Cubs Trim Spring Training Roster to 46, Option Little, Dean, Rolison

Three weeks before the Cubs open the 2026 season against the Washington Nationals, the organization moved seven players out of big-league camp Thursday, cutting the Spring Training roster from 53 to 46.

Left-handers Luke Little and Ryan Rolison and outfielder Justin Dean were all optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Right-hander Vince Velasquez, catchers Ariel Armas and Casey Opitz, and outfielder Brett Bateman were reassigned to minor-league camp, a distinction that carries no Triple-A assignment but removes them from the competition for a big-league roster spot this spring.

Little is the most notable name in the bunch. The 6'8" left-hander was drafted by Chicago in 2020 and has generated buzz as a power arm, making his assignment to Iowa a move some fans did not see coming. Rolison, also a southpaw, heads to Iowa alongside him, giving the I-Cubs a pair of experienced left-handed options at the Triple-A level heading into the season.

Dean, a speed-oriented outfielder, completes the trio optioned to Iowa. His path back to Wrigley runs through a crowded Chicago outfield picture that still needs to be sorted before Opening Day on March 26.

The restructured 46-man spring roster breaks down as 25 pitchers, including five non-roster invitees; four catchers, with one non-roster invitee; 10 infielders, including four non-roster invitees; and seven outfielders, three of whom are non-roster invitees. That pitching-heavy construction reflects the usual spring math, where arms are stockpiled early and trimmed in waves as the final roster takes shape.

Chicago won 92 games in 2025 and reached the NLDS before falling to the Milwaukee Brewers, which raises the stakes for every roster decision this spring. With Opening Day 13 days out, the next round of cuts will carry significantly more weight.