Cubs MLB Roster

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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

 


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D'backs Black rallies to tie Cubs at Riverview

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Geuri Lubo slugged a two-run HR, Jefferson Rojas and Anderson Suriel each drilled two-run doubles, Cole Roederer doubled and singled and scored two runs, and SP Mason McGwire tossed three innings of one-hit shutout ball for the Cubs, and Franyel Baez clubbed a two-run HR, Juan Aparicio smacked a two-run double, and Luis Rubio laced a two-run single for the Diamondbacks Black squad, as the two teams played to an 11-11 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

The Cubs had a 9-2 lead after six innings, before the D'backs rallied late to tie the score.  

The game was called after the top of the 8th inning. 

Sloan Park will be closed for several months while the turf is replaced but it should be ready for the start of the Arizona Fall League in October. The ACL Cubs will be playing home games on Field #1 (located across the street from the stadium) throughout the summer, and the EXST Cubs will be moving to Field #1 after the Hawk-Eye system has been fully installed. Meanwhile, the Cubs will be playing their Cactus League Extended Spring Training home games on the backfields (usually Field #6, as they did today).    

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

EXST CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Cole Roederer, CF: 2-3 (2B, 1B, E-7, 2 R) 
1b. Ke'Shun Collier, CF: 0-2 (1-3, L-6) 
2a. Bryce Windham, C: 0-2 (6-3, K, BB, R, RBI)
2b. Jairo Diaz, C: 1-2 (1B, 3-U, R) 
3. Alexis Hernandez, SS: 1-3 (BB, 6-3, 1B, 4-3, R, RBI, SB)
4a. Jefferson Rojas, DH: 1-3 (5-3, P-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI)
4b. Geuri Lubo, 3B: 1-1 (HR, R, 2 RBI) 
5. Yeison Santana, 2B: 1-3 (6-3, BB, 1B, 4-3, 2 R, RBI)
6. Anderson Suriel, 1B: 1-2 (1-3, 5-3 SH, 2B, BB, 2 RBI)
7a. Christopher Paciolla, 3B-DH: 0-3 (5-3, E-5, K, R)
7b. Brayan Altuve, PH: 0-1 (K) 
8. Ismael Mena, RF: 1-3 (F-7, F-9 SF, L-6, 2B, RBI)
9a. Christian Olivo, LF: 1-2 (E-6, 1B, R, RBI) 
9b. Raino Coran, LF: 0-2 (K, K) 

EXST CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Mason McGwire: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 4/2 GO/AO, 42 pitches (27 strikes) 
2. Luis A. Reyes: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HBP, 2 WP, 1 GIDP, 2/1 GO/AO, 41 pitches (20 strikes) 
3. Danis Correa: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 15 pitches (7 strikes) 
4. Wilber Rodriguez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 0 K, 2 WP, 0/1 GO/AO, 23 pitches (5 strikes) 
5. Scarlyn Lebron: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1/2 GO/AO, 45 pitches (22 strikes) 

EXST CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

EXST CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Bryce Windham: 1-1 CS 
2. Jairo Diaz: 1-2 CS, 1 PB

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures 100+ 

ATTENDANCE: 4 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen" 

Tags
Cubs Extended Spring Training

Comments

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Wed, 05/17/2023 - 05:28 am

I saw Ryan Tepera got cut from the Angels. I find myself wondering if the Cubs will take a flyer on him once he’s released, given the state of our bullpen.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 05/17/2023 - 05:51 pm

kinda a nice place to be, but i dunno if the cubs even have room for him.  this team has wesneski and assad sitting in the minors and they would be SP or working relief on a majority of MLB rosters.

that said, this team can get rid of e.hosmer for another bat any time they feel like it...like, tomorrow or something.  good off-day to do it...

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Thu, 05/18/2023 - 05:56 am

Alzolay and Leiter have both been good to great. Here’s where the rest are:

Keegan: Idk what’s going on with him but he’s not the same guy as last year

Fulmer: Doesn’t look like a high leverage guy

Boxberger: injured, previously just meh

Hughes: Pretty clearly isn’t fully healthy, which is causing him to also not be the same guy we saw last year

Rucker: Fine in mid-low leverage spots

Merryweather: See Rucker, though we haven’t seen him get crushed in a high level spot like Rucker did so that’s speculation on my part

Estrada: Has good stuff. Unproven. Should prpb get the next high leverage spot not given to Adbert or Leiter

Burdi: Unproven. Nasty stuff but command leaves a lot to be desired

Assad: Long relief or depth SP. needs to learn how to get that K rate at least approaching 1 per inning, especially in relief appearances.

Wesneski: Relief could be a good way to keep in Chicago and continue developing here, but he’s also completely unproven in high leverage relief spots.

There isn’t a whole lot to like in our bullpen. Figures the first time in awhile it wasn’t immediately apparent a July sell off awaits us is the first time the FO fails to put together a solid bullpen. Such is Cubs life

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Submitted by crunch on Thu, 05/18/2023 - 05:46 am

imo, k.thompson is the most criminally mismanaged arm.   stick him in AAA and let him pitch SP role.  if they don't want to make room for him, trade him.

i still don't understand why alzolay isn't the closer.  if not alzolay, leiter.  rather than either of those they have alzolay doing the k.thompson thing where he's a 1-inning guy followed by a multiple-inning guy and used randomly in each role.  leiter just went 5 days between appearances and he only worked 1ip in that previous appearance.

i like the parts, i don't understand their use.

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Thu, 05/18/2023 - 05:35 pm

Alzolay and Leiter should have innings 8 and 9 with a small lead, full stop. If you’ve got a one run lead in the 7th, those two should cover the last 9 outs.

Thompson has apparently had issues going without rest between appearances. If that’s the case, he should be starting or a long reliever.

Give Estrada a shot in high leverage.

The rest can toss middle relief.

All that said, this isn’t fully on Ross. He was dealt a crappy hand. But he does need to make the best of that crap hand.

[ ]

Submitted by George Altman on Thu, 05/18/2023 - 05:55 pm

Agree 100% on K. Thompson, Alzolay, and Leiter. Those 2 are your 8/9th inning guys.

At the quarter pole, here's what I'm seeing:

Hoerner, Swanson, Happ, Suzuki, Bellinger, Morel, Mervis, Wisdom, Gomes are your starters. Should get 80-90% of all plate appearances.  Amaya should replace Barnhart by early June, Hoerner DFAs Madrigal, Mancini and backup C are your 2 regulars off the bench. Mastrobouni is bench for now, Velazquez DFAs Hosmer, but would love a LH/PH off waivers or a trade. 

For better or worse, SPs are: Stroman, Steele, Taillon, Smyly, and probably Hendricks (until Brown or Wesneski proves they're ready).

I would DFA Boxberger, Fulmer. For now Estrada, Rucker, Merriweather stay. Someone needs to determine if Hughes is healthy or what. The rest can come from the Iowa shuttle or waiver claim of the week.

 

Look, I'm going to say it again: Ohtani should be the Cubs #1 thru #10 FA target this off season. He fills 2 spots - SP1 & DH. Oh, and he's an 8-9 WAR player. They can add him (@ $500-550M for 10 years) and extend Stroman and still be under the CBT the next 2 years. 

 

Would be really nice if Jed and Ricketts see it this way.

 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 05/19/2023 - 05:43 am

I believe the Cubs would be better off adding more veteran type guys to the bench who don't need to play regularly to stay game ready, so I would select Mike Tauchman and Sergio Alcantara from AAA, DFA Hosmer and Rios, and option out Mastrobuoni and Madrigal (if Madrigal can't be traded). 

Tauchman is a legit "4th outfielder" who can also be a LH DH, and S. Alcantara can back-up at 2B-SS without losing anything defensively (which is not the case with C. Morel and Mastrobuoni). I would use Morel mainly as a DH, with occasional work at 3B (and eventually he would be the #1 3B, replacing Wisdom). Remember, C. Morel's average velo on throws last year was higher than that of the much ballyhooed Oneil Cruz, so he profiles best at 3B.   

I would not call up Migual Amaya unless there is an injury to Gomes or Barnhart. This is Amaya's last option year and he needs to catch regularly and play 1B or DH when he isn't catching to maximize his AAA development time. Rosters expand from 26 to 28 on September 1st (and one of the two must be a position player), and that would be the time to recall Amaya.  

If the Cubs are sellers at the trade deadline (and it is becoming increasingly likely that they will be), Bellinger is the most-obvious trade chip, and presuming he is healthy and hitting as he has the first six weeks of the season, he should be able to fetch a return similar to what the Cubs got for Baez, Rizzo, and Bryant at the 2021 Trade Deadline. If Bellinger is traded, then a Velazquez/Tauchman platoon in CF would be the way to go for the balance of the season.

Patrick Wisdom would be the other possibility among position players to be traded, and C. Morel would play 3rd base if Wisdom is traded.

I am not so sure about moving Yan Gomes this year, because he would be a good veteran partner to share time with Amaya in 2024 while Pablo Aliendo is ripening at AAA. 

As far as the pitchers are concerned, Steele-Stroman-Smyly-Taillon-Hendricks need to start and if the Cubs are sellers at the trade deadline Stroman, Smyly, and Hendricks (if he is pitching well) are the obvious trade chips. If they are traded, then Wesneski and B. Brown can be called up. (Both Stroman and Smyly have post 2023 opt-outs, although Smyly's is dependent on him throwing 100 innings in 2023, which seems likely at this point). 

Besides using Alzolay and Leiter as the closers (for now), the Cubs need to give guys like Estrada, Burdi, and Merryweather more high leverage opportunities. K. Thompson and Assad should be the multi-inning relievers. Bailey Horn should be added to the pen at some point, with Daniel Palencia, Luke Little, Cam Sanders, Riley Thompson, and/or Ryan Jensen added to the pen after the Trade Deadline (presuming the Cubs are sellers). And Brandon Hughes needs to get his knee fixed.   

Submitted by Finwe Noldaran on Fri, 05/19/2023 - 05:20 pm

Great points Phil, absorbing, thorough, and succinct as always! Agree with the trades of Wisdom, Bellinger, Stroman, Smyly, and Hendricks, calling up the Tauchman and/or AAAA type guys like Sergio Alcantara, so that guys like Velazquez/Perlaza/Slaughter/Davis/Canario (prayerfully soon) can get consistent playing time and continue to develop and increase their trajectory at Iowa; everything. 

Would you send down Keegan Thompson to AAA after the deadline to stretch him out and give him and Assad the opportunity to prove they're one of the top five starters in the organization (or six, if at that point in the year they decide to go with a six-man rotation)? 

Also, when would you cut bait on guys at Iowa like Rios/Bote/Jordan/Young/Hill to allow promotions and opportunities and playing time for guys like Vazquez/Murray Jr./McGeary/Cassie/PCA who are currently knocking down the door at Tennessee; once Tauchman and Sergio Alcantara are called up, i.e. after the trade deadline?

Lastly, with Ball being demoted to South Bend, is he being retained to move back up to Tennessee once McGeary moves on to Iowa, or is he just a stand-in until Stevens moves up to South Bend, and Suriel is placed at Myrtle Beach? 

Sorry for all the questions, thanks again Phil! 

Submitted by azbobbop on Fri, 05/19/2023 - 05:54 pm

Someone was listening to at least a part of what Phil said. Tauchman up, Hosmer DFA. Also Rios up, Hoerner activated, Bellinger DL and Keegan Thompson optioned to get things straightened out.

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Fri, 05/19/2023 - 05:55 pm

Not Phil of course but….

Phil totally called Tauchman promotion (farewell Hosmer), and you totally called Keegan to Iowa.

The guys at Iowa you mention, I don’t think any are quite at the end of the line. Maybe Young and Jordan, but the other three not quite yet. Except Rios, who is back in Chicago now. I wish Bote were toast, but he’s under contract and so long as he’s deep Iowa depth, fine.

Murray is still getting settled at Tennessee, him a touch longer even though he’s older for a prospect. McGeary just got there. PCA will before long. Caissie needs to cut down the Ks, he’s striking out like 40% of the time.

Ball’s demotion indicates to me he’s fallen too far behind Mervis and has now been passed by McGeary. He’s toast.

Submitted by crunch on Fri, 05/19/2023 - 05:37 pm

edwin rios getting called up while DFA'ing hosmer is like choosing to get punched in the left nut rather than the right nut.

Recent comments

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