South Bend Cubs have announced their opening-day roster

Cubs head to Quad Cities to open campaign against River Bandits

SOUTH BEND – A new flock of Cubs will soon call Four Winds Field home for 2024, but up first, an opening weekend road trip out to Davenport to face the Quad Cities River Bandits. South Bend wrapped up headshots, green screens, media day, and more earlier this week, and now it’s time to step between the lines.
Nick Lovullo is set to begin his first season managing South Bend, as well as his first full-season affiliate stop in the Chicago Cubs organization. Lovullo, who enjoyed a Minor League playing career with the Boston Red Sox and Miami Marlins, joins South Bend after a stint as the bench coach with the Tennessee Smokies, and last year managed the Arizona Complex League Cubs. The 30-year-old Lovullo is the son of Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, and is joined by pitching coach Bruce Billings, hitting coach Nate Spears, and bench coach Kyle Moore.
South Bend’s opening day roster features 15 players with prior playing experience at Four Winds Field, as well as 14 new ones. The list also features four 2022 Midwest League Champions in Casey Opitz, Joe Nahas, Fabian Pertuz, and Yohendrick Pinango.
Three top-30 ranked Chicago Cubs prospects are heading to South Bend for the first time as well. Number-nine prospect, and infielder, Jefferson Rojas, is just 18 years old but is coming off a strong season with Low-A Myrtle Beach where he hit .268 in 70 games, along with seven home runs and 31 RBI.
Cubs number-18 prospect Pedro Ramirez also will take the field as a South Bend Cub. With a .266 average in 104 games with the Pelicans in 2023, the second and third baseman rocked eight home runs, along with 54 RBI, and is still just 20 years old.
A recognizable name to South Bend Cubs fans in 2024 will be infielder/outfielder Rafael Morel. The brother of 2019 South Bend third baseman and current Chicago Cub Christopher Morel, Rafael hit .263 with the Pelicans in 2024 in his first campaign at a Cubs full-season affiliate. With a career-high seven homers, to go along with 30 RBI, the scouting report on Rafael is similar to his brother. Hustle, speed, and energy.
Left-hander Drew Gray will make the Opening Day start for South Bend against Quad Cities on Friday. The 20-year-old southpaw was drafted out of the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida back in 2021 by Chicago in the third round. At 6’3’’ and 190 pounds, the big lefty started 14 games with the Pelicans last season, with batters hitting just .186 in 34 innings worked. He also put together 56 strikeouts in the Carolina League.
Other notables on the roster include former South Carolina Gamecocks right-hander and Perfect Game All-American Will Sanders. At 6’6’’ and 230 pounds, Sanders was selected by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft.
Also, a part of the South Bend pitching staff will be the 2020 fifth-round selection Koen Moreno. Still, just 22 years old, Moreno is known for wipeout stuff after striking out 79 batters in just over 71 innings in Myrtle Beach.
The power numbers for the Cubs in 2024 are likely to come from infielders Brian Kalmer and Jonathon Long. In limited action with Myrtle Beach, Kalmer rocketed 10 home runs in 32 games and Long hammered six in just 23. Lastly, at the top of the order, center fielder Brett Bateman was an on-base machine in the Carolina League with a .431 OBP and more walks (24) than strikeouts (19) in 29 games.
Schedule and Probable Cubs Starting Pitchers…
Friday, April 5 – 7:30 PM ET: LHP Drew Gray
Saturday, April 6 – 7:00 PM ET: RHP Grant Kipp
Sunday, April 7 – 2:00 PM ET: RHP Tyler Schlaffer
Catch the entire three-game series in Davenport on 96.1 FM The Ton with Brendan King on the call.
Opening Day at Four Winds Field is Tuesday, April 9 against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a 2024 magnet schedule.