Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

CTSteve's Archives

Opening Day!

Welcome to the end of the void and the beginning of the baseball season! 

Remember that, in addition to your brilliant and insightful comments, you are also welcome to join the MeWe chat--on your computer or the great app. 

Go Cubs!

2019 Predictions Contest

The Free Agents Contest has not been determined, but it's already time to reveal your "genius" in a new way: the 2019 TCR Predictions Contest. It's the second or third most wholesome thing you can do on the web.

Make your guesses by the first pitch of opening day. Thoughts and prayers are useless, but bribes can be sent using PayPal, Venmo, or EBT.

Good luck!

Bad News, Good News, Really Good News

While I’m weighing multiple $300m+ offers, I wanted to take a moment to announce a change to the site: I will no longer be making regular daily game thread posts.

If anyone is interested in stepping up to fill that void, let me know. (Perhaps a once-a week rotation could work.)

The good news is that I will still be lurking in the background to keep the site running and making the occasional snide comment. I’ll keep the contests running, too. 

Rockies @ Cubs: Freeland vs Lester (Game 164; NL Wild Card Game)

COL (0-0): LHP Kyle Freeland (0-0, —-)
CHC (0-0): LHP Jon Lester (0-0, —-)
First pitch: 7:00pmCST

We started yesterday morning tied for the best record in the League. Now we're looking down the barrel of an elimination game. Yay, baseball! Of course, if we lose both of these games, we deserve to be eliminated. (I seem to recall saying the same thing about a couple of games in 2003.)

Brewers @ Cubs: Chacin vs Quintana (Game 163; NL Central Tie-breaker)

MIL (95-67): RHP Jhoulys Chacin (15-8, 3.56)
CHC (95-67): LHP José Quintana (13-11, 4.09)
First pitch: 12:05pmCST

Quintana gave up 2 ER in 5 innings and had a no-decision against the Pirates on Friday. He's 4-1 with a 2.17 in six starts against the Brewers this season, including 6.2 scoreless innings on September 11 at Wrigley. The Brewers are 63-310 (.203) against him. Moustakas is 12-46 with 3 HR, and Yelich is 1-11.

NL Central Tie-breaker Preview

As the Cubs prepare for the dreaded Game 163 (against the flippin' Brewers?), here are some things to chew on. 

Starter: Quintana has great numbers against the Brewers, and I don't like TBD's body language. Advantage Cubs.

Offense: The Cubs have scored 10 more runs on the season, but the Brewers have done better in the second half. Advantage Brewers.

The Bullpen: The Cubs are used up and banged up; the Brewers are rested. Advantage Brewers.

Cardinals @ Cubs: Flaherty vs Montgomery (Game 162)

STL (88-73): RHP Jack Flaherty (8-8, 3.16)
CHC (94-67): LHP Mike Montgomery (5-6, 3.99)
First pitch: 2:20pmCST

Montgomery gave up 5 ER in 4 innings and lost to the Pirates on Tuesday. In four games (two starts) against the Cardinals this season, he's 0-1 with a 3.60. Overall, they are 22-77 (.286) against him.

Cardinals @ Cubs: Mikolas vs Hamels (Game 161)

STL (87-73): RHP Miles Mikolas (17-4, 2.94)
CHC (94-66): LHP Cole Hamels (9-11, 3.87)
First pitch: 12:05pmCST

Hamels gave up 2 ER in 6 innings and lost against the Pirates on Monday. The Cardinals are 22-86 (.258) against him. Ozuna is 8-29 with 3 HR.

Mikolas beat the Giants (7 IP, 1 ER) his last time out. In three games against the Cubs this season, he's 2-0 with a 2.00. For their careers, these Cubs are 19-76 (.250) against him. Happ is 3-5.

Cardinals @ Cubs: Wainwright vs Hendricks (Game 160)

STL (87-72): RHP Adam Wainwright (2-3, 4.08)
CHC (93-66): RHP Kyle Hendricks (13-11, 3.49)
First pitch: 1:20pmCST

Hendricks gave up 1 ER in 7.2 innings and won on the Southside on Sunday. He's 2-0 with a 4.08 in three games against the Cards this season. Overall, they are 41-168 (.244) against him. Ozuna is 7-19 with 2 HR.

Pirates @ Cubs: Williams vs Lester (Game 159)

PIT (80-77): RHP Trevor Williams (14-9, 3.04)
CHC (92-66): LHP Jon Lester (17-6, 3.43)
First pitch: 7:05pmCST

Lester won on the Southside on Saturday (5 IP, 2 ER). After an inconsistent couple of months, he's 3-1 with a 1.90 in September. He's 3-1 with a 3.72 in 5 starts against the Pirates this season. Overall, they are 51-208 (.245) against him. Bell is 5-16 with a HR.

Pirates @ Cubs: Nova vs Quintana (Game 158)

PIT (80-76): RHP Ivan Nova (9-9, 4.01)
CHC (91-66): LHP José Quintana (13-11, 4.11)
First pitch: 7:05pmCST

Quintana gave up 5 ER in as many innings and lost to the White Sox on Friday. He had a no-decision in Pittsburgh (5 IP, 1 ER) on August 19. Overall, the Pirates are 11-52 (.212) against him. Dickerson is 4-9

Nova, who had a no-decision against the Brewers his last time out (4.1 IP, 1 ER), is 2-1 with a 2.33 in three starts against the Cubs this season. For their careers, these Cubs are 41-176 (.233) against him. Happ is 4-17 with 3 HR, and Contreras is 5-11.

Pirates @ Cubs: Archer vs Montgomery (Game 157)

PIT (79-76): RHP Chris Archer (5-8, 4.49)
CHC (91-65): LHP Mike Montgomery (5-5, 3.75)
First pitch: 7:05pmCST

Montgomery won in Arizona his last time out (6 IP, 1 ER). He's 2-0 with a 2.63 in two starts (and three games) against the Pirates. Overall, they are 17-70 (.243) against him. Mercer is 4-9 with a HR.

Archer gave up 1 ER in 7 innings and beat KC his last time out. The Cubs are 15-47 (.319) against him for their careers. Baez is 3-6.

Quintana and Nova tomorrow at the same time.

Go Cubs!

Pirates @ Cubs: Taillon vs Hamels (Game 156)

PIT (78-76): RHP Jameson Taillon (13-9, 3.24)
CHC (91-64): LHP Cole Hamels (9-10, 3.90)
First pitch: 7:05pmCST

Hamels didn't have it on Wednesday in Arizona—to say the least, giving up 7 ER in 6 innings. That was probably bound to happen. He has two wins and twelve scoreless innings against the Pirates this season—and a nice chance to right the ship. Overall, they are 20-78 (.256) against him. Marte is 10-20 with a HR.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).