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

Byrd-Scales Tag Team Too Much for Friars

Marlon Byrd doubled twice, walked once, and scored three runs, and Bobby Scales walked with the bases loaded to drive-in one run and cracked a two-run HR to knock-in two more, leading the Cubs to a 9-4 victory over the San Diego Padres in Cactus League action at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in warm and sunny Mesa, AZ, this afternoon.

box score

Battling for the 5th starter job, Andrew Cashner got the start for the Cubs today (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 45 pitches - 23 strikes, 3/2 GO/FO), and he had all kinda trouble finding the strike zone in his first inning of work (24 pitches - only nine strikes). The Padres scored just one run off of him in the 1st, but he allowed four baserunners (a ground-rule double sliced down the LF line by Max Venable to lead-off the game, a Brad Hawpe two-out RBI single, and and two walks) before escaping the jam with no further damage. Cashner settled down in the 2nd inning (21 pitches - 14 strikes), allowing just a one-out excuse-me check-swing opposite-field single by rival pitcher Wade LeBlanc. Cashner tends to throw more pitches-per-inning than your average pitcher, and if he can't be more efficient and throw more strikes, the high per-inning pitch count could jeopardize his future as a starting pitcher. But if he does not claim a job in the starting rotation, he should have a slot waiting for him in the bullpen, where he can hit 100 MPH with his fastball when he knows he is going to throw only one inning. 

The Cubs answered with one of their own in the bottom of the 1st against Padres stater Wade LeBlanc. Marlon Byrd sliced a two-out double into the RF corner, and then scored on an Aramis Ramirez "seeing-eye" ground single between 3rd and short. 

Randy Wells relieved Cashner to start the 3rd, and the Padres took the lead when Chase Headley doubled into the LF corner, stole 3rd base, and scored an unearned run when the throw from catcher Koyie Hill ticked-off Aramis Ramirez's glove for an E-5. Wells ended up throwing three innings (46 pitches - 31 strikes, 5/1 GO/FO), and looked good.

Meanwhile, the Cubs came back to score three in the 3rd, two in the 4th, and one in the 6th, to take a 7-2 lead. 

Kosuke Fukudome led off the 3rd with a ground ball single to center, but was picked-off 1st (nifty move by LeBlanc) when he left early on what was apparently going to be a hit & run. Starlin Castro followed the pick-off with a line-drive single to center, and advanced to 3rd on a Marlon Byrd double into the LF corner (Byrd's second double of the day). Aramis Ramirez walked to load the bases, and after Carlos Pena was called out on strikes, Alfonso Soriano picked up his new teammate, ripping a two-run single to score Castro and Byrd. Jeff Baker then followed the Sori 2-RBI with a line-drive RBI single of his own to score Ramirez with the Cubs third run of the inning, sending LeBlanc to the showers.   

The Cubs scored twice in the 4th, as Padres reliever Simon Castro had control issues. With one out, Fukudome singled, stole second, advanced to 3rd on a throwing error by SD catcher Hundley, and then scored on a WP. Then with two outs, Byrd walked, Ramirez was hit by a pitch, and Pena walked to load the bases. Alfonso Soriano then hit what should have been an inning-ending bounce-out to 3rd, but Headley bobbled the ball for an E-5, as Byrd scored an unearned run.

The Cubs scored a run in the bottom of the 6th with no hits, as SD RHRP Aaron Pareda could not find the strike zone. Augie Ojeda, Brad Snyder, and Josh Vitters walked to load the bases (with Vitters showing excellent patience, taking close pitches for balls on both the 2-2 pitch and the 3-2 pitch). But Bryan Lahair popped out to short left (Ojeda wisely held 3rd) and Lou Montanez popped-up weakly in the infield, leaving it all up to Bobby Scales, who worked the bases-loaded walk to perfection.   

Jay Jackson pitched the 6th and 7th for the Cubs, and after logging a shutout 6th despite struggling with his control (22 pitches - only 11 strikes), he got a lot of his pitches up in the strike zone in the 7th, allowing two solo home runs (one to Aaron Cunningham and the other to Mike Baxter) and two long fly outs, as the Padres cut the Cub lead to 7-4. 

But Scales gave the Cubs some breathing room in the bottom of the 8th, lofting a one-out opposite-field two run HR off 6'6 RHP Brad Brach that just barely cleared the LF fence, plating Bryan Lahair, who had led-off the inning with a ringing double into the RF corner. 

Scott Maine had an easy 1-2-3 8th and Robert Coello threw a shutout 9th (allowing one walk) to complete the Cub victory.

Today's crowd was not a complete sell-out (although the lawn seating did sell-out 30 minutes before the start of the game), but at least attendance was more robust (10,445) than was the case at HoHoKam earlier in the week (6,229 on Opening Day last Sunday, 5,405 on Monday, and 6,892 on Thursday). 

The Cubs will divide into split squads tomorrow, playing one game against the Dodgers at HoHoKam, and another versus the Reds in Goodyear.  

Comments

Thanks PHIL. IS it a foregone conclusion that even if Hill should go hitless for the Spring, Max Ramirez will not have a real shot at making this team? And, if yes, was there some strategy behind signing him to a minor league deal that I am missing, since he is out of options? Noting the play of our "stubby-fingered" catcher so far, and his empty bat from the fan's viewpoint, it appears as if there is almost nothing he can do to get off the team as the pitchers like throwing to him.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Submitted by The E-Man on Sun, 03/06/2011 - 10:07am. Thanks PHIL. IS it a foregone conclusion that even if Hill should go hitless for the Spring, Max Ramirez will not have a real shot at making this team? And, if yes, was there some strategy behind signing him to a minor league deal that I am missing, since he is out of options? Noting the play of our "stubby-fingered" catcher so far, and his empty bat from the fan's viewpoint, it appears as if there is almost nothing he can do to get off the team as the pitchers like throwing to him. ======================================== E-MAN: I suspect the reason the Cubs claimed Max Ramirez off waivers was as an insurance policy in case Geovany Soto's shoulder was not 100% to start the season and/or if Soto or Koyie Hill started the season on the DL. (The Cubs do not believe that Welington Castillo is ready for MLB yet). Otherwise M. Ramirez probably has virtually no chance of making the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster, unless a trade occurs prior to Opening Day that opens up a spot.

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In reply to by tim815

Submitted by tim815 on Sun, 03/06/2011 - 8:52pm. It wasn't a minor league deal. The problem is, we can't send him to the minors unless he clears waivers. Since four catchers have been somewhat to severely injured this spring Max in Iowa looks highly unlikely. Houston would gobble him up. So, yeah, why sign him if you're just going to release him? =================================== TIM: The Cubs claimed Max Ramirez off waivers right after they opened up a couple of slots on the 40-man roster with the Garza trade. I strongly suspect that Ramirez was claimed as insurance in case something happens to Soto or Hill during Spring Training, or if Soto's shoulder isn't 100% at the start of the season (although so far so good). If Soto and Hill get through Spring Training healthy, and unless the Cubs open up a roster slot with a trade (which is unlikely), I would think that M. Ramirez will probably get claimed off waivers by another MLB club if the Cubs try to send him to AAA, so they might decide to try and trade him before they put him on waivers.

2 hours and change til the first televised cubs game...woos. RF Fuke, LF Johnson, CF Byrd, 3B Ramy, 1B LaHair, C Soto, 2B Baker, SS Barney, P Dempster (LAD, TV) 2B DeWitt, SS Castro, DH Colvin, LF Sori, 1B Pena, 3B Smith, CF Jackson, C Hill, RF Adduci (CIN, non-TV)

Recent comments

  • 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...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.