Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
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, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024

* 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
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 12
Kevin Alcantara, OF
Michael Arias, P
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF
Jose Cuas, P
Brennen Davis, OF
Porter Hodge, P
* Luke Little, P
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B
Daniel Palencia, P
Luis Vazquez, INF
Hayden Wesneski, P

10-DAY IL: 1
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL:
* Justin Steele, P

60-DAY IL: 2
Caleb Kilian, P
Julian Merryweather, P

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft
Minor League Free-Agents

Lee and Ramirez Power Cubs Past Angels

Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez each had three hits and two RBI, leading the Cubs to an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Tempe's Diablo Stadium today. box score I wasn't at the game, so you'll have to check with those who heard the game on the radio or who saw it for the exact particulars. I do know that Jason Marquis was the starting pitcher for the Cubs, and he went 4.1 IP, giving up seven hits, four runs (all earned), two walks, and two HR, plus two K. Just like in his last start, Marquis apparently pitched fairly well, but was victimized by the Gopher Ball. Three of the runs he allowed scored as the result of home runs (a solo HR by Vladimir Guerrero with two outs in the 1st, and a two-run shot by Garrett Anderson in the 4th). But Marquis did finish with an 8/3 GB/FB, so apparently his sinker was working most of the time. I was at the minor camp at Fitch Park today, and watched the AAA and AA games. There were no players from the big league camp there today, and there was also no sign of the four who got sent down by the Cubs earlier today (Felix Pie, Les Walrond, Tomas Perez, and Koyie Hill). However, I would expect them to be with the Iowa club by tomorrow. In today's AAA game at Fitch Field #3, the Iowa Cubs dropped a 5-2 decision to the Sacramento River Cats (OAK). LHP B. J. Mathes (who was a rotation starter at AA West Tenn last year) got the start for Iowa, and retired the first nine batters he faced and looked very good in the process. However, he ran into all kinds of trouble in the 4th, and was removed with only one out in the 5th (4.1 IP) after allowing four hits, three runs (earned), and one walk, with three K. Cory Bailey, Bobby Brownlie, and Hector Almonte finished up, and Almonte (a refugee from the Mexican League) was actually somewhat awful (2.0 IP, two H, two runs, two walks, and a HR). Bobby Brownlie looked OK, though (1.2 IP, one hit, a K, 3/1 GB/FB). On offense, Iowa got a solo HR and a double from 3B Scott Moore (and he was also thrown out at the plate on a line single to the outfield by Mike Fontenot), a single and a double (and run scored) from 1B Micah Hoffpauir (with his stroke and power and hustling attitude, if they can get him some PT in LF at Iowa this season, I can envision Hoffpauir as a future MLB-caliber 1B-LF-LHPH bench guy), and a double from 2B Eric Patterson (who also bobbled one ball at second-base, but it was ruled a hit). Casey McGehee was the starting catcher, and he handled himself pretty well behind the plate for a guy who is learning the nuances of a new position, although the River Cats were two-for-two against him in SB attempts. With Pie, T. Perez, and K. Hill expected to arrive at the minor league camp (probably) tomorrow, erstwhile Iowa Cubs like outfielders Josh Kroeger (ex-AZ OF who has had a nice ST) and Val Pascucci (ex-MON and Japanese league RF who hasn't), IF-OF Gary Cates (the #1 utility guy at AA West Tenn last year), and catcher Tony Richie (the back-up catcher at AA West Tenn last year) are probably "on the bubble," with their best hope an assignment to AA, although a release is also a possibility. It's also possible that Mike Fontenot will get traded sometime prior to Opening Day, maybe to another organization's AAA club where he can play 2B every day (Eric Patterson has sewn-up that gig at Iowa), although Fontenot did play SS today, and I guess he possibly could remain with the Iowa Cubs if he can beat-out Carlos Rojas for the starting SS job or Tomas Perez for the infield utility job. The problem is, he's not exactly built to play SS, and he isn't really versatile or athletic enough to play multiple positions, either. He's basically a second-baseman. Period. In the AA game on Fitch Park Field #2, the Tennessee Smokies beat the Midland RockHounds 9-2. RHP Justin Berg (the guy the Cubs got from NYY for Matt Lawton a couple of years ago, and a rotation starter at Daytona last year) pitched VERY well, struggling a little bit in the first inning, but then settling down and dealing the rest of the way. For the day, Berg went 5.0 IP, allowing only three hits, one run (earned), a walk, and four K. He also got a ton of ground balls in his last three innings, as the Cubs (as an organization) seem to be encouraging pitchers to "pound the strike zone" with two-seamers. LHP Jerry Blevins worked two innings (no runs, three hits, a couple of Ks), as did RHP John Webb (one run, two doubles, a walk, and a WP). The Smokies were really cookin' at bat today, putting up a "six spot" in the bottom of the first, capped by a bases-loaded RBI triple by SS Joe Simokaitis. Other Smokies who had days of note at the plate include catcher Jake Fox (RBI double), RF Matt Ciaramella (three singles and an RBI), 1B Brian Dopirak (RBI single), DH Issmael Salas (RBI single), and rookie CF Edgar Herrera (signed out of the Dominican Republic just last August), who had a single and two RBI--and constantly missed the cut-off man or threw to the wrong base--while spending the day with the AA team. For anyone planning to attend the Cubs minor league ST games tomorrow, the AAA/AA road games at the Angels Diablo Complex and the A+/A home games at Fitch Park will start an hour earlier than usual (high noon). And Manny Trillo might want to get himself a plane ticket to Mesa, because Carlos Zambrano will be pitching in a minor league ST game at Fitch Park versus either the Giants' AAA team (Fresno Grizzlies) or AA team (Connnecticut Defenders on Wednesday (so that Mark Prior can start the Cubs MLB ST game versus COL at HoHoKam). The Chicago Cubs return to HoHoKam Park tomorrow, where they will face the Kansas City Royals (who will be making their one and only visit to Mesa this year). Rich Hill is supposed to be the starter for the Cubs. FWIW, Hill has yet to allow a walk this ST in 10.0 IP.

Comments

Recent comments

Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:25 pm (view)

Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?
I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.
Charlie 04/19/2024 - 04:19 pm (view)

Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH.
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:06 pm (view)

Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.
The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.
I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.
Arizona Phil 04/19/2024 - 04:43 pm (view)

Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical).

And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical).

And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day.

That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled).
Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:51 am (view)

Indeed they do TJW!
For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.
That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.
Childersb3 04/19/2024 - 04:45 am (view)

The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18. We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:21 am (view)

Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.
If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.
Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.
Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!
Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:57 am (view)

That’s just kinda how it works though, for every team. No team plays their best guys all the time. No team is comprising of their best 26 even removing injuries.
When baseball became a business, like REALLY a business, it became important to keep some of the vets happy, which in turn keeps agents happy and keeps the team with a good reputation among players and agents. No one wants to play for a team that has a bad reputation in the same way no one wants to work for a company that has a bad rep.
Don’t get me wrong, I hate it too. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
On that topic, I find it silly the Cubs brought up Canario to sit as much as he has. He’s going to get Velazquez’d, and it’s a shame.
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:46 am (view)

Of course, McKinstry runs circles around $25 million man Javier Baez on that Tigers team. Guess who gets more playing time?
But I digress…
Sonicwind75 04/19/2024 - 04:00 am (view)

Seems like Jed was trying to corner the market on mediocre infielders with last names starting with "M" in acquiring Madrigal, Mastroboney and Zach McKinstry.

At least he hasn't given any of them a Bote-esque extension.