Iowa Cubs roster breakdown: A look at the players on Iowa's opening day roster

The opening day roster for the Iowa Cubs includes 15 pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders.

Who are the top players? Who should fans keep an eye on? Who could be among the first ones headed to Chicago?

Let's take a deeper dive into all the numbers and the players. Here's a breakdown of the 2023 Iowa Cubs opening day roster.

The Iowa Cubs have plenty of prospects

Iowa’s roster features five players listed in the top 30 of Chicago’s organizational rankings by MLB Pipeline. They are outfielder Brennen Davis, first baseman Matt Mervis and pitchers Caleb Kilian, Jeremiah Estrada and Riley Thompson.

• Davis, who is ranked No. 3 in the system, is the headliner and back for his third stint with Iowa.

• Mervis, who was last season’s Minor League Player of the Year in the organization, is listed at No. 7.

• Kilian, ranked as the 18^th-best prospect, was the top pitching prospect in the organization a season ago.

• Estrada, who checks in at No. 24, appeared in six games with Iowa last season.

• Thompson, ranked the 28^th-best prospect, will make his Triple-A debut.

These guys aren't prospects anymore but important names to remember

Christopher Morel and Nelson Velazquez, both considered prospects in past years, are back in Triple-A. The pair logged significant time in Chicago last season, especially Morel, who smashed a home run in his first big-league at-bat. But after spending most of last season in the big leagues, the Cubs want to make sure Morel can get some steady at-bats and continue to develop. So he’s back in Iowa after making the jump from Double-A to the major leagues last season. Velazquez boasts a powerful bat and should be part of a powerful outfield that also includes Davis and Darius Hill, who led all Cubs minor-leaguers in hits last season.

Next to head up: The 40-man guys

The path to the big leagues is getting on the 40-man roster, and Iowa’s roster includes six players on that list — all of whom will likely see some time in Chicago.

Estrada will get chances out of the bullpen. Kilian is still a starter the Cubs are high on. Morel’s versatility makes him a valuable option to come up at some point. Velazquez will also provide depth in the outfield. Davis, who was added to the 40-man in the offseason, will get his shot if he can stay healthy and prove he can hit Triple-A pitching. Then there’s starter Adrian Sampson, who was battling for Chicago’s fifth rotation spot in spring training and has proven he can log important innings when called upon.

Cub veterans return

Iowa returns two Chicago mainstays from the last few seasons. David Bote is back with Iowa after he was designated for assignment last season. Bote could have opted to become a free agent but would have had to give up what was left on the five-year, $15 million deal he’s guaranteed through the 2024 season. So he opted to come back to the Cubs organization.

Bote, a fan favorite ever since his 2018 walk-off grand slam against the Washington Nationals, had an injury-plagued 2022 season. But he's healthy now and had a hot spring and still could contribute to the Cubs or possibly another big-league team later this year.

Reliever Rowan Wick, who has spent the last four seasons in Chicago, is a part of Iowa's bullpen to star the season. Wick has appeared in 146 games during his five years in the big leagues.

Iowa Cubs opening day roster, by position

Pitchers: Ryan Borucki, Nick Burdi, Tyler Duffey, Roenis Elias, Jeremiah Estrada, Anthony Kay, Caleb Kilian, Brendon Little, Nick Neidert, Vinny Nittoli, Manuel Rodriguez, Adrian Sampson, Cam Sanders, Riley Thompson, Rowan Wick.

Catchers: Dom Nunez, Bryce Windham.

Infielders: Sergioi Alcantara, David Bote, Matt Mervis, Christopher Morel, Jake Slaughter, Jared Young.

Outfielders: Brennen Davis, Darius Hill, Yonathan Perlaza, Mike Tauchman, Nelson Velazquez.

Development list: Levi Jordan, Eric Stout, Curtis Taylor, Jake Washer.

Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: A breakdown of the Iowa Cubs' opening day roster