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, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players are on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* 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
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

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




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

TCR Friday Notes

Submitted by Rob G. on

I'll ease back into TCR with some links...

- Geovany Soto will be back in the lineup tonight just in time for some Coors Field inflated hitting. Way to pick your spots Geo...

- A rather crucial 7-game swing here for the Cubs...4 at Colorado and then 3 at home versus Philly. The Rockies are a game behind the Giants in the wild card and one ahead of the Cubs. Pitching matchups for this weekend are: Zambrano vs U. Jimenez (3.76 ERA), Dempster vs. Marquis (3.49), Wells vs. Hammell (4.62) and Gorzelanny vs. De La Rosa (5.00 ERA, although 5-0 with a 2.50 ERA in July, but then got crushed in his first August start against Philly).

- Here's a great Dusty-ism, except it's from Hendry.

"I can't say enough about Hill," general manager Jim Hendry said. "He really saved us."

- Carlos Marmol leads all of baseball with a 8.48 BB/9 rate and at least 50 innings pitched (52 currently). I went back to 1995 and only found 2 other instances of a walk rate above 8 per nine innings and at least 50 innings pitched, John Rocker in 2000 (53 IP) and Stephen Randolph in 2004 (81.2 IP). Not a good career choice for Marmol...

When I think of control-challenged relievers that played for the Cubs, my mind always wanders to Mitch Williams. His career worst (using the 50 IP cut-off) was 7.79 BB/9 in 108.1 IP for the Rangers in 1987. In his 2 years with the Cubs, he walked 5.84 in 1989 (a career best) and 6.78 per nine innings.

- The Cubs signed their 6th round pick, LHP Brooks Raley to a $750K bonus, and inked their first 12 picks to date. The deadline is August 17th.

- Julio Castillo, the Cub farmhand that was indicted for throwing at a fan during a brawl last year, ended up getting 30 days of jail time and three years probation. As far as I know, he's still a member of the Cubs organization, although I'm sure Arizona Phil would know better.

-  Kevin Hart made his first start for the Pirates last night, going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs, 1 BB, 9 H, and 5 K's.

- Chad Gaudin has been traded from the Padres to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later...he could replace another ex-Cub in Sergio Mitre in the rotation.

Tags
Friday Notes

Comments

Submitted by Ryno on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:50 am

So the Cubs can't hit a sleepy 84 MPH Justin Lehr fastball, but they'll probably clobber Jimenez' 98 MPH fastball... What a silly game.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:30 pm

Yes, Julio "Animal" Castillo is still a member of the Cubs organization (he is technically on the Boise Reserve List). He was at Fitch Park throwing bullpen side-sessions & sim games for about three months before going to Dayton for the trial. What his ultimate future with the Cubs will be, I don't know, but he does throw in the mid-90's...

Castillo is the man-child from the jungles of Hispanola (near the Dominican Republic-Haiti border) who caught a rat at the Peoria Sports Complex a couple of years ago and kept the rodent as a pet in his motel room while he spent the summer pitching for the AZL Cubs.

Submitted by navigator on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:33 pm

I was surprised to see that Milton Bradley is on a pace to appear in 134 games this year. But, what are the chances? That would be the second highest total in his career (2004 - 141 is tops) and he averages 90-100 games per season. Time may be running out. Uncle Milty has appeared in 88 games already.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:49 pm

Re Hill: I don't like watching him come to the plate either, but maybe catching is mostly about catching, and maybe there's more to catching than the usual stats. If a catcher has workable ideas about how to get a hitter out, it could show up in the final score. By my count, the Cubs are 55-30 in games that Hill has started, going back to 2007 when he took over for Michael Barrett. When you consider that Hill weakens the team's offense when he plays, it's even more remarkable. After 2007, people mostly dismissed Hill's team-related success as lucky timing, but now it has happened again.

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Submitted by big_lowitzki on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:00 pm

After 2007, people mostly dismissed Hill's team-related success as lucky timing, but now it has happened again. Who knew that, in addition to adding 5 mph to a pitcher's fastball, Koyie Hill would also make Soriano hit better, Bradley hit better, ARam get healthy, Fukudome to come out of his slump, etc? He really does have super powers, eh? The Cubs haven't been winning more games (since Soto went on the DL) because of Hill. They are winning games because they are scoring more runs. And Hill has had very, very little to do with that.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:55 pm

In addition to signing LHP-OF Brooks Raley (6th round pick out of Texas A&M) for Supplemental 1st round money (he received nearly $250K more than 2nd round pick D. J. LeMahieu got), the Cubs also recently signed left-handed hitting slugging catcher Sergio Burruel (19th round pick out of Trevor Browne HS - Phoenix, AZ) to an above-slot bonus, and Burruel made his pro debut (as DH) last night for the AZL Cubs (he walked and crushed a double in four PA).

LHP Aaron Kirk (3rd round pick out of Owasso HS - Owasso, OK) made his pro debut Wednesday night, threw one inning, and struck out the side. He has plus-velocity.

The Cubs have now signed 29 of their 50 selections from the 2009 Rule 4 Draft, including their first 12 picks and 14 of their top 15, although two of the players who signed (17th round pick RHP B. J. Dail and 23rd rounder OF Jeffrey Pruitt) subsequently had their contracts voided.  

The AZL season is over on August 28th but the Boise season doesn't end for another ten days after that, so expect several AZL Cubs to get promoted to Boise on August 29th.

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Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 08:16 pm

That's a steal for Raley. A really impressive coup for the Cubs scouting department to get that guy. For about 2/3rds of the season he was the best pitcher in the country (though never the best prospect of course). Oh yeah, and he projects to be a Darrin Erstad type in center field and with the bat. Any word on what the Cubs are wanting to do with him, Phil? Or rather what he wants to do?

Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:20 pm

The people at the Sporting News apparently don't follow baseball very closely. Their MLB home page has a picture of Carlos Zambrano and the blurb underneath reads: "Victor Zambrano and the Cubs try to figure out how to win on the road as they head to Colorado in a key series for both contenders. That's just one of several intriguing matchups this weekend, Ryan Fagan says." http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/ Update: it took them a few hours but they finally fixed it.

Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:14 pm

Scary note for the Cubs: Of the next 31 games the Cardinals play, only 3 are against a team currently over .500 (Dodgers). CRAP

Submitted by Doug Dascenzo on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:34 pm

Anyone want to take a flyer on the Giambino as a LH bat off the bench? He's only hitting .193 this year, but has 40 RBIs to go along with 11 HRs. Could he be this year's Jim Edmonds (although mostly as a PH)?

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Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:51 pm

No thanks. He's an admitted steroid freak, and if you want to overlook that he can't play any position and he can't hit. So what value does he have? Why Oakland gave him almost $6 million guaranteed between this year and next year's buyout is beyond me. He sucks.

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Submitted by Doug Dascenzo on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:32 pm

Giambi's dislikable? I always kinda figured him to be a fun, beer-drinking, party guy. Also, he grows one helluva mustache. Anyway, he doesn't really fit anywhere on the Cubs, but even at .193 he's got more RBIs than Bradley. Shit, just last year he hit 32 HRs and had an OPS+ of 128.

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:42 pm

file this under fun with the rule 5 draft: Pirates place Donald Veal back to the DL with a sprained left index finger file this under McFail ain't doin' us any favors: Gregg Zaun from the O's to the Rays for cash considerations file this under I'm selective when type and pasting: Brewers recalled RHP Jesus... (that outta help their pitching staff)

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Submitted by John Beasley on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:24 pm

Normally the Dodgers couldn't get anybody through waivers at this point, but in this case, I can see why nobody got in their way. Maybe the Mets? That's about my only reasonable guess, if they think he can really help them the next four years or whatever he has left.

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Submitted by Paul Noce on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:34 pm

I'll guess it's the Giants. But you can't count the Royals out, their GM seems to make some questionable financial moves as well, but the Giants are starved for offense and they talked about trading for Rios a while back.

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:10 pm

.. you don't have that problem with a robe --- can't be correct, wasn't he a lefty?

Submitted by Chad on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:32 pm

So the whole thing about Donald Veal and how the pirates might be stashing him on the dl (or not for that matter) made me think of something. Often a young player like David Patton may be coerced into playing along with a fake injury in order to stay with the team. If I'm him I would do the same, you get to stay on a first place team and have a future with a club like hte Cubs (in this case, i'm considering it a good thing). But let's take a guy like Donald Veal. He was Cub but then gets Rule 5'd to the Gulag. If they are trying to stash him even though he's not really hurt, couldn't he file a grievance with the union? (this presumes that he'd rather be a Cub, as of course anyone would)

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Submitted by crunch on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:12 pm

you'll be hard pressed to find a coach in highschool or college that would want a LH catcher...the curve stops there many times. from the "throwing to 3rd thing" to worries about RH hitters (way more of them than lefty hitters) being able to sneak signs easier...there's plenty of excuses to go around.

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:17 pm

.. you don't have that problem with a robe --- he can pitch, and catch all at the same time even with a catchers glove on his right hand. dos equis XX

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:23 pm

if that saw went any deeper, Koyie Hill might have been your most recent mlb left handed catcher...

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Submitted by Doug Dascenzo on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:09 pm

I think it would be such a valuable skill to be an ambidextrous quarterback so you could roll out to either side and throw on the run. I hope this guy makes the majors. Would be really cool to watch.

Submitted by The E-Man on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:25 pm

The Hoff sent down to AAA, as some of you had desired, to make room for "Oblique-Man"

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:13 pm

Submitted by Cubster on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 1:42pm.
file this under fun with the rule 5 draft: Pirates place Donald Veal back to the DL with a sprained left index finger

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

CUBSTER: Donald Veal has spent 85 days on the Pirates 25-man roster in 2009, so five more days on the Active Roster (and presumably he will be reactivated after rosters expand on 9/1) and the Rule 5 restrictions will be lifted for 2010, so that the Pirates can option Veal to the minors in 2010, 2011, and 2012 (if they wish).

David Patton has already spent 90+ days on the Cubs 25-man Active List in 2009, so he could just go home for the rest of the year because he has spent enough time on the Cubs 25-man roster for his Rule 5 restrictions to be lifted next season. (If a Rule 5 player spends less than 90 days on an MLB Active List in the season following selection in the Rule 5 Draft, the Rule 5 restrictions continue into the next season until the player has accrued 90 days of MLB Service Time).

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    booooooooooo

    also, wisdom and taillon are both in chicago.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Tonight’s game postponed. Split games on Saturday.

  • crunch (view)

    cubs getting crazy good at not having player moves leak.

    taillon we 100% know is pitching tonight.  who he's replacing and any additional moves are unknown as far as i can tell.

    p.wisdom was not in today's lineup in iowa (rained out) and he was removed from the game last night mid-game, but not for injury.  good bet he's with the team in the bigs, too.

  • Bill (view)

    A good rule of thumb is that if you trade a near-ready high ceiling prospect, you should get at least two far-away high ceiling prospects in return.  Like all rules-of-thumb, it depends upon the specific circumstances, but certainly, we weren't going to get Busch for either prospect alone.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

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