Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

Last updated 10-2-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 22
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Brad Boxberger
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Tyler Duffey 
Jeremiah Estrada
Shane Greene
Kyle Hendricks
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
# Jeimer Candelario
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 8
Kevin Alcantara
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

60-DAY IL: 6
Nick Burdi, P
Michael Fulmer, P 
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Nick Madrigal, INF
Ethan Roberts, P
 

 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Where's the Beefy?

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:25 pm

The Cubs version of Fluffy will no longer exist as the Cubs have traded "catcher" Welington Castillo to the Seattle Mariners for relief pitcher Yoervis Medina.  Before I dig into the new guy, let's eulogize Beefy for a bit.

While I'm all for letting prospects develop, Beefy got on my nerves from the very get go. For a "catcher" he didn't do that very well...literally. I'm sure my memory is worse than the reality of it, but I just remeber a bunch of passed balls when he first got called up and some terrible receiving in the way he did catch balls that led strikes to be called balls. It never really got better. He threw some guys out, but if there was ever a player that the "second division starter" label should attach itself too, it was our dear friend Beefy. Enjoy the spacious Safeco Field.

As for the new guy, 26-year old Yoervis Medina, he was a lot more exciting the last few years when he was striking out guys at a clip over 9 per 9 innings. This year that number is down to 6.75 and it's married to a 2 mph drop in his velocity, per the numbers you can find on Fangraphs. Maybe this will turn into a Pedro Strop turnaround story, but seems more likely it'll be a Tommy John story or a Daniel Bard story.

I believe Medina is headed to Iowa anyway as he did have some options left and he entered the season with just over 2 years of service time, so he can be a Cub for quite a few seasons if he can get corrected.  Not much to like about this trade, not much to dislike either. With Castillo off the team and Medina headed to Iowa, it does mean a player call-up is looming.

Tags
Cubs Roster Moves
Welington Castillo

Comments

Submitted by The E-Man on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:36 pm

Medina: ERA FIP XFIP WAR 3.00 4.48 5.37 -0.1 Shitter: 8.10 6.75 3.89 -0.2 Factor in the AL DH, and this is an upgrade any way you slice it. Maybe "Magic Bos" can help him be effective. Unlike Shitter ever was.

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Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:04 pm

Medina isn't even going to be called up unless he figures things out. Don't think a reliever in the NL gets to face the pitcher too often either. XFIP and WAR are pretty similar so there's probably a few ways you can slice it that don't result in an upgrade.

Medina's a project and one that Bosio won't be a part of at first.

Submitted by George Altman on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:44 pm

I don't get Epstoyer saying Baez will remain at 2B/SS. Unless Bryant is moving to LF, where does Baez play in this infield? Screaming need right now is another SP and a LF who can outhit Coghlan. Would Baez, Alcantara, & Edwards + a top 20-30 prospect be enough for Cole Hamels if Cubs pick up his contract plus option year?

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Submitted by billybucks on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:53 pm

My guess is they want him to focus solely on improving at the plate, and not get "distracted' by taking on a new position right now and/or creating "call-up buzz". If he continues to improve, they'll find a spot for him -- they put Russell at 2B and Mendy in CF in the majors with very little prep.

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Submitted by mannytrillo on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:14 pm

I actually purchased one of these (well, got it for a gift). As the article states, the Cubs sent a letter saying they were going to be moved to the OF next year and that they were likely to be replaced also. No biggie to me that they through them away as long as they are replaced. And as part of getting a brick, you got an exact replica sent you. I have mine on my desk in my home office.

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 05:14 pm

fun trivia I came across

Name the 3 players have hit 100 HR's and stole 100 bases while members of the Chicago Cubs?

Recent comments

  • Childersb3 10/03/2023 - 10:46 pm (view)

    I understand this is a cost saving and control idea. But I wouldn't be happy giving up ONKC or Alcantara for Hayes and/or Bednar.

    I'm not saying they aren't good players. They are. They've never been "tested" with playing for a good team, but that isn't their fault. They produce good results. But not Jaguar and Big Red.

    Canario won't get to play for the Cubs, just like Velazquez, so he should probably go. Same for Mervis and Vazquez. Wesneski can get better but Bednar would certainly help us.

    But not to big power hitting OFs that are 21 yrs old and younger at AA already. I'm still holding out hope for the ONKC-PCA-Jag left to right OF. I'm just not giving up on that.

    Hayes for Morel kind of stings. I'd love for Morel to get a full year at 3B. Even if he failed there miserably, I'd like to give him a shot.

    Phil always comes up with common sense angles. This trade idea fills needs for sure and fills them with cost saving effective players.

    I'm thinking Morel goes to NYM for Alonso.

    We'll see what Jed cooks up.

  • Arizona Phil 10/03/2023 - 10:18 pm (view)

    It used to be that teams did not want to trade within their own division for PR reasons, but I don't see that with Ben Cherington in Pittsburgh or with Hoyer / Hawkins in Chicago, so the Cubs might target Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes and closer David Bednar.

    Hayes is a Gold Glove defender, a decent enough hitter (105 OPS+ in 2023), and he's under control at a VERY reasonable price ($8.75M AAV) through 2029 (with a club option for 2030). 

    Bednar is first-time salary arbitration-eligible post-2023 and under control through 2026. 

    One thing about the Cubs is that they can afford to overpay (which is what they would have to do to get both Hayes and Bednar) with a package consisting of a decent young MLB position player to replace Hayes in the lineup (like Christopher Morel, who could play LF in Pittsburgh) and prospects like outfielders Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, or Kevin Alcantara (Pirates pick one, leaving the other two for the Cubs), a power-hitting 1B-DH like Matt Mervis or Haydn McGeary (Pirates pick one, leaving the other one for the Cubs), SS Luis Vazquez (who is MLB-ready but will never play SS in Chicago), 3B B. J. Murray (who could replace Hayes at the hot corner in Pittsburgh by 2025 if not sometime in 2024, and he obviously would be blocked in Chicago if the Cubs get Hayes), and an MLB-ready SP like Hayden Wesneski. 

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:02 pm (view)

    boog and glanville calling the PHI@MIL game on ESPN2.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:59 pm (view)

    bellinger is my #1 want, but i fear he's the #1 want of many teams and will get crazy money + years, with the years being the big sting.  they need to replace bellinger's production if they don't get him no matter what position(s) played.

  • George Altman 10/03/2023 - 10:40 pm (view)

    I hope their top priorities are Bellinger, 2 RPs better than Fulmer/Boxberger (ideally 1 LH), and a 3B (Chapman my 1st Choice). That will put them right up to $237-257M AAV limit, but I don't see a playoff berth doing anything less.

    If they really want Alonso, Morel would be a good opening piece of that offer. 

    Unfortunately, Stroman will opt in ($23.7M) and Smyly ($11.5M) will be back. Steele, Taillon, Assad, Wicks will be rotation pieces. Would love a SP2 FA but don't see how they keep an effective offense and improve their bullpen while adding that.

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    i cannot imagine getting a legit 3rd, whether signing or via trade, isn't the highest priority for the team.  it's almost obvious they don't see morel there.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:19 pm (view)

    I’m just hoping they have an actual 3B next year so we don’t need to worry about the M boys, Bote, and P Whiffy eating all the 3B at bats next year.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:13 pm (view)

    Willson was a OF/3B when we signed him too.

    On a less successful but still got to the show note, PJ Higgins was another college IF converted to C

  • crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

    truth...and personally, i'd give him ABs (especially at 3rd) over the 2 singles-hitting-ceiling guys that got the shot.  i'm sure he can cover the ob% and defense while surpassing the power of anything masterboney and madrigal brought to the team.

    i don't view bote as a solution at 3rd, but i find it hard to believe he couldn't outperform either of the main options they had there for a huge chunk of this season.

  • KingKongvsGodzilla 10/03/2023 - 10:47 pm (view)

    Color me impressed by this assignment for Trice right out of the draft as a convert. Seems worth following after the success of Caratini

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