Cubs MLB Roster

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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

Hendry Cleansing Continues

Submitted by Rob G. on

The folks in the fine city of Park Ridge (Maine East, represent!) have found their window to try and remove the "Jim Hendry Way" signs that Cub fan and all-around criminal Rod Blagojevich put up on Northwest Highway. 

Schmidt said the request is nothing personal against Hendry, a Park Ridge resident, but the city never wanted the signs mounted in the first place.

Schmidt later added that he can't believe Hendry signed Milton Bradley while putting on his White Sox hat.

Speaking of Park Ridge, back around 2005, Jim Hendry walked into my Dad's bicycle shop in Park Ridge on Devon Avenue. My Dad, never a shy fella, immediately let it be known that his son writes for some website on the Internet about the Cubs. For whatever reason, Hendry didn't immediately bolt out of the place, but made some joke about how he hopes I write nothing but nice things. I can't be sure if my Dad would have even known the name of the website. As anyone who has met my father over the years would expect, he sold two kids bikes to Hendry (no, Hendry did not overpay) and scored Hendry's cell phone number out of it with the promise that if I ever wanted tickets, just ring him up. I think I went to the well about two times over the years, a game in San Francisco in late 2005 that I wrote about here and another in L.A. in 2006, which I believe was the infamous Derrek Lee wrist break game, although I went to two games that series and can't recall which one I paid for and which I didn't.

There's not much I can relate about my two brief phone calls with Hendry, the first was more enjoyable than the second as the meeting with my Dad was fresher in Hendry's mind. I just recall both times the cell reception being poor on his end and the sense of a man that had more important things to do. By the second call, the rules changed where you were taxed on giving away free tickets and he made it clear to me that was a bit of an issue if I wanted more than one game. Being a man that just prefers to pay his own way, I decided it best not to trouble him anymore after that point. There were many times that I considered how I'd approach him about doing an interview for TCR, but for various reasons that never happened and as time passed, I just presumed he wouldn't know who I am, nor can I be sure where the phone number is in my house.

Tags
Jim Hendry

Comments

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:04 pm

He's riding that .775 fielding percentage, through the 2nd and 15% of his runs allowed this year are unearned. He's like the anti Jay Jackson - great pitcher, can't hit or field his position for shit... It may be time to convert Jackson back to the outfield, .253 .270 .425 batting line, without trying is pretty good. For comparison Zambrano hit .186 .205 .326 and Ankiel .240 .269 .400 (during his time in AA, much better in the rookie league playing DH the year before). D Willis: 250 .286 .350 C Sabathia: Not listed at BR.

Submitted by Paul Noce on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:00 pm

Colvin hit a ball into the rf corner, Braves' RF looked like he figured it was a routine double and didn't appear to hustle after it. Colvin did hustle and got himself a triple. Len and Bob didn't say anything about the Braves OF not hustling though. Just looked like he thought it was routine and went to get it at a somewhat leisurely pace.

Submitted by Mike Wellman on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:10 pm

ye gods, what is the record for errors in a season by a pitcher & can garza get there? this 'hendry cleansing' is reminiscent of the toppling of the saddam statue in baghdad...

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:21 pm

ESPN goes back to 2002... R. Wells and 4 others had 5 in 2010 Lilly, De La Rosa, D. Davis had 5 in 2009 Burnett had 7 in Toronto in 2008 Contreras 6 in 2007 Willis, Gold Glove Rogers and Byrd with 5 in 2006 Ramon Ortiz had 7 in 2005 N. Robertson, B. Webb with 5 in 2004 A. Petitte with 6 in 2003 Joe Kennedy with 10 in 2002 for Rays

Submitted by Cubster on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:30 pm

@CarrieMuskat: RT @injuryexpert: "Cubs Could Target Theo Epstein". In other news, I could target Heidi Klum. --- Muskat, Seal & Heidi, ménage a troix? (brain explodes)

Submitted by Andy on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:51 pm

Len: What again is your standard gift to your wife after a road trip? Bob: Wrapped soap, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and sometimes even the ever-popular shower cap. Len: What about the garment bag, you know, the laundry bag? Bob: Sure, that's what you carry it all home in. That's the wrapping paper.

Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:28 pm

on prospects with 2nd half surges http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=14866 Jackson, like Choice, is one of the better outfield prospects in the game, but the amount of swing-and-miss in his game has always kept him from elite status. After hitting just .256 at Double-A, a mid-July move to Triple-A has ignited a fire; he’s hitting .315/.391/.577 in 38 games for Iowa and is lining himself up for a September callup and a long look this spring. While 55 strikeouts in 149 at-bats leave the high average unsustainable, Jackson projects as a 20/20 center fielder with plus defense and one of the Cubs’ few upper-level prospects who projects as an important part of the team's future.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 08:10 pm

he won't in the majors his K rate has essentially gone up each level (he did knock it to a respectable 20.2% in Daytona last year for a half a season), while his BA goes down with each promotion (Taking out the 175 PA's with Iowa right now, where he's managing an Adam Dunn K rate and .444 BABIP). Adam Dunn had a BA over .300 in the minors, except he had 40-50 HR potential. Jackson is maybe a 25-HR guy at best. Just hope no one is expecting Granderson, Beltran or pre-injury Sizemore here. An .800 OPS is probably the best he'll get to, maybe .850 if everything breaks wonderfully and a few career seasons. If his defense is truly CF worthy, then that should be fine, but elite player he will never be. 250/340/450 lines is what I'm expecting, maybe in his prime he can get that to mid to upper .800 OPS, but he got work to do to get there.

[ ]

Submitted by Dusty Baylor on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 08:27 pm

Agreed, that the K rate needs to be better if Jackson is going be more than a decent CF. He is not a finished prospect. I guess, since it's the Cubs...if he puts up .250/.340/.450...and plays a good CF...we'd probably build a statue of him. I'm going to hope for something like....270/.360/.450...15 HR...25 steals.. Note that I said hope. I'd be ecstatic with that. Again, we'll see...

[ ]

Submitted by VirginiaPhil on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 08:28 pm

"his K rate has essentially gone up each level . . . while his BA goes down" His K rate has gone up while his home runs have gone up. 18 HRs this year, 50% more than last year, and many more at Iowa (per game) than at Tennessee. I've heard you say that Ks are OK if you hit home runs. (In fact you imply it in #51 above.) Jackson is not a giant like Dunn but, despite what Mike W. says, he's bigger than Sizemore and much bigger than Granderson, and runs as fast as they do. I don't think you realize what you have here. I expect 25/25 at least, maybe not the first year but soon after. I like the Dunn comparison because his approach is like Dunn's, but Dunn is of course bigger while Jackson is a three-way player who will do a better job of cashing those walks in at the plate.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 08:55 pm

I've heard you say that Ks are OK if you hit home runs. (In fact you imply it in #51 above.) they certainly can be, depends how many on each end though. I don't think you realize what you have here. an okay prospect that will hopefully put in a few slightly above average years in his prime...possibly a complete bust though too. I expect 25/25 at least, maybe not the first year but soon after. that would certainly be awesome, I expect a World Series win for the Cubs in 2012. Both of us are probably gonna be disappointed.

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 08:03 pm

There will be a lot of hats eaten around the prospect evaluation world if Jackson hits 25 HR's by 2013. It wouldn't shock me, but he would have to change his swing plane, and then he's not going to get those high BABIP's. It's still a lot better than what I thought when we drafted him, which was a guy who would never get it done past A+. So a tip of the hat to the Cubs development team on that one.

Submitted by John Beasley on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 08:53 pm

It's probably a good thing Hendry didn't know which blog you wrote for. You would've been "Dodger'd" in the parking lot after the game. "Hi Jim, my name is Al, and ..."

Recent comments

  • 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. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: I think there was an issue with Luke Little coming into a game with men on base. He seems to need a "clean" inning to be dominant. So he is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AAA. Same goes for Michael Arias. He needs to come into a "clean" inning, and is a future closer and needs to be used in that role at AA. Porter Hodge is a more versatile pitcher, a better version of Keegan Thompson (multi-inning RP). But Little, Arias, and Hodge (probably in that order) are the Cubs top three RP prospects (all three are Cubs Top 15 prospects).

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    So, let’s do a little war gaming. Taillon is back for tonight’s game. He pitched two rehab games, just a few innings each, and not especially sharp. Let’s face it, he hasn’t been lights out since the Cubs gave him the big contract. In other words, as flat out bad as Hendricks has been, the chances of Taillon being the savior don’t look exactly promising.

    If Taillon is equally ineffective or perhaps even worse, what’s the next move? Winning teams can often find a way to work around a dud fifth starter - kinda. Two dud starters make things much more difficult.

    I believe the biggest reason for the recent bullpen moves was dissatisfaction with the recent blowing of big leads and the recognition that the bullpen wasn’t all it was thought to be. In other words, they are exploring alternate options and configurations. If similar juggling becomes necessary (even more so than it already is), what kind of reasonable maneuvering do we think could be explored?

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Cubdom needs to prepare themselves for Wicks to be sent to Iowa for Taillon to come up.
    Ben Brown has 4 appearances. Wicks has 4 appearances.
    Ben has 16.1 IP.  Wicks has 17 IP
    Ben was a 1.1 WHIP.  Wicks has a 1.7 WHIP. Wicks does have significantly more SOs. 
    Ben has been better, though.
    I love Wicks. I think he's a fighter and his stuff has improved.
    But, Jed isn't ditching Hendricks just yet. He should. But he won't.
    Hendricks should go to the IL and Taillon-Imanaga-Assad-Wicks-Brown should be the rotation.
    Wont' happen though.

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