Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 


Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
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Cubs vs. Guardians: Series Thread (Games 80-82)

Submitted by Charlie on


The suffered a sweep at the hands of Kyle Schwarber and thr Phillies. They'll pass the regular season's halfway mark in a weekend series against the Guardians. See below for matchups.

Game 80, Friday, June 30, 1:20 pm central
CHC: LHP Justin Steele (8-2, 2.62 ERA)
CLE: RHP Cal Quantrill (2-4, 5.61 ERA)

Game 81, Saturday, July 1, 6:15 pm central
CHC: RHP Marcus Stroman (9-4, 2.47 ERA)
CLE: RHP Tanner Bibee (4-2, 3.79 ERA)

Game 82, Sunday, July 2, 1:20 pm central
CHC: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-6, 6.90 ERA)
CLE: RHP Aaron Civale (2-2, 3.18 ERA)

Tags
2023 Series Thread
Cleveland Guardians

Comments

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Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:45 pm

fyi to anyone posting Twitter links.  starting today (July 1st) Twitter has decided you need a Twitter account to view tweets...or whatever they're called.

the text from the tweet shows up on TCR posts, but the images and format doesn't unless you have an account (as a reader/end-user).  clicking through takes you to an error page if you don't have an account.

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 06/30/2023 - 06:24 pm

a.chapman from KC to TEX...the trade season begins.  fwiw, the haul KC got (especially giving him up this early) isn't very great, but that tracks with teams not over-paying in trades the past few years.

they got a 17 year old (18 in a few days) domincan league CF'r (roni cabrera) and a mlb-ready lefty reliever that hasn't lived up to his potential the past 1.5 seasons in the bigs (cole ragans)

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 06/30/2023 - 06:51 pm

going into july and last place in the NL Central is the cubs and cards.  crazy.  as bad as it's been for the cubs, i'm still having a hard time believing how terrible the cards are...

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:41 pm

chip caray on STL broadcast up-selling STL leading the yanks and CIN losing to SD...doing all kinds of mental gymnastics on why this even matters.

STL and CHC leadership is having a hard time with CIN/MIL/PIT doing anything better than them and pretty much expect them to collapse for weeks/months now.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:55 pm

"amaya is hitting near .400 ob%, so the plan is to get him about 10 plate appearances a week." - the cubs, probably...

morel in RF, suzuki DH, young 1st...

Submitted by Childersb3 on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:43 pm

Someone tweeted yesterday that Madrigal was giving off Don Kessinger vibes.

My father was 13 yrs old in 1969. If I had told him about that tweet, I think he would have stormed out of his house and walked around for a good long while. 

Even if the stats make this claim legitimate, the comparison is irrelevant. Kessinger was a MIF. Madrigal is now a Cr IF. So Madrigal needs to be like Ron Santo and hit for Slug/Power/RBIs. Nico and Dansby are here to be the new Beckert/Kessinger MIF Tandem.

Instead of using this season to develop Morel into a useful 3B, Jed/Ross are rolling with an at best 715 OPS 3B. That 715 OPS would be amazing for Madrigal. That's league average or worse.

So, we weren't from Aramis Ramirez to Kris Bryant to below average at 3B? Come on Jed!!

You're lineup issues start with 3B, move over to 1B and end with LF/RF Happ and Suzuki. Those two have to SLUG and RBI heavily to cover up for 3B and 1B under production.

And don't get me started on the DH spot. Find the Schwarber please!! Power LH bat. Don't care about the average or OBP. Just Slug, HR and RBIs.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:02 pm

morel having a steady middle-IF quality glove and a powerful arm while not being allowed to create his game at 3rd is strange to me.  he obviously has the tools you look for in a 3rd baseman.  the team had aram playing 3rd for many seasons and though he wasn't a great 3rd, he overcame most of his shortcomings there with a good arm (2009 shoulder and 2010 triceps issues hindered that) and a powerful bat.

i mean, i'm sure i don't know everything about why he's not being given the shot, but i've seen very little out of him that makes me think it's not the best chance to get him into the game while giving the overall lineup construction a better chance.

madrigal is a better 3rd, i'll give him that.  he's also hitting hot enough he deserves to play.  that's besides the point, though...even if madrigal was doing worse he would probably get more shots at 3rd over morel based on what we've been seeing all year.

[ ]

Submitted by Childersb3 on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:46 pm

If Madrigal was our 2B then his hitting is perfectly fine. Maybe even our SS. But 3B is an RBI production spot. And our 3B guy is hitting 9th.

If Morel could play 3B, then our DH spot opens up to Amaya or a guy like Perlaza maybe. A LH bat with pop. If our 3B and DH spots were producing more RBIs, then the pressure on Happ and Suzuki in the Cr OF spots isn't as pronounced as it currently is.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:23 pm

weather delay...  it's 2023, let's dome up wrigley...put a big ol' insurance ad on the roof...maybe another digital scoreboard up there, too...a DraftKings enclosed catwalk with ATM machines...

Submitted by Cubster on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:51 pm

National Anthem started at 8:50 cst. Listening on the Wrigley Cam even though Marquee network is highlighting Greg Maddux.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 07/01/2023 - 07:21 pm

rosenthal talking about the cubs not wanting extension talks with stroman right now means little to me given how much high quality FA pitching is coming to the FA market (as of now), but hearing next year's payroll depends on how this season ends is a f'n joke.  once again, this team isn't hurting for money, revenue streams, or valuation.

Submitted by azbobbop on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:06 pm

If there is a Stroman trade (ugh) to be made, Baltimore would be a prime target. Their system is loaded.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:51 pm

That's why I said Stroman and Barnhart,  because you'd get his personal catcher/ backup catcher (could switch to Gomes), and Stroman is one you could convince potentially to sign for the future; also, Mayo is their 7th ranked prospect, and second or third ranked 3B prospect............

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:47 pm

They’re unlikely to trade Mayo for a rental. You’d need to look more in the mid-teens to high twenties in their system to see what we’d get for a rental piece. And if we’re also dumping a negative value player like Barnhart on them, who is under contract for next year, that will lower the value we receive in return. The Cubs have more money than plenty of countries in the world, they can afford to eat Barnhart’s contract without lessening the value of actual trade pieces.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:15 pm

True. If Barnhart would be considered a negative value, then perhaps Gomes, or an ancillary piece like Merriweather or Leiter Jr., or anyone Baltimore may value; but Mayo would be my main target if I were the Cubs, and Baltimore may need starting pitching more than other teams. Maybe throw in Hendricks or Smyly with Stroman, and get Mayo with some other prospects as well? I remember us trading Samardizja and Hammel for Russell, although, Russell was more highly regarded than Mayo is now, even though Mayo is seemingly better than Russell to me.......

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:40 pm

Yes but that trade was a decade ago. Teams don’t think that way now. And Samardzija wasn’t a rental.

Baltimore has plenty of SP but no ace at the moment, though Tyler Wells may be emerging as one.

I’d be pretty surprised if they traded Mayo for Stroman. Maybe if we trade Stroman, one of the RP, plus eat the majority of Stroman’s remaining contract. But that’s our top trade piece and another good trade piece for one guy. And I still don’t think Baltimore does it. It doesn’t matter that he’s blocked. It’s about talent hoarding. He’s the number 78 overall prospect. I’d be shocked if he’s moved for a rental of any kind. If you’re looking at that level of prospect, I think teams would be looking more at Justin Steele.

Side note: I absolutely hate that we need to be approaching another trade deadline like this. This organization drives me nuts.

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:54 pm

Totally agree, my main thought is they need to find some way to get Mayo, unless they feel they already have the solution at 3B by 2025 in the system; so unless Vasquez is going to move to 3B, or they see someone at South Bend being the solution long-term (and in this scenario finding a DH or 1B or OF or SP is not really what we need), so finding a 3B should be top priority. If we have to trade three pieces and eat some money, that would be ideal.

As for your last point, which I also totally agree with; I would approach it like we were in the process of getting back in shape correlating to getting back to the World Series: it's hard not to want to just go full bore and make a bunch of moves and signings, i.e.: just start aggressively working out and being in the gym long periods of time for 5 to 6 days, but if you're not there yet you're not there yet, change happens when change happens, it's a process, look at the destination and have good framework and healthy incremental goals, the goal would be to compete for 3 to 6 years not for 1 to 2 years, so being patient is painful but necessary, and if the last few years were wasteful or mismanaged, just focus on getting better now and into the future.

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:02 pm

This organization has so much money that they should never be punting seasons before the season begins. I’m not talking LA or NYY, but they should be in the same ballpark as teams like Boston or the GD fartbirds in STL. I’d contend that not only has there been mismanagement, that mismanagement is still present.

As for looking for a 3B, it’s perfectly possible that the solution at 3B is in the organization, they just might not be playing 3B. Could be Hernandez if the FO figures out how to develop him. Same for Triantos. I personally have little faith in the FO to do so, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility. Prospecting isn’t entirely about current position. Hoard talent and it will sort itself out.

That said, if you want someone at Mayo’s level , prepare for it to hurt. Not Stroman hurt. Steele hurt.

 

[ ]

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:21 pm

Definitely mismanagement, but losing Steele to correct that feels like it would be worse overall. It seems like all the moves made into this year were to see if they could put something crazy successful together, but more likely set up to sell at the deadline and see what 2024 looks like. There's definitely way more talent development and projection in the minor league system this year than last year, and it looks like there's quite a few guys set up to God-willing contribute in 2024 and definitely 2025 that don't have to come from outside the organization. If they're setting all this up to prayerfully sign Otani (either by design, or stumbling into it), then I feel like it's worth it, as there's not much more that can be done for 2023. At this point, hoarding more talent by acquiring it now, and then sorting it out this off season and into 2024 may be the most beneficial route long-term.

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:04 pm

Now on Marquee, Tarp coming off. Est start is 6pm cst.

also Stroman, Steele and Swanson go to the ASG. 

Submitted by Cubster on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:23 pm

Kris Bryant is back from his heel bruise issue. Missed almost all of June but did get two singles today. 

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:29 pm

morel's first shot at fielding a ball and he double clutches and throws wide of 1st.  no error on the play, but probably should have been an error rather than a hit.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:32 pm

at this point in 2023, if a team is facing taillon and a manager doesn't put every lefty bat he has in the lineup it's a missed opportunity.  he is absolutely ineffective against them.

Submitted by Eric S on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:54 pm

Taillon and a five inning, 5 to 6 earned runs outing is possibly more on schedule than the trains in Germany - Impressive!

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:31 pm

a morel walk-off grand slam would be the most morel thing ever.  i'll settle for a 3 RBI triple and stealing home.

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:59 pm

that was not fun, momentarily fun, then not fun again.

cubs are 6 games under .500

Submitted by Childersb3 on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 07:20 pm

Chances that Ross noticed 1B was open and he could've walked Naylor there? Naylor had 58 RBIs with a 290 ave. Bell on deck has a 228 ave with 38 RBIs. Girardi was begging for Naylor to get walked. Ross didn't help Alzolay much there. I thought Adbert made solid pitches that inning. Don't let the other teams best player beat you. Only reason Cleveland didn't walk Morel is the bases were loaded.

Last note: did Suzuki notice Morel was stealing 2B in the 9th? He needs to see that to get Morel in Scoring Position with 2 outs. Or, Ross could try managing there and call for the steal and tell Seiya to take.

Damn.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    thomas hatch is going to fight ham in japan.  he was on PIT's 40-man.

  • crunch (view)

    morel played somewhere besides 3rd and SS...he got 8 innings in CF, 2 putouts and an assist.

  • crunch (view)

    ryan flaherty new cubs bench coach.

  • crunch (view)

    bellinger wins comeback player of the year.  the AL winner was liam hendricks and his 5ip before he got tommy john...setting himself up for a 2025 shot at the award.

  • Bill (view)

    I hope that Perlaza goes on to have a successful career.  On most Cubs teams prior to the current administration, he would have been one of their more highly ranked prospects.  As far as the others are concerned, one or more may well go on to be much better than expected, but unfortunately there is no way to tell which one at the present time.  You can't keep everyone.

  • crunch (view)

    s.gray signs with the cards...3/75m

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Another one of the nine Cubs post-2023 Rule 9 minor league 6YFA has signed, as RHP Carlos Guzman (acquired from the Tigers for Zack McKinstry at the end of Spring Training) signed a 2024 minor league contract with the Mets. 

     

    So RHRP Yovanny Cruz (SD), C-INF P. J. Higgins (CIN), and now Carlos Guzman (NYM) have already signed 2024 minor league contracts with new MLB organizations, and OF Yonathan Perlaza is headed for Korea (Hanhwa Eagles).

  • crunch (view)

    ...and back to 3rd for another game.  at this point i'm gonna hang back and when/if he actually plays 1st then i'll find it notable.  i am glad he's playing a good amount of 3rd, though...give the club one more good look at him there.  shrug

  • crunch (view)

    morel played SS last night (no errors)...hit a homer and a double.  he's got 2 of both in 19PA.

  • crunch (view)

    e.escobar was throwing 95-97mph on his fastball in 2023.

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