Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

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

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

International Signing Bonus Pool

INTERNATIONAL SIGNING BONUS POOL 

There is a maximum limit on the aggregate amount of money each MLB club can pay as signing bonuses to international first-year players.

1. Each MLB club is assigned an "International Signing Bonus Pool" (ISBP) prior to the start of the International Signing Period (ISP).
NOTE: The Cubs 2024 ISBP is $5,152,500 (it was $5,284,000 in 2023).  

2023 ISP

$7,114,800 for an MLB club that has a selection in Competitive Balance Round "B" (between the 2nd & 3rd rounds) of the MLB Rule 4 Draft;

$6,520,000 for an MLB club that has a selection in Competitive Balance Round "A" (between the 1st & 2nd rounds) of the MLB Rule 4 Draft; 

$5,925,000 for an MLB club that does not receive Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) revenue sharing; 

$5,152,500 for an MLB club that does not receive CBT revenue sharing that signed a post-2022 Article XX-B Qualified Player to a 2023 MLB contract (this includes the Cubs);  

$4,652,200 for an MLB club that is a CBT payor that signed a post-2022 Article XX-B Qualified Player to a 2023 MLB contract.   

2. Any signing bonus of $10,000 or less does not count toward a club's ISBP limit. 

3. An MLB club (excluding clubs that receive CBT revenue sharing and MLB Rule 4 Competitive Balance draft picks) that signs an Article XX-B Qualified Player (not including its own Qualified Players) will have $500,000 subtracted from its assigned International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) in the next International Signing Period (ISP) for each Qualified Player signed, and an MLB club that is a Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payor (club's payroll from the previous season exceeded the CBT threshold) would have $1,000,000 subtracted from its ISBP in the next ISP for each Qualified Player signed. (The Competitive Balance Tax threshold is $230M in 2022, $233M in 2023, $237M in 2024, $241M in 2025, and will be $244M in 2026). So if the Cubs sign an Article XX-B  Qualified Player post-2022, $500K will be subtracted from their ISBP in the 2024 ISP. 

POST-2022 ARTICLE XX-B QUALIFIED PLAYERS SIGNED BY CUBS (last updated 12-21-2022): 
Dansby Swanson, INF   

4. A club can carry-over up to $400K in ISBP space from one ISP to the next ISP if a contract or contracts signed by a player or players is/are voided after the conclusion of the ISP during which the contract or contracts was/were signed. The amount of ISBP space carried-over from the previous ISP must match the amount of ISBP space that was deducted from the club's ISBP after the player or players signed their contracts. If the amount of ISBP space deducted exceeded $400K, the amount of ISBP space in excess of $400K that is carried-over to the next ISP will be divided up into 29 equal amounts and added to the ISBP of the other 29 MLB clubs. 
NOTE: A club's right to carry-over ISBP space from one ISP to the next ISP only applies to contracts that are voided as the result of the player failing his physical or being unable to obtain a visa to the U. S. or if an investigation by the MLB Commissioner determines the player falsified his age and/or identity prior to signing the contract. It does not apply to contracts voided by the MLB Commissioner as a result of a rules violation by the club.

6. The MLB Commissioner can order a club to forfeit up to 50% of its assigned ISBP from one or more ISP and/or one or more player contract(s) can be voided if it is determined that a club and/or a player or players attempted to circumvent the international signing bonus rules.

ISBP RESTRICTIONS/EXCEPTIONS

1. A international first-year player subject to ISBP restrictions cannot be signed to a Major League contract.

2. A player age 25 or older who has spent all or part of at least six seasons playing in an MLB-recognized foreign professional or "major" league is considered to be a "Foreign Professional" player. A "Foreign Professional" is not subject to ISBP international first-year player restrictions and can sign a Major League or minor league contract with any MLB organization without restriction. A signing bonus paid to a "Foreign Professional" does - NOT - count against the club’s ISBP.
NOTE: Beginning with the 2018-19 ISP, any "Foreign Professional" player under contract to a Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (Mexican League) club can sign a Major League or minor league contract with any MLB organization after the conclusion of the LMB season (including post-season), or (with consent of the player's LMB club) during the LMB season. If an MLB club signs an LMB player with "Foreign Professional" player status, the MLB club must pay the LMB club a one-time release fee equal to 15% of the total value of the contract if the player signs a Major League contract or 35% of the total value of the contract if the player signs a minor league contract. No release fee would be paid by the MLB club if the player's contract has expired or if the contract had been terminated by the LMB club prior to the MLB club offering a contract to the player.     

3. A player under contract to a Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (Mexican League) club who has not yet reached "Foreign Professional" player status may sign a minor league contract with an MLB organization - IF - the LMB club agrees to release the player so that he can sign with the MLB club. The Mexican League club would receive a one-time release fee equal to 35% of the total value of the contract (by rule an international player who is not yet a "Foreign Professional" cannot sign a Major League contract). The release fee paid by an MLB club to an LMB club does - NOT - count against the MLB club's ISBP. 
NOTE: Prior to the 2018-19 ISP, up to 75% of a signing bonus paid to a Mexican League player (or a player under contractual control of an LMB club) who had not yet reached "Foreign Professional" player status did not count against the MLB club's ISBP if the signing bonus was paid to the Mexican League club and not directly to the player and the player received no more than 25% of the signing bonus from the Mexican League club. 

TRADING/ACQUIRING ISBP SPACE:

Trading ISBP space was prohibited in both the 2021 and 2022 ISP. 

BEGINNING IN 2023

An MLB club can trade up to 100% of its ISBP, and a club can acquire up to 60% of its assigned ISBP via trade or trades.

While up to 100% of a club's originally-assigned ISBP (plus up to an additional 60% of the club's originally-assigned ISBP that might be acquired in a trade or trades) can be traded, there are some restrictions:

1. A club's ISBP (or a portion of it) can only be traded during the International Signing Period (ISP) to which the ISBP was assigned (January 15th through  December 15th);

2. A club can trade ISBP space only in increments of $250K (including multiples of $250K) unless the club was trading all of its remaining ISBP in one transaction.

3. A club's ISBP (or a portion of it) cannot be sold for cash. However, cash can be exchanged if it is used to offset the salary or salaries of a player or players acquired in return for the SBV;

4. A club's ISBP (or a portion of it) cannot be substituted for a "Player to Be Named Later" (PTBNL);

5. Another club's ISBP (or a portion of it) acquired in a trade CAN be traded ("flipped") to a third club.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).