Cubs MLB Roster

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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

Picking at a Scab

As I'm sure you've all heard by now, ex-Cubs wonder boy Mark Prior went under the knife yet again last week for his troublesome shoulder. But you might have missed this little detail (emphasis added):

The Padres' right-hander stood in the clubhouse with his right shoulder bandaged and his right arm in a sling following Wednesday's surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule. If that weren't enough to put an end to his bid to pitch this season, doctors also found a second injury -- one that isn't normally associated with baseball.

Prior's anterior capsule was torn away from the humerus, the bone in the upper arm. Team physicians Heinz Hoenecke and Jan Fronek performed the surgery and said the second injury is normally associated with traumatic events like a fall.

Hmm, that's an interesting little tidbit, now isn't it? I recall a time and place where our resident orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hecht/aka Cubster, speculated that not everything added up with Prior's first surgery.

If MP(Mark Prior) really did have a Bankart lesion. That usually takes a trauma of some sort (of course he could have fallen on the pavement walking his dog). This type of injury is typically treated with rehab in the beginning (see my comments on Toby Hall), with decent recovery until the symptoms become more chronic. MP’s pitching was fantastic after he recovered from that the collison in 2003, so it took time for the looseness/instability the tear created to lead to what occurred in 2006 and 2007.

That answer was in response to a question of mine regarding if any of the rumors about Prior never fully recovering from that faithful collision with Marcus Giles in 2003 could be true. And now Hanz and Franz are saying that there indeed was a traumatic event that created at least one injury in Prior's shoulder.

Of course, for those who remember that conversation and article from last year, Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus didn't take to kindly to Dr. Hecht's analysis:

Your take on my wrap up is emotionally based and wrong. This doesn’t happen to just the Cubs and suggesting that this was a misdiagnosis is … well, I hesitate to state anything in an absolute, but I think even Dr. Hecht would defer to the opinions of Dr. Andrews, Dr. Yocum, and Dr. ElAttrache.

And since we have nothing better to talk about on this off-day, let's play out the entire conversation:

(Dr. Hecht): A true bankart lesion is traumatic, it’s not just from stretch. Something has to detach the capsule from the glenoid rim. It’s just hard to sort out in a chronic situation. Plus your conclusion said he was dealing with this for two years, hence clearly chronic. I just put together the implications of what was the most traumatic event to MP’s shoulder.

Be careful of throwing terms out without explaining them. Mumford procedures are for AC joint stabilization after type 3 injuries. That would have been a significant surprise if such a procedure was needed.

I might be emotional and might be wrong, but I didn’t imply misdiagnosis, just delay in diagnosis. Certainly if MP listened to advice to treat his problems with rehab, it’s not the Cubs fault. It always boils down to the patient’s decision when it comes to elective surgery.

And last, but not least from Mr. Carroll:

And my “wrong” statement was stronger than I liked. I just want to make it clear that there wasn’t a “misdiagnosis” here. Believe me, I understand the frustration of this thing dragging on and on. I had to write about this thing every day it seems!

Oh and one last thing — the links I did on my Unfiltered post didn’t match up well. I thought the big filetted shoulders looked cool though and would reinforce just how serious this type of thing is. (Dr Hecht, feel free to email me directly anytime.)

When in doubt, trust the diploma! As our very own Dr. Hecht did say, Prior could have fallen walking his dog, but it's far more likely that the collision between him and Marcus Giles was the beginning of the end...at least for his Cubs career.

Comments

It was however the beginning of the beginning of the “Mark Prior is a/an (effeminate term)” or “Mark Prior strained his (random female body part)” posts that never really seemed to get old.

It's been five years so here's what the collision looked like http://i.xanga.com/Starlix/Prior%20collision.jpg Clearly, Prior is about to land directly on his shoulder. Which is what we all saw at the time. Why only fans thought this was troublesome is beyond my ken. At the time there was much more general concern for Marcus Giles who was knocked out (ironically replaced by Mark DeRosa) and taken to the hospital. Reports said he appeared to take Prior's knee directly to the face. A sane manager, but we're talking Dusty Baker here, would have immediately replaced Prior as well but Baker left him in the game until his shoulder stiffened in the fifth. Oh yeah, Prior was out for interference on the play. It was all so unnecessary.

At the risk of bringing up a sore subject again, could this be evidence of some performance - enhancing drug use earlier in his career? If not, and the chief reason appears to be the collision on the base paths, then that truly does suck. No reason he should have still been in that game, I remember screaming at the manager (whom I will not name here) to yank him the hell outta there.

For all the flack he has taken about not "manning up". Prior obviously had a serious injury that needed to be taken care of. Who's fault is it that it took 3-5 years to discover the injury?

be caused by colliding with a 5'7'' second baseman who one Cub's Blogger had a serious man crush on? It would just be typical Cubs if the Giles play did that and the idiotic unlicensed trainer Dusty brought over did not detect an issue.

Congrats to Griffey..... just like Maddux, in this era, it's hard to root against the guy.

is will carroll still trying to be the "guy you call when you need a medical/stats baseball prediction dude on your radio/tv show" guy, btw? mmm professional branding.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I was going to say something to that effect, but you beat me to it. I've probably done more than enough to establish my feelings on Mr. Carroll around here. I find it wierd that everybody calls HIM about injuries to pitchers despite not being a doctor or a pitcher.

Now, how they didn't discover this with his first surgery, you got me... --------------------- I'm not so sure this was an issue at the first surgery. It's unlikely that this would have been missed the first time around and I do believe it's a new finding. Sorry if I subsequently use too many anatomic/medical terms but I can translate later if anyone has questions. Remember the first surgery was a capsular tightening apparently to treat a chronic Bankart lesion (a detachment of the labrum and main stabilizing ligaments of the anterior shoulder particularly the middle/inferior glenohumeral ligaments) . This procedure took redundant capsule tissue and reattached it to the front of the glenoid (socket). So tearing the anterior capsule off the humerus is pretty far from where the capsular work that was done in the first surgery (almost the other end of the shoulder capsule joint attachment but still in the front or anterior capsule). It tearing in this location might be related to the capsule now being tight and when stretched during his current rehab, just happened to be the weakest place where something could give. Still it's a pretty unusual site to tear. I would have thought it would re-tear in the area adjacent to the repair, near the glenoid.

translate means... if you don't understand chinese, someone who does will tell you what it means. Confucius

according to Rotoworld with a sprained middle finger. One of the posters over at NSBB is saying the rumor in STL is that the tendon is ruptured to in a simlair fashion to Zumaya (who missed 4 months).

It wouldn't show up on an xray. It might show up on a MRI. The results of the most recent MRI apparently were read as an anterior capsular tear but they didn't indicate more precisely where in the anterior capsule. Sometimes MRI's are done with dye injected into the joint to enhance the imaging (MRI/Arthrogram). Not sure if that was done, but it doesn't sound like it. It took an MRI arthrogram to diagnose Kerry Wood's rotator cuff tear. Of course he didn't get surgery for it (his surgery was for a labrum tear and no cuff tear was seen at the time of his arthroscopy).

Cincy's JHJ with a fractured thumb. Voodoo doll, no? Who's next in line for their shortstop job?

If the Giles run in really is the cause for the shortened, if not completely ended, of what could have been great career for a young man that really is a shame. We all knew he wasn't going to throw for the cubs ever again, i just hope he can get his shoulder in order and make a living once again... erm, should i say EARN a living once again...

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8225468/Fresh-relievers-will-be-in-d… some sort of Roberts for Weeks talk and this: One thing is certain: The Orioles no longer can get the same deal for Roberts that the Cubs offered during the off-season. One reported package included right-hander Sean Gallagher, shortstop Ronny Cedeno, Class AA left-hander Donald Veal and Class A righty Jose Ceda; another proposal substituted outfielder Matt Murton for Veal, according to a source. Cedeno since has emerged as a valued utility man who can play three infield positions and help spell shortstop Ryan Theriot, who batted .202 last September. Gallagher, meanwhile, is showing progress in the Cubs' rotation and drawing raves from new teammate Jim Edmonds. "He's the first guy I've seen in a while with Carpenter stuff," Edmonds says, referring to his former Cardinals teammate, Chris Carpenter. I guess Gammons mentioned something about Burnett, Meche or Wolf being possible Cubs targets on the broadcast Sunday night.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"One reported package included..." yeah, one of 10,000 reported packages...they kinda went for a sensational group of "could have beens" in that article. veal, gallagher, AND ceda...oh wait...AND cedeno, too. reminds me of some of the j.santana rumor offers before he went to the mets. either way, though...it would have probably involved at least a couple of those guys. not like he was gonna go cheap.

I would take one more starting pitcher and I would be happy with this team in the playoffs. No not Traschel!!

I still think we could use another bat to upgrade at either SS or CF. It would be nice to have a Crawford or H. Ramirez type player around for when the offense sputters, as it has been doing so lately. Yes, neither of those players are available, and it would be difficult to get anyone similar to them, but if we're talking about wishes, that's one of mine. I would agree that starting pitching is more of a concern however.

[ ]

In reply to by Little Nate Lewis

because Sabathia has yet to show this season he is worth the haul the Tribe will want for him. With the Phillies as are main challenge in the NL right now, I would like to have his groundball machine right arm on the hill in Game 3 of the NLCS at the Citizen's Bank Park. Also with the Dodgers lacking solid back of the rotation options for next season I think we can make a deal work. Lowe for Sean Marshall and a B grade prospect seems fair.

Wow, good catch, Dr. And, who wants to bet it isn't "genetic looseness", but an old injury. Who wants to bet he'll eventually get back to pitching and only be mediocre? Of course, I hope for the best for him, but still...

chifan i would agree the phillies are our top competition and if dodgers drop off lowe could be a good pickup definately playoff experienced.

noticed the iowa cubs played i think the cardinals team both teams had a hoffpauir in the lineup arethey related?

thank you navigator i thought that was a definate possibility micah definately got the size lefthandedness and power in that family. heres hoping he is in toronto on friday

Very late with this -- but, when I heard the Cubs were making Wood the closer, my "best case scenario" vision looked exactly like the 9th inning Sunday. Dominant, efficient and pounding the strike zone. 95+ mph fastball, nasty slider, batters helpless. Miller and Morgan were falling all over themselves gushing over his stuff. Hopefully, he is building confidence and comfort in the role. Edmonds is growing on me -- not only his bat, but to go out of his way to compare Gallager to Carpenter has got to give Sean a big boost of confidence. He was also apparently the first guy to grab an Iowa "Gallagher" jersey to wear under his Cubs uniform, and others joined in. Good stuff.

A GOLDEN OLDIE FROM THE TCR VAULTS...

Arizona Phil — February 19, 2008 @ 8:27 pm response to:

Rob G. — February 19, 2008 @ 7:32 pm Is Jarrett Hoffpauir related to Micah?

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

ROB G: No. Jarrett’s older brother is Josh Hoffpauir, a 2B who played in the A’s organization a few years ago. Josh is now an assistant baseball coach at Southern Missisippi.

Jarrett and Josh are from Vidalia,LA, where their dad is head baseball coach at Vidalia HS. Jarrett was an All-American 2B at Southern Miss (where Josh also played college ball), and resembles Mike Fontenot.

Conversely, Micah is from Jacksonville, TX, and is a 6′3″ strapping 1st baseman. If Will Ohman is a total jerk (which he is), then Micah Hoffpauir is a total nice guy, just a good ol’ boy from Texas.

Hoff-POWER!

AZ PHIL: How would yoyu compare Olka. State's former standout, and Cubs prospect, to EPat? I have read Cubs scouting reports that Thomas is super speedy, nice glove, and terrific arm. But, as you know, EPat is a lefty, and already at AAA - also, the team has, like 35 2B players already... What say ye PHIL? CUBSTER - check your email. ROB G. - Glad you had a fun and a big W.

It pays to edit. I was meaning Tony Thomas, if you could not guess this from the above. Sorry!

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.