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

Cub Rally Falls Short at Papago Park

Sean Jamieson and Max Stassi rapped RBI triples to highlight a three-run 1st inning and RBI singles to key a four-run 2nd, and Jordan Tripp and A. J. Kirby-Jones slugged solo home runs to provide the eventual margin of victory, as the Athletics withstood a late rally to edge the Cubs 10-9 in AZ Instructional League action at Connie Mack Field at the Papago Park Baseball Complex in Phoenix this morning.

The Cubs took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, as lead-off man Rubi Silva lined a single over the shortstop's head, advanced to second on a sac bunt, and scored when the catcher threw the ball into the LF corner on a delayed steal where the third-baseman forgot to cover 3rd.

But Cubs starter Amaury Paulino was battered in the bottom of the 1st, as four of the first five men he faced ripped hits (two singles and two triples) before the young Dominican right-hander settled-down and struck out the last two A’s hitters to strand a runner at 3rd.

Tarlandus Mitchell made his first mound appearance in about five months, taking the hill for the Cubs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Mitchell induced the first A’s batter he faced to hit a routine two-hopper to 3rd, but third-baseman Jeimer Candelario fumbled the ball for an error. Then after the next two batters were retired (a 5-4 FC and a K), Mitchell fell apart and surrendered four unearned runs on two hits, a walk, and a HBP, while also throwing two wild pitches that moved runners up into scoring position.

LHP Zac Rosscup (on the Daytona Cubs DL since June) pitched the third inning and two outs into the 4th, allowing two runs, including a Jordan Tripp solo HR. Rosscup also pulled the bonehead play of the day, allowing a run to score from 3rd base on a foul pop up out to the first-baseman. The ball came down near the Cubs on deck circle (first-base side) as both 1st baseman Dan Vogelbach and catcher Yaniel Cabezas chased the pop up, but Rosscup forgot to cover home as Sean Jamieson scored easily from 3B. Rosscup was then immediately pulled from the game.

Down 9-3 (with a Micah Gibbs double and a Shawon Dunston, Jr RBI single in the 2nd having plated the Cubs second run, and a Gibbs RBI single following consecutive singles by Yaniel Cabezas and Dan Vogelbach having knocked-in the third run in the 4th), the Cubs mounted a comeback with a five-run 6th off RHP Ryan Doolittle.

Rubi Silva (who had three hits today) roped a single through the box and into CF to lead off the inning, stole 2nd base (his second SB of the day), and, after Yaniel Cabezas walked, scored on a Dan Vogelbach RBI ground single to right. Taiwan Easterling then lined a one-out two-run triple over the centerfielder’s head to drive-in Cabezas and Vogelbach, before scoring on a Micah Gibbs sacrifice fly. Jeimer Candelario kept the inning alive with a two-out opposite-field hump-back single to left, and scored on a line-drive RBI single to right-center by Jeffrey Baez (in what was his U. S. debut). Down 10-8 after A. J. Kirby-Jones took Frank Del Valle deep in the bottom of the 7th, the Cubs scored what would be their final run of the day in the 8th to narrow the deficit to 10-9.

Javier Baez sliced an opposite field double into the RF corner to lead-off the inning, and took third when the A’s second-baseman fumbled the relay throw for an error. After Justin Marra (making his pro debut) struck out swinging (and looked over-matched doing it), Baez raced home on a Carlos Penalver 1-3 ground out (high chopper fielded by the pitcher, with the only play at 1st base). The Cubs then went down 1-2-3 in the 9th.

The defensive gem of the day for the Cubs was a sliding run-saving catch in short left-center (in traffic) by LF Taiwan Easterling. I've seen him make catches like this before, and it's the type of move a punt returner will make when fair-catching a short punt. It's probably fairly easy and comfortable for Easterling to make catches this way, since he did return punts when he played football at Florida State.

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

LINEUP:
1. Rubi Silva, 2B: 3-4 (1B, K, 1B, 1B, 2 R, 2 SB, PO)
2. Javier Baez, DH #1: 1-3 (2-3 SH, K, K, 2B, R)
3a. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 1-1 (BB, 1B, BB, 2 R)
3b. Justin Marra, C: 0-1 (K)
4a. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 2-3 (K, 1B, 1B, R, RBI)
4b. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-1 (1-3, RBI)
5. Taiwan Easterling, LF: 1-4 (6-3, K, 3B, 2-3, R, 2 RBI)
6. Micah Gibbs, DH #2: 2-3 (2B, 1B, F-9 SF, 1-3, R, 2 RBI)
7. Jeimer Candelario, 3B-1B: 1-4 (3-1, 6-4-3 DP, 1B, P-6, R)
8a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED 1st TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
8b. Jeffrey Baez, DH-RF: 1-2 (1B, F-9, RBI)
9. Shawon Dunston, Jr, CF-DH: 1-3 (1B, 3-1, K, RBI, PO)
10. Eliecer Bonne, RF-CF: 0-3 (K, F-9, F-9)
11. Danny Lockhart, SS-3B: 0-3 (4-3, 4-3, 5-3)

PITCHERS:
1. Amaury Paulino: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 25 pitches (17 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
2. Tarlandus Mitchell: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 29 pitches (17 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO
3. Zac Rosscup: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 30 pitches (17 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
4. Jose Arias: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 19 pitches (15 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
5. Frank Del Valle: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 26 pitches (18 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO
6. Andrew McKirahan: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 17 pitches (12 strikes), 0/3 GO/FO

ERRORS: 2
1. 3B Jeimer Candelario - E5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. 2B Rubi Silva - E4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Yaniel Cabezas 0-2 CS

ATTENDANCE: 19 (including Shawon Dunston, Sr)

WEATHER: Partly cloudy & breezy, with temperatures in the 90’s

Comments

Cubs 1 game away from the 5th spot in the draft and 1 game away from the 11th spot in the draft...currently in 7th. No idea how the tiebreakers work.

We don't get picks if we don't offer arbitration. And we almost certainly won't offer arbitration. And I don't believe we CAN offer arbitration to Ramirez. We have a club option, and I believe that precludes arbitration.

[ ]

In reply to by DavidP

Submitted by DavidP on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 10:25am. We don't get picks if we don't offer arbitration. And we almost certainly won't offer arbitration. And I don't believe we CAN offer arbitration to Ramirez. We have a club option, and I believe that precludes arbitration. ================================== DAVID P: There is nothing in the CBA or any MLB rule that would prohibit the Cubs from offering arbitration to Aramis Ramirez (and picking up a draft pick if he declines and then signs elsewhere) should he become a free-agent post-2011. And that is whether he becomes a FA as the result of the Cubs declining their $16M 2012 club option and paying the $2M buy-out, or as the result of the Cubs exercising their 2012 club option and then Ramirez opting out. The ONLY way the Cubs would not be able to offer salary arbitration to Ramirez (and therefore not get a draft pick as compensation if he signs elsewhere) is if there is a specific clause in his contract that prohibits the Cubs from offering arbitration to him should he become a free-agent.

according to Wittenmyer tweets... Ninja could close today, planning a "kids" lineup for Monday, Ramirez 50/50 to get a start before the end of the season.

4 more games and then Mike Quade can take his rightful place in Cubs history next to Gene Michael, John Vuckovitch, Jim Essian, Rene Lachmann, Bruce Kimm, Frank Lucchesi, and the other bozos of the last 20 years that Cubs fans try to blot out of memory.

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that last offseason the Cardinals offered Albert Pujols a nine-year deal worth $22-$22.5 million per season and aren't expected to increase their proposal this offseason. Not only that, Strauss thinks the Cards might be thinking about keeping the average annual value of the offer the same but shortening the number of years. It's hard to imagine they would entice Pujols to stick around with that kind of offer, though Strauss does indicate the team could change their bid depending on what other teams propose. Strauss lists the Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Marlins and Nationals as teams that could make a run at Pujols. It will certainly be interesting to track the offseason bidding war for arguably the game's best player.

Same dumb stuff Soriano has said before, which makes no sense. Hitting 5th-7th has no difference in approach. Leading off one day and hitting cleanup the next might mess with someone's head, but again, only if they're not a focused player to begin with.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Actually, you said this: "I notice there's not a lot of sentiment around here to commit to LaHair and tell a still viable Pena that he's not needed." Somehow you conveniently left off the second part (the Pena part) this time around. Your implication is very clear - that some folks around TCR don't want to commit to LaHair because of Pena. So again - who has said that? There are a variety of reasons (he's a 4A player, his defense may be questionable, the Cubs should go after Fielder/Pujols, etc) that people have given for their reluctance to commit to LaHair. I don't recall ever seeing Carlos Pena being one of those reasons. But maybe you can point out where I am wrong. And do you seriously think that you are only the only person on TCR that thinks the Cubs should with LaHair at first next year? Really?

good news is if Cubs lose 2 of 3 to Padres, they'll tie them and Cubs own the tiebreaker if the Cubs can manage that, they need Royals to win 2 of 3 or sweep the Twins for the 5th spot in the draft the contenders for the 5th spot Padres vs. Cubs Cubs @ Padres (cubs are 1 back) Royals @ Twins (tied, but own tiebreaker over Cubs) Pirates @ Brewers (Pirates 1-game back but own tiebreaker) Marlins vs. Nationals (1-game back, Cubs own tiebreaker) A's and Rockies are 2-back and Cubs own tiebreaker over both

Give a shout out to Rock Shoulders @RockBigFly24 on twitter today is his 20th birthday. He is part of the Cubs Fab Five from 2011 draft. Baez, Maples, Vogelbach, Dunston Jr. and Rock Shoulders we could be in great shape in 2 or 3 years.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

TRN: What's the logic here, Cubanos and retirees don't like baseball? Anyway, I will take that bet. -------------- And I have years of actual proof people don't go to the games. You lose. Not even MLB can figure out why. Is it that there are too many retirees in Florida? Don't know, the college football games still draw crazy crowds. But MLB games in two different cities have attendance at/near the bottom of the league. Even TB, competing for a playoff spot until the end of the season, has had horrible attendance this season (and previous years). 2011: Tampa - 29th Florida - 28th 2010: Florida - 28th Tampa - 22nd - 1st place, lost lcs 2009: Florida - 29th Tampa - 23rd 2008: Florida - 30th Tampa - 26th - 1st place, lost world series 2007 + 2006: Florida - 30th Tampa - 29th And so on, and so on, and so on. Winning makes no difference. A new stadium isn't going to change squat. http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

That is sort of like saying you have actual proof Corey Patterson is going to the Hall of Fame. I mean he hit .320 as a 19 year old his first season. Let's see how the people of Florida react to not having to go to the 29th or 30th worst ballpark in the majors for a year. It's good to see him go down with his guns blazing. Just say he wanted to give it some actual thought, and look at the last time a team moved from an out-side stadium in God awful weather to a dome stadium... like the Astros did. 1964: Colt Stadium · Attendance: 725,773 (10th of 10) 1965: Astrodome · Attendance: 2,151,470 (2nd of 10) I guess it was the 65 win Astro Team that was drawing all the fans.

Unfortunately, I'll be enjoying the last of my $2 tickets, cheering on the Astros over the Cardinals tonight. Coleman should have a good chance to get his ERA under the magic 6.50 bar tonight at Pets-R-Us Park.

Campana CF, Barney 2B, Castro SS, Peña 1B, LaHair LF, Clevenger C, LeMahieu 3B, Colvin RF, Coleman P Cubs need to lose 2 of 3 this series...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

If you're looking for something to watch tonight before the Cubs game, I'd like to plug a show I have a family member working on: Check out Terra Nova on FOX at 8 Eastern Time. The dinosaurs ought to be pretty cool. I have no opinion on the rest of it. (My family member works in visual effects lately.)

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

premise is that Earth in 150 years is overpopulated and overpolluted...and they've found some portal to go back 85 million years and fix it, but only like 1000 people can go through. The modern stuff you they've all brought with them supposedly. Anyway, they wanted to do Jurassic Park meets Avatar for television and Spielberg threw his name on it to make sure it gets made. Fox is usually good about giving their sci-fi shows a chance to find an audience, so it should at least make a full season.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

You should read his blurbs on the back cover. Wow. Steve Stone really recommends himself highly. There were times that I really liked listening to Stone. But his venom for others (like the venom he has Beane in that article) always smacks of his own sense of self importance and entitlement.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

if they actually saw the movie they'd be more horrified by how they took "artistic license" with a lot of the real-life people. scott hatteberg gave an interview recently about it (he was amused, not pissed)...they could pick a bunch of characters in the film and do the same thing. ultimately it's good for baseball with all the casuals seeing it.

seems about ready to go down, allegedly his last night managing tonight.

Recent comments

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    That’s a fantastic deal for SF

  • 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?