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

What a Guy!-er

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Brandon Guyer ripped a two-run home run over the LF fence in the 5th, made a spectacular run-saving diving catch in right-center in the 7th, and sliced a game-tying single to right with two outs in the top of the 9th, but the A's took advantage of a Ryan Flaherty error in the bottom of the 9th to score an unearned run and edge the Cubs 5-4 in AZ Instructional League action at the Oakland A's Papago Park Sports Complex Field #2 in Phoenix this afternoon. 

The 23-year old Guyer is one of the most experienced players at Instructs (he has a half-season of AA experience), and he was invited to Instructs specifically to work on improving his arm strength, HR power, and outfield play in CF and RF.   

Guyer was a third-baseman in HS before enrolling at the University of Virginia in 2004, where he was moved to LF because some guy named Ryan Zimmerman had already staked-out 3B for the Cavs. The Cubs drafted Guyer in the 5th round of the 2007 Rule 4 Draft, and kept him in LF at Boise.

Guyer began to display HR power at Peoria in 2008, hitting 14 dingers in just 88 games (he missed the first half of the season rehabbing an elbow uinjury at Extended Spring Training),.and he was so impressive at Minor League Camp this past March that he was jumped to AA Tennessee to start the 2009 season. 

But Guyer struggled at Tennessee and was demoted to Hi-A Daytona in May. Then after hitting 347/407/453 in 73 games for the D-Cubs, Guyer was moved back up to Tennessee again in August. Combined at Daytona and Tennessee in 2009, Guyer hit 282/339/385, with 28 doubles, five triples, 3 HR, and 30 SB (7 CS) in 130 games. 

Even though he is not a "natural" outfielder, Guyer plays OF with the "crash & burn" spirit, energy, and enthusiasm of a football free-safety (like a Reed Johnson or an Eric Byrnes), which has (unfortunately) resulted in all too-frequent injuries  But when healthy, Guyer can make the run-saving or game-saving spectacular catch, as happened today.  

It's likely that Guyer will begin the 2010 season back at AA Tennessee (where he finished the 2009 season), probably playing all three OF positions to help him develop the versatility he will likely need once he reaches the big leagues. The fact that he has also played 3B in HS and both 3B and 1B occasionally in college could mean that he might morph into a super-sub IF-OF at some point, especially if he can learn to play 2B.  

Although I have no specific reason to believe this will happen, it's possible that the Cubs will add Brandon Guyer to the "taxi squad" of the Mesa Solar Sox next week, once Instructs is over and the AFL season commences. They did this two years ago with Steve Clevenger, after he completed Instructs. (Players on an AFL team's "taxi squad" are permitted to play in games on Wednesdays and Saturdays only, although taxi squad players often will end up being elevated to "full time" status to replace an injured player). 

Besides Guyer's big day, 2009 6th round pick Brooks Raley got the start in this afternoon's game, and threw three shutout innings. The 21-year old lanky 6'3 lefty struggled with his command (throwing 56 pitches, but only 29 strikes), although he did get lots of ground ball outs, especially when he really needed them.

Raley is not overpowering (89-91 MPH sinker, with a decent breaking ball and an OK change), and while he is not as polished as fellow LHP Chris Rusin (Cubs 2009 4th round pick out of the U. of Kentucky), he does seem to understand the concept of mixing his pitches and working hitters. As things stand right now, I would expect Raley to begin the 2010 season in the Peoria Chiefs starting rotation, with Rusin probaly getting jumped to Daytona . 

What's interesting about Raley is that he was probably the best "two-way" player in college baseball in 2009, a "draft-eligible" sophomore who played OF on days he wasn't pitching (Raley is a good hitter with plus-speed and an outstanding OF arm). Of the scouts out here who saw Raley play at Texas A & M, about half liked him better as an outfielder (CF), although (obviously) the Cubs see him as a pitcher (at least for now).   

Raley's $750K signing bonus was more than what most 2nd round picks got this year, so his bonus was WAY above the slot where was selected (6th round, #200 overall selection in the draft). In fact, among the Cubs 50 draft picks in 2009, only 1st round pick Brett Jackson received a larger bonus than Raley,.But the Cubs had to pay over-slot to persuade Raley to turn pro (and he didn't sign until July), since he had two years of eligibility remaining at A & M. Now it's up to Raley to prove the Cubs weren't fools.   

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

LINEUP:
1. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 1-4 (K, K, 4-3, 1B), R
2a. D. J. LeMahieu, 2B: 1-3 (L-4, 1B, 6-3), CS
2b. Logan Watkins, 2B: 0-0 (BB), R
3. Ryan Flaherty, 3B: 1-4 (F-7, 1B, F-8, 1-3), R
4. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 1-4 (F-9, P-6, 1B, 5-3), RBI
5. Brandon Guyer, RF: 2-4 (4-3, HR, 5-3, 1B), R, 3 RBI
6a. Michael Brenly, DH #1: 0-2 (K, 5-3)
6b. Runey Davis, PH-DH: 2-2 (1B, 1B), SB, PO
7a. Brandon May, C: 0-2 (K, K)
7b. Jae-Hoon Ha, C: 0-1 (K)
8. Blair Springfield, LF: 0-2 (K, L-9, BB)
9a. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-2 (K, 4-3)
9b. Hak-Ju Lee, SS: 1-1 (1B)
10. Pin-Chieh Chen, DH #2: 1-3 (K, 2B, F-7)

PITCHERS:
1. Brooks Raley - 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 6/1 GO/FO, 56 pitches (29 strikes)
2. John Mincone - 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 2/1 GO/FO, 33 pitches (18 strikes)
3. Yao-Lin Wang - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 28 pitches (16 strikes)
4. Julio Pena - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 16 pitches (13 strikes)
5. Corey Martin - 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 BALK, 1/1 GO/FO, 27 pitches (19 strikes)   

ERRORS (1): Ryan Flaherty (E-5) - juggled ground ball allowing batter leading off the bottom of the 9th inning to reach base, and the runner moved up to 2nd base on a WP and to 3rd on a balk, before scoring the (unearned) winning run on a one-out line single to CF.

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Brandon May: 1 PB
2. Jae-Hoon Ha: 0-2 CS   

WEATHER: upper 80's & sunny (it's getting hot again!)

ATTENDANCE: 36 (SRO)

Tags
Brandon Guyer
Brooks Raley
AZ Instructional League

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:00 pm

An interestring sight at today's game was the A's Outfield Instructor standing next to the LF, CF, or RF while the A's were in the field, offering real time instruction. Which gave us the idea that perhaps that might be something the Cubs might consider doing with Soriano. Have Sam Fuld stand next to him in LF, and if the ball is hit that way, let Fuld make the play... Just a thought... 

Submitted by tbone on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:30 am

Thanks for the link, Crunch. It's an aspect of sports that's rarely touched on these days. Of course, everyone going to pro sporting events doesn't come from a household making over $75,000/yr. So they no doubt lay it off on plastic which leads to all kinds of other problems we're seeing. Nice to see a sportswriter even talking about class in America. Sports and class are intertwined in many interesting ways.

Submitted by Hagsag on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:42 am

Phil, is Jeff Fassero now a Cuns minor lge pitching coach? Thanks.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:49 pm

for those that might care, game 3 phi/col is off because of snow.

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:49 pm

PHIL: Re "two-way players", I believe I was watching ESPN for a couple minutes and saw Colin Kaepernick, who is the QB for Nevada Wolfpack. The announcer said he was drafted by the Cubs. In fact I looked him up and he was taken in the 43rd round. So, maybe he would be in the "team photo" for best young "two-way player", although, I have only seen him on the grid-iron. Thanks as always for your AZ coverage, AZ PHIL. Finally, do you think you will get around to your "AZ PHIL'S TOP PROSPECTS" soon? I'm sure many of us would enjoy an update on your perspective since the season is over for our MLB and MiLB affiliates. GO PHIL!

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:44 pm

I thought the Red Sox one was pretty accurate, I have to say. Only read three or four myself. "English Football Fans" like there's one team is a bit stupid. Fantasy Football fans are 10X worse than any individual team's fans if you're just making non-sense groups.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:42 pm

They were talking about this on local (Houston) radio yesterday... the main reason that people don't like Cubs fans, from what I can tell is that it's because they exist. If you look at ticket sales and merchandising sales to actual baseball fans, Cubs fans are by far the #1 team in America. Yes, more Yankees hats are sold, but walk up to someone in Texas (or Colorado or New Mexico or Canada or UK) with a Yankees hat on and ask him who their second basemen is, and he'll most likely not going to know. Ask a guy with a Cubs hat, an he'll know (as well as who the Cubs second basemen of the week is).

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:53 pm

1- the yanks arent on this list for some reason 2- it's put together by/for a social scene that lets Maxim Magazine tell them how to act and dress like "real men" i bet the guy who wrote it wears various Axe for Men scents depending on the day of the week.

[ ]

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:57 pm

"If you look at ticket sales and merchandising sales to actual baseball fans, Cubs fans are by far the #1 team in America..." I don't know if I would agree with this statement. Do you go around to these states to take straw polls? To a degree, the teams that win regularly sell more merchandise, and have deeper, knowledgeable fan bases. After the Yankees make it to the WS this year, people will know who their 2B is. Red Sox, during their Playoff and WS runs, same. When the Braves were on their "clock", Forbes had them ranked as more "popular" than the Cubs. According to gate receipts, from 2009, the Cubs rank #1 in "away" attendance. But, the Cubs really don't even have a 2B TO remember. Unless you count Jeff "whats-his-name" - oh yeah, BAKER. And, the other three guys!

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:48 pm

Just visit towns and walk around - go to sports bars and see which games people ask to put on, go to a festival and see 5 Cubs hats for every Red Sox hat, and people yelling "Cubs!" if you walk by with a Cubs shirt on. The Cubs and Yankees are the biggest away draws - but the Yankees attract people to cheer for their home teams against the Yankees, whereas the Cubs attract people to cheer for the Cubs. Yeah, if you win a WS it helps you pick up some fans with no allegiance, but the Cardinals have won their share, and they're nowhere near as popular as the Cubs or Yankees.

[ ]

Submitted by Ryno on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:55 pm

Yep, Cubs fans suck. We're bigots and whiners. May we rot in hell because our team can't win and we bitch about it. I guess I should just care less, but the whining about Cubs fans gets really old.

[ ]

Submitted by Charlie on Sun, 10/11/2009 - 10:40 am

Is it the eternal optimism, or the falseness--the ironic optimism: "There's always next year"? I don't like the media reputation of most Cubs fans, and I'd rather not listen to many lackadaisical Cubs fans talk about the Cubs--but the people who watch most of the games and love baseball, there as good a set of baseball fans as you'll find anywhere else. And other teams have those fans who go to games and don't pay attention but still pretend to be fanatics.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:42 pm

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 1:49pm.
PHIL: Re "two-way players", I believe I was watching ESPN for a couple minutes and saw Colin Kaepernick, who is the QB for Nevada Wolfpack. The announcer said he was drafted by the Cubs. In fact I looked him up and he was taken in the 43rd round. So, maybe he would be in the "team photo" for best young "two-way player", although, I have only seen him on the grid-iron.

Thanks as always for your AZ coverage, AZ PHIL.

Finally, do you think you will get around to your "AZ PHIL'S TOP PROSPECTS" soon? I'm sure many of us would enjoy an update on your perspective since the season is over for our MLB and MiLB affiliates. GO PHIL!

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

E-MAN: Colin Kaepernick was a "two-sport" player (football QB & baseball RHP) in HS, but he hasn't played baseball in college. The Cubs drafted him off an old scouting report from when he was in high school.

But Brooks Raley was a "two-way" baseball player in college (at Texas A & M), playing OF on days he wsn't pitching. Top pitching prospect RHP Jay Jackson is another guy the Cubs drafted who was a true college "two-way" baseball player (at Furman). Jackson played CF on days he wasn't pitching.

We'll do a Top 15 after the season is over. There is still another week of Instructs, and about six weeks of AFL baseball left.

[ ]

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:00 pm

Thanks AZ PHIL. Is this common?: "The Cubs drafted him off an old scouting report from when he was in high school." I am assuming they based this on his football arm currently, then, and he must have had some success at the HS level?

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:53 pm

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 5:00pm.

Is this common?:

"The Cubs drafted him off an old scouting report from when he was in high school."

I am assuming they based this on his football arm currently, then, and he must have had some success at the HS level?

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

E-MAN: 6'6 Colin Kaepernick was a highly-regarded RHP prospect in high school, although he went undrafted because he had committed so strongly to football.

I suspect the Cubs selected him just to let him know they were thinking about him, and that he is still considered an MLB pitching prospect even though he isn't currently playing baseball. (Or maybe Hendry was hoping to sign Kaepernick so he wouldn't be available to play against Notre Dame last month).

The Cubs did the same thing with OF Glenn Cook (2009 46th round draft pick), who was a "two-sport" player in HS (LB in football and OF in baseball) before playing just football at the U. of Miami. (Cook was a starting LB at the U. and worked out at the NFL combine last February, but went undrafted).

Cook was worked-out by the Cubs South Florida Area Scout prior to the '09 Rule 4 draft (supposedly a couple of impressive BP sessions), but they were basing the selection mainly on an old HS scouting report.

And the Cubs did sign Cook after drafting him, although he got released after the close of the season (he hit just 167/311/238 in 34 games for the AZL Cubs, plus he's 24 years old).

 

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:09 pm

84 at bats after having not played baseball competitively for 4 years and they release him? I guess I shouldn't complain, though, since I am always railing about them drafting athletes instead of baseball players, but it would have been nice to at least let him have a crack at Instructs.

Submitted by The E-Man on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 10:47 pm

"Or maybe Hendry was hoping to sign Kaepernick so he wouldn't be available to play against Notre Dame last month..." HAHA! Probably the truth, AZ PHIL. Yep.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

Click HERE for the last 50 comments