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

Cubs Top Angels at Diablo Park

Elliot Soto tripled, singled, walked, and scored a run, and Eloy Jimenez singled twice, scored a run, and drove-in another, leading the Cubs to a 9-5 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Diablo Park Field #7 in Tempe, AZ. 

Raul Linares reached base four times (RBI triple, two singles, and a walk) for the Angels.

In 18 Cactus League Extended Spring Training games (72 PA), Eloy Jimenez is hitting 221/250/279, with a team-leading nine RBI, plus four doubles and 3/19 BB/K. He has yet to homer in a Cactus League EXST game, although he has in Intrasquad games. 

Unlike the other top international prospect signed by the Cubs in 2013 (SS Gleyber Torres), Jimenez has no chance to make the Boise Hawks Opening Day roster, but he does stand a good chance to be in the AZL Cubs Opening Day lineup next month. 

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):


CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Rashad Crawford, CF: 1-3 (1-3, 1B, K, R, SB)
1b. Charcer Burks, CF: 0-1 (BB, F-9, R)
2. Zak Blair, 2B: 0-3 (2-3, L-8, BB, BB, K, 2 R, RBI)
3a. Kevin Brown, LF: 0-2 (1-3, E-7)
3b. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 1-2 (BB, 1B, F-7, R, RBI)
4. Eloy Jimenez, DH #1: 2-5 (1B, F-9, 1B, K, K, R, RBI, CS)
5. Rony Rodriguez, 1B: 0-1 (P-2, BB, F-7 SF, BB, R, 2 RBI)
6. Shamil Ubiera, RF: 1-4 (K, F-7, 2B, 4-3, 2 RBI)
7a. Varonex Cuevas, SS: 0-1 (E-9, CS)
7b. Bryant Flete, SS: 0-1 (BB, F-8, HBP)
8. Erick Castillo, C: 0-4 (4-3, P-4, K, K)
9. Adonis Paula, 3B: 0-3 (K, BB, E-4, 5-3, R)
10. Elliot Soto, DH #2: 2-3 (L-6, BB, 1B, 3B, R)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Trevor Graham: 4.0 IP, 5 H,1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 4/1 GO/FO, 68 pitches (45 strikes)
2. Victor Salazar: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K, 1/3 GO/FO, 48 pitches (22 strikes)
3. Yomar Morel: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 2/6 GO/FO, 51 pitches (34 strikes)

CUBS ERRORS: 1
3B Adonis Paula - E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely) 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Erick Castillo: 1-1 CS, 1 PB

CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
RF Shamil Ubiera - runner thrown out 9-4-2 trying to score from 1st base on a double

ATTENDANCE: 7

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's

 

Comments

some of you are more experienced with this...but if I wish to try and not go bankrupt getting Game 1 tickets for Blackhawks @ Ducks on Sunday (if Ducks win), where would you look besides the normal online ticket resellers? Or any other suggestions?

Currently cheapest price is about $150 a ticket on stubhub for the nosebleeds.

 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Try Craigslist. Look at the ads from sellers that aren't brokers. Also post an ad saying you want tix but don't want to spend a shitload. You'll get people emailing you with "bargains" (i.e., not bargains) but sometimes they just want to get rid of the tickets. You can also maybe find some other hot deals, if you know what I mean.

Today's Olt Watch: I only saw one AB, the walk, and that was a nice At bat. They were trying to get him to fish for stuff low and away and he wouldn't bite. Obviously it would have been better if he had connected on that one he took a swing at that was right down the pipe, and he did leave three on base. But with Baker batting behind him, then SureOut replacing Baker, he wasn't gonna see much in that AB with men on.

with tonight's 0-4 (2Ks)...baez's OPS drops sub-.500. ouch. 4 hits in his last 10 games/40ab (3 came in 1 game)...20Ks...4bb...

From the tweet box: "Soler made a great catch to take away an extra base hit in the 4th then seemed bothered by the Hamstring. He then left the game." Seriously? Did they run any medicals on this guy before they signed him?

And...do we have a Back-Up Catcher?? Considering Baker has the lowest BA in baseball, whay are the TheoJed "stashing" the 26 year old, lefty-hitting Rafael Lopez catcher in AA? Are we loaded with catching prospects in Iowa? I mean when else are you going to give guys a shot other than when you are 26, having a nice year at your competitive level, and your parent team is the worst in the NL?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Well, Lopez has had a good 100 ABs in AA. Prior to that he hit .247 in a full season at AA last year, .269 in A+ and .265 in A the year before. Moving people without stellar track records up to the majors after a hot streak of 6 weeks in AA is probably not the best idea. You would have to add him to the 40-man, start burning service time, he'd get infrequent ABs because he would be a back-up, and he'd be overwhelmed by big league pitching. I doubt he has much of a career shot anyway, but you'd kill any he does have. I'd actually look at it the opposite way. If the Cubs were in a pennant chase and even a slight upgrade over Baker at the back-up catching position might lead to a win or two more, then you think about making changes. But the Cubs are the worst team in the NL, so why stunt anyone's development in the minor leagues and burn service time in hopes of improving from very very shitty to just very shitty? At this point, the only call-ups should be guys who have proven themselves over an extended period at high levels in the minors and can get a month or two of major league experience under their belts leading into next year.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

...why stunt anyone's development in the minor leagues and burn service time in hopes of improving from very very shitty to just very shitty? I suppose you are right. There is not much upside from "very, very shitty", to just plain "very shitty". If they have control over him, even at his "advanced age", it probably is best as you say. He may just run out of time, however, unless he breaks free. Catcher's position mortality rate peaks at 29-31.

Whenever people talk about the Cubs possibly leaving the Florida State League after the 2014 season because of too many rain-outs (the PDA between the Cubs and Daytona expires after this season), the  possibility of the Cubs moving their Hi-A affiliate to the California League is often dismissed because it is believed by some that the California League is too much of a "hitter's league" and so therefore MLB clubs with their Hi-A affiliate in the California League often just have their better pitching prospects skip Hi-A to avoid having to pitch in the California League. 

A partial list of pitchers who spent their "Hi-A" season in the California League over the years:

Nick Adenhart
Andrew Bailey
Madison Bumgarner
Trevor Cahill
Matt Cain
Patrick Corbin
John Danks
Jeff Francis
Rich Harden
Felix Hernandez
Derek Holland 
Ubaldo Jimenez
John Lackey
Pedro Liriano
Justin Masterson
Wade Miley
Jake Peavy  
Francisco Rodriguez  
Ervin Santana
Joe Saunders
James Shields
Tyler Skaggs 
Pedro Strop
Chris Tillman
Brandon Webb
Zack Wheeler

Maybe pitching in a "hitter's league" is actually a good thing for a pitcher's development.

I saw this on bleacher report five trades that make sense. Benafacio to Braves for either SP Aaron Northcraft or RP Shea Simmons. Samardzija to Yankess for top prospect and catcher Gary Sanchez and pitchers Chase Whitley and Ty Hensley.

[ ]

In reply to by rokfish

Suggested that myself a few days ago. With McCann signed, Sanchez should be available, especially with another good catching prospect behind him in the Yankees system. Not sure if the arms are premium enough. I guess it depends on if you believe Welington Castillo is a long term solution or not.

Overheard in Clubhouse Cpt Happy- "Shark all the pieces are in place for your first win today!" Shark- "Great!" Shark reads lineup, no Olt. Sureoutz and Barney playing. Shark - " Hey Skip, can ask a favor?" Cpt Happy- " sure" Shark- " Can I bat 7th?"

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

unfortunately, they still have chris russo on the payroll because some idiot decided he should have a show. fortunately, it's only on in middle of the day and doesn't replay at night. i have no idea how he has a job in radio talking about anything...or why anyone would listen to it...or why someone thought it would be a good idea to put him on TV...much less a baseball network. the guy's sports knowledge consists of reading the morning paper and screaming about what he read without much insight until it's time to go home. on the subject of mitch williams on MLB network...he has had some epic moments...such as his opinion on extra innings during spring training games... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Qu9-xS4Hg

no braun, no gomez, no aram...cubs still lose. this team is killing me. they have a very legit shot at the 1st round pick next year...and 105+ losses this year. at least k.hendricks looks like he's MLB-ready when the mid-season trades start rolling in. none of the promising bats look like they're ready, but the bats likely to be traded aren't exactly doing anything worth mentioning.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I will say two things: 1.) as a fan if the rebuild I will say that this year is a clustercuss of chaos. The ugliest of the years because there is some talent in the field Rizzo/Castro/Pitchers and then a rotating cast of weirdness that I assume 2.) is coming from the front office. I'm not sure Mr Happy is a good or bad manager, I know he is not a great orator, but I'm starting to think his lineup choices are determined with pressure from the front office and that after the trade deadline we'll see the beginning of the true youth movement.

[ ]

In reply to by Carlito

if his lineup is formed by the front office he would be an even worse manager than he's showing and chances are his locker room would be in revolt. the last thing players want to hear is a bunch of guys in suits are micro-managing their day-to-day playing time. you gotta have a "paid off" type setup like the yanks for stuff like this to go down...a team where you understand going into it that you're a paid gunman doing what your "boss's boss" wants you to do. since the elder steiny died this is less of an issue for them, though.

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.