Jerry Hairston and the Cubs came to terms on a 2.3 million dollar contract today, approximatly a half million raise over last year. He asked for 2.6 million and was offered 1.95, so this is pretty close to a happy middle ground.

In this installment of Cubshub.com Scouting Reports, we will be breaking down outfield prospect, Adam Greenberg.

Up next, lefty pitching prospect Sean Marshall.




Adam Greenberg
Ht: 5′9
Wt: 180 lbs
B/T: L/L
DOB: 2/21/1981
Hometown: Guilford, Connecticut

The Cubs took Greenberg in the 9th round (273rd pick) of the 2002 draft. He was the starting centerfielder and leadoff man for the North Carolina Tarheels for his three years in college. Greenberg has come a long way after growing up in a small close-knit Connecticut community, going to Friday night services regularly, celebrating holidays, getting into the Wednesday and Sunday Hebrew school routine and being bar mitzvahed. He left the comfort of his small community for the University of North Carolina, which was a cultural difference for Adam and his teammates. “There’s just not very many Jewish people down there,” Greenberg said. “Ninety percent of the team had never met a Jewish person. People would want to talk to me about it. Yes, comments would be made, but uneducated people are going to make uneducated comments. But it was never a detriment.”

Greenberg is listed at 5′9 but that might even be a stretch, he’s more like 5′7. And it’s a stigma that he’s had to play with his entire career. There aren’t too many major leaguers that are his size or build. But Greenberg hasn’t let it get to him. “Either you can play or you can’t,” Greenberg said. “If you can play, it doesn’t matter if you are 4-feet tall or 6-foot-8. That’s the great part about this game,” he said. “In basketball, you have to be a certain size, in football you have to be a certain build. Baseball is an opportunity for everyone to go out and if you can do it, you can do it.”

The Cub’s development director Oneri Fleita agrees, “I’m a big guy, but I’m from the school that if you can play, you can play. This game isn’t like football or basketball where size matters. “If one looks back through baseball history some of the greatest hitters were smaller guys.”


University of North Carolina
As a freshman, he appeared in 61 games going 98 for 254 with 69 runs, 15 doubles, 7 triples, 8 hrs, 39 rbi, 37 bb, 33 k , 28/33 sb, .386 avg, .460 obp, .594 slg. 1.054 ops.

As a sophomore he appeared in 57 games going 65 for 210 with 52 runs, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 2 hrs, 30 rbi, 43 bb, 28 k, 29/34 sb, .310 avg, .444 obp, .429 slg, .873 ops.

As a junior he appeared in 64 games going 90 for 267 with 80 runs, 17 doubles, 7 triples, 17 hrs, 57 rbi, 44 bb, 49 k, 35/42 sb,.337 avg, .440 obp, .644 slg, 1.084 ops

2004 Daytona (high-A)
Appeared in 91 games, going 94 for 323 with 52 runs, 10 doubles, 12 triples, 3 hrs, 28 rbi, 42 bb, 65 k, 16/24 sb, .291 avg, .381 obp, .424 slg, .805 ops.

2004 West Tennessee (AA)
Appeared in 32 games, going 31 for 112 with 22 runs, 7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 hrs, 10 rbi, 14 bb, 30 k, 3/3 sb, .277 avg, .366 obp, .455 slg, .821 ops.

2004 AFL
Appeared in 18 games, going 24 for 75, with 11 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 5 hrs, 5 bb, 14 k, 5/6 sb, .320 avg, .363 obp, .413 slg, .776 ops.

2005 West Tennessee (AA)
Appeared in 95 games, going 82 for 305 with 51 runs, 12 doubles, 9 triples, 4 hrs, 33 rbi, 56 bb, 68 k, 15/19 sb, .269 avg, .386 obp, .407 slg, .793 ops.

2005 Chicago Cubs (MLB)
Appeared in 1 game, with a hit by pitch as his only official at bats.

2005-06 Winter League (Venezuela)
In 43 games, went 34 for 130 with 27 runs, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 hrs, 15 rbi, .262 avg, 19 bb, 34 k, 2/6 sb, .262 avg, .370 obp, .408 slg, .778 ops.


Batting And Power: Greenberg possesses great contact skills and hits the ball well to all fields. His stroke is very level and he takes advantage of his speed by hitting the ball on the ground and tagging line drives. His speed helps him keep his slugging percentage up due to his doubles and triples. But he’ll never slug over .500, develop much more power with his frame and stroke. Give Greenberg credit though, he knows “big ball” isn’t his style, and he will never develop the little big man complex like Corey Patterson did.

Baserunning And Speed: Greenberg’s only natural ability is his speed and he uses it very well. He has good instincts on the basepath, and judges a pitcher’s moves to first very well. His stolen base success rate was an impressive 79% (15 for 19) in the Double AA Southern League. Which was a stark improvement over his 70% rate at Daytona (16 for 24) and West Tenn (3 for 3) in 2004. If he can continue to have sb rates around his career aveage of 76% or more he will be an asset to the ballclub.

Defense: Give this kid a gold star in the outfield, he can play all three positions but center is his comfort zone. He takes great routes to balls in the outfield and uses his above average arm to his advantage. So much so that he played most of the season last year in rightfield for the DiamondJaxx. He had a few angle problems but other than that did he a real good job.

Biggest Strengthes: Hustle and Fundamentals

There is not another Cub player that gives more to their team and sacrifices more for the ballclub. Greenberg gives that extra push, he dives for balls, he goes head first, he’s an energizer and that endears many, and will make Greenberg a fan favorite when he reaches the majors.

His fundamental skills don’t hurt either. Greenberg has a lifetime .384 on base percentage and posted close to that in 2005 (.386) for West Tennesse. He has great command of the plate and a good two strike approach. His skills are ideal for a table settler in the lineup. Adam thinks he has a skill set as a leadoff or second hole hitter that could help fill some of the clubs long standing holes

“They were one of the league leaders in home runs (2nd in the NL), but were near the bottom in on-base percentage (11th in the NL),” said Greenberg, who has a career OBP of .384. “The more people on base and keep hitting home runs, you do the math, you’re going to score more runs. If they need a leadoff hitter, that’s what I bring to the table. I have to believe that.”

Biggest Weaknesses: Size and opportunity

And neither are areas that Greenberg can control. Similiar smaller players like himself have been regulated to playing off the bench. They are often marked lower in organizations or just not taken seriously despite good hitting skills because of their frame and lack of power. Hopefully the Cubs don’t think that way because Greenberg has skills that could be very useful if used properly on the major league level.

Greenberg’s biggest problem right now doesn’t appear to be his size but opportunity in the Cubs organization. He is blocked in any facet of a starting job for the next few years by the likes of Murton, Pie, etc. His best bet to fit in on the MLB club is as a fourth or even fifth outfielder. That isn’t going to happen this year as the Cubs have shored up other players that they will likely call upon before Adam in Marquis Grissom, Angel Pagan, and Michael Restovich.

Keys to Success: Keep up OBP

Greenberg’s best chance of getting to the big leagues and staying effective is keeping up his on base percentage. His career OBP-AVG differential is .100 which is amazing. If he stays around there or even .080 then he will definately break ground with a major league team at some point. Greenberg said “If the Cubs decide they want or need me, that’d be great. If not, there are 29 other clubs who might be interested.” Obviously that wasn’t completely true as in he cleared the waiver wire last year as the Cubs took him off their 40 man roster.

MLB Comparison and Projection: John Cangelosi

It’s no disrespect to Greenberg at all, Cangelosi was a 13 year veteran, he just was never a starter outside of most of the 1986 season. But Cangelosi was one of the most effective fourth outfielders and pinch hitters of his time. The two share an almost idential size and gameplan. Cangelosi had a slightly better discipline, but Greenberg’s will get better and he has much better pop than John.

Bob’s Bottome Line: Before the Cubs recent acquistion of Angel Pagan, Greenberg had a decent chance of getting called up as the fourth outfielder if Grissom (most likelyt to win 4th OF) got hurt. But Pagan is now on the 40 man roster and becomes the “emergency guy”. Which is a shame, because Pagan doesn’t have Greenberg’s plate skills. Pagan possess’ better speed but he is often reckless on the basepaths. It’s looking like Greenberg’s best chance of reaching the majors soon is getting traded.

Mark Prior and the Cubs reached an agreement on a one year, $3.65 million deal, a little less than a million more than the $2.75 million he would have made had he not voided the final year of his contract.

Prior’s deal with Chicago includes bonuses for finishing high in voting for MVP and Cy Young, winning a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger and making the All-Star team.

Today the Cubs purchased the contract of 24 year old switch hitting outfielder Angel Pagan from the Mets. And he will be added to the 40 man roster.

Pagan was drafted in the fourth round of the 1999 draft and had spent his entire career with the Mets. He’s a defensive liability, but he possesses good speed and good contact. Last year he was in AAA and in 129 games, he was 140 for 516 with 69 runs, 20 doubles, 10 triples, 8 hrs, and 40 RBI, 271/.333/.395/.728.I don’t really like this move at all. We already have guys that are very similar to Pagan in Dwaine Bacon and Chris Walker, and they don’t occupy a spot on the 40 man.

This move does not bode well for the likes of Adam Greenberg, Michael Restovich, etc. For Pagan will be the first outfielder called up from AAA or could even make Marquis Grissom out of the equation completely (if his age doesn’t).

Cubs have built up one of the deepest, most talented pitching core in baseball today. In the process, they have a Top 10 lefty list that would make most team jealous. Of course it doesn’t hurt that the Cubs continual to draft lefty pitchers high in the draft rounds.



1. Mark Pawelek
2. Rich Hill
3. Sean Marshall
4. Donnie Veal
5. Carmen Pignatiello
6. John Koronka
7. Darin Downs
8. Chris Shaver
9. Russ Rohlicek
10. Jayson Ruhlman

1. Mark Pawelek 6′3 190lbs 8/18/1986


Pawelek was the Cubs 2005 first rounder (20th overall). He dominated the Arizona Rookie League (only first rounder in the league) earning league honors as the Top Prospect in the League. In his 15 games, he started 14 of them in the Rookie League with one start coming for the Boise Hawks (short-season A). He’s got a blazing fastball that registered at 92-94 mph and topped out at 95. He also possesses a wicked hard curveball and a changeup, both pitches are plus plus but with inconsistant control. In High School, he used a splitter but the Cubs have scrapped that from his arsenal so that he can concentrate on his other three pitches. Scouts say his feel for pitching, mound presence and composure are so advanced for his age that he’s the equivalent of a college sophomore. In 10 high school starts in 2005, he went 63 innings, giving up no earned runs, while striking out 132 hitters, and winning each and every decision.

In 43 IP in Arizona, he gave up only 25 hits and struck out 56. His control was a problem, walking 21 batters in just 43 IP and throwing 13 wild pitches and 9 hitbatsman; but is not out of the ordinary from a high schooler. What will make or break him is his ability to make the proper mechanical adjustments as his career progresses. But the majority of the scouting circuit says this guy was a steal for the Cubs in the first round, thank you Scott Boras for keeping other teams away.

2. Rich Hill 6′5 205lbs 3/11/1980

Believe it or not Rich Hill started this season in Peoria (low A) and ended up on the MLB roster for a good deal of the season. Hill was taken in the fourth round in 2002 from the University of Michigan, and had sputtered. Hill has been a leader on the strikeout board for the baby Cubs the past few years (03 and 04) but never warranted a high promotion or too much fanfare because of his poor walk rates.

This season, something finally clicked for Rich and he began throwing strikes with his fastball consistantly. This was the first time in Rich’s career (college as well as minors) that he averaged less than 4 walks per 9 innings.. And that became a deadly mix with his nose to toes curveball, that he can seemingly throw for a strike at any count. Hill chew up and spat out the competition at West Tennessee and Iowa, averaging 14.05 and 12.74 K/9 . Even though Hill spent a month plus on the MLB roster, he still led all Cub minor leaguers in strikeouts and lead all of the minors with a 13.4 K/9. Hill’s problems quickly showed once he was in the majors, his control wavered, and the hitters sat on his below average fastball. For Rich to be effective on the MLB level, he needs to either add another pitch and/or keep his control up on his fastball.

3. Sean Marshall 6′6 200lbs 7/30/1982

The Cubs took Marshall in the 6th round of the 2003 draft from one of their favorite scouting grounds, Virginia Commonwealth. Marshall has amazing sink to his fastball, along with three other plus pitches, changeup, curveball, and a splitter. After he showed dominance in 2004 at Lansing, the Cubs inappropiately promoted him to West Tennessee, where he was hit hard. This season he started off at Daytona, showed excellence again, and earned a promotion back to West Tennessee where he was amazing in four starts before being bite with injury problems.

Sean has missed significant time the last two seasons. In 2004, his season was shut down in June due to a torn tendon on his middle finger on his pitching hand. In 2005, he suffered shoulder soreness that caused him to miss significant time. Marshall is on the verge of a breakthrough season in 2006, and will start the season in West Tennessee; he could make a meteoric rise as Hill did this past season.

4. Donnie Veal 6′3 200lbs 9/18/1984

Another jewel of the 2005 drafting class for the Cubs. Veal was taken in the second round (68th overall), the White Sox originally drafted him in 2003 out of high school but didn’t sign due to an injury to his throwing shoulder.

He has an impressive poise on the mound and a strong frame. During the 2005 season he worked his fastball at 88-91 mph that peaked at 97 mph during the spring. His wild arms and legs are considered an unorthodox delivery, but it adds nice deception to his pitches.

He was regarded as the best lefty pitcher in the Northwest League. He had command of his fastball on both sides of the plate and kept his pitches on a downward plane with live movement. His outpitch was a curve with a tight sharp drop, when he stayed on top of it, it has amazing spin and drop especially with his very live arm.

5. Carmen Pignatiello 6′0 175lbs 9/12/1982

He’s a soft soft tosser with a great hook, very good command and makeup. He destroyed lefties last year in AA, allowing just a .193 BAA. He’ll be in Iowa’s pen this year and could put up impressive statistics, unquestionably he’s future is in the pen as a lefty specialist. But he’s downfall is that velocity on his fastball, which usually sits at 83-85 mph. The Cubs might be weary to callup a kid who throws so slow despite his numbers. Kind of like Chad Bradford syndrome a few years back for the White Sox, then he went on to star in Oakland’s pen with a fastball that barely broke 80 mph. Pigs has a deceptive delivery, good location, and he knows how to pitch, that’s why he’s been as effective as he has with the Cubs.

6. John Koronka 6′1 190lbs 7/30/1980

Koronka is a product of the Tom Emanski program, that his father helps coach. He doesn’t have a dominanting fastball, and it sat around 87-89 mph for most of the season but he has a very deceptive motion and good movement on all three of his pitches.

There are reports that while working out of the pen in 2005 Arizona Fall League, Koronka’s fastball was hitting 94 mph which makes hitting his sweet changeup even harder. Without question, his changeup is considered the best in the entire system, along with his pick off move. Some scouts say his pickoff move is barely legal and the best of the PCL. The league started watching Koronka in 2005 and enforced rules that wouldn’t be in the MLB. The MLB and the pickoff move is like the NBA and traveling, it’s abused all the time and the officials look the other way.

7. Darin Downs 6′3 195lbs 12/26/1984

Darin was considered a steal in the 2003 draft when the Cubs were able to get him in the fifth round. He was widely considered the second best high school pitcher in the draft. He has very good pitching instincts, and is considered very advanced fro his age. His fastball generally sits at 89-91 mph but is likely to gain speed as he grows more and into his frame. He has a real good curveball that is considered his go-to pitch. When he has had control problems, it has been his fastball that causes the bulk of his troubles. Look for 2006 to be a breakout season for Downs.

8. Chris Shaver 6′7 235lbs 8/21/1981

Shaver is a big boy lefty whom they took in the 4th round of the 2004 draft. In college he was used as a swing man, and did his best work out of the pen. Yet the Cubs aren’t taking that route with Shaver, at least not now. Since being a starter though, his strikeout numbers are down, and his walk rate is up.

9. Russ Rohlicek 6′5 220lbs 12/26/1979

Rohlicek is close to losing his prospect status as he will enter this season in Iowa as a 26 year old. His 2005 season was not nearly impressive as his 2004. In 2004, he struck out nearly one batter per inning while limiting opposing bats to a .190 average, including a .175 clip against lefties.

In 2005, he couldn’t find that balance between his relatively high walk total and keeping opponents from hitting and scoring. He gave up five homeruns in 62 1/3 innings of work, drastically up from his 2004 numbers of only one in 69 innings.

10. Jayson Ruhlman 6′5 210lbs 11/29/1982

Ruhlman is a big lefty that has outstanding tools. The Cubs took him in the 23rd of the 2005, which was a stark drop from him 12th round selection out of high school by the White Sox. Rulhman throws in his deceptive fastball in the low 90’s and has very impressive stuff that includes a plus curveball and a changeup. His weakness going into the season was being able to harness those skills, if he continues to show continual strides as he did in Rookie League this year than the sky is the limit for him as he continues to grow and mature. This year in Rookie ball, Jayson pitched in 13 games going 26 IP, giving up 17 hits, 6 earned runs, 4 bb, 37 k.

Honerable Mention: Raul Valdes 5′11 190lbs 11/27/1977

Valdez is 29 now and just completed his first season of professional ball. He is a shadow of the player that he once was for the Cuban National Team. His stuff in his young 20’s was very comparable to Greg Maddux, a young Maddux who used to throw 92-94 mph with touches that could get it up to 96 mph. And just like Maddux his pitches had some serious movement, great command, amazing poise, and is a very cerebral pitcher.

Now due to overwork as a youngster Valdes’ fastball rests at 83-88 mph and touches 91 mph. He relies on his command, smarts, and his defense due to his over-reliance on his sinker. He features two other pitches that are considered average with good movement in a slurve and a changeup.

Honerable Mention: Carlos Perez 6′1″ 185lbs 5/20/1982

Perez is the 23 year old whom the Cubs got along with SS Spears in the Corey Patterson dumping to Baltimore. This marked first time in Perez’s career that he spent an entire season in a full circuit league. Before hand he had spent his first four pro seasons in Rookie leagues. Last year for Low-A, Perez started 27 games going 151 IP, while posting a 9.99 H/9, 3.63 BB/9, and 8.68 K/9. His best pitch is his fastball that usually sits 88-93 mph with touches of 95. While his curveball and changeup are considered average at best. The biggest problem scouts have with Perez outside of his control, is his delivery, it’s inhibits his ability to throw inside to righties. Perez is likely to start the season in Daytona (high A), but if Petrick/Blasko are healthy to start the season then Perez will be back in low-A (Peoria).