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

Heartbreak: A Pitcher Trapped Inside a Catcher's Body

What does a Cubs player do when he realizes that he is a pitcher trapped inside a position player's body? Well, he goes to Fitch Park for a Transpositional Assignment Conversion. 

How does it work?

Well...

Although hormones are usually not required, the former position player does have to throw away his bats and batting gloves, and (in the case of catchers) his shin guards, chest protector, mask-helmet, and industrial-strength protective cup.

The player (er, pitcher)  then has to start running. A lot. And then he has to learn to bitch and moan about having to run. But it's all part of the transition from position player to pitcher.  

And so in the grand tradition of Carlos Marmol, Randy Wells, Blake Parker, Adalberto Mendez, Leonel Perez (and others), still another Cubs minor league position player will be making the conversion to pitcher.

And, no, it's not Ryan Harvey (yet).
 
With the best arm among the catchers in the Cubs system, Jake Muyco consistently throws out 50%+ opposing base-stealers each season. But he also struggles to hit .200 and has no power (although he makes up for it by being a slow runner).

So tomorrow 23-year old Jake Muyco (2005 8th Round draft pick out of NC State) will be arriving at Fitch Park (Extended Spring Training) to begin life as a pitcher.

As part of the move sending Muyco to EXST to become a pitcher, C-1B Steve Clevenger has been promoted from Daytona to Tennessee, C-1B-3B Blake Lalli moves up from Peoria to Daytona, and 2B-LF Elvis Lara (supposedly) will be going from EXST to Peoria. To that end, the Cubs had Lara play 2B today (he was moved from 2B to LF at the start of EXST), presumably because he will be playing some 2B at Peoria.  

2B-OF Jeffrey Rea (rehabbing a sore arm at EXST since the end of Minor League Camp) was supposed to get the promotion to Peoria, but he strained a quad running the bases in a game on Tuesday and so he will apparently be remaining at Fitch Park until he can get that problem resolved. 

Also, 18-year old Korean RHP Dae-Eun Rhee is supposedly in Chicago getting an MRI on his sore arm, after which (depending on the outcome) he could return to Peoria, or (more likely) he could be diverted to Mesa for a rehab stint at EXST. Hopefully he won't need surgery.

As fans of Cubs Extended Spring Training well know, Thursday is Camp Day, which means an early morning work-out followed by an intrasquad game of indeterminable length.

Rehabbing RHP Billy Petrick (shoulder) threw an inning today, and got hit fairly hard. RHP Chris Huseby (at EXST to work on his mechanics) made his first game appearance of EXST, and looked OK (not great, but OK). And RHPs Billy Muldowney and Todd Blackford (both rehabbing from 2007 TJ surgery) threw two innings each, and Blackford was especially sharp today (he couldn't throw strikes last time out). I would think it's quite possible that Blackford could replace Rhee at Peoria if the Cubs wish to maintain a 13-man pitching staff there. 

Today's intrasquad game was kind of weird and complicated, because there weren't enough healthy position players to field two teams (Rea is out with the quad strain, Bryan Jost is down with a groin injury, Gian Guzman is sick with the flu, Brandon Guyer still can't throw, and one or two of the catchers were constantly busy warming-up pitchers in the bullpen for most of the game). I offered to play LF in exchange for a free dinner at the Olive Garden, but they said they don't give away gift cards this time of year.  

So although the pitchers threw for either Squad "A" or Squad "B," the position players rotated back and forth from the field to the bench. There was really only one "team" and no "batting order" as such (or maybe I should say the batting order changed with each inning). For what it's worth, Squad "B" beat Squad "A" 4-3.

So here is a goofy looking abridged box score, but it's the best I can do given the circumstances:

POSITION PLAYERS:
Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 0-1 (2 R, BB, HBP, SB)
Starlin Castro, SS: 1-3 (R, BB, K, GIDP, SB, CS)
Luke Sommer, 1B-LF: 0-3 (R, BB, K)
Nelson Perez, RF: 2-3 (2 RBI, R, SB) 
Luis Bautista, 1B: 0-3 (K)
Drew Rundle, CF: 1-2 (3B, RBI, 2 BB)
John Contreras, 3B-1B: 1-4 (2B, 3 RBI, 2 K)
Elvis Lara, LF-2B: 2-2 (R, HBP, 2 SB)
Jose Made, 2B-SS: 1-3 (CS)
Roberto Sabates, DH: 0-4 (K, GIDP)
Junior Lake, SS-3B: 2-4 (K, CS)
Andres Quezada, CF: 0-3 (K)
Kevin Soto, RF: 0-4 (2 K)
Alvaro Sosa, C: 1-2 (CS)
Carlos Perez, C: 1-2 (R, BB)
Jose Guevara, PH: 0-1

PITCHERS:

SQUAD "A"
1. Chris Huseby - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP
2. Billy Muldowney - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3. Rogelio Carmona - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP
4. Carlos Rojas - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
NOTE: Rojas outing cut-short with three runs scored & no outs in inning 

SQUAD "B"
1. Billy Petrick - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K (15 pitches - 3 BB/12 K)
2. Dionis Nunez - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
3. Cody Hams - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP
4. Todd Blackford - 2.0 IP,  0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

ERRORS:
1. Jose Made fumbled ground ball at SS 
2. D. Nunez overthrew second base on pick-off attempt allowing baserunner to advance to 3rd.
3. Hams threw pick-off attempt over first-baseman's head allowing runner to advance two bases

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
C. Perez: 2-4 CS
Sosa: 2-5 CS

WEATHER: Hot and sunny again (and it will probably stay like that until November)

ATTENDANCE: 2  (me and some other guy)

Comments

AZ Phil - thanks for the updates, as always most appreciated. Quick question - are the Cubs the leaders in doing these kinds of transitions with their players? I know other clubs have converted position players into pitchers, but it seems like the Cubs have more experience with it than most.

Submitted by Dmac on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 2:55pm.

AZ Phil - thanks for the updates, as always most appreciated.

Quick question - are the Cubs the leaders in doing these kinds of transitions with their players? I know other clubs have converted position players into pitchers, but it seems like the Cubs have more experience with it than most

===========================

DMAC: I believe so.

As you said, other teams do it, but the Cubs seem more willing to do it (and do it a lot more often), especially with catchers.

BTW, Rule 5 RHP Tim Lahey (who was in big league camp with Cubs in Spring Training, although he is now back with the Twins) was also a converted catcher.

And Cubs Player Development Director Oneri Fleita was also a catcher in his playing days at Creighton (where his coach was... Jim Hendry!) and later in the Baltimore Orioles system. Maybe he secretly wishes he had become a pitcher.

I like the fact that the club is willing to spend time and money on the chance that prospects not working out in their original intent may be able to contribute in another role. For all the grief we've given the Cubs for their farm system in the past, this seems like an innovative way to maximize your resources.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Unless he becomes Mariano Rivera or the Cubs make him a starter again, it seems like a bit of a stretch for him to win a Cy Young. He'll be competing in his prime with guys like Zambrano, Yovani Gallardo, Cole Hamels, Oliver Perez, Chad Billingsley, Adam Wainwright, Aaron Harangue, Dan Haren, Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jake Peavy. So even if we assume he's going to be by far the best reliever in the majors, which is not exactly a safe bet (though so far he has been great and will likely continue to be great), he'd have to also prove more valuable than any of the rest of those starters, plus any young guys who might emerge on the scene. Delivery Man of the year? That seems more within his reach. He's definitely handicapped in the Cy Young contest by being a reliever, and a setup man at that. Not to mention he might pitch 120 innings out of the pen this year and screw up his arm because Piniella loves him so much.

woah...muyco pitching? it makes a lotta sense, but it should be interesting. i dont recall him pitching at NCSU, but that's not unusual for these transition guys. it's a huge change...but so is not playing organized baseball because you've dead ended in your traditional area.

I am sorry to report that Will Oh-Man currently has a 1.13 era. - sigh -

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

If it's any consolation, Corey Patterson and Jerry Hairston J(uice)r. got picked off first base yesterday.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

No worries, E-Man. We dumped not only him, but also Infante, for a kid with a really, really, live arm.

"With the best arm among the catchers in the Cubs system, Jake Muyco..." With all due respect, I believe that distinction goes to Wellington Castillo. I've seen both players extensively at Peoria and there is no question that Castillo has the superior arm. In fact, Oscar Bernard had a better arm than Muyco. I guess that's why the Cubs tried converting him to a pitcher as well.

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.