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

Mr. One-Hitter Comes Through in Wrigley Opener

Notes following a successful home opener and heading into a well-deserved off day for the 5-2 Cubs:

-- It was just last September 15th, the day after Carlos Zambrano no-hit the Astros at Miller Park, when Ted Lilly held Houston hitless until the seventh inning before Mark Loretta stroked a clean, line-drive single tp recprd the Astros' only hit of the night.

That evening, Lilly, Jeff Samardzija (remember him?), Carlos Marmol, and Bobby Howry combined for the one-hit victory.

In this afternoon's home opener against the Rockies, Lilly was followed to the mound by Angel Guzman (1/3 IP), Aaron Heilman (1 IP), and Kevin Gregg (1 IP). It's the fourth time in Cub history that at least four pitchers have pooled their efforts to throw a one-hitter.

-- This afternoon's patchwork lineup, necessitated by Milton Bradley's sore groin, Aramis Ramirez's achy back, and Geovany Soto's bum shoulder, accepted nine walks by Colorado pitchers. That's 19 BBs in the last two games and five runs scored on bases-loaded walks.

Of course, scoring on a bases-loaded walk is no way to strike terror into the hearts of the rest of the National League, but on a day as cold and hitter-unfriendly as today was, it's not a bad way to go.

-- Chad Gaudin signed a minor league deal with the Padres on Sunday, reportedly because the organization will give him a chance to start.

-- According to Reuters (via Crain's Chicago Business), the sale of the Cubs to the Ricketts family may not be completed until after May as the family "arranges financing for its $900 million bid and works for Major League Baseball's approval."

The story does say that "baseball officials have met several times with representatives of the Ricketts family and Tribune Co during the past several weeks."

-- As you've no doubt heard by now, baseball lost two legends on Monday--longtime Phillies announcer and Hall of Famer Harry Kalas, who was found unconscious in the broadcast booth before this afternoon's game in D.C., and former Tiger pitcher and 1976 AL Rookie of the Year, Mark "The Bird" Fidrych.

Kalas was 73 and began announcing Phillies games 37 seasons ago. (Kalas also narrated for NFL Films for many years.) Fidrych was just 54 and had but one remarkable season, winning 19 games in '76 and then just 10 more games over the next four years.

Both men, however, left indelible marks on the sport.

 

Comments

Here is my summary of the season so far: Gregg, Bradley and DLee have been terrible, along with our situational pitching, and we have injuries to 2 of our bigger run producers. Still, we are 5-2 and tied for the division lead. Life is good...

Lilly was nothing less than masterful; if you like good pitching today was like eating good Russian caviar. His pitch selection was outstanding and his location was uncanny; the Rocks came across as whiners. They should have been mad at themselves, not the officiating. Or they should have tipped their caps to a pitcher who was at the top of his game. Lilly reminded me today of Kenny Holtzman at his prime while in a Cubs uniform.

[ ]

In reply to by mastrick

Ted did have good stuff today, but he did that get call a good 2 or 3 inches below the knees all day, which helped him dramatically. I would have been pissed about continuing to get rung up on that pitch all day if I were in the other dugout, too. But, at the same time, Andy Fletcher is freezing cold and soaking wet and wants to get the fuck out of there. Everything close is a strike on those kind of days. The problem was that Ubaldo had a really hard time throwing anything that close. He'd have gotten that same pitch but had very poor control all day.

It sucks that just a week into the season our off-day is considered a much needed one. I've been really, really happy with Koyie in Soto's absence. I'm not terrible disappointed with Bradley...his discipline is good the hits will come. Generally happy across the board...the 2 games we lost we probably should have won.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Before Theriot we had plenty of guys like that, e.g. Itzturis, Cedeno, Neifi, Alex Gonzalez, etc. and I cringe at the thought of going back to those days. And of course being solid defensively doesn't mean you can't make errors at key moments (see Gonzalez)! But mostly I am just not sure who would be worth it. You aren't going to be able to go out and get a Rollins, or Peralta, or a Michael Young at the deadline. If the Cubs can, I am all for it. But in reality you are looking at a .250 A defender as you described. 2008 Stats Bobby Crosby .972 FP, 4.17 RF, .645 OPS Cesar Izturis .980 FP, 4.85 RF, .628 OPS Ryan Theriot .975 FP, 3.90 RF, .746 OPS Would those defensive upgrades be worth the offensive downgrade? I don't think so. Theriot is by all accounts a C defender as you described, average. Most of those above average are studs who we could never get, and those that aren't are mostly terrible, old, one-dimensional players. What I am for later in the season is replacing Miles somehow. If Theriot and Fontenot are starting up the middle, you should have a slick fielding backup who can also spell Ramirez at third. Our starting second baseman should not have to move to third to cover him when he needs a day off. Miles, in my opinion, is not a great improvement defensively on any of the positions and is not a threat off the bench pinch hitting. So why have him?

"It sucks that just a week into the season our off-day is considered a much needed one." I wouldn't worry too much about that - it's 9:00 here, and it's almost as bad (if not worse) than yesterday's weather. Wind, some rain and cold as hell (35 degree) - a great day to have off, IMO.

In adding to the MASH unit, K. Hill's shoe had to have leather cut out of it for his little toe. I cannot imagine that kind of pain when squatting is your gig. I'd think he's glad for an off-day too. No doubt by the time the weather warms up, the NL's top two or three lineups will hot their stride.

Lol...Cedeno sucks. Jimmy Rollins: 33 ab's, .121/.171/.152.. Rollins is, of course, a stud, and Cedeno is not. Let's not let our surperb sense of schaedenfreude kick in just yet on Ronny Cedeno, huh?

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.