Nearly End of Cactus League Cubs Roster Reset

In the midst of watching Clemson blow it as the better seed in the NCAA tournament, but the news from the comments in the last post showed that Jordan Wicks and Eli Morgan had been optioned to Iowa. We knew going in that the Cubs had an inordinate number of useful relief options, yet very few of them, ironically, were optionable. This early in the season, you expect the Cubs to try to keep as many of their capable pitching depth as possible, which means if someone can be optioned, they likely will be. Nico Hoerner is continuing to progress well in his minor league tune up games while the rest of the boys were in Japan, so we should expect him to make the team come (actual-ish) Opening Day. Brad Keller, a non-roster invitee, was brought along to Tokyo as part of the 31-man travel party, but indications are that he is going to make the team. With the Cubs about to resume their final Cactus League slate, here’s how the roster looks after these latest transactions…

Starters (5)

• Shota Imanage
• Justin Steele
• Jameson Taillon
• Matthew Boyd
• Ben Brown

Brown was featured prominently in the first game in Tokyo, piggybacking off Imanaga’s strong but abbreviated start and the unfortunate victim of some poor defense, and while he does have options and is coming back from a wacky injury that ended his 2024, there are indications that he will make the club as the fifth starter come Opening Day, and I don’t really see any reason why they wouldn’t try it and bump Colin Rea to the bullpen. This will have to do until Javier Assad is ready to return from the injured list a couple weeks after the season starts, give or take his recovery arc.

Bullpen (8)

• Ryan Brasier
• Porter Hodge
• Brad Keller
• Julian Merryweather
• Ryan Presley
• Colin Rea
• Caleb Thielbar
• 8th guy

It is that “8th guy” that will be of interest, because with Keller presumably making the team, they need a 40-man spot for that move, and that means deciding between Tyson Miller (who has no options remaining) and Nate Pearson (who does have one option year left). If we assume the Cubs want to just keep as many pitchers as possible at this particular time, that would suggest they just keep Miller and option Pearson, who they may or may not try to stretch out to be a long reliever. But Miller has been inconsistent all spring, so there is a possibility they just decide to cut bait and carry Pearson instead. They could, of course, also option Brown so Rea can be the fifth starter and keep both Miller and Pearson. Lots of options here, even with the lack of options!

Catchers (2)

• Miguel Amaya
• Carson Kelly

That’s pretty obvious, they’re the only two 40-man catchers left.

Starting Infield (4)

• MIchael Busch
• Nico Hoerner
• Dansby Swanson
• Matt Shaw

Also pretty obvious, assuming Nico is on track.

Starting Outfield (3)

• Ian Happ
• Pete Crow-Armstrong
• Kyle Tucker

Also obvious.

Designated Hitter (1)

• Seiya Suzuki

Suzuki also is the fourth outfielder and emergency backup center fielder, apparently.

Bench (not including the backup catcher, so 3)

• Jon Berti
• Justin Turner
• Last spot

The bench of course includes the catcher who isn’t starting that day. That last spot is between Vidal Bruján and Gage Workman. Bruján has no options left, and Workman is under Rule 5 restrictions. I think the Cubs need a true center field backup that isn’t Seiya or Happ or Tucker, and both of the guys battling for this last spot have stood in the outfield but I think only Bruján has stood in center. My thinking is that Bruján can probably sneak through waivers and be outrighted to the minors by the end of spring training when every team’s rosters are full, as I am not sure the Cubs will risk having to offer Workman back to Detroit or have anything to trade to retain his rights. The easiest thing to do here is to just keep Workman, but we will truly see. If Nico isn’t fully recovered, that will buy them some time with both guys on the roster.

I would expect to see all the bubble guys continue to get lots of work over this final week, and it will get more clear by Opening Day, but to borrow a saying, it could go either way.