Cubs MLB Roster

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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

Chee and How

Yesterday was the last Cubs EXST game for two visitors from another country, two aspiring baseball players who have been working out with the Cubs Extended Spring Training contingent at Fitch Park in Mesa the past couple of weeks. The National Baseball Team of the Peoples Republic of China arrived at Scottsdale Community College for Spring Training last month, led by head coach (and ex-Cub manager) Jim Lefebvre and pitching coach (and ex-MLB LHP) Bruce Hurst. They played games against various minor league ST squads and college teams in Arizona, before having their team split up and sent to various MLB EXST camps, with the team's players (and Chinese translators) assigned to the MLB clubs who expressed an interest in the program. The Cubs EXST contingent at Fitch Park was lucky enough to get two of China's better players, outfielder Qi Ze (pronounced "Chee") and catcher Hao Guo-chen (they call him "How"). A 22-year old lanky left-handed hitter who reminds me a LOT of Tyler Colvin, Qi Ze is probably the best prospect in China, and I can see why. He is fast and a good base-runner (although he almost got himself killed in collision at 1st base the other day while hustling to beat out a grounder to third), with a strong arm and plus-power. He has a lot of trouble tracking and catching line drives and fly balls, however (not that the Cubs would necessarily think that's a bad thing), but he is a converted first-baseman learning a new position. Besides his outfield defense, Ze needs to work on his hitting and pitch selection, but he looks like he could be a fine multi-tool MLB player some day. Nimble and athletic, Hao still needs to work on his set-up and catching machanics, but he is cat-quick with a strong arm, and (like Ze) has plus-power. If he were a member of the Cubs organization, he would probably immediately become the Cubs #1 catching prospect. China played in the World Baseball Classic last year, and they got smoked by Korea, Japan, and Taiwan by a combined score of 40-6. Then I saw a younger Chinese National team play in the Arizona Instructional League last October, and they played somewhat better than the WBC team, although still not great. And now I have seen the two Chinese players the Cubs had in their EXST camp the past couple of weeks, and I am impressed. They are raw, but have tremendous potential. Having a chance to play with and against young U. S. and Latin minor leaguers has really seemed to help the Chinese players develop their skills, while also helping them learn how to act like professional baseball players. (KEY PHRASE: "Please pass the sunflower seeds") The Chinese National Baseball team is preparing for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and while the Chinese players have a strong allegiance to their country, and while China's ambition is to develop the pre-eminent national baseball team in Asia, it's also true that (barring a reprieve) 2008 is the last year that baseball will be an olympic sport. So it's possible that Chinese officials might allow some of the better Chinese players to get a shot at playing professional baseball in Japan or in the U. S. in 2009. Hopefully somebody with the Cubs has been on the horn with Pacific Rim Scouting Coordinator Steve Wilson, suggesting he might want to maybe look into establishing and developing a positive relationship with China's Minister of Baseball. "Chee" and "How" would look great in Cubs uniforms (well, actually, they already HAVE looked great in Cubs uniforms!). There is raw baseball talent in China. It just needs to be acquired, developed and refined. Obviously, it's not Japan or the Dominican Republic, or even Korea or Taiwan. At least not yet. But the next new thing in MLB might be the mining of baseball talent from the People's Republic of China. And I hope the Cubs get their foot in the door before other clubs get ther first.

Comments

so if I understand this right, these players are under government control? Someone send in Jack Bauer!!!

How about this one. Major League Baseball can pretend to be as socially conscience as they want but as long as we play against the Chinese National Team, they (MLB) are 100% full of shit.

"Someone send in Jack Bauer!!!" WHERE'S LEFEBVRE!?! Either you're going to tell me where I can find Lefebvre, or I'm going to start cutting your fingers off one by one. NOW TELL ME WHERE TO FIND LEFEBVRE!

Chad... just curious. Do you also think that the US should not send an Olympic team to China in '08?

Seriously? Why? Because they are Communists? Or because of their human rights issues? (and no... those two things are not the same)

My comment may have been unclear. If I were President in 08 (it will still be W - for better or worse) I would not allow the team to go. In fact, when they were up for that bid, I would have told the IOC that we will boycott all Olympics if China was considered.

China has "most favored nation" trade status with our govenment right now. I highly doubt they would boycott a sporting event and embarrass our biggest economic partner.

these guys dad is my lawyer...from the firm of: Dewey, Chee, Tam & How

Dave, 1. Human rights 2. Totalitarian Communism Those reasons, in that order. And Aaron, what you said is correct and the very reason that we won't boycott. Doesn't me it's right, though. And Cubster, the old joke is "Dewey, Cheatum & Howe"

“Dewey, Cheatum & Howe” I knew that but Az Phil's article was Chee & How (I'm sure Phil knew that too). By the way Phil, Bob/Len said that ER "Salty" Saltwell is in attendance at tonight's Cub/Braves game. A blast from the past!

Recent comments

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I really am not interested in the wesneski head case experience again any time soon. Give me smyly over wesneski. Hell give me keegan Thompson over wesneski every day of the week. His stuff isn’t as good but at least he doesn’t melt down mentally every time something goes mildly awry. 

  • crunch (view)

    they might not want to start the clock on brown and give us wesn.  hopefully it won't come to that.

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal ground rule double!

    he blows a play and hits a double.  we're getting bizarro madrigal.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Close up video shows Steele saying to the Trainer "no it just cramped up"

    Hope so

    Ben Brown and not Smyly please

  • crunch (view)

    agreed and agreed.

    he walked off on his own, but we may not find out for a few days how this will impact the club.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    Looked like a hamstring rather than a knee, not sure if that’s better or worse. 

  • crunch (view)

    steele leaves the game with a hamstring or knee injury.  sigh.

  • crunch (view)

    ...and a madrigal "non-error" leads to a sac fly for a tie game.  nice.

    having a ball clank off your glove, but still getting it count as a hit because it was hit hard is a nice stats gift.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    For sure. This lineup isn’t exactly stacked as is, and subbing out a Cooper or even a Tauchman for Madrigal won’t do it any favors.

  • crunch (view)

    the ESPN bottom graphic taking up 1/8th of the screen sucks.

    i only use ESPN during baseball season and i'm forced to watch a baseball broadcast designed to be broadcast in sports bars and betting parlors where the news/scores of other games is as important as what you're actually tuned in to watch.