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

Angels Big 4th Dooms Cubs at Diablo

Starter Dae-Eun Rhee tossed three perfect innings and Dong-Yub Kim ripped an RBI double and an RBI triple, but it wasn't enough to overcome a nine-run Angels 4th, as the Halos drubbed the Cubs 10-5 in Arizona Instructional League action at Diablo Park Field #3 in Tempe this afternoon.  

Although he did not throw his killer splitter-change today, Rhee had good movement on his fast ball and was also able to throw his breaking ball for strikes. He has struggled in his rehab the past couple of months (combined 9.35 ERA and 2.08 WHIP at Mesa and Boise in 2009 while attempting to return to action from 2008 TJS), having lots of difficulty throwing strikes and then getting hammered when he was able to find the strike zone. But he really threw the ball well today, and presuming he adds the splitter back to his bag of tricks after his arm is stronger next seaon, Rhee should be able to regain his rating as one of the Cubs top pitching prospects. 

Fellow rehabbers RHP Tarlandus Mitchell (lingering intercostal strain) and LHP John Mincone (June 2009 shoulder surgery) followed Rhee to the mound, and they had considerably less success than their 20-year old Korean teammate.

Mitchell was the Cubs 22nd round pick in the 2008 draft out of Alto HS (Alto, TX) where was the star QB and CB on the 1-A State champ Alto High football team, and the ace pitcher and DH on the baseball team. He gave up a chance to play college football ("cover corner") to try his hand at pro baseball. 

Mitchell struggled from the outset this afternoon. He kept bouncing his breaking ball and saw his fastball rocked when he did get it over the plate, allowing five runs on a walk, a HBP, a single, and two triples in just 1/3 of an inning. Mitchell is only 5'8, but he can really pack a wallop with his mid-90's fastball, but only if he can throw it over the plate and mix it a bit with a breaking ball and/or change.

Mincone was the Cubs 2009 11th round draft pick out of Suffolk County CC in NY. (He spent his freshman year at James Madison University, before deciding to transfer back home to SCCC). Prior to June 2009 surgery to clean some "debris" out of his left shoulder, Mincone was throwing a hard sinker that topped out at 93 MPH,

Mincone threw lots of strikes tiday, including some nice breaking balls, but the top velocity on his fastball was down 5 MPH, from 93 pre-surgery to 88 today, and he just could not put the opposing hitters away once he got to two strikes, allowing four more 4th inning runs on four hits (two singles and two doubles).  . .

19-year old  RHP Nick Struck had a very nice stint, throwing three shutout innings (frames 5-6-7) on just 32 pitches (21 strikes). Struck was the Cubs 39th round draft pick this past June out of Mt. Hood CC in Oregon, and he signed just before the August 17th deadline, giving up a full-ride scholarship to play Division 1 college baseball at the University of Hawaii (which is where he had planned to transfer if he hadn't signed with the Cubs) to swelter in the desert heat of Arizona  Struck was thought to be a "tough sign" because of his commitment to pitch for the Rainbows, which is why he fell to the 39th round.

The Cubs offense had its moments today, too. The Cubs got off to 2-0 lead in the 2nd when Michael Brenly walked to lead-off the inning, and then scored (huffing & puffing) all the way from 1st base on a towering one-out double banged off the CF fence (417 feet away from home plate) by DH Richard Jones (Cubs 2009 9th round draft pick out of The Citadel). Then with two outs, Jones scored the second run of the inning when 19-year old Korean slugger Dong-Yub Kim blasted a double off the LF fence that just missed going out of the yard by inches.  

The Cubs scored single runs in the 6th, 7th, and 9th,

Kyler Burke (the Cubs 2009 Organizational Player of the Year) doubled leading off the 6th and scored on a Wild Pitch following a ground out, Ryan Flaherty drove-in Runey Davis in the 7th,with a two out RBI single (Davis followed his three-hit day yesterday where he singled, doubled, and tripled by reaching base all three times he batted today on a single and two walks), and finally Dong-Yub Kim slammed a triple off the RF fence to drive-in Wes Darvill (who had reached base leading off the 9th on a PH infield single) to close the Cubs scoring for the day.    .     

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):        . .    

LINE-UP:
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, SS-2B: 0-5 (K, 3-U, 5-4 FC, F-8, P-6)
2. Ryan Flaherty, 2B-SS: 2-3 (BB, 6-3, 1B, 1B), RBI
3. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 1-4 (K, 1B, F-7, 4-3)
4. Kyler Burke, RF-CF: 1-3 (F-7, HBP, 2B, F-9), R
5a. Michael Brenly, C: 0-2 (BB, 6-3 GIDP, 4-3), R
5b. Jovan Rosa, C: 0-1 (K)
6. Brandon May, 3B 0-3 (P-4, 6-3, BB, K)
7a. Richard Jones, DH #1: 1-3 (2B, K, K), R, RBI   
7b. Wes Davrvill, PH: 1-1 (1B), R
8a. D. J. Fitzgerald, LF: 1-3 (K, 2B, K)
8b. Jae-Hoon Ha, PH: 0-1 (6-3)
9. Dong-Yub Kim, DH #2: 2-4 (2B, 5-3, K, 3B), 2 RBI
10a. Runey Davis, CF: 1-1 (1B, BB, BB), R, RBI 
10b. Bobby Wagner, RF: 0-1 (K)  

PITCHERS:
1. Dae-Eun Rhee - 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 5/2 GO/FO, 29 pitches (22 strikes)
2. Tarlandus Mitchell - 0.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 0/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (nine strikes)
3. John Mincone - 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (18 strikes)
4. Nick Struck - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 4/3 GO/FO, 32 pitches (21 strikes)
5. Corey Martin - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 19 pitches (10 strikes)

ERRORS: (3)
1. Brandon May - E-5 (H+E), made nice diving stop on ground ball, then righted himself and threw the ball away at 1st base, allowing batter-runner to take 2nd base with one out in the bottom of the 4th.
2. Pin-Chieh Chen - E-6, errant throw over the head of Rebel Ridling resulting in two-base error that allowed batter to reach 2nd base and runner to score from 2nd (unearned run) with two outs in the bottom of the 4th. 
3. Pin -Chieh Chen - E-6, errant throw to 1st base pulled Rebel ridling off the bag, allowing batter to reach base safely with two outs and bases empty in bottom of the 5th.
NOTE: Chen REALLY struggled at SS today, and he was moved from SS to 2B (his "natural" position) and Flaherty was moved from 2B to SS at the start of the 6th inning.

CATCHERS DEFENSE: There were no stolen base attempts by the Angels and no Passed Balls

WEATHER:  Hot, cloudless, and a bit breezy, temp in the 90's

ATTENDANCE: 27 (mostly scouts)

Comments

"...the top velocity on his fastball was down 5 MPH, from 93 pre-surgery to 88 today..." Phil, just curious -- how do you keep tabs on the pitchers' velocity? Do they have radar gun readings posted at the ballpark, are you looking at some scout's radar gun or are you talking to the scouts to get this information? Just wanting to fill (phil) in my mental picture of you sitting there at the ballpark under the blazing sun with a smattering of scouts in the stands (occasionally accompanied by the odd swarm of bees, etc.).

"I love Mark as a player, a person, a clubhouse guy," Lilly said. "I could say he's probably the best teammate I've ever had. All around, he really cares a great deal about everybody, and that's the kind of person he is. I think he also leads by example -- the way he plays. He's a special individual." http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-02-cubs-pirates-… Never should have let him go... I agree with everything Lilly says except for these big fat caveats.. DeRosa's going to be 35 in February, he's got a bad wrist, and he's going to be coming off surgery.

Hope this isn't 3/44, but Jeff Samardzija is going to pitch in the Mexican league this winter. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-02-cubs-bits-chi… Supposedly Gorzelanny and S. are going to "compete" next spring for the #5 spot. Anyone else remember when Sean Marshall wasn't fish bait? March 20-2009
After weeks of speculation and prognostication, Cubs manager Lou Piniella named Sean Marshall as the fifth starter in the Cubs rotation on Thursday. Marshall beat out new acquisition Aaron Heilman, Jeff Samardzija and Chad Gaudin for the final rotation spot. "Marshall is going to be the fifth starter, and [Aaron] Heilman is going to pitch in that seventh-eighth-inning role," Piniella said.

Rejected. Chicago is the first city eliminated for the 2016 Olympics. $50 million and what's left of Obama's prestige... down the drain.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

obama's prestige? how much Fox News you been watching? hehe... i guess oprah's prestige is over, too. who will tell people who like to read 1 book a month what to read? :( i don't get this thing...a president goes and campaigns for the olympics for the US, spends less than a day doing it, and it happens to be in Chicago. big deal. it's not like "bring the olympics to chicago" was part of the campaign. that said, i believe the olympics are a huge shaft, corrupt as hell, and more than happy to placate human rights violations in exchange for a nice show...but whatever.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Maybe they get the games if they don't plan to build a rinky dink stadium in a crime ridden neighborhood. It looked like a DII football stadium.

[ ]

In reply to by Newport

That seem like a logical conclusion, now that the games are going to the crime-free area known as Rio. Edit: I remember hearing somewhere that baseball and softball getting back into the games for 2016 was going to be dependent upon either Chicago or Tokyo winning the bid, so I guess that probably won't happen now.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Man - are you NAVIGATOR or NEG-IGATOR? I agree - Is the Fox channel on all the time where you are? The new Pres. has been on the job for 10 mos. and you give him the Tim Wilken treatment. Hardly time yet to clean up the 8-year shit the last guy took in the White House. Also, many people who LIVE here are not sad in the least we did not get the Games. For reasons discussed here including transportation, displacement, Cook County taxes, etc. A "Civic Pride" blow, to be sure. But that's all.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Why do liberals always make fun of Fox News when they have MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and a host of other all Liberal 24/7 news outlets? The right has 1 TV network, and talk radio. When we get the amount of media coverage that the left spews out on a daily basis then the playing field will be even. Until then its sour grapes from a bunch of people who cant stand other people having a different view of the world. And thats the only reason liberals like to make fun of Fox News. Its 1 network to your 5, get over it already.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

Yep, CNN is as far left as Fox is right. Gotcha. The reason liberals make fun of Fox News is because of segments like this, which is representative of the type of crap aired on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_lgTIZ22jE Find me a comparable show on CNN in which pundits throw up random fear words on a chalkboard with the intention of spelling another fear word, which it turns out, they don't actually know how to spell.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

liberal news as a catch-all one-size-fits-all is a myth...there's commercial driven news targeted to audiences who actually watch/listen to news programs. there's useless slanted commentary shows like rush l (far right weirdos), the ed show and racheal maddow (democrat rooting fanboys), lou dobbs (libertarian no-tax fear/anger lovers), various fox personalities (fear/outrage/smugness)...etc... cnn is actually one of the least offensive since MSNBC went far-left with maddow/ed. that said, CNN is more likely than any of the other stations to go for a "ratings story" making up a bulk of their reporting rather than stuff we should probably be hearing OR hearing more about. *ALL* are guilty of this. what was going on in Iran was squashed by michael jackson on *EVERY* network. i can give you a lot more examples, but anyone out there can probably think of more than a few, themselves. if you see a "1 network to your 5" you should probably realize news isn't supposed to be a sporting event. to paraphrase "comic book guy" from the simpsons...i get my news where most normal people get their news, from the internet. i have AP/Reuters/etc. raw feeds in a RSS feed as well as Yahoo News collections of stories based on reader ranks. the filter of your content is probably the most useful tool in the era of ratings-driven news.

bobby scales back in LF...hell of a nice ride for a 31 year old middle IF'r who seems to be our most regularly played non-regular OF'r. dlee out again. jake fawx at 1st... dlee out for "personal reasons" according to CarrieM.

Thanks for update again, AZPhil. It is greatly appreciated. How does Dong-Yub Kim look at the plate? Is he simply muscling the ball out there, or does he have good bat speed, quick wrists, etc? I also am wondering about his plate discipline. I think it was yesterday that he struck out twice and I think he's struck every game so far. Do you forsee this as a problem, or is it not something to get worried about? Thanks.

tell me Gorzelanny didn't throw Young a fastball for that HR in the first...

dunno what the attendance is, but the place (even the bleachers) is 1/2 empty. i'm sure 1/2 the bleachers that are still there haven't been paying attention since the 3rd and don't realize what's going on, but whatever. they can always cheer wildly and hand out homemade certificates of valor to people who throw the other team's HR's back on the field (they actually do this...or used to...i assume they still do) no matter how much the team is losing.

here's a little bit of managing...since some are big fans of it... clay zavada (ARZ reliever) made a boneheaded-as-hell play that ballboys usually make in the bottom 7th. he caught a ball in-play on the lines bouncing into the pen area thinking it was foul (he was protecting the catcher facing the play, too, which means he was in front of the play). he froze, realized what he did, and dropped the ball on the ground looking like he just saw someone get shot in front of him...mortified. ground rule double for hoff. it's late in the season...arz's season is meaning little...it's a blowout... rather than letting zavada go back to the hotel with that zavada gets to close out the game in the 9th. he got to contribute something to the game besides some bush-league cubbery with his scoreless inning.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

trade milton, sign uggla, re-sign grabes, get a backup catcher if k.hill doesn't want to come back...god only knows what will become of CF or RF (assuming fuku will be either CF or RF). ...at least that's how i'm calling it. they should be able to clear the money to do that...and of course give uggla a backloaded deal to help it along. that said, the cubs have a load of mlb-ready bench-to-everyday types lingering...no showstoppers, but plenty of extra mlb-ready parts compared to roster spots available. trader jim could get trading crazy again...

AZ Phil -- Appreciate the updates, but also have a question you may be able to help me understand. What is the organization's thinking with David Patton? Do you recall another similar effort by the Cubs to retain a Rule 5 player like this? Is his upside really such that he warrants the roster space? Iowa next year?

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • 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...