Cubs MLB Roster

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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

Game #76 Preview / Zambrano Update

Before tonight's game against the Pirates, the Cubs announced that Carlos Zambrano will not be back with the club until after the All-Star break. He is going to be placed on the restricted list and will undergo treatment for "his anger issues," as Sullivan wrote in the Tribune.

Zambrano's "indefinite suspension" will end with the conclusion of tonight's game. When he's moved to the restricted list, the Cubs will be able to fill Zambrano's roster spot and Jeff Stevens is going to be recalled.

The Cubs lineup against lefty Paul Maholm—against whom the Cubs have a team OPS of 858 in 11 encounters—follows. 

Cubs  vs. Paul Maholm (4-6, 4.24; 6-1, 6.29 all-time vs. Cubs)
Theriot 4, Colvin 9, Byrd 8, Lee 3, Ramirez 5, Soriano 7, Soto 2, Castro 6, Wells 1

I can't seem to find the Pirates batting order anywhere. Maybe after losing 17 road games in a row, you give up on that lineup stuff altogether and just have the players draw lots as the game proceeds.

Comments

It's interesting that he won't be allowed to see the team until he's reinstated. This reminds me of when they did everything but hire Johnny Cochrane to throw the kitchen sink at Sammy and smear his name before running him out of town. Next we'll hear that Z bit the head off a seagull at Wrigley.

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

I completely disagree. I think getting him "help" that the union, the league, and his agent (and ostensibly, Z himself) agreed to is the best outcome possible from this, other than trading him for donuts and paying most of his salary. Maybe he really does get his head screwed on straight after this, and becomes a decent pitcher again. The one caveat I will cede, is a little nugget in a Hendry quote: "He will be required by the agreement from MLB and the players association to follow the directions of the doctors to a tee." (from the link above). Welcome to Hendry's out clause; I'm assuming this is a win for the team, and if he screws up bad enough again, they get some contract/salary relief, which pretty much gives Hendry/Ricketts a "Get out of jail free" card if this doesn't work....

The batting order for your 25-50 Pittsburgh Pirates (who would be 18-48 were it not for our Chicago Cubs): Tabata 7, Crosby 4, McCutchen 8, Jones 3, Milledge 9, Alvarez 5, Doumit 2, Cedeno 6, Maholm 1

More on Zambrano from Carrie Muskat on Twitter (@CarrieMuskat): "Z will be evaluated in NY, starting Wed by MLB & Players Association approved doctors for anger issues"

Anger management~~@#$% Z has every right to be angry. He stinks. The Cubs defense stinks. They don't score any runs. AAAAAAAArghn!! Frankly, Hendry and Piniella need to see a shrink more than Z does. They've blown this totally out of proportion--- probably to cover up the shitty jobs they're doing. And so far it's working. The despicable Chicago sports media has taken the bait and is crying for Z's head on a stick when they should be running the two fat tubs of goo out of town instead.. Go Chicago Media Go

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

"Frankly, Hendry and Piniella need to see a shrink more than Z does." While I get the glib joke, no, they do not for anger management issues detrimental to the team. What Hendry should get is a friggin' pink slip for allowing this to get re-visited after "Barrett-Gate". Z has some talent there - enough to be "more than useful" if he didn't have psych issues that screw up his on-the-field performance. I am always reminded of Joaquin Andujar when Z does that shit. I just thought, due to his age when he signed the big contract, that he would have more upside than Andujar. But he needs some help and personally I do not want to pile on. I am one of the people that think it will be difficult to get decent value for him until he improves.

if you can find Hendry's press conference on Z's "problem" it's the most convoluted double speak since Pravda announcing that a Soviet leader had a cold when everyone knew he was dead.

Game 1 starts, former and future first rounder Gerritt Cole pitcing for UCLA

Z would look great in a Phillie uniform, or a Dodger's uniform, or a Tiger's uniform...or any team that might be in the hunt for a division title. Division title is a must since he has a no trade clause. He needs a change of scenery and it needs to be a team where he is only expected to be the 2nd or 3rd starter. He has been our 3rd starter for 3 years...but expected to be and paid to be the Ace. He just doesn't have what it takes to be an ace, or a leader, or in the spotlight. He's batshit crazy By the way...isn't it completely "Hendry" to trade low. This is probably the lowest he will ever get...So expect a trade for genius Jim.

Hope you don't mind, I carried this over from the last thread: What to do with Zambrano? MLB Trade Rumors is floating a few trade possiblities (not so much rumors as speculation). They include: ==> Zambrano to Houston for Carlos Lee ==> Zambrano to the Giants for Aaron Rowand and Edgar Renteria ==> Zambrano to Mets for Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo ==> Zambrano to Braves for Derek Lowe ==> Zambrano to Indians for Travis Hafner, Kerry Wood, and Jake Westbrook ==> Zambrano to Royals for Gil Meche, Jose Guillen, and Kyle Farnsworth ==> Zambrano to Yankees for A.J. Burnett A commenter also floated the idea of: ==> Zambrano to Baltimore for Brian Roberts Is trading Zambrano the best course of action? If so, do any of these trade scenarios make sense?

Doesn't anybody else find this whole thing ridiculous for the following reasons? 1. In 2007 Z beats the shit out of his catcher and puts the guy in the hospital. Catcher traded and blamed for the team sucking prior to his departure. Z essentially goes unpunished, does not have to seek help after physically attacking a teammate. 2. 2007-2009 Our fucking manager is hailed as a secret weapon every time his loses his shit on the field and throws a tantrum. A hissy fit, not so unlike Z's except that it was thrown on the field and directed at an umpire--who had no hand in how bad the Cubs were sucking--is given credit for the Cubs turnaround in 2007. 3. In 2010 our fucking manager throws hissy fits during press conferences and essentially tells the press that its the players fault, not his, that the team is awful. He is essentially saying that this is a shitty team. To the press. He is not fired or suspended or fined or publicly reprimanded. And now, when Z directs the anger that has been encouraged in both himself and his manager--you know, "fire"--at the people who are actually at fault for the Cubs sucking (excepting that Hendry wasn't around to yell at), he is suspended and placed on the restricted list and becomes the media's favorite subject. Fuck. I hate this fucking team and I hate the fucking sports media even more.

My question is who looked at the schedule at the beginning of the year, saw Pittsburgh at Wrigley and said 1) Smart money's on the Pirates and 2) I smell a pitchers' duel!!

Stevens will need to bring a friend with him tomorrow.

He's a great leadoff man -- gets hits with nobody on base, fails miserably with men on base. Where else would you bat him? (other than "not").

What's below the bottom of the barrel? Heads up move by Lou to not pinch-run for Ram -- terrible dfensive catcher behind the plate, pitcher with a slow delivery, down by a run on a night where a HR is impossible -- why pinch run Fontenot to steal 2nd and actually give the team a chance to tie the game? Remarkable.

[ ]

In reply to by rokfish

Submitted by rokfish on Mon, 06/28/2010 - 11:10pm. Lou said Stevens would come up and also a lefty Gaub or Russell ? ============================= ROKFISH: Scott Maine is pitching better than either Gaub or Russell -- 15.1 IP, 11 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 19 K over his last nine outings. Russell has given up five HR in five games at Iowa since being sent down, and Gaub continues to struggle with his control. Maine is one of the two players acquired by the Cubs from Arizona for Aaron Heilman (the other player--1B Ryne White--was released), and while Maine is not on the 40-man roster, neither was Brian Schlitter. The Cubs 40-man roster is full, but there will be an opening when Carlos Zambrano is placed on the Restricted List. And it's also possible that Bob Howry could get released. Another possibility is veteran AAA LHP J. R. Mathes, who (if nothing else) throws strikes, and would give Lou a lefty long-man to replace Gorzelanny in the pen. The 28-year old Mathes is eligible to be a Rule 55 Minor League Free-Agent (6YFA) post-2010 if he is not added to the Cubs 40-man roster by the end of the World Series, and while he doesn't project as as much more than a journeyman 4-A LHSP, the Cubs might want to give him a chance to show what he can do at the big league level after spending the last four seasons at AAA.

...will undergo treatment for "his anger issues,"
Facepalm
==> Zambrano to Mets for Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo
Not a terrible idea if you can swing it. Afraid all those other ideas would get Hendry laughed off the phone.

Smokies All-Stars: Campana, Chirinos, Clevenger, Lalli, Wright, Bibens-Dirkx, Cales, Buchter, Chen. with Cashner and Castro being early contributors as well...

June 28, 2010 - "He has to work things out," Ron Santo said before Monday's announcement about Zambrano's treatment. "He can't take things out on his teammates. That's just unbelievable. Unbelievable is right. Jul 8, 1969 - Ron Santo viciously rips into CF Don Young in the media for two misplays in the outfield after the Mets scored 3 in the ninth to beat the Cubs and close to within 4 games of first place. Santo is booed by Cubs fans in his first game back at Wrigley. (Which was really really rare back then. I can remember only one other time when Cubs fans booed a Cub player like that during the Durocher years. It was when Adolfo Phillips gave us bleacher bums the finger because he didn't understand our cheering for him in an attempt to show some love when he was having a rough day and was trotting back to position). Not to mention the dustups he had later in his career with Rico Carty and the feud he had with Dick Allen -- Allen says that's why he left the team two weeks before the season ended in 1974. Our beloved Ron Santo really was a hotdogin' dickhead and it's probably why he's not in the Hall.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Congrats. The guy played 2,243 games and you found one incident in which he criticized a teammate to reporters following the game and promptly apologized the next day. Oh, and he supposedly didn't get along with Dick Allen, who got along with, well, no one. Was he a model citizen? No. But what is he supposed to do when journalists ask him about Zambrano, say: "I'm sorry, I know that I am former major leaguer, a former Cub who has my number retired with the team, and a broadcaster who has covered the team daily for years and knows the players, manager, and GM well, but I had some poor judgment after a loss in 1969 and so I can't comment on this incident."?

[ ]

In reply to by Dusty Baylor

Well, it was sort of facetious. But what's to stop Ron Santo from saying to reporters, "Look, plenty of players lose their cool verbally from time to time and turn out to be just fine on and off the field. I did it myself, and I got my number retired." Other than it's Ron Santo and that probably didn't occur to him. I'm sure he didn't think about it that way. The incidents seem comparable to me. Too much of the press is dancing around the fact that if the Cubs and Z were winning ball games, he could yell in the dugout all he wanted. If Z was pitching well, he could get in physical fights with his teammates. This is simple scapegoating and what really annoys me is that too many members of the media are playing along. And, though I don't mean to argue that Zambrano doesn't have any responsibility in getting along with his teammates, but Hendry GMing the Cubs into shitty team no man's land--completely out of it but not even planning for next year--and Lou blaming his players in press conferences and managing everybody into shit moods, those things didn't help this situation either. Who's putting them on the restricted list and forcing them to get "Old, Sloppy, Doesn't Care" and "Can't Admit His Team Sucks" Management? (I'm sure it's ignorant, too.)

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Well, first, because then no one would be able to comment on anything. All of us should stop commenting on Zambrano since I am sure we have all gotten upset and yelled at someone before. Second, why is it that if you make a mistake you are somehow disqualified from commenting on any future mistakes that occur in the world? Those are the comments I want to read. A good reporter would have asked Santo if he had any special insight into the issue given his past issue with Young. How did his teammates react, how did the apology play out, was he able to patch it up with Young, how much is forgiven in a ML clubhouse as just being in the heat of the moment and where are the lines that can't be crossed, etc. This to me is interesting reading. If everyone who had anything similar happen to them just declined comment, we would learn nothing.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Argument fail. Even if you have done something yourself, you can still find it unbelievable that someone else does it. In fact, Santo probably couldn't believe he said what he said either, and felt bad about it afterward. Ever here of the phrase, "I can't believe I just said that." The entire point of this discussion is that regardless of his past actions, Santo is still entitled to his opinion of the Zambrano situation. And everyone else is entitled to their opinion of Santo and his actions. That's the way it works.

Today's random lineup generator spits out: Fuku RF, riot 2B, Lee 1B, Ramirez 3B, Colvin CF, Sori LF, Hill C, Castro SS, Lilly P

Z replaces Dave Otto in the booth next year and gets a hairpiece and spends the next 50 years yearning for his glory days ...cue that Springsteen song Oh, and no HOF for Z either

From Bruce Levine's chat today... Paul (Denver) Isn't it safe to say that the Cubs management philosophy over the past 5-7 years is the reason why they're in this payroll, patch a hole with old/overpaid veterans issue(s)? Bruce Levine (1:46 PM) The reasons Hendry was enabled to sign people to long-term deals was Sam Zell's insistence that they build up the product so he can get a higher buyout from the Ricketts family. Hendry was on an airplane when the Soriano deal was done by other team executives. Jim has to take his share of blame, but let's not start with revisionist history. http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chicago/chat/_/id/33209

[ ]

In reply to by QuietMan

Bruce Levine (1:46 PM) The reasons Hendry was enabled to sign people to long-term deals was Sam Zell's insistence that they build up the product so he can get a higher buyout from the Ricketts family. Hendry was on an airplane when the Soriano deal was done by other team executives. Jim has to take his share of blame, but let's not start with revisionist history. There is so much wrong with this statement from Levine. Soriano was signed in 2006. The Trib didn't even announce that they had accepted Sam Zell's offer to buy them until April 2007. It's absurd to claim that Sam Zell forced Hendry to sign Soriano so he could get more money from the Ricketts. Just insane. But that's exactly what Levine did. I could go on, but ...yeesh. It's pretty clear that Levine is just repeating what Hendry tells him without even thinking. And if I'm right about that, Hendry pretty much throws Lou under the bus in that chat.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-cubs-askpaul-062… throws in Bradley shot for good measure
No, I don't really believe Zambrano needs anger management. He's really one of the happiest people I've ever met in baseball. The other day in Seattle he was cracking the media up with his Lou Piniella impression. Last homestand he serenaded me with his version of "Beat It" by Michael Jackson as he tried to kick me out of the clubhouse. The guy is in a good mood 99.9 percent of the time, but loses it at times during games. If they have a crazy management clinic, I'd send him to that instead. But, no, he's not an angry man. Milton Bradley, however, is the real deal.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

To date there have been a lot more people come to Milton's defense than Zambrano's. Waiting for Big Dave to come by and explain that having a short temper isn't an actual problem, it's just something you decide to do.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Really, Dr. Sullivan? That's your diagnosis? He seems happy to you, so he must be mentally healthy. How nice, and how convenient that it fits your standard narrative (Z as lazy lout). Meanwhile, nice revisionist fence-sitting re Bradley: spend months bashing the guy as simply evil, but now couch it as though you always recognized him as having psychological problems. Again, how convenient for you. I swear, I think the only journalistic principle the non-Bruce-Miles Chicago sports media adhere to is the one about the barrels of ink.

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).