Cubs roster move: Jake Marisnick signing officially announced, Phil Ervin DFA

It’s now been nine days since the Cubs’ signing of outfielder Jake Marisnick hit Twitter and I posted this article.

Late Saturday, the Cubs officially announced the signing by press release. The deal is a one-year contract with a mutual option that includes a buyout. Here are the terms:

Along with the announcement of the signing, the press release also noted that outfielder Phil Ervin had been designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Marisnick.

The latter move is a bit of a surprise. It had been widely assumed that Ervin had pretty much made the team as a fourth outfielder, with Marisnick taking the fifth outfielder role. Now, Ervin will have to clear waivers for the Cubs to keep him.

Late Friday, news broke that the Cubs had signed Cameron Maybin, who spent September with the team in 2020, had been signed to a minor-league deal. That might have made Ervin superfluous, or perhaps if Ervin clears waivers he and Maybin will fight it out in camp for the final spot on the Opening Day 26-man roster.

This was the last of the recent signings to be announced by the Cubs. President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer had hinted the other day that “what you see is what you get,” and the guys in camp now will likely the ones who will form that Opening Day roster.

But, as always, we await developments.