in a Cubs AZIL intrasquad game. He singled, stole second, and scored a run in the top of the 5th. Although he has not yet appeared in an AZIL game as a pitcher, he has been throwing bullpen side sessions and metriculating in the Pitch Lab on Camp Days. He also has taken ground balls at SS in infield practice. By all appearances, the Cubs do intend to allow Mule to be a two-way player. He is a very unique five-tool SS / RHP. No AZIL Cubs pitchers were scheduled to throw on Monday, so ACL Cubs hitting coach Rachel Folden pitched for the "Blue Squad" and DSL Cubs Blue pitching coach Jose Zapata pitched for the "Red Sqaud." (Folden hurled a complete game shutout). 

Some of you may remember Jose Zapata as a highly-touted Cubs pitching prospect back in the day, before suffering a broken neck in a car crash imvolving several Cubs minor leaguers in the Dominican Republic in 2014 that ended his playing career. Now 29, Zapata has been a pitching coach at the Cubs Dominican Academy for the last several years. It's amazing he is even able to throw at all, much less toss a seven-inning complete game!  

Here is the box score from the game: 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" LINEUP: 
1a. Ismael Mena, CF: 0-2 (F-8, F-7)
1b. Jefferson Rojas, 2B: 0-2 (P-5, P-2) 
2. Pedro Ramirez, 2B-CF: 2-3 (1B, BB, 2B, L-7)
3. Christopher Paciolla, SS: 0-4 (4-6-3 DP, 6-4-3 DP, 6-3, F-8)  
4. Rafael Morel, 3B: 1-3 (6-3, 2B, 4-3, R) 
5. Nazier Mule, DH: 1-3 (L-5, F-9, 1B, R, SB)
6a. Haydn McGeary, C: 2-2 (1B, 1B, RBI, PO) 
6b. Yoanis Aleksandrov, C: 1-1 (2B, RBI, PO) 
7a. Parker Chavers, RF: 1-2 (1B, 4-3, R) 
7b. Josefrailin Alcantara, RF: 0-1 (K) 
8a. Erbin Jaque, LF: 1-2 (HR, K, R, 2 RBI) 
8b. Brayan Altuve, LF: 0-0 (BB) 
9. Anderson Suriel, 1B: 2-3 (1B, F-7, 1B)  

CUBS "RED SQUAD" LINEUP: 
1. James Triantos, 2B: 0-3 (F-8, 5-3, 5-3)
2. Cristian Hernandez, SS: 1-3 (1B, F-8, F-7) 
3. Cristian More, CF: 2-3 (3-6 FC, 2B, 1B) 
4a. Andy Garriola, RF: 0-2 (5-4 FC, F-7)
4b. Raino Coran, RF: 1-1 (1B) 
5. Reggie Preciado, DH: 0-3 (F-8, 3-U, 4-6-3 DP) 
6. Frank Hernandez, LF: 1-3 (L-8, 1B, 5-3) 
7. Miguel Pabon, 1B: 0-2 (6-3, F-8)
8. Carlos Ramos, C: 1-2 (1B, 6-3)_
9. Christian Olivo, 3B: 0-2 (6-4-3 DP, F-8) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" PITCHER: 
Rachel Folden: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2 GIDP, 10/8 GO/AO 
NOTE: Folden is the ACL Cubs hitting coach 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" PITCHER: 
Jose Zapata: 7.0 IP, 11 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 2 GIDP, 6/9 GO/AO 
NOTE: Zapata is the DSL Cubs Blue pitching coach 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" ERRORS: NONE  

CUBS "RED SQUAD" ERRORS: NONE

CUBS "RED SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Carlos Ramos: 0-1 CS, 2 PO 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD: OUTFIELD ASSIST: 
CF Ismael Mena - batter (Cristian More) thrown out 8-6-5 attempting to stretch double into triple  

ATTENDANCE: 4 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures 100+  

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen"

Tags
2022 Cubs AZ Instructional League
Erbin Jaque
Pedro Ramirez
Haydn McGeary

Comments

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 09/27/2022 - 09:31 pm

JOE P: Tony Campana is (or at least was) probably faster home-to-first only because he was a LH hitter and had a swing where the momentum took him toward first base, whereas Erbin Jaque has a full-blast RH power-swing (he has apparently never heard of "small ball") and so it takes him a beat to get out of the box. But I would say Jaque is faster than Campana running around the bases (like 1st to home).  

I don't know if the Cubs have considered it, but it might be worth a try to see if Jaque can maybe be taught to hit LH and be a switch-hitter (as the Cubs did a few years ago with Zach Davis). It's not like Jaque is a particularly talented RH hitter. He struck out swinging hitting against a pitching machine in the game played this morning, but to be fair he also ripped a triple into the LF corner (would have been a double for most guys), and he had the inside-the-park HR in the game yesterday. 

[ ]

Submitted by JoePepitone on Wed, 09/28/2022 - 09:04 am

AZ Phil - Thanks for the insight! Regarding his swing, I recall that releasing the top hand as a right handed batter (ala the Charlie Lau method) made a real difference for me in being able to get out of the right handed batters' box, as the follow through was no longer pulling me over towards third base that way. I also didn't lose any power when I switched my swing over. 
 

I realize that my "speed" and my "power" don't compare in any way to a professional athlete, but that technique made a noticeable difference for me. Does he keep both hands on the bat during his follow through?

Submitted by Wrigley Rat on Tue, 09/27/2022 - 09:31 pm

Interesting observations:

2. Pedro Ramirez, 2B-CF: 2-3 (1B, BB, 2B, L-7) - Played 2B, SS, and 3B this year. CF is new (as Phil mentioned)
5. Nazier Mule, DH: 1-3 (L-5, F-9, 1B, R, SB) - As we know, pitcher/hitter combo. Played SS before draft
6a. Haydn McGeary, C: 2-2 (1B, 1B, RBI, PO) - Hadn't played catcher for Cubs yet, only 1B & DH
6b. Yoanis Aleksandrov, C: 1-1 (2B, RBI PO) - Had 1 hit in 47 ABs this year (and 1 walk in 50 PAs)
1. James Triantos, 2B: 0-3 (F-8, 5-3, 5-3) - Played 3B this year, defense was iffy: .900 Fielding %
9. Christian Olivo, 3B: 0-2 (6-4-3 DP, F-8) - Played LF, CF, and a little 2B this year. Small, RHH, speedy, but nothing stands out yet.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil 09/24/2023 - 09:09 pm (view)

    With two more HR on Sunday versus Houston, Nelson Velazquez now has 17 HR in 49 MLB games this season (pro-rates out to 56 HR in 162 games). 

  • crunch 09/24/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    cubs win...so do MIA and CIN,.  ARZ is close to winning (up by 6 in the 8th).  total wash of a day.

    off day tomorrow then it's the last week of baseball...not an easy one vs MIL and ATL.  last-week drama...

  • crunch 09/24/2023 - 09:47 pm (view)

    merryweather puts the first couple guys on with 0 outs...and smyly is up in the pen.  back end of the pen situation is a mess.

  • crunch 09/24/2023 - 09:31 pm (view)

    "Coming into the game, they were 0-819 when trailing by nine runs or more."  damn.

  • Charlie 09/24/2023 - 09:48 am (view)

    I wonder how many pitchers have missed this much time in a relatively short span with recurring forearm issues and not had it lead to surgery.

  • Cubster 09/24/2023 - 09:34 am (view)

    Historic win for Pirates...

    https://www.mlb.com/news/pirates-mount-historic-rally-to-beat-reds?part…

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:02 pm (view)

    The deadline for trading players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) and players who were outrighted to the minors after signing a 2023 MLB contract was August 1st, but trades involving players on a minor league reserve list are prohibited beginning at 12 PM (Eastern) on the 7th day prior to the originally-scheduled conclusion of the 2023 MLB regular season (Sunday 9/24) through the last day of the MLB regular season (including a day on which a regular season game is played after the originally-scheduled conclusion of the MLB regular season).   
     

  • Arizona Phil 09/24/2023 - 09:41 am (view)

    jdrnym: 

    As you know, the abbreviation "DFA" stands for "Designated for Assignment." 

    There are three types of assignments: 

    1. Trade Assignment (when a player is traded from one MLB club to another)
    2. Outright Assignment (when a player is sent to the club's minor league Domestic Reserve List after Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured).
    3. Optional Assignment (when a player is optioned to the minors, subject to being recalled at a later time). 

    So when a player is Designated for Assignment, the player can either be traded, outrighted to the minors, or optioned to the minors. 

    Normally a player is not Designated for Assignment and then optioned to the minors, because the club could just option the player to the minors immediately without a DFA.

    Back in the day It was not that unusual for a player to be Designated for Assignment so that Optional Assignment Waivers could be secured (Optional Assignment Waivers were required before certain players could be optioned to the minors, and just like the old Trade Assignment Waivers, Optional Assignment Waivers were revocable if a player was claimed).

    https://www.thecubreporter.com/why-player-designated-assignment-and-the…

    Optional Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2016 and Trade Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2021, so all revocable waivers have been eliminated. What's left are Outright Assignment Waivers and Outright Release Waivers, and both are irrevocable (cannot be withdrawn) once requested.  

    With the new five option limit whereby a player can be optioned to the minors no more than five times in a given season before Outright Assignment Waivers must be secured (and it - IS - Outright Assignment Waivers that must be secured, even though it is for the purpose of an Optional Assignment), it now might be necessary for a club to DFA a player to clear a spot on the MLB 26-man roster (MLB 28-man roster in September) for another player and to allow for the two days (actually 47 hours) required to run a player through waivers. After the two day "Waiver Claiming Period" concludes (and presuming the player isn't claimed), the player can be returned to the MLB 40-man roster and optioned to the minors (even after being Designated for Assignment). But for that to happen, the player can - NOT - be replaced on the MLB 40-man roster by another player after being Designated for Assignment.  

    However, in the case of Jordan Luplow, he had - NOT - been optioned to the minors five times in the 2023 season prior to be optioned to AAA St. Paul on 9/18, so the Twins did not need to DFA Luplow in order to secure Outright Assignment Waivers so that he could be optioned to the minors a sixth time. But because he was Designated for Assignment and not replaced on the 40 by another player after the DFA, the Twins could return him to the 40 and option him to the minors even after he was Designated for Assignment, because an Optional Assignment is one of the three types of assignments.

    So Luplow was Designated for Assignment even though he didn't need to be, and then the Twins returned him to their MLB 40-man roster and optioned him to the minors a couple of days later (which they can do, since Luplow wasn't replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment). What the Twins did (DFA Luplow and then return him to the 40 and option him to the minors a couple of days later) was within the rules. It's just very odd and doesn't make a lot of sense. 

    So I will offer what I believe is the most logical reason the Twins did this:  

    The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they intended to reinstate Chris Paddack from the 60-day IL, but then Carlos Correa suddenly needed to go on the 10-day IL and they recalled Trevor Larnach to replace Correa, but then they probably decided they should keep Luplow on the 40-man roster, too (and on Optional Assignment to AAA), and didn't want to risk losing him off waivers or by him electing free-agency after being outrighted. Luplow has Article XX-D rights (he has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career, so he would had the right to elect free-agency after he was outrighted). Clearly the Twins felt they might need Luplow's RH bat after losing Correa and with Royce Lewis having left a game with a hamstring injury that led to an IL assignment. And that meant that Paddack would remain on his minor league rehab assignment a few extra days, but the Twins will need him in the post-season, not now. 

    Also, if Luplow was outrighted instead of being optioned, he would no longer be automatically eligible to play in the post-season (except as a possible injury replacement).

    Not only did Carlos Correa go on the IL, Royce Lewis went on the IL, too, two days after Correa went on the IL and two days after Luplow was optioned to AAA, so the Twins did in fact end up needing Luplow after all, and recalled him just a couple of days after he was optioned to replace Lewis on the MLB 28-man roster. (So both Larnach and Luplow were recalled within a couple of days of each other, replacing Correa and Lewis on the Twins MLB 28-man roster).  

    So that's all I've got. That is the only thing that makes sense. The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they had intended to replace him on the 40 with another player (probably Paddack) and hoped that they would be able to run him through waivers and that he wouldn't get claimed and that he would accept an Outright Assignment, but then they suddenly changed their minds because of the injury to Correa and the possibility that Lewis might also have to go on the IL (which did, in fact, happen the next day). Also, with the injuries to Correa and Lewis, the Twins wanted Luplow to remain automatically post-season eligible, which would not be the case if he was outrighted.  

    Again, the Twins were able to return Luplow to the 40 and option him to AAA because he hadn't been replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment. 

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:00 pm (view)

    CIN out here blowing a 9-0 lead they built through 3 innings.  9-9 tie in the 7th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:05 pm (view)

    boxburger 10d IL, k.thompson back up.  it's his right forearm (again).

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