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

Cubs 9th Inning Rally Falls Short at Papago

Logan Watkins reached base four times (three singles and a HBP), scored twice, and drove-in a run, and D. J. LeMahieu blasted a two-run double and a solo HR, but a 9th inning Cub rally fell short as the potential tying run was thrown out at the plate, giving the A's a 10-9 decision over the Cubs in AZ Instructional League action at the Papago Baseball Complex in Phoenix this afternoon.

The Cubs got off to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st on a Kyler Burke RBI ground out with the bases loaded and a two-out, two-run RBI single by Rebel Ridling, and then scored three more times in the top of the 5th on a two-run double by D. J. LeMahieu and a Ryan Flaherty triple to take a 6-0 lead, before the roof caved in the 5th and 6th as the A's scored nine unanswered runs to take a 9-6 lead.

LeMahieu narrowed the gap to 9-7 in the top of the 8th, hitting a solo HR over the LF fence, the LSU Tigers' first professional HR. (LeMahieu is probably the best hitter at Instructs, but most of his hits are rockets hit to CF or RF, and while he hits the ball very hard, he doesn't have much elevation in his swing... at least until today, when he turned on the ball like HR hitters do, and launched one out of the yard).

The A's added an insurance run in the 8th on a lead-off solo HR, but the Cubs threatened to tie the game in the top of the 9th.

Rebel Ridling led-off the 9th for the Cubs by lining a single to right. Then with one out, Richard Jones reached safely when the A's second-baseman dropped a pop fly in short right for an error. Brandon May walked to load the bases, and Kyung-Min Na blooped a single into short left, scoring Ridling, and keeping the bases jammed. Logan Watkins then roped what appeared to be a sure-fire game-tying two-run single to right-center, and while Jones did score easily from 3rd, May got a late break off 2nd base and was thrown out at the plate. Then LeMahieu popped up to the second-baseman to end the game, leaving runners stranded at 2nd & 3rd.

19-year old LHP Austin Kirk (Cubs 2009 3rd round draft pick out of Owasso HS - Owasso, OK) got the start today and worked three shutout innings. He escaped trouble in the bottom of the second when he walked the first two hitters, before getting out of the jam with a 6-4 FC grounder, and a 6-4-3 DP. Kirk retired the last six men he faced.

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):

LINEUP:
1. Logan Watkins, 2B: 3-4 (1B, HBP, 1B, 1-3, 1B), 2 R, RBI, CS
2. D. J. LeMahieu, SS: 2-5 (3-U, 5-3, 2B, HR, P-4), R, 3 RBI
3. Ryan Flaherty, 3B: 2-4 (1B, 4-3, 3B, F-7), 2 R
4. Brandon Guyer, LF: 1-2 (HBP, BB, 6-3, 2B), R
5. Kyler Burke, RF: 0-3 (6-3, L-8, BB, 6-3), RBI
6. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 2-4 (1B, E-9, K, 1B), R, 2 RBI
7. Justin Bour, DH #1: 0-4 (6-U FC, K, 4-6-3 DP, L-7)
8. Richard Jones, DH #2: 1-4 (4-3, 4-3, 1B, E-4), R
9a. Jovan Rosa, C: 1-2 (5-3, 1B), R
9b. Brandon May, PH-C: 0-0 (BB, BB)
10. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 1-4 (K, K, 4-6-3 DP, 1B), RBI

PITCHERS:
1. Austin Kirk - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 4/4 GO/FO, 49 pitches (30 strikes)
2. Eduardo Figueroa - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 3/4 GO/FO, 46 pitches (26 strikes)
3. Hector Mayora - 0.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 21 pitches (11 strikes)
4. Julio Pena - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 22 pitches (14 strikes)
5. Steve Grife - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1/1 GO/FO, 15 pitches (11 strikes)

ERRORS (1):
D. J. LeMahieu (E-6) - errant throw to 1B with two outs in the bottom of the 5th allowed batter to reach base safely, but then the runner at 2nd base was thrown out 3-2 trying to score on the play for the third out of the inning.

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Jovan Rosa - 0-2 CS, 1 PB

BASERUNNING ADVENTURES:
1. D. J. LeMahieu - was thrown out 9-4-5 trying to stretch two-run RBI double into triple with one out in the top of the 5th.
2. Brandon May - was thrown out 8-2 trying to score tying run from 2nd base on single to right-center with bases loaded and one out in the top of the 9th.

WEATHER: 90's, hot & sunny

ATTENDANCE: 8

Comments

Glad to hear that Lemahieu is showing some offense. Went to bat 164 times last year with only 7 extra base hits and no home runs after not showing much power at LSU. Saw that Castro had 3 hits again yesterday.

Bruce Levine on his saturday Talking Baseball radio show says Cubs will begin talking to Jaramillo sometime next week (they have received permission to do this from the Rangers GM). He expects RJ to get a 2-3 year contract offer, which means he will survive the Piniella administration as did Rothschild when he survived the Dusty regime..sounds like we're discussing South American governments!) --- from his blog: The Chicago Cubs contacted Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels on Friday and received permission to talk to hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo about a contract to become the Cubs' new batting instructor. Player sources told ESPNChicago.com that Jaramillo wants to go to a team that's ready to win next season and that the Cubs are a team he would be interested in joining. http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog?post=4567297&name=levine

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.