Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Pirates @ Cubs - Worley vs. Hammel; Game 18 Thread

Submitted by Rob G. on

The battle for 2nd place rages on...

Vance Worley vs. Jason Hammel

#Fowler CFHarrison 3B
Soler RF*Lambo RF
*Rizzo 1BMcCutchen CF
Bryant CF#Walker 2B
*Coghlan LFMarte LF
*Montero*Alvarez 1B
Castro SSCervelli C
Hammel PMercer SS
Russell 2BWorley P

Cubs made a roster move today, optioning RHP Brian Schlitt-the-Bed to Iowa and calling up outfielder and probaly occasional infielder Junior Lake. Lake was doing a whole helluva little in Iowa, so I imagine he'll just be a late inning option although the Cubs do face a lefty tomorrow in Jeff Locke.

The injury monster has been busy terrorizing the N.L. over the weekend victimizing A. Wainwright (achilles) and B. McCarthy (UCL) for the season, while sending H. Bailey (elbow strain) to the disabled list. J. Heyward (groin) and M. Scherzer (thumb) will also miss some time.

Otherwise, Cubs enjoyed a 4-2 road trip and come back home to what we all hope is the Friendly Confines. Pirates have picked up the pace after some early season struggles, taking those last 2 games in Pittsburgh vs. Cubs to salvage the series split and then sweeping the lowly Diamondbacks on the road.

Tags
Cubs 2015 Game Thread

Comments

Submitted by John Beasley on Mon, 04/27/2015 - 04:19 pm

Speaking of lowly NL teams, it sure looks like Milwaukee is going to be really bad for a while to come. As in, Wrigley North is likely to be back in business the next few years.

Submitted by billybucks on Mon, 04/27/2015 - 04:52 pm

DRose tonight, after making 2 dumbass plays in the last 3 seconds to lose Game 4: shoots 5-20, including 0-7 on 3s, and has 6 turnover to 2 assists. Halfway through both games tonight, I asked my son, an 18-year old Chicago sports fan, who he would rather see win. "Oh, the Cubs, definitely." Full disclosure - he likes the Bulls and Hawks, and really likes the Bears, but he lives and dies with the Cubs.

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Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 04/27/2015 - 04:34 pm

he also made a huge 3 and a great pass to Gasol that tied it in Game 4. Butler went 5/21 tonight (huge Butler fan btw, go Marquette go). But why do people hate Rose again? Because he blew out both his knees being awesome? (Well he blew out one being awesome, the other being okay)

I'm all for a good comeback story and he's the only real chance the Bulls have at winning the next two years, so I'm hoping there are more Games 1-3 the rest of the year myself. He's a Bull for 2 more seasons and when he's on, there's very few better. And I think he's shown in the playoffs he can still be that guy, albeit not consistently quite yet.

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Submitted by Old and Blue on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:46 am

The only thing frustrating for me about Rose is having to watch him struggle to work out the rust. It can't be easy getting into playoff rhythm while trying to recover from another knee surgery. The good thing is that by now, he's used to it, kinda. If anybody knows how to play through a rehab it's gotta be Rose. But the guy can't win from a fan's perspective. If he doesn't play he's soft, and if he plays but looks rusty, he just sucks. Tough way to make a living. At least gets a nice paycheck.

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Submitted by billybucks on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:00 am

I think the Rose hate is a cumulative thing. If he wasn't going to play last year (despite being cleared by doctors), why was he at the pre-game shoot-around? Just to remind fans to buy his Adidas shoes (given his injury history I find it hard to believe anyone would buy his shoes.). Then, his constant reference to himself as an elite player (he is not, anymore). The ultimate Rose move was at the end of Game 4, when he tried to go 1-on-3 to prove he's still "the man" instead of passing the ball to team's best player or listening to his coach yelling for a time-out (which was the most logical choice). The result was a killer turnover which led to his amazingly stupid defensive lapse that cost them the game. That, plus the whole "have someone else take the SAT for me so I can get into Memphis" thing. Just a lot of baggage.

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Submitted by Tito on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:21 am

Joe Cowley, is that you? Rose set the bar really high really young. Then he got hurt and the assumption was that he was going to come back ASAP (the Addidas campaign didn't help). The expectations for him to be THAT good again, this early, have always been unrealistic. And things like "he did X so he can be the man," that's just silly speculation. Cowley even insisted on Twitter that Rose and Butler have a simmering "I'm the man" thing going. Of course, does he tweet about how D-Rose patted him on the head in one of the games after Butler made a turnover? Of course not. No offense to any of the D-Rose haters, but I just don't get it.

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Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:48 pm

I think the Rose hate is a cumulative thing. If he wasn't going to play last year (despite being cleared by doctors), why was he at the pre-game shoot-around?

practice? support his teammates? Give the media and fans something to bitch about? Doesn't seem all the big a deal to me...

That, plus the whole "have someone else take the SAT for me so I can get into Memphis" thing. Just a lot of baggage.

If you have concerns over a player for their lack of interest in higher education, there can't be too many teams or athletes you root for :)

He got beat on that defensive play in Game 4, badly,and the poor decision before that, but I don't get why that's the culmination of everything bad and no credit for his Game 3 to put them in a position to sweep or what he did to just make it close enough that he could get punked in Game 4.

Obviously the contract is regrettable in hindsight, but a good Rose is they're only chance at making the Finals. Considering how much time he's missed, I'll forgive a few hiccups along the way. Maybe he's the reason they lose to Cavs, but more likely because Lebron is one of the 5 greatest players to ever play.

But presuming they do close out the Bucks here, I do think with the Cavs injuries and suspensions, Bulls got a legit shot to knock them off.

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Submitted by billybucks on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:56 pm

Yeah, I know...I can't disagree with any of your points. Just something about the kid that I don't like (and I used to be a big fan)....MJ was no angel, either, but at least he won 6 titles... In other news -- enough, already, with the NFL draft stuff -- guys blathering incessantly about their irrelevant predictions. As Sean Connery said in the Indiana Jones movie: "This is intolerable!"

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Submitted by Ryno on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:15 am

I get it that you aren't being serious, but I wouldn't even know how to fit Schwarber into the defensive alignment... Soler option, move Coughlan to RF? I wouldn't be quick to move Soler (He'll get straightened out) or Coughlan who, despite his 0-4, crushed the ball last night, 3 to the warning track and 1 laser beam line drive directly at an infielder.

Submitted by WISCGRAD on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:32 am

I don't get this concern that people are having about Soler. He is not really struggling. He has a .762 OPS right now, which is right with everyone else not named Rizzo or Bryant: Montero (.752), Castro (.770), Coghlan (.765), Fowler (.758). He is second in BA, only behind Rizzo and Bryant. He leads the team in total bases with 32. And he is playing good defense. The only thing that he is struggling with is strikeouts, where he admittedly leads the majors with 29. His strikeout rate is a bit higher this year than it was last year, and that was a bit higher than it was in the minors. It will almost certainly come down a bit as he settles in and adjusts; but it is probably always going to be high--he will likely K in 20-25% of his PAs. But if this is Soler struggling and likely some of the worst we will see him (he probably won't lead the majors in strike outs), then we are in good shape.        

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Submitted by mannytrillo on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:10 am

Another reason to love Maddon. And he managed in the AL for years. And I don't buy the argument it should be changed because pitchers don't practice it in the minors anymore. That is an organizational decision to do that. They know the rules that the pitcher hits in the NL, if they don't want them to practice, then they will be an out every time. That is just stupid. As for getting hurt, yes it does extremely slightly bump up the chance a pitcher can get hurt, but Wainwright could have hurt his achilles coming off the mound to field a bunt. I guess I will be that old stogy curmudgeon that wants to see baseball in the NL stay as it is for as long as possible. I understand it appears it is going to change to DH throughout the leagues at some point, but I don't have to like it. I will still watch and love baseball, but will miss some of the game taken away.

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Submitted by Sonicwind75 on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:06 pm

I think the NL should just go-ahead and out DH the American League with 2 designated hitters by introducing a fielding specialist. All those amazing, slick fielding shortstops and center fielders that just can't hit. Wouldn't the game be much more exciting with more highlight defensive plays? However, those guys just can't hit so let's have two DH's. No need for strategy and defensive switches, no need for well rounded players; the best fielders field, the best hitters hit. Plus the MLBPA would love it, higher salaries. We all know that the Pirates for example secretly have an extra $15 million in payroll flexibility that they are simply hoarding because they don't have to pay for a DH or that the Red Sox would simply save the money they currently spend on Big Papi instead of reallocating it to make their team as competitive as possible. In all seriousness, I understand that it will eventually happen and that both leagues should have the same rules. -disgruntled shrug of resignation-

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Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:35 pm

I think by AA, they will let pitcher hit if affiliate is an NL team. I'm all for keeping pitchers hitting, just wished they worked on it. Most of these guys were probably decent hitters through high school. At least enough to make it interesting. But they don't and they're not going to and it's hard to argue that it makes for better baseball when they're not even trying.

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Submitted by WISCGRAD on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:08 pm

I hate news like that, no matter who it is. I had a family member with MS and those types of diseases just suck. Shouldn't be wished on anybody.

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Submitted by Old and Blue on Wed, 04/29/2015 - 04:24 am

When I was a kid my dad was a white sox fan and he'd drag me to games back in the Jack Drees as announcer era and the stands would be empty. So, it'll be just like that. Side note: As bad as Jack Drees was, he was a hall of fame broadcaster when compared Can of Corn boy.

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:39 pm

1. Josh Harrison (R) 3B 2. Jordy Mercer (R) SS 3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF 4. Corey Hart (R) 1B 5. Starling Marte (R) LF 6. Neil Walker (S) 2B 7. Francisco Cervelli (R) C 8. Sean Rodriguez (R) RF 9. Jeff Locke (L) P

vs

1. Dexter Fowler (S) CF 2. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B 3. Jorge Soler (R) RF 4. Kris Bryant (R) 3B 5. Welington Castillo (R) C 6. Starlin Castro (R) SS 7. Junior Lake (R) LF 8. Travis Wood (R) P 9. Addison Russell (R) 2B

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:37 pm

well, we finally find out who the next STL ROY + multiple CY winner we've never heard of is going to be... "Tim Cooney will start for the Cardinals on Thursday afternoon against the Phillies." 3nd round pick (college), 2012.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 04:03 pm

"Jesse Rogers @ESPNChiCubs Denorfia has little foot issue so Lake gets the start." that seems to be one less bench bat...make that 2 less since t.wood is pitching (ps- wood pinch hitting rather than a real hitter is getting less "cute" as he continues to not hit...thankfully it's not happening excessively).

Recent comments

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: I think there was an issue with Luke Little coming into a game with men on base. He seems to need a "clean" inning to be dominant. So he is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AAA. Same goes for Michael Arias. He needs to come into a "clean" inning, and is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AA. Porter Hodge is a more versatile pitcher, a better version of Keegan Thompson (multi-inning RP). But Little, Arias, and Hodge (probably in that order) are the Cubs top three RP prospects (all three are Cubs Top 15 prospects).

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