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

Golden Rules at Instructs

Cubs 2010 2nd round draft pick Reggie Golden slugged a two-run HR over the LF scoreboard and onto 8th Street to give the Cubs a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the 6th, but the Brew Crew rallied for four in the 8th as the Cubs and Brewers played to a 7-7 tie in the Cubs 2010 AZ Instructional League opener at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this afternoon.

There are 47 Cubs minor leaguers participating in Instructs at Fitch Park (22 pitchers, five catchers, 12 infielders, and eight outfielders), including eight players who are making their U. S. debut after spending the 2010 season playing in the Dominican Summer League, four draft picks and one non-drafted free-agent who signed too late to get into game action in August, and one Korean bonus baby. Also among the 47 is Cubs 3B prospect Josh Vitters, who is at Instructs rehabbing his broken hand and preparing for play in the Arizona Fall League next month.

Two of the newcomers made their pro debut in today's game, as LHP Casey Harman (2010 29th round draft pick out of Clemson) threw 1.1 IP of hitless shutout ball, walking one while striking out two, and catcher Max Kwan (2010 NDFA - U. of Washington) went 1-3 with a single and an RBI.

Harman was Clemson's #1 starter ("Friday night starter") in 2010 and beat #1 ranked Arizona State at the College World Series in June. Although he was selected in the 29th round, Harman received a $150,000 bonus (equivalent to "5th round" money) when he signed with the Cubs at the August 16th deadline.

Kwan suffered through an injury-plagued college career at Tulane and then later at Washington, but he has good size for a catcher (6'3 220), and helps provide depth at the catching position going into the 2011 season.

The Cubs will be playing a 21-game AZ instructional League schedule, with the last game on October 16th (they play every day Monday-Saturday up through 10/16, with no games on Sundays).

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

LINEUP:
1. Evan Crawford, DH-RF: 1-4 (L-5, 2B, 4-3, 1B, HBP)
2a. Pin-Chieh Chen, 2B: 0-3 (6-3, 4-3, E5, CS)
2b. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 0-2 (4-6-3 GIDP, K)
3. Micah Gibbs, C-DH: 0-3 (K, F-7, BB, BB, K, R)
4a. Justin Bour, 1B: 1-3 (F-9, F-7, 2B, RBI)
4b. Ryan Cuneo, 1B: 1-1 (2B, BB)
4c. Kyung-Min Na, PR
5. Xavier Batista, DH-LF: 1-4 (1B, K, K, F-7, BB)
6a. Jae-Hoon Ha, CF: 2-3 (F-8, 1B, 2B, R, SB)
6b. Oliver Zapata, CF: 1-2 (1B, K, R)
7a. Dustin Geiger, 3B: 0-1 (F-9, HBP, R, SB)
7b. Willson Contreras, 3B: 1-2 (6-3, 2B, RBI, R)
8. Reggie Golden, LF-DH: 2-3 (BB, FC, HR, 1B, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB, CS)
9. Max Kwan, DH-C: 1-3 (1B, 6-3, K, 5-3 SH, RBI)
10. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-4 (4-3 GIDP, L-6, 5-3, 1-3, RBI)
11. Chris Huseby, RF: PLAYED RF FIRST FIVE INNINGS – DID NOT BAT

PITCHERS:
1. Aaron Kurcz: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 27 pitches (13 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO
2. Charles Thomas: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 11 pitches (6 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO
3. Alvaro Sosa: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 41 pitches (26 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
4. Tarlandus Mitchell: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 35 pitches (21 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
5. Casey Harman: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 21 pitches (12 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
6. Brent Ebinger: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 42 pitches (29 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
7. Amaury Paulino: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 8 pitches (4 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO

ERRORS: (3)
1. 3B Willson Contreras: E-5 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base – eventually scored unearned run)
2. CF Oliver Zapata: E-8 (bobbled line-drive single to CF, allowing batter to reach 2nd base)
3. CF Oliver Zapata: E-8 (overran ground single to CF, allowing batter to reach 2nd base)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Micah Gibbs: 2-3 CS
Max Kwan: 0-3 CS

ATTENDANCE: 23 (mostly scouts)

WEATHER: Hot and sunny, with temperatures in the 90’s

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

Here is the 2010 CUBS INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER:

FIELD COORDINATOR:
Dave Bialas

INSTRUCTORS:
Jeff Fassero
Franklin Font
Dave Keller
Greg Maddux
Carmelo Martinez
Marty Pevey
Tom Pratt
Mark Riggins
Min-Kyu Sung

GAME MANAGER:
Juan Cabreja

ACTIVE LIST (47):

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS (22):
* Hunter Ackerman
* Brent Ebinger
Dustin Fitzgerald
* Cam Greathouse
* Casey Harman
Ryan Hartman
Jin-Yeong Kim
Aaron Kurcz
Luis Liria
Matt Loosen
Robinson Lopez
* Jeff Lorick
Tarlandus Mitchell
Amaury Paulino
Starling Peralta
Austin Reed
Kevin Rhoderick
Jhon Rodriguez
* Brian Smith
Alvaro Sosa (ex-C)
Charles Thomas (ex-3B)
Ben Wells

CATCHERS (5):
* Sergio Burruel
# Micah Gibbs
Max Kwan
Chad Noble
# Engel Santana

INFIELDERS (12):
Gioskar Amaya
* Justin Bour
* Pin-Chieh Chen
Willson Contreras
* Ryan Cuneo
* Wes Darvill
Dustin Geiger
* Marco Hernandez
* Hak-Ju Lee
D. J. Lemahieu
Josh Vitters
* Logan Watkins

OUTFIELDERS (8):
* Delbis Arcila
Xavier Batista
Evan Crawford
Reggie Golden
Jae-Hoon Ha
Chris Huseby (ex-P)
* Kyung-Min Na
# Oliver Zapata

Comments

Phil - I heard at one time that Simpson would be playing in the Fall instructional league, but he is not on the roster. Do you know if he is recovered from his mono? Also, how does Thomas look as a pitcher? What kind of stuff does he have? Finally, do you have any opinion on Crawford?

[ ]

In reply to by DavidP

DAVID P: Hayden Simpson was hoping to participate in the AZ Instructional League if he could get medical clearance to play, which he apparently has not (yet). Charles Thomas looks a bit like Lee Smith and throws 93-95 but with command issues, and his breaking ball & off-speed pitches are works in progress. He projects as a set-up man or closer if he can master a second pitch and improve his command. He was a combination 3B & closer in college, so he isn't exactly a stranger to the mound. He said once last year that he actually preferred pitching, so I think right now he is where he wants to be and where he needs to be. I saw Evan Crawford quite a bit back when he was with the Giants. He is VERY fast (may be the fastest player in the Cubs organization), he covers a lot of ground in the outfield, and he has good base-stealing technique & instincts. He has a line-drive stroke and can put the ball into the gaps, but he is a bit hyper-aggresive and/or anxious at the plate, he has no concept of the strike zone, and he swings & misses too much. He reminds me of Doug Glanville.

Phil, some of these players had full, productive seasons at Peoria: Bour, Lee, Watkins. What is the thinking behind bringing them to Instructs? And what is LeMahieu doing there? He finished the season in the Southern League (AA) championship series.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Submitted by VirginiaPhil on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 8:52pm. Phil, some of these players had full, productive seasons at Peoria: Bour, Lee, Watkins. What is the thinking behind bringing them to Instructs? And what is LeMahieu doing there? He finished the season in the Southern League (AA) championship series. ================================================ VA PHIL: Players at Instructs are there for various & different reasons. Sometimes it's just a matter of a player selected in the previous draft making his pro debut, or getting a chance to pitch a few more innings or get some additional ABs. Or giving a promising Dominican kid a chance to play in the U. S. and get some instruction from the Cubs roving instructors. But other players at Instructs are there to work on a specific aspect of their his game. HJ Lee is working on his footwork and his defensive play around SS, while Bour is trying to develop a more consistent HR stroke (he hit one double off the fence and two fly ball outs to the warning track in today's game). Lemahieu needs to smooth-out his play at 2B (he is a much more confident fielder at SS, but he projects as a 2B at the higher levels), and he also is trying to learn to drop the bat-head and turn on balls more consistently, like he did the last week of Instructs last year when ghe spent a lot of time working with Barbaro Garbey. (He natural approach is an extreme opposite-field line-drive stroke). Another thing to remember about Lemahiieu is that he was a draft eligible sophomore when the Cubs drafted & signed him out of LSU last season, and so he has only two years of college ball and one full year of pro ball under his belt. He is still very raw. BTW, it's interesting to note that both Brandon Guyer and Chris Archer were at Instructs a year ago (Guyer working on his strength & conditioning and Archer working on command), and then Guyer ended up being named the Cubs 2010 Minor League Player of the Year, while Archer was the Cubs 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Rafael Dolis came into Instructs a year ago as a near-forgotten man, but by his laat outing he was hitting 100 MPH in front of a dozen MLB scouts and being projected as the #1 pick in last December's Rule 5 Draft, which is why the Cubs added him to their 40-man roster last November. And Starlin Castro made his Giant Leap Forward at Instructs post-2008. As for why some minor leaguer prospects are at Instructs and some aren't, sometimes it might be a matter of a pitcher having thrown too many innings during the season, or a pitcher has a tired arm or a position-player is nursing a minor injury, or sometimes a player declines an invitation to Instructs in order to return to college (Charles Thomas did that last year), And then again, sometimes a pitcher or a position player just doesn't project much, or is considered "uncoachable."

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

AZ Phil- Two names I see missing that I certainly would have thought would show are Arismendy Alcantara and Junior Lake. As two players that you had described as raw, I certainly figured they would be there. Both players seemed like they were hitting their strides at the end of the year and I assumed they would also continue it on into the fall. Do you have any idea why these two would not be here, especially considering what instructs has done for some many latin american kids careers? Also, where is Pierre Lepage? I feel like he should be a candidate to move to Daytona or even Tennessee this year. He seems like one of those players that really needs to be challenged as he is a college guy and could probably stand to be a little more challenged. Any thoughts? Also, where is Dong Yub Kim? I got excited about him then he fell off the face of the earth.

I remember Fleita saying in an interview that they bring young players to instructional camp with the intention of their skipping one level of the minors. Also, they bring in some older players to work on specific things, ie pitchers working on a new pitch, catcher working on blocking balls, outfielder working on hitting breaking balls, etc. They may have LeMehieu there to work on pulling the ball with power.

byrd day-to-day after fouling one off his face. it wasn't too bad because his helmet and sunglasses deflected the brunt of it, but he had some obvious swelling going on near his temple/eye area.

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.