Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 12
Kevin Alcantara, OF
Michael Arias, P
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF
Jose Cuas, P
Brennen Davis, OF
Porter Hodge, P
* Luke Little, P
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B
Daniel Palencia, P
Luis Vazquez, INF
Hayden Wesneski, P

10-DAY IL: 1
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL:
* Justin Steele, P

60-DAY IL: 2
Caleb Kilian, P
Julian Merryweather, P

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs Tie! Cubs Tie!

In a possible preview of the World Series (well, maybe the 2015 World Series), the Cubs played the Angels this afternoon in Arizona Instructional League action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, and even though MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was not at the game (at least I don't think he was there), his presence was felt at the end, as the game was called after nine innings tied 1-1. Needeless to say, all bats were mostly quiet today, as the pitchers ruled. The only run for the Cubs came in the bottom of the 3rd, when Josh Vitters led-off with a line single to center, and came around to score on a two-out triple hit into the RF corner by Jovan Rosa. The Angels tied the game in the 6th, plating their run on a lead-off double, a single, and a sac fly. The Cubs only managed five hits and seven base runners in the entire game. Tony Thomas was the only Cub to reach base twice, and he was thrown out trying to steal after reaching base on an HBP in the bottom of the 1st inning, and then he was picked-off second base after reaching on a bunt single and stealing second with two outs in the 6th. The six Cubs pitchers surrendered only six hits and two walks, while racking up eight K's and two GIDPs. Chris Huseby got the start and went two innings, and he looked VERY sharp. He also pitched very well in his first outing last Friday, and he looks like he is on the verge of getting switched to a faster track as he develops into one of the Cubs top pitching prospects. The 6'7 Huseby was selected in the 11th round of the 2006 draft, but the Cubs had to give him "1st round money" to convince him to forgo a college career at Auburn. He underwent Tommy John elbow surgery his senior year in high school and was a little slow to round into shape with the Cubs at AZL Mesa in 2006 and at Spring Training and EXST at Fitch Park in 2007, but he pitched effectively at Boise this past June-September, and appears to be continuing his progression at the AZ Instructs camp. RHP Hernan Ramos made his pro debut, pitching the third and fourth innings. He pitched OK, and did not allow a run. Ramos is a 21-year old Venezuelan who was signed as a NDFA out of Ellsworth CC in Iowa at the Rule 4 deadline in August (he was set to transfer to Wayne State). Ellsworth is one of a couple of JC baseball programs in Iowa (Indian Hills CC is the other one) that recruits internationally, going after players from Latin America, Australia, Asia, and Europe, and that's how and why Ramos ended up there. Another one of the three pitchers signed by the Cubs out of Tijuana (Mexican League) this past month made his Cubs debut today. 19-year old RHP Alan Guerrero worked the 5th and 6th innings, and he is a load. He looks like he could play left guard for the Bears. Guerrero throws fairly hard, but he has command problems (he was 3-2 on every hitter in his first inning of work). He also was the only Cubs pitcher to surrender a run today. Probably the most surprising performance by a Cubs pitcher today was in the 7th, when 24-year Colombian RHP Dumas Garcia made his Cubs debut. Garcia was signed by the Cubs a couple of weeks ago, after pitching for the South Georgia Peanuts in the independent South Coast League in 2007. Garcia has the same physique as Roberto Novoa, and he throws with a funky-deceptive 3/4 motion and a fastball/slider combo that really kept the Angels hitters off-stride. Garcia struck out all three of the batters he faced, and he made them look sick in the process, as they took some of the most awkward swings I've seen in quite a while. Jose Ceda worked the 8th inning (seven pitches) and his fastball was clocked at his usual 98 MPH. He walked the first batter he faced on four piches (all four were fast balls below the knees), but then got the next batter out on a pop-up to the catcher on a failed sac-bunt attempt, and the final two outs were registered on an easy infield chopper room-service 6-3 DP hit to SS Darwin Barney as he came across second-base. Side-armin' RHP Matt Maradeo threw an eight-pitch 9th, getting his outs on a 4-3 ground-out, and a 1-6-3 DP following a walk. Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only): LINEUP: 1. Tony Thomas, 2B (1-3, K, HBP, SB, CS, PO) 2. Jonathan Wyatt, CF (0-2, BB) 3. Steve Clevenger, DH-C (0-3, K, GIDP) 4. Josh Donaldson, C-DH (1-3, K) 5. Kyler Burke, 1B (0-3, K) 6. Brandon Guyer, LF (1-3) 7. Josh Vitters, 3B (1-3, R) 8. Darwin Barney, SS (0-3, K) 9. Cliff Andersen, RF (0-3, K) 10. Jovan Rosa, DH #2 (1-3, 3B, RBI, K) NOTE: Clevenger and Donaldson switched positions in the 7th. PITCHING: 1. Chris Huseby - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (26 pitches) 2. Hernan Ramos - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (19 pitches) 3. Alan Guerrero - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K (30 pitches) 4. Dumas Garcia - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (16 pitches) 5. Jose Ceda - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP (7 pitches) 6. Matt Maradeo - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP (8 pitches) NO ERRORS CATCHERS DEFENSE: Donaldson 1-1 CS OUTFIELD ASSIST: Guyer (threw out runner 7-5 trying to advance from first to third on a single to left-center) TIME OF GAME: 2:03 ATTENDANCE - 7 (Dae-Eun Rhees' parents, a couple of scouts, an MLB umpire instructor who met with the three-man umpire crew after every half-inning to tell them what they did wrong the previous half-inning, AZ Phil, and a mysterious guy sitting in the shadows I couldn't quite identify).

Comments

Recent comments

Arizona Phil 04/19/2024 - 04:43 pm (view)

Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical).

And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical).

And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day.

That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled).
Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:51 am (view)

Indeed they do TJW!
For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.
That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.
Childersb3 04/19/2024 - 04:45 am (view)

The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18. We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:21 am (view)

Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.
If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.
Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.
Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!
Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:57 am (view)

That’s just kinda how it works though, for every team. No team plays their best guys all the time. No team is comprising of their best 26 even removing injuries.
When baseball became a business, like REALLY a business, it became important to keep some of the vets happy, which in turn keeps agents happy and keeps the team with a good reputation among players and agents. No one wants to play for a team that has a bad reputation in the same way no one wants to work for a company that has a bad rep.
Don’t get me wrong, I hate it too. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
On that topic, I find it silly the Cubs brought up Canario to sit as much as he has. He’s going to get Velazquez’d, and it’s a shame.
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:46 am (view)

Of course, McKinstry runs circles around $25 million man Javier Baez on that Tigers team. Guess who gets more playing time?
But I digress…
Sonicwind75 04/19/2024 - 04:00 am (view)

Seems like Jed was trying to corner the market on mediocre infielders with last names starting with "M" in acquiring Madrigal, Mastroboney and Zach McKinstry.

At least he hasn't given any of them a Bote-esque extension.
Childersb3 04/19/2024 - 04:42 am (view)

AZ Phil:
Rookie ball (ACL) starts on May 4th. Do yo think Ramon and Rosario (maybe Delgado) stay in Mesa for the month of May, then go to MB if all goes "solid"?
crunch 04/18/2024 - 04:08 pm (view)

masterboney is a luxury on a team that has multiple, capable options for 2nd, SS, and 3rd without him around. i don't hate the guy, but if madrigal is sticking around then masterboney is expendable.
TarzanJoeWallis 04/18/2024 - 04:51 pm (view)

I THINK I agree with that decision. They committed to Wicks as a starter and, while he hasn’t been stellar I don’t think he’s been bad enough to undo that commitment.
That said, Wesneski’s performance last night dictates he be the next righty up.
Quite the dilemma. They have many good options, particularly in relief, but not many great ones. And complicating the situation is that the pitchers being paid the most are by and large performing the worst - or in Taillon’s case, at least to this point, not at all.