Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and eight players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-24-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Pete Crow-Armstrong 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 8 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2
* Cody Bellinger, OF  
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

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

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 





Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

TCR Friday Notes

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.

Comments

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.

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.

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.

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.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

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.

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.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

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?

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.

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

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)?

[ ]

In reply to by Doug Dascenzo

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.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

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.

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)

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

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.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

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.

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

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)

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

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.

.. 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

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

[ ]

In reply to by Jace

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.

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

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

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Miguel Cruz walked six in 1.2 IP in his last start, so I guess he is improving. Wilme Mora also walked six in one of his appearances a week or two ago, and one or two others have walked five. I don't know what would be the most I have ever seen a pitcher throw in a game out here, because the manager / pitching coach usually gets the pitcher out of the game if it gets too ridiculous. 

    As for the attendance, probably about 20 of the 25 were early arrivals for the Savannah Bananas game who came over to Field # 1 to see what was going on, and once they saw all the bases on balls (12 walks by Cubs pitchers and four by Angels pitchers) they ran away screaming. I'm used to it so it didn't bother me that much. 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Jed has added Teheran, Tyranski, Kissaki, and now Straily and Nico Zeglin today.

    Zeglin is 24 yrs old. Pitched well at Long Beach St in '23 and well in some Indy Ball.

    They also added Reilly and Viets in late ST.

    Have to search for MiLB arm depth anywhere you can and at all times!!!

  • Childersb3 (view)

    25 in Attendance!!!

    Phil, is that a backfield record?

    Also, 6 BBs for Cruz in 2 IP. What's the most walks you've seen in one EXT ST outing that you can recall?

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    He has a pulse. Apparently that’s the only requirement at this point.

  • crunch (view)

    cubs sign dan straily...for some reason.  minor league deal.

    welcome back.

    zac rosscup is down in mexico trying to make it happen...maybe they could throw him a contract, too.  junior lake is his teammate.  shore up a bunch of holes with some washups.

  • fullykräusened (view)

    The great thing about going to live sports events is you don't know if you're going to see something historic. Today I went to the Cub game, after putting the liner back in my coat and fishing my Cubs knit hat out of the closet. I needed all that- my seats are in the upper deck, left, so the east wind was in my face. Both teams failed to capitalize on good situations, but both starters did a good job to accomplish this. So, we go to the bottom of the sixth inning. The Cubs tie it up, and then Pete Crow-Armstrong comes up. We all know he would still be in AAA if not for injuries, and future Hall-of-Famer Justin Verlander absolutely carved up the young fellow up in his first two plate appearances. So this time he hits a fly ball. The wind was blowing in and had suppressed several strong fly balls- including a rocket off Altuve's bat that Canario hauled in (does anybody else remind me of Jorge Soler?) , but the ball kept carrying and carrying. 107mph, legit angle and carry. The crowd went nuts, the dugout went nuts. Maybe, just maybe, I saw the first homer from a long-term Cub.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Which was my original premise. They won the trades but lost their souls. They no longer employ the Cardinal way which had been so successful for so long.

  • crunch (view)

    STL traded away a lot of minor league talent that went on to do nothing in the arenado + goldschmidt trades.  neither guy blocked any of their minor league talent in the pipeline, too.  that's ideal places to add talent.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Natural cycle of baseball. Pitching makes adjustments in approach to counter a hot young rookie. Now it’s time for Busch and his coaches to counter those adjustments. Busch is very good and will figure it out, I think sooner than later.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In 2020, the pandemic year and the year before they acquired Arenado, the Cardinals finished second and were a playoff team. Of the 12 batters with 100 plate appearances, 8 of them were home grown. Every member of the starting rotation (if you include Wainwright) and all but one of the significant relievers were home grown. While there have been a relative handful of very good trades interspersed which have been mentioned, player development had been their predominant pattern for decades - ever since I became an aware fan in the ‘70’s

    The Arenado deal was not a deal made out of dire need or desperation. It was a splashy, headline making deal for a perennial playoff team intended to be the one piece that brought the Cardinals from a very good team to a World Series contender. They have continued to wheel and deal and have been in a slide ever since. I stand by my supposition that that deal marked a notable turning point within the organization. They broke what had been a very successful formula for a very long time.