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

Two Red Taters Sink Angels/Cubs at Riverview

Aristides Aquino and Jose Siri belted solo home runs, providing just enough offense to allow the Reds to edge the Angels/Cubs co-op team 2-1 in AZ Advanced Instructional League game action Wednesday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

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

Here is the box score from the game (Cubs players highlighted in bold & underlined): 

REDS LINEUP:
1. T. J. Friedl, CF:  0-2 (K, BB, 1-3, SB)
2. Gabriel Ovalle, SS-1B: 0-2 (K, BB, 6-3)
3a. Phil Ervin, LF: 0-2 (K, K)
3b. Daniel Sweet, LF: 0-1 (6-3)
4a. Aristides Aquino, RF: 1-2 (HR, F-7, R, RBI)
4b. Jose Siri, RF: 1-1 (HR, R, RBI)
5a. James Vasquez, 1B: 0-2 (4-3, 6-3)
5b. Alfredo Rodriguez, SS: 0-1 (4-3)
6. Chris Okey, DH: 0-2 (K, 6-3, BB)
7a. John Sansone, 2B: 0-2 (F-7, K)
7b. Francis Azcona, 2B: 0-1 (L-8)
8a. Cassidy Brown, C: 1-1 (1B)
8b. Mitch Trees, PH-C: 1-2 (1B, K)
9. Brantley Bell, 3B: 0-2 (4-6-3 DP, 6-3)

ANGELS/CUBS LINEUP:
1. Donnie Dewees, CF: 1-3 (1B, K, 6-3)
2. P. J. Higgins, DH #1: 1-3 (1B, 6-3, 6-3, CS)
3. Matt Thaiss, 1B: 0-2 (BB, 4-3, K)
4. Andrew Daniel, 3B: 0-3 (K, K, F-7)
5a. Brendon Sanger, RF: 1-2 (6-U FC, 1B)
5b. Brennon Lund, RF: 0-1 (K) 
6. Eddy Julio Martinez, LF: 1-3 (6-3, F-8, 1B)
7. Ian Rice, C: 0-2 (P-4, BB, F-7)
8a. Hutton Moyer, SS: 1-2 (2B, K, R)
8b. Connor Justus, SS: 0-1 (K)
9. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 1-2 (1B, L-7, RBI)
10. Alberto Mineo, DH #2: 0-2 (K, P-6)

REDS PITCHERS
1. Ryan Hendrix: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 4/1 GO/AO, 49 pitches (33 strikes) 
2. Tanner Rainey: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1/3 GO/AO, 37 pitches (22 strikes) 
3. Jimmy Herget: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1/2 GO/AO, 31 pitches (20 strikes) 

ANGELS/CUBS PITCHERS
1. Dylan Cease: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 1/1 GO/AO, 30 pitches (19 strikes) 
2. Thomas Hatch: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 3/1 GO/AO, 27 pitches (12 strikes) 
3. Jen-Ho Tseng: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GO/AO, 13 pitches (7 strikes) 
4. Justin Steele: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/AO, 7 pitches (5 strikes) 
5. Jared Cheek: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1/1 GO/AO, 18 pitches (10 strikes) 

REDS ERRORS: NONE 

ANGELS/CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

REDS CATCHERS DEFENSE
Cassidy Brown: 1-1 CS 

ANGELS/CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE
Ian Rice: 0-1 CS 

ANGELS/CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS
LF Eddy Julio Martinez - batter thrown out 7-4 attempting to stretch single into double 

ATTENDANCE: 8 

WEATHER: Partly cloudy with temperatures in the 90's 

Comments

Hey AZ PHIL: Thanks as always. How does Thomas Hatch look to you? Is he getting some positive attention? Any ideas where he'll be placed in the system? With more kids seemingly being able to throw in the high 90's these days, what Cubs youngsters other than Cease have a buzz?

E-MAN: I think the fact that Thomas Hatch was moved-up from Basic Instructs to Advanced Instructs this week indicates the Cubs are putting him on the fast track for 2017. That doesn't mean he will necessarily begin the 2017 season at Myrtle Beach, but I do think he will get a good shot.

I actually like Bailey Clark (Cubs 5th round pick) better than Hatch. I have seen both of them pitch, and Clark has filthier stuff. BTW, the only reason Clark is not at Instructs is because he returned to Duke to complete his degree, but I think he's got the highest ceiling of any of the Cubs 2016 draft picks. Hatch is more-polished, but Clark has the best pure stuff. 

Based upon my own personal observations and after speaking with others in the know both inside & outside the Cubs organization, I would say that AS THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW, the 15 best Cubs starting pitching prospects below AA are Dylan Cease, Trevor Clifton, Oscar de la Cruz, Jose Paulino, Bailey Clark, Jose Albertos, Thomas Hatch, Bryan Hudson, Manuel Rondon, Jake Stinnett, Justin Steele, Brailyn Marquez, Ryan Kellogg, Preston Morrison, and Kyle Miller (in that order).

I believe there are four main reasons to implement the DH in the National League:

1. To protect starting pitchers from added injury liability beyond that incurred by pitching or fielding his position. The cost of starting pitching is such that it isn't worth it to risk an injury to a pitcher by having the pitcher bat and run the bases, unless he knows what he's doing (and most pitchers don't).

2. With the number of interleague games played during the MLB regular season plus the World Series, the rules should be the same in both leagues. It is unfair to have National League teams with a roster constructed without the DH have to play against American League teams who construct their roster with a DH, and it's also unfair to American League teams to not be able to use their DH when playing road games versus National League teams.

3. Adding the DH would provide a marginal increase in offense.

4. Expanding the DH to the National League would allow more veteran players to extend their careers as a DH.

Two suggestions for changes in the DH rule as it presently is constituted:

1. The DH can be used to hit for any player in the lineup. The DH does not have to replace the pitcher, so if you have a Madison Bumgarner or Jake Arrieta pitching, he can hit, and the DH can bat in place of one of the other position players (defensive-oriented catcher, slick-fielding SS, Gold Glove defender in CF, etc).

2. The DH can be moved to a defensive position or even back & forth to DH and a different player can be moved to DH or inserted into the game as the DH during the course of the game. This preserves strategy, and allows a manager to put his best defensive team on the field if he has a starting pitcher who is a good hitter. And then when the starting pitcher leaves the game, the original DH can move to a defensive position and/or a different player can replace the starting pitcher in the batting order and play defense or be the DH if the original DH moves to a defensive position.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Interesting thoughts AZP. I fully agree that they need the same rules for both leagues -- once they moved the Astros to the AL, and created two 15-team leagues, it basically forced interleague play on a daily basis. It made no sense to do that but not align the rules. Same thing for the WS -- deciding the championship with teams playing under different rules from the regular season is bizarre. It would be as if the NBA allowed 3-point shots in the Eastern Conference but not the Western. A couple reactions: - I can't think of many pitchers getting hurt due to hitting. I understand the risk, but I don't remember it happening much. - I thought the DH could already bat for anyone in the lineup?

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Both Zambrano and Prior got hurt not just from the hitting but from the running after and there's a good chance that the Prior injury was what ended his career. I personally cringe every time I see one of the Cubs pitchers running and would be happy never having to see one slide again.

Len Kasper(Marquette alum...Go Warriors) tweetstorm...wise words though.

Beware of narratives. "History staring Cubs in the face" pretty much irrelevant to Contreras/Baez/Bryant/Lester. They're just trying to win. Been around big league teams enough to see what makes them tick. 100 things to worry about when game starts. Franchise history not 1 of them. I LOVE a good story. Non-fiction fanatic. But narratives are retroactive. We assign larger themes to events after they occur. Human nature. So, while there IS value to extrapolating what it all "means" to us, do not let people tell you it steers games/performances. It doesn't. Lastly the Cubs' motivation in the 9th to win wasn't "we need to avoid the tension of heading home 2-2." It was, "LET'S WIN THIS GAME BOYS!" Does this make sense? We watch & think, "If they don't win, Game 5 will be tough" But players just think about the moment & just try to win. Only AFTER the game are players confronted with the "Man, facing Cueto would have been difficult." You're not thinking that in the 8th inn

@Ken_Rosenthal Source: Qualifying offer this off-season will be $17.2M. System expected to remain in place in new CBA, with possible adjustments.

Ugh.

Dusty on Game 5: "Tell you the truth, I got up this AM, said my prayers like I always do, had a cup of coffee & started packing for Chicago"

Says Strasburg won't be available in NLCS

@MDGonzales Lester Game 1 starter, all signs point to Hendricks for Game 2 but nothing official. Zastryzny in mix if Cubs opt for 12 pitchers

crawl says: Dusty goes to 1-7 in potential series clinching games. Then they say Dusty has been in 9 potential series clinchers. So it's some really ugly number between 7-9.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

Games that His Team Could Advance

  • 1998: Loss WC tie-breaker to Cubs (0-1)
  • 2002: Beat Braves in NLDS after being down 2-1, Beat Cards in 5, then loss to Angels in 7 with 2 shots (2-3)
  • 2003: Beat Braves in NLDS in 5 but were up 2-1, loss to Marlins in 7 after being up 3-1 (3-7)
  • 2012: Loss Game 5 to Giants in NLDS...after being up 2-0 (3-10)
  • 2013: Loss WC to Pirates (3-11)

 Elimination Games

  • 1997: Swept by Marlins (0-1)
  • 1998:  Loss to Cubs in tie-breaker game (0-2)
  • 2000: Loss to Mets in NLDS 3-1 (0-3)
  • 2002: Beat Braves in Game 4 of NLDS down 2-1 and then won Game 5, loss Game 7 to Angels  (2-4)
  • 2003: Beat Braves in Game 5 of NLDS, loss to Marlins in Game 7 of NLCS (3-5)
  • 2010: Swept by Phillies in NLDS (3-6)
  • 2012: Loss Game 5 to Giants in NLDS...after being up 2-0 (3-7)
  • 2013: Loss WC to Pirates (3-8)

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

What I thought I heard on the broadcast was that he had lost 9 clinching opportunities in a row. That would be the 3 with the Cubs against the Marlins in 2003, 3 with the Reds against the Giants in 2012, the wild-card loss to the Pirates in 2013, and the 2 clinching opportunities this week.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

We all know the stories of how Trib and Zelll handcuffed Wilken when drafting, think he did a good job with the circumstances.

H. Simpson notwithstanding, but it isn't like 16th picks are locks anyway and there aren't a ton of guys around that area that got picked that really have done much. C. Yelich being by far the best (at 24 but out of high school so probably out of Cubs budget at the time)

VItters was unfortunate, he wanted Wieters (and you have to go the 9th or 10th pick before anyone that had any real success in J. Parker and M. Bumgarner).

The Colvin/Samardzija gambit actually worked out pretty well. Donaldson is a beast. You look from 2006-2011 and it isn't super-flashy, but a lot of decent major leaguers(LeMahieu, Samardzija, Barney, Cashner) just not a lot of stars and probably the best of the bunch never played for the Cubs (Donaldson).

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I said many times since this thing got going that, "if the player makes it to the majors, its considered a success". That was before I realized what Theo really could really get accomplished. He plays at a completely different level- but made mistakes as well. Henry just missed on too many upper round prospects year-after-year. Or, traded the best ones for horse shit. At best, Hendry overall was a middle of the pack, or below, GM.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

When I was in the mood to defend Hendry from the accusation that he mainly provided employment for cronies, I used to cite Wilken as a good outside hire. Later I learned that he went to the same high school, too. (I think it was Dunedin.) Whenever I see Bochy, I'm reminded that Hendry almost hired him when his term expired in San Diego, but at the last minute chose Piniella instead. The rest is history (three titles in SF and 0-6 in the postseason for the Cubbies); but if Bochy had managed the Cubs it might have saved Hendry's job for a while and there might never have been a Theo regime, or at least not as soon.

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.