Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

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

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Angels Rally in 9th to Edge Cubs at HoHoKam

Down to their last out, the AZL Angels rallied for three runs in the top of the 9th to defeat the AZL Cubs 6-4 in Arizona League Opening Day action at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa this evening.

2010 34th round pick Dustin Harrington and 2009 19th round pick Sergio Burruel had three hits a piece for the Cubs, and both Aaron Kurcz and Dustin Fitzgerald had impressive (albeit brief) pro debuts, as both of the 2010 Cub draft picks threw 1-2-3 innings with two strikeouts. Kurcz throws a fastball in the mid-90's, and was the closer for College of Southern Nevada this past season where he was a teammate of overall #1 draft pick Bryce Harper (and Cubs 27th round draft pick Bryan Harper). And at 6'4 225, Dustin Fitzgerald looks a lot like Thomas Diamond.  

AA Tennessee LHP Casey Lambert got the start for the AZL Cubs in what is supposed to be his final rehab outing before leaving Mesa for (presumably) Tennessee, and threw two shutout innings (20 pitches - 14 strikes), allowing a lead-off single in the top of the 1st before striking out the side, and then allowing another lead-off single in the top of the 2nd before retiring the side on three fly outs, one of which ended up being a 7-4 FC at 2nd base after Melvin Camarena just missed a diving catch try in short LF.  

BTW, there are two errors in tonight's game BOX SCORE (and GAME RECAP) that appears in minor league baseball.com (see box score link below).

One occurred in the bottom of the 7th inning, when the Cubs took a 4-3 lead. Sergio Burruel and Blair Springfield (after failing to lay down a sac bunt) singled, and then Melvin Camarena--NOT PINCH HITTER Vismeldy Bieneme--laid down a bunt and beat it out for a base hit, with a run scoring on an overthrow by the Angels pitcher at 1st base. Camarena suffered an apparent ankle injury when he landed on the 1st base bag awkwardly and had to leave the game, being replaced by PINCH-RUNNER Vismeldy Bieneme, who was subsequently left stranded after advancing to 2nd base on a WP. Bieneme then did have one AB (but only one) later in the game, striking out leading off the bottom of the 9th. So the official scorer incorrectly gave Bieneme credit for the Camarena bunt single in the 7th, cheating Camarena out of a hit, and instead crediting Bieneme with a hit when he hadn't even entered the game yet at that point.   

The other box score error occurred in the top of the 8th, when Angels 3B Michael Bolaski reached base on Catcher's Interference. While AZL Cubs catcher Sergio Burruel was (correctly) charged with an error, Bolaski was also charged with an AB. However, when a batter reaches base on Catcher's Interference, the batter is NOT supposed to be charged with an AB, so Bolaski should be listed as having three AB in the game, not four.

Otherwise, the box score is accurate.

There is another error in the Minor League baseball site, where they list Boise pitcher Marcos Perez as a RHP when he actually throws left-handed. There also are some obvious height/weight discrepancies, showing some players two inches taller than they really are, or 15-20 pounds over or under their actual weight, but those are just too many to list.

It probably would be a good idea for someone at minor league baseball.com to maybe at least correct tonight's box score (giving Camarena an extra AB and hit, and taking away one of Bieneme's AB and his hit, and taking an AB away from Bolaski), and to show Marcos Perez as a LHP at Boise, just for the sake of accuracy, if nothing else. 

box score

Comments

Sullivan with the funny today on twitter... http://twitter.com/PWSullivan
Cubs' new fantasy camp deal offers 40 participants one-day Cub contracts. No word on whether Hendry will give them all no-trade clauses.
and
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[ ]

In reply to by The Joe

that happens. it's weird, but it really does happen that after a rape, especially by an acquaintance, it takes 1-2 days to "sink" in what just happened. sex is usually pretty quick and the dude usually follows it up with acting like normal rather than threatening the girl or similar like on TV shows. it's like when people say "oh man, if that dude with a gun that killed 10 people would have pointed it at me i would have..." ...it rarely works out like that. a lot of these incidents start with playing around and the guy goes "too far" and playful "haha" touching turns into something quick and tragic. i wonder what the "witness" statements were...hehe. how public was all this? im not calling him out or think he's guilty.

Byrd Cf, Baker 3B, Lee 1B, Nady DH, Soto C, Soriano LF, Colvin RF, Castro SS, Theriot 2B

first time Soriano dove for a ball in 5 years probably... happen to be on a Milton Bradley floater, tell me that wasn't a bit of a little showmanship by Fonzie.

We scored a run.

It seems that it's about time for Wells to work on a few things down in Triple A and regain some confidence. Gorz is obviously being wasted in the bullpen, so bring him back to the rotation and call up Atkins or Jackson to fill a spot in the bullpen.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

The little defensive numbers that we have seen from Castro show him not doing any better than Theriot. Theriot - RF, 4.11 ZR, 6.113 Castro - RF, 3.95 ZR, 6.185 Right now its a myth about Castro's range and superior defense. And Tyler Colvin is a bonafide prospect? Play him everyday lets watch that average fall like a rock is what i say. He is being protected a lot like Jake Fox was. He has been doing great since his first year with the Cubs. Just a little rule of thumb our best prospects really aren't other teams ideas of good prospects. Once you learn that little fairy tale about Cubs prospects you will understand why this franchise has a had time in player development.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

Let me just point out you don't start burning through service time on your best prospects just for shits and giggles. You want to develop them and pray they improve while retaining as much of their cheap and most importantly productive years under club control. It makes no sense in the world to play Castro now and then wait 2-3-4 years for him to figure it out. Then if the magic light bulb clicks on at age 24, you got what? 2-3 years of club control before you got to pay out the ass for him? He doesn't improve the SS position, he doesn't give us any better chance of winning, it was just a meaningless move to make a move, just for the sake of saying they made a move. Whoppppppeeee frickin do. And Cubs fans sit back and clap, "Ohhh Starlin Castro is up, thats awesome!" Can he hit? Can he play D? Can he do anything meaningful and positive right now for the major league club? Ohhhh those questions are unimportant, Ryan Theriot sucks! Yeah well Starlin Castro is doing his best singles hitting impression of Ryan Theriot and the masses don't care. I am glad we brought someone up to do a worse job than the guy he replaced.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

im not a fan of burning his service time, myself. as good as he is with the glove he's got room to improve and his arm definitely needs some work. he can throw hard and from odd angles you want out of a SS, but it's not refined. that said, i don't care if he's up, but i do think we're burning his service time on the wrong end end of the service time candlestick. we could have lived with baker/theriot/fonte a small time longer, imo. as far as 2010 goes, though...meh...it's a wash at best which doesn't say much for castro, baker, theriot, or fontenot...all of them.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

Hmm... Theriot: 294 PA's: 6 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 17 RBI Castro: 165 PA's: 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI You're right..he's the singles hitting version of....wait...in 129 fewer PA's he's got more HR's, the same 3B's, 2 fewer 2B's, and 1 less RBI than Theriot. Tyler Colvin? Sure he's sitting against most lefties...of course, the Cubs have Fukudome, Soriano, Byrd, and Nady in the OF as well....so Colvin sits against LHP, with .258/.281/.484 in v 31 PA sample size. He's fighting lefties off at least. Except for 1 game, he's looked pretty good while playing all 3 OF spots fairly well. Oh but yes...he's just Jake Fox. Right.... Whatever MikeC...

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I said Castro is performing no better defensively than Theriot was at the position. He has potential to be better but he isn't showing it at the moment. Its what happens when a 19/20 year old is put in the majors before he is ready. His potential is great, but we aren't doing him any favors by rushing him. You can carry the Tyler Colvin torch, but I can wait for reality to set in. Just like I waited for people to realize that Dusty Baker was a crap manager, Milton Bradley was a shitty hitter, and Neifi Perez wasn't going to be a .371 hitter again for us. I guess we will have to wait and see if he turns into a corner OFer for years to come or is another flash in the pan the league figures out in year #2. Ask Adam Lind, 1 year doesn't make a career.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).