Cubs Claim C Brian Serven Off Waivers

Hey, the Cubs just made their first 40-man addition from outside the org this offseason. I’m tied up for now, but all the details are in the press release.

Ed. note: I was with my son going through a workout at his travel baseball facility when this big news broke, so I wasn’t able to address the deal in any more detail at the time. Not that it really matters much, since I highly doubt Serven will remain on the roster for very long. Barring injury, Miguel Amaya and Yan Gomes are going to break camp with the Cubs. Joe Hudson and Jorge Alfaro have also been signed to minors deals, plus the Cubs have Bryce Windham at Triple-A.

While I understand the procedural advantage of having an expendable, optionable veteran on the 40-man roster, it’s very hard to believe the front office is willing to take a spot for long. It’s a near certainty that they’ll try to sneak Serven through waivers and then keep him around for depth as a glove-first backstop. He’s shown a little pop at times in the minors as well, so this pickup makes sense as a flyer as long as the Cubs indeed clear another roster spot to use for additional moves.

The Chicago Cubs today claimed catcher Brian Serven off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. The Cubs 40-man roster now stands at 38.

Serven, 28, has batted .240 (315-for-1,314) with 75 doubles, six triples, 49 homers, 180 RBI and a .310 OBP in seven minor league seasons with Colorado. He was named a 2018 MiLB.com Organization All-Star after hitting .268 (78-for-291) with 22 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 46 RBI, a .326 OBP and a .488 slugging percentage in 83 games with High-A Lancaster.

The six-foot Serven made his major league debut with Colorado May 18, 2022, and played 62 games that season, going 38-for-187 (.203) with four doubles, one triple, six home runs, 16 RBI and 19 runs scored. His first two career major league hits came via the long ball on May 21, 2022, in his second career game.

Serven appeared in 11 games with the Rockies in 2023, batting .130 (3-for-23) with one double and one RBI. The backstop had two stints on the injured list, May 30-June 6and July 31-Sept. 26, with a concussion and a left thumb sprain, respectively. In 38 games with Triple-A Albuquerque last year, he hit .199 (30-for-151) with five doubles, five home runs and 20 RBI.

The Palm Desert, Calif., native was selected by Colorado in the fifth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona State University.