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

Camp Day at Fitch Park

As many of you probably know by now, Thursday is "Camp Day" at Extended Spring Training. This usually means an intrasquad game, and sometimes a pre-game "live" BP session or simulated game involving rehabbing pitchers.

And such was the case today.

The Cubs did play a five-inning intrasquad game this morning on Fitch Park Field #2 (which ended in a 3-3 tie), but prior to the game, LHP Mark Pawelek (ankle) and RHP Jim Henderson (shoulder) squared off in a two inning (30-pitches per pitcher) simulated game on Field #1.

Each pitcher threw 15 pitches per "inning," with the hitters (Bryan Jost, Kevin Soto, and Elvis Lara) remaining at the plate until they either walked, struck out, or hit a fair ball. Then after the pitcher finished his "inning," he would go sit on the bench and talk to EXST Cubs pitching coach Rick Tronerud while the other pitcher threw his 15 pitches.

Henderson (relief pitcher at AA Tennessee in 2007) looked very sharp, with good sinking action on his two-seamer and excellent boring action on his slider. How he felt afterward, I do not know. But he looked good.

Pawelek was a different story, though.

In his first inning, he could not command his hard stuff (fastball and slider) and threw ten balls and only five strikes. But in his second inning, he was at least able to throw his fastball over the plate (somewhat), and threw five balls and ten strikes. (He does not have control issues with his curve or change-up).

So just how wild is Pawelek? When left-handed hitting Bryan Jost stepped up to the plate to hit against Pawelek, Boise Pitching Coach Tom Pratt yelled to Jost: "What's the matter, big guy? You're looking kinda wobbly-kneed up there!"

And he did, too! 

One thing for sure... Nobody is comfortable hitting against Pawelek. Not when even he doesn't know where the ball is going.

As for the EXST intrasquad game, rehabbing RHP Jon Mueller (not to be confused with fellow EXST RHP John Muller) got the start for Squad "B" and worked three strong innings. Mueller was a middle-reliever for Daytona last year before he went down with an arm injury,

Then LHP Arik Hempy (2007 17th round draft pick out of the U. of South Carolina) threw a couple of innings, and while his outing was not quite as strong as Mueller's, at least he didn't seem to have any trouble getting his arm loose. His breaking ball looked pretty good.

18-year old Australian LHP Cody Hams worked just one inning, and struggled with his control. 

On offense, RF Nelson Perez (who hit the game-winning HR yesterday) had another big day, slamming an RBI double and an RBI triple, while also scoring a run.

2B Dwayne Kemp (hero of the Aruban Little League World Series team a few years ago) was also 2-3, with a triple and a run scored and an RBI single, and Leon Johnson tripled and scored and made a nice running catch in CF. 
 
Here is the abridged box score for the five inning EXST intrasquad game

LINEUPS:

SQUAD "A"
1. Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 2-3 (3B, RBI, R)
2. Alvaro Sosa, C: 1-3 (RBI, R, SB)
3. John Contreras, 3B: 1-3 (2 SB)
4. Bryan Jost, 1B: 0-2 (BB, 2 K)
5. Brandon Guyer, DH #1: 1-2
6. Elvis Lara, LF: 0-2
7. Gian Guzman, SS: 1-2
8. Kevin Soto, RF: 0-2 (2 K)
9. Leon Johnson, CF: 1-2 (3B, R)
10. Jose Guevara, DH #2: 0-1 (BB)
11. Jose Made, DH #3: 0-2 (GIDP)

SQUAD "B"
1. Jeffrey Rea, DH: 1-3 (SB)
2. Roberto Sabates, C: 0-2 (R, BB)
3. Junior Lake, SS: 1-2 (R, BB, SB)
4. Nelson Perez, RF: 2-3 (2B, 3B, 2 RBI, R)
5. Luis Bautista, 1B: 1-2 (2B, RBI)
6. Luke Sommer, LF: 1-2
7. Starlin Castro, 2B: 1-1 (SH)
8. Andres Quezada, CF: 0-1 (BB)
9. Josh Vitters, 3B: 1-2
 
PITCHERS:

SQUAD "A"
1. Johan Gonzalez - 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 K
2. Cody Hams - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP

SQUAD "B"
1. Jon Mueller - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2. Arik Hempy - 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP 
3. Jose Severino - 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K 

ERRORS:
Vitters - 1 (bad throw to 1st)
Lake - 3 (two bad throws to 1st, one misplayed groundball)
G. Guzman - 1 (bobbled ground ball)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sabates (0-3 CS - bounced every throw)
Sosa (0-2 CS)

WEATHER: Cool with temp around 70, and VERY breezy

ATTENDANCE: 5

Comments

Pawelek and Vitters seem to be having some problems. It would be nice to see either one of these guys make it to A Ball at some point this year.

Any word about converting Pawelek into a hitter? He was a nasty batter in high school, IIRC.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

How'd I forget everybody's favorite top-to-rock-bottom-back -to-the-top story? Ankiel probably a better example actually, since I think the Orioles actually drafted Markakis as a position player to the surprise of most other teams given that Markakis had been clocked in the mid-nineties.

As always, thanks AZ Phil. Do you think any of the guys who are debuting in the U.S. for the first time this season have a chance to go to Boise this summer? Last season, I believe Alberto Cabrera skipped the AZL season and went to Boise. Also, how do you pronounce Junior Lake's last name? Is it like the body of water?

Submitted by Raisin101 on Thu, 04/17/2008 - 10:09pm.

As always, thanks AZ Phil.

Do you think any of the guys who are debuting in the U.S. for the first time this season have a chance to go to Boise this summer? Last season, I believe Alberto Cabrera skipped the AZL season and went to Boise.

Also, how do you pronounce Junior Lake's last name? Is it like the body of water?

==============================

RAISIN: It's still kind of early to tell if any of the Latin players who are making their U. S. debut in 2008 will be able to skip to Boise. Maybe LHP Jeffry Antigua, SS Junior Lake, or 3B John Contreras. But right now I would say probably not. 

In fact, the ones who are struggling the most will probably be going back to the Dominican Republic next month with the DSL Cubs #1 and DSL Cubs #2 managers and coaches who are presently at EXST.

There are a few Latin players at EXST who are not making their U. S. debut who have a good shot at making the Boise roster, though, including RHP Harol Tolentino, C Carlos Perez, INF Gian Guzman, and OFs Elvis Lara and Nelson Perez.

As you may already know, the Cubs, Reds, and Twins have pulled out of the Venezuelan Summer League (VSL), although they still operate academies there. In fact, I believe there are now only eight teams left in the VSL (and no co-op teams).

The problem the Cubs and a number of other MLB clubs have right now is that they simply don't have enough Venezuelan and Central American players in their system to field a VSL team (Dominican players are not allowed to play in the VSL). So instead of operating one DSL team and one VSL co-op team (as they did in 2007), the Cubs will be operating two DSL clubs (DSL Cubs #1 and DSL Cubs #2) and no VSL team in 2008. If the Cubs can sign more Venezuelan players, then maybe they could operate a "VSL Cubs" team eventually. A co-op team is kind of awkward for everybody.

But the Cubs Venezuelan Academy at Puerto Cabella is still operating. In fact, that's where RHP Rafael Cova got into shape while he was working out his visa problem, so that once he got to Fitch Park (EXST) last week, it took him just one bullpen side-session, one simulated game, and one EXST game for him to be ready to get assigned to AA Tennessee (where he is now).

In addition to the nine Cubs minor leaguers assigned to the Cubs Venezuelan Academy (until they leave next month to play in the DSL), there is always a steady-stream of prospective players coming through the academy for try-outs, Cubs Venezuelan Academy Supervisor Hector Ortega and four other part-time Cubs scouts run the place.

As for Junior Lake, everybody calls him "Lake" (like the body of water).

Here are the Cubs players presently assigned to the various foreign academies:

* bats or throws left
# bats both

CUBS VENEZUELAN ACADEMY (at Puerto Cabello)

PITCHERS (3):
Edilmar Infante
Reinaldo Navarro
Gregorio Rodriguez

CATCHERS (2):
Jose Bracho
Carlos Romero

INFIELDERS (2):
Jose Avila
George Matheus

OUTFIELDERS (2):
Luis Andrades
* Cesar Salazar

=================================

CUBS DOMINICAN ACADEMY (at Baseball City):

PITCHERS (21):
Bienvenido Beltre
Yelson Cabrera
Julio Castillo
Miguel Corletto
Alejandro de la Cruz
Manolin DeLeon
Arturo Florentino
* Carlos Galvez
Junniol Lami
Luis Liria
Jose Montecino
Pacheco Mota
Lenny Pena
* Marcos Perez
Francoris Pineda
Gorge Pineda
Ramon Rache
Ramon Reyes
* Abner Ruiz
Tomas Sanchez
Jose Tineo

CATCHERS (3):
Miguel Gonzalez
Yamel Liria
Jose Vigay

INFIELDERS (8):
# Robert Bautista
# Ramon Bonilla
# Herasmo Magallanes
# Alexander Mejia
Carlos Morales
Juan Pena
Pedro Ramirez
Andy Soto

OUTFIELDERS (5):
Albert Hernandez
Elvin Jiminez
# Nelson Pierre
# Gregorio Robles
# Jose Valdez

============================

MLB AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL ACADEMY (June-August):
* Cody Hams, LHP (at EXST at Fitch Park until May 22)
Adam Spencer, RHP (still in HS, will make U. S. debut in 2009)

 

Wow, fantastic as always, Phil. BTW, I hear you've lost Josh Vitters and Leon Johnson to Peoria and Jonathan Mota and Drew Rundle were demoted back to extended.

RAISIN: Yes. Drew Rundle was at the morning work-out at Fitch Park today.

I can understand Rundle getting demoted when Leon Johnson finished his rehab (because the only reason Rundle made the Peoria Opening Day roster was because Johnson got hurt), but it seems a bit odd that the Cubs would promote Josh Vitters at this time, partly because he hasn't played well at EXST (especially defensively), and partly because Peoria already has two third-basemen (Jovan Rosa and Marquez Smith) who can't play there regularly.

If the intent was to replace Jonathan Mota (a back-up middle infielder), then it probably would have made more sense to promote Jose Made (who plays 2B-SS) from EXST rather than Vitters (who plays only 3B). 

Josh Vitters' parents were at the EXST game at Fitch Park last Saturday, and they were saying that they had just returned from visiting their older son (Christian), who is a third-baseman for the Oakland A's Kane County team in the Midwest League. And they also were saying that in a way it was good that Josh was able to remain in Arizona, because the weather was better here than it was back in Illinois when they were there.

But when somebody asked them whether Josh was expecting to stay in Mesa for the Summer or go to Boise, they said he would be going to Peoria. And that the only reason Josh had been left at Extended Spring Training was because he had a blister problem on his hand at Minor League Camp that kept him from swinging the bat as well as he normally did.

I wrote that off as the fanciful dreams of a parent, but I guess they must have known something. Because it sure sounds like when the Cubs signed Vitters last August, that they not only promised him that he would get to Boise by the end of the 2007 season, but that he would be assigned to Peoria in 2008.

Submitted by Raisin101 on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 4:54pm.

You're right, I misread what I had read earlier and thought he was demoted (and was kind of confused as to why).

Good to see him up at Daytona where I felt he deserved to start the year.

=================

RAISIN: And Daytona INF Ryne Malone was either released or retired, or was sent to EXST (although he wasn't there today). My guess is he was released, but I'll let you know if he shows up at Fitch.

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.