The Cubs made several moves on Tuesday to fill out their 40-man roster, which currently has one spot open. Here’s the quick recap on who the Cubs added, who’s gone and who’s no longer on the 40-man roster, but remain in the organization.
Today's Cubs moves:
• Selected contract of LHP Justin Steele
• Claimed LHP Ian Clarkin from ChiSox
• Acquired RHP Rowan Wick from Padres for INF Jason Vosler
• INF Jack Reinheimer claimed by Rangers
• OF Johnny Field, LHP Jerry Vasto cleared waivers, sent outright to AAA— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) November 21, 2018
You saw a bunch of these moves around baseball on Tuesday, as it was the deadline to set 40-man rosters ahead of the rule 5 draft. Every player on the 40-man roster is protected from that draft.
What’s the rule 5 draft?
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Held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Clubs draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season. Players who signed with their current club at age 18 or younger and have played professionally for at least five years are eligible to be selected, as are those who signed at 19 or older and have at least four years of professional experience.
Not every club will make a selection, but those that do pick a player must pay $100,000 to the club from which said player was selected. Rule 5 Draft picks are assigned directly to the drafting club’s 25-man roster and must be placed on outright waivers in order to be removed from the 25-man roster in the subsequent season. Should the player clear waivers, he must be offered back to his previous team for $50,000 and can be outrighted to the Minors only if his original club does not wish to reacquire him. A Rule 5 Draft pick can be placed on the Major League disabled list, but he must be active for a minimum of 90 days to avoid being subject to the aforementioned roster restrictions in the next campaign.
Clubs may trade a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft, but the same restrictions apply to the player’s new organization. However, a club may also work out a trade with the Rule 5 pick’s original club to acquire his full rights, thereby allowing him to be optioned to the Minors under traditional circumstances.
OK, cool. By the way, there’s more to the rule 5 draft, including how it works with the rest of the minor leaguers not on the 40-man roster. Arizona Phil from The Cub Reporter broke it down. Make sure to give it a read.
The Cubs will most likely lose at least a couple players to the rule 5 draft.
So, left-hander pitcher Justin Steele was the one minor leaguer the Cubs added to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, while also picking up left-hander Ian Clarkin off waivers from the White Sox and trading for righty Rowan Wick.
The Cubs lost infielder Jack Reinheimer to the Rangers. They picked him up earlier this offseason from the Mets. Meanwhile, outfielder Johnny Field and another left-handed pitcher Jerry Vasto went through waivers without being claimed, so the Cubs placed them both on the Iowa Cubs.
Quickly back to Steele. The Cubs drafted him out of high school in 2014 in the fifth round. The left-handed starter made it up to Double-A in 2018, coming back from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 3.60 ERA in two Double-A starts, and a 2.31 ERA overall in 46.2 innings in 2018 in the minors. He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League and will most likely start 2019 back at Double-A.
Here are all the players currently on the 40-man roster for the Cubs.
Pitchers
| 73 |  |
Adbert Alzolay | R/R | 6’0″ | 179lbs | 3/1/95 |
| 21 |  |
Tyler Chatwood | R/R | 6’0″ | 185lbs | 12/16/89 |
| 41 |  |
Steve Cishek | R/R | 6’6″ | 215lbs | 6/18/86 |
| — |  |
Ian Clarkin | L/L | 6’2″ | 215lbs | 2/14/95 |
| 11 |  |
Yu Darvish | R/R | 6’5″ | 220lbs | 8/16/86 |
| 32 |  |
Brian Duensing | L/L | 6’0″ | 200lbs | 2/22/83 |
| 6 |  |
Carl Edwards Jr. | R/R | 6’3″ | 170lbs | 9/3/91 |
| 35 |  |
Cole Hamels | L/L | 6’4″ | 205lbs | 12/27/83 |
| 54 |  |
Justin Hancock | R/R | 6’4″ | 185lbs | 10/28/90 |
| 28 |  |
Kyle Hendricks | R/R | 6’3″ | 190lbs | 12/7/89 |
| 20 |  |
Brandon Kintzler | R/R | 6’0″ | 194lbs | 8/1/84 |
| 34 |  |
Jon Lester | L/L | 6’4″ | 240lbs | 1/7/84 |
| 36 |  |
Dillon Maples | R/R | 6’2″ | 225lbs | 5/9/92 |
| 24 |  |
Alec Mills | R/R | 6’4″ | 190lbs | 11/30/91 |
| 38 |  |
Mike Montgomery | L/L | 6’5″ | 215lbs | 7/1/89 |
| 15 |  |
Brandon Morrow | R/R | 6’3″ | 205lbs | 7/26/84 |
| 57 |  |
James Norwood | R/R | 6’2″ | 215lbs | 12/24/93 |
| 62 |  |
Jose Quintana | R/L | 6’1″ | 220lbs | 1/24/89 |
| 47 |  |
Randy Rosario | L/L | 6’1″ | 200lbs | 5/18/94 |
| — |  |
Justin Steele | L/L | 6’2″ | 195lbs | 7/11/95 |
| 46 |  |
Pedro Strop | R/R | 6’1″ | 220lbs | 6/13/85 |
| 52 |  |
Jen-Ho Tseng | L/R | 6’1″ | 210lbs | 10/3/94 |
| 51 |  |
Duane Underwood Jr. | R/R | 6’2″ | 210lbs | 7/20/94 |
| 61 |  |
Allen Webster | R/R | 6’2″ | 190lbs | 2/10/90 |
| — |  |
Rowan Wick | L/R | 6’3″ | 234lbs | 11/9/92 |
Catchers
| # | Name | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 |  |
Victor Caratini | S/R | 6’1″ | 215lbs | 8/17/93 |
| 40 |  |
Willson Contreras | R/R | 6’1″ | 210lbs | 5/13/92 |
| 53 |  |
Taylor Davis | R/R | 5’10” | 200lbs | 11/28/89 |
Infielders
| # | Name | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 |  |
Javier Baez | R/R | 6’0″ | 190lbs | 12/1/92 |
| 13 |  |
David Bote | R/R | 6’1″ | 210lbs | 4/7/93 |
| 17 |  |
Kris Bryant | R/R | 6’5″ | 230lbs | 1/4/92 |
| 2 |  |
Tommy La Stella | L/R | 5’11” | 180lbs | 1/31/89 |
| 44 |  |
Anthony Rizzo | L/L | 6’3″ | 240lbs | 8/8/89 |
| 18 |  |
Ben Zobrist | S/R | 6’3″ | 210lbs | 5/26/81 |
Outfielders
| # | Name | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |  |
Albert Almora Jr. | R/R | 6’2″ | 190lbs | 4/16/94 |
| 8 |  |
Ian Happ | S/R | 6’0″ | 205lbs | 8/12/94 |
| 22 |  |
Jason Heyward | L/L | 6’5″ | 240lbs | 8/9/89 |
| 12 |  |
Kyle Schwarber | L/R | 6’0″ | 235lbs | 3/5/93 |
| — |  |
Mark Zagunis | R/R | 6’0″ | 215lbs | 2/5/93 |
Expect to see a few of those relief pitchers come off the 40-man roster later in the offseason, a change at backup catcher, some infield depth and hopefully the Cubs eventually add a certain free agent outfielder to the roster too.
Addison Russell isn’t on the 40-man roster because he’s currently suspended by MLB under the league’s domestic violence policy.
The next roster deadline for teams is Nov. 30, the non-tender deadline.
