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 Send Down Hart and Waddell, Recall Stevens

The Cubs have optioned RHP Kevin Hart and LHP Jason Waddell to AAA Iowa, and have (apparently) recalled RHP Jeff Stevens from the same club. The Stevens move will not be made official until just prior to tomorrow's game, so something could conceivably happen in the meantime to alter things.

link

Hart got the start in Wednesday's game versus the Braves and pitched fairly well (allowing just one run over five innings), although he did take the loss. Waddell had been on the Cubs 15-DL for the past three weeks with an undisclosed non-baseball related issue.

Since the Cubs will not need a 5th starter again until a week from Tuesday, Hart will be able to get a start at Iowa (probably next Thursday) before he willl be needed again in the Cubs MLB rotation on 7/21. And Stevens will be able to pitch all three days this weekend, whereas Hart probably wouldn't have been ready to work again (even out of the bullpen) until Sunday.

This will be the first time on a regular-season MLB Active List (25-man roster) for Stevens. He was added to the Indians 40-man roster last November, and then was traded along with two other Tribe pitching prospects (LHP John Gaub and RHP Chris Archer) to the Cubs for IF-OF Mark DeRosa during the off-season. He has spent the entire 2009 season in the bullpen at AAA Iowa. 

The 25-year old Stevens played college ball at Loyola Marymount, and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 6th round of the 2005 Draft. He signed with the Reds, but was traded to Cleveland in 2006 as the PTBNL in the Brandon Phillips deal. Stevens was also a member of Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

Stevens has been used mainly as a two-inning middle reliever for the I-Cubs in 2009. For the season, Stevens has gone 0-3 with a 2.18 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP, allowing just 25 hits (and only one HR) in 41.1 IP (.171 OBA), with a 20/43 BB/K. But he has really pitched well over his last six outings going back to June 21st, throwing 10 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits and two walks while punching out 14. 

In other organizational moves, the Cubs have signed 4th round pick LHP Chris Rusin (U. of Kentucky) and he has been assigned (at least initially) to the AZL Cubs in Mesa, LHP Jeremy Papelbon was sent back to AA Tennessee from Iowa, RHP Hank Williamson (one of two pitchers acquired from the Baltimore Orioles for OF Felix Pie during the off-season) has been moved up to Iowa from A+ Daytona, RHP Mike Perconte has been promoted from Boise to Daytona (Perconte started the season at Peoria), OF Kevin Soto has been demoted from Boise to the AZL Cubs (Mesa), 19-year old OF Sean Williams has been sent back to the MLB Australian Baseball Academy (MLBAAP) from Mesa, and OF Cliff Andersen (2006 9th round pick out of Cottonwood HS - Salt Lake City) has been released after struggling at both Peoria and (most-recently) Boise.

Releasing Andersen and demoting Soto makes room in Boise for outfielders Brett Jackson (2009 #1 pick out of Cal) and Runey Davis (2009 #12 pick out of NJCAA World Series champion Howard JC), both recently promoted from the AZL Cubs (Mesa)

An "athletic" left-handed hitting outfielder, the 21-year old Andersen was hampered by injuries in 2007 and 2008, but even when healthy he was unable to overcome his propensity to strikeout (283 K in 937 PA in his pro career). If he doesn't sign with another MLB organization, expect to see him surface in indy ball, perhaps with the St. George (Utah) Roadrunners of the Golden Baseball League, the same team that signed Mark Pawelek after the Cubs released him at the end of Spring Training (before selling his contract to the Cincinnati Reds) 

With the addition of Chris Rusin (who got a $140K signing bonus), the Cubs have now inked 25 of their 50 selections in last month's Rule 4 Draft ("First-Year Player Draft"). The Cubs signed 32 of their draft picks in 2008 and 33 of them in 2007, so I guess it wouldn't be too unreasonable to expect the Cubs to sign maybe another seven or eight before closing the check book. Clubs normally have until August 15th to sign players selected in that year's June draft, but the Commissioner's office extended the deadline to August 17th this year because August 15th falls on a Saturday. (BTW, there is no deadline for signing college players who have exhausted their eligibility, but the Cubs have already signed all of the college seniors they drafted). 

Among the still unsigned are 2nd round pick INF D. J. LeMahieu (LSU), 3rd round pick LHP Aaron Kirk (Owasso HS - Owasso, OK), and 6th round selection LHP-OF Brooks Raley (Texas A&M). LeMahieu and Raley have college eligibility remaining and Kirk has a scholarship waiting for him at the University of Oklahoma, so even though LeMahieu says he's a big-time Cubs fan (his grandmother lives and dies with the Cubs, his father lives in Wisconsin and is a Cubs fans, and D. J. attended Spring Training games at HoHoKam Park in Mesa as a child), signing any of the three (including LeMahieu) could prove difficult. 13th round pick RHP-SS Chad Taylor (Jefferson HS - Tampa, FL) has already announced that he will not sign with the Cubs and will be attending the University of South Florida (at least he's "almost 100% sure"). The Cubs would get compensation picks in next June's draft if they are unable to sign their 2nd and/or 3rd round picks (LeMahieu and/or Kirk), but MLB clubs get no compensation for failing to sign players selected in Round #4 and below.   

Also, CF Cody Shields (2009 15th round pick out of Auburn U. - Montgomery) is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Cubs signed Shields almost immediately after the draft concluded, and he reported to Fitch Park right away and was even initially on the Boise Hawks Opening Day roster, before getting the bad news. Shields joins 2008 4th round pick C-2B Matt Cerda in the Fitch Park Infirmary. (Cerda is on the DL with a broken hand).

The most-impressive pro debuts among the 2009 draft class (so far) belong to slugging left-handed hitting catcher Richard Jones (9th round pick out of The Citadel) who leads the AZL in HR while hitting 344/382/750, and 20-year old 2B D. J. Fitzgerald (22nd round pick out of Dyersburg State CC) ,who hit 531 for the AZL Cubs before getting jumped all the way up to Peoria (VERY unusual for a first-year player signed out of a junior college).

For those of you who follow this stuff, clubs have up to 15 days to add a newly-signed player to a minor league reserve list, so sometimes a player signed after the June draft does not appear on a minor league roster right away, usually because the roster is full and the club needs to make a move to open up a roster slot.  

Comments

Too bad about Cliff Andersen being released. He had a nice, strong arm. I remember seeing him in RF for Peoria in their game last year at Wrigley. His throws to 2B were like lasers and "popped" in the infielder's glove so loudly that it made me wince with sympathy pain in my left hand - and I was sitting in the upper deck on the third base side. It's always fun to see someone play who has skills that make you open your eyes wide. Too bad he didn't have enough of the whole package to stick.

AzPhil, What's the scouting report on Fitzgerald? I've only see brief blurbs on him, so I was mildly curious when I saw he got the jump to Peoria to take Vitters spot (I believe he was the corresponding move). With Rosa back at Peoria now, I imagine Flaherty/Lake/Fitzgerald will split the 2nd/SS/DH duties perhaps. As for LeMahieu, my first thought was that, with Maineri and Hendry's relationship, I'd be a tad surprised if the Cubs didn't have some idea on what it would take to sign him. I'm hopeful that we can perhaps get him in and work on developing some more power in that bat. I really hope we can get Raley in. Heck, he only needs to see what happened to his teammate, Alex Wilson, who I believe got a better offer from the Cubs last year than what he signed for this year. I like Raley as an arm - any idea what the Cubs current intention are?

Get the wives and children in the house. The red-clad chubby Budweiser-swilling hicks with their tube socks and sandals are descending on my beautiful city to gawk in amazement at a downtown with actual people in it, stare in confusion at signs that say Museum and, as always, fill the alleys with urine.

Minor-league trivia: a couple of weeks ago, Kyler Burke had 28 doubles and Tony Campana had 28 stolen bases. Campana now has 39 SBs, while Burke has gone into a deep slump--until yesterday, when he went 3 for 3 with two doubles, to finally reach the 30-double mark. Campana has continued to hit (all singles, of course) and may find himself in AA one of these days. Lou has been complaining about lack of speed on his team. There is some speed at Daytona right now. Start with Campana, then Castro with 14 SBs, and finally Brandon Guyer, who wasn't able to make the jump (along with Sandberg) from Peoria to Tennessee, but is thriving at Daytona, hitting .378 with 10 SBs (1 CS) in 24 games.

AZ Phil: How about a quick hit update on your preseason Top-10 prospects, and how they are progressing in your eyes? Who do you see emerging into your top 10 next year, based upon performance so far?

On a side note, very impressed with Williamson this year. He was the hard throwing youngster in the Pie deal, and so far, he's been solid. Still has some work, but with the fastball/breaking ball, he has a shot at the bigs. I imagine he might go back to AA at some point (seems like a stopgap jump), but he's been a pleasant surprise. I think I like him better than Schlitter.

Raining in Chicago, looks like there could be a rain delay to start. But there is a window after that they should be able to get most or all of the game in before the next bunch of rain hits. I'd like to see Pujols hit by lightning on live TV.

Is it really that hard to catch a "can of corn" pop fly? Soriano. What a joke. Sometimes when a player is awful at the plate, they put a little extra hustle in their defense. No such worries from Alfonso.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. The Cubs, on the other hand, just roll over and play dead. This lineup has exactly one batter who hits the ball like he has a pair of testicles.

[ ]

In reply to by Chad

Divorcing couple is in court fighting for custody of their 7 year old son, Billy. After both parents make their case for custody, the judge says, "Billy, tell us, do you want to live with your mother?" Billy responds sheepishly, "no, my mommy hits me." The judge asks, "Well would you rather live with your father?" Billy sadly whispers, "no, my daddy hits me too." The judge pauses and thinks for a minute and then says, "Well Billy, who do you want to live with?" Billy smiles brightly and chirps "The Cubs!" The judge, looking confused asks, "The Cubs? Why would you want to live with the Cubs?" Billy responds, "Because they don't hit anybody!"

A few more like that, and the season shifts from tragedy to camp comedy. Nice job by Harden to keep his name in the running for Biggest Turd of 2009. Lots of competition: - Hendry - Lou - Milton - Sori - Fat Geo - Harden - Fontenot - Heilman

It seems like Harden is really having a hard time right now. You almost have to expect an outling like this. But this team just picked a bad time to go flat and lose 3 games in a row. It just doesn't make alot of sense the way things have gone. Man how bad would things look if D. Lee was not in the lineup.

Terrible and with the payroll at what it is, unacceptable. I lost interest after the Cards blew by the 3-3 tie. Lou can't make a lineup, our pitchers can't pitch their way out of a wet paper bag, our highest priced players are looking like children, and every time our team looks to be 100% healthy, someone else goes down.

bullpen....what's the point? Lets cut lose the bad apples and just bring up a steady diet of younglings. I mean a minor leaguer can't be much worse than Heilman or the irish fella. And lets put Milton as a righty for a month and see what happens. Move J Fox back to catcher. Its all crazy - but we aint winning with this current formula, so lets take some risks.

During the 5th inning Sirott said that Harden told him the shoulder is great, but it's changed his mechanics, which he's still working on getting straight between starts. No time like July when your team is about to fall off the cliff to start THAT workout.

Submitted by toonsterwu on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 4:03am.
AzPhil, What's the scouting report on Fitzgerald? I've only see brief blurbs on him, so I was mildly curious when I saw he got the jump to Peoria to take Vitters spot (I believe he was the corresponding move). With Rosa back at Peoria now, I imagine Flaherty/Lake/Fitzgerald will split the 2nd/SS/DH duties perhaps.

As for LeMahieu, my first thought was that, with Maineri and Hendry's relationship, I'd be a tad surprised if the Cubs didn't have some idea on what it would take to sign him. I'm hopeful that we can perhaps get him in and work on developing some more power in that bat. I really hope we can get Raley in. Heck, he only needs to see what happened to his teammate, Alex Wilson, who I believe got a better offer from the Cubs last year than what he signed for this year. I like Raley as an arm - any idea what the Cubs current intention are?

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

TOONSTER: D. J. Fitzgerald (AKA "DJ Fitz") was drafted as a SS, but he was immediately moved to 2B when he arrived at Fitch Park. He is what I would call an "offensive-first" second-baseman. He makes most plays OK, but nothing to write home about. He could improve once he learns the moves from the right side of the bag.

But in his short stay in the AZL, he looked like a D-1 All-American at the plate. Quick bat, hit the ball hard to all fields, good knowledge of the strike zone, just an outstanding all-around hitter. He has decent speed, but he's not a burner. I could have understood a promotion to Boise, but jumping him to Peoria was really a surprise. I guess the Cubs saw Fitzgerald's self-confidence/brashness, and decided he could handle a jump like that.

I agree that the Cubs SHOULD have a pretty good idea about what LeMahieu is looking for. The only thing I can think is, the Cubs intend to pay him over-slot, but they are going to wait until later in the summer to sign him, when paying over-slot won't cause as much of a problem as it would now for other clubs and their still-unsigned 2nd round picks.

As for Brooks Raley, I have heard nothing.

I usually can find something funny to say. In fact, that's often the reason I bother to comment. To overwhelm you with my wit. But today, I realize something I remember from the end of the year, and that a bunch of you guys mentioned at the beginning of this one. This is the same team that couldn't hit during the playoffs. The only difference between this team and last year's, really, is Milton Bradley. A lot of folks were upset with Hendry for not working harder this off season. At the end of the day, I'm just gonna hope this damn sale goes through and we get a reboot. I'm old, but this team has no chance now, or in the near future, without a young, gung-ho dude willing to rip the thing down and start over.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Ever since the Cubs were "five outs away" [remember where you were then?], upper management has tried to put us back there. Almost worked in 2004 (Victor Diaz, aggghhh).2005: Neifi! and Korey. Then came the trade for Juan Pierre,followed by the free agent merry-go-round: Soriano, Fukudome, Bradley. Lots of money, lots of optimism, didn't quite get there in 2007 and 2008. All along, those in the know (i.e., TCR posters) knew that somewhere down the road all these guys (including Lee and Ramirez) were going to get old all of a sudden. So here we are. Maybe we'll take three in a row and get back in it, maybe the goddamn Cardinals will stick a fork in us. No matter what happens this weekend, it seems to me that 2010 will bring a clean slate. This is a ballclub with expensive, aging players in key positions. They will be hard to move. But I am prepared to tolerate a rebuilding phase, even giving up players like Zambrano for prospects. We do seem to have some possibilities in the minors, and I'd like to hang on to a couple of the current occupants of the dugout like Wells, Marshall, Marmol, and Soto (with a personal trainer), but overall I think it's time to blow things up. God, I hope this post looks really stupid at the end of October...

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.