South Bend Cubs Digital Game Program - June 2026 by SBCubs

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JUNE 2026

SHARP DRESSED MAN

Attitude and mindset carried South Bend Cubs outfielder Kade Snell to becoming a top Chicago Cubs prospect By: Brendan King

espite it being a sweltering and humid July Monday in Chicago, 29,215 fans packed Wrigley Field to watch the Chicago Cubs take on the Cincinnati Reds on July 26, 2021. South Bend Cubs outfielder Kade Snell was one of those fans. With third-base box seats, Snell was positioned close enough to see inside the Chicago Cubs dugout. At that point, he had no idea that in just a short matter of time, his everyday focus would be becoming the next must-see prospect to be donning the blue pinstripes. The weather wasn’t the only thing that was hot in the ballpark that night. So was the rivalry between the Cubs and Reds. Javy Baez and Amir Garrett had built quite the storyline between one another throughout that season. That night, Baez cranked a walk-off base-hit against Garrett, resulting in a viral video featuring ... continued on next page.

Javy’s celebration. Fast-forward nearly five years later. Snell is taking batting practice at Wrigley Field with the South Bend Cubs on May 11, 2026. As the Chicago Cubs were on the road, the South Bend Cubs stopped at ‘The Friendly Confines’ for what has become an annual day on a West Division road trip, touring the stadium and working out on the field. We talked to Snell that day in the first-base dugout. “Getting to come out here and take BP at a place as iconic as this is so cool,” Snell said. “To be able to hit some balls over the wall is even better. Looking back at my kid self, he would be doing backflips. And of course, hopefully one day I can come out here and actually play.”

Snell takes the field during the Cubs' team introductions at Four Winds Field on April 3, 2026.

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Snell signals to his fellow outfielders during the 2026 home opener against Beloit on April 14, 2026.

Not only could the 2021 version of Snell not project that he would get to have the chance to hit at Wrigley Field someday, he could barely project that he would be hitting. After a stellar two-way high school career at Wicksburg High School in Alabama, Snell was ranked as a top-100 nationwide high school left-handed pitcher in his class. He committed to Auburn University, where he joined the Tigers roster as just a pitcher. After not playing for Auburn in 2021, he went the junior college route, which brought along the opportunity to get back into hitting. At Wallace Community College in Dothan, Alabama, Snell picked up the bat again, where he was

named the 2023 NJCAA Division I National Player of the Year. One thing led to another, and eventually Snell found himself in white and crimson, playing with the University of Alabama. It’s not too often a player finds himself from Auburn to Alabama, but Snell did, and it has created the career that he has built for himself. With Alabama, Snell played the 2024 and 2025 seasons in Tuscaloosa, becoming a team captain, and hitting 10 home runs with a .363 average in 2025. That’s when his name was called, in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft, by the Chicago Cubs. The newest signee squeezed everything he could out of the two-week break he had around draft time, marrying his fiancee Joanna, going on their honeymoon, and then being assigned to the South Bend Cubs to begin his pro career. Snell was thrown right into the fire, making his professional debut on August 5, 2025. He picked up his first professional hit on the same night. He would go on to play 27 games with South Bend to get his first taste of pro baseball. “The reps in South Bend last year were very much needed,” Snell said. “Going from playing 60 or so games in college, and then 30 within a month really showed me what I was signing up for. I’m so glad I had that time last year because this year I knew what to expect.” After an offseason to prepare for the full grind of a Minor League Baseball season, Snell prepared his ... continued on next page.

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body for the rigor of 132 games. But preparing for a long year didn’t just come from a physical standpoint. “Since last year my maturity has really grown through the roof,” Snell said. “I would say so at least. I hope my wife would say so, too. Our relationship together has really grown as one, too. That just means the world to me. We don’t have our loved ones around us during the season, and with the Lord’s help, doing this all together is really important.” Relationship-building is key in all aspects of the game of baseball. Snell highlights last year’s South Bend Cubs coaches for getting him ready for what was to come in 2026, and that he feels like all of his teammates are his brothers. But few in the Cubs organization have come as close to Snell in such a short matter of time than Kane Snell follows through after amking contact during Kepley. his multi-hit performance against Lansing on May Last fall, after Kepley finished the 6, 2026.

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season with Single-A Myrtle Beach, and Snell wrapped up in South Bend, they met in Arizona. It was a perfect match. “No matter if someone says the name Kane or Kade, we both look at them,” Snell said. “We do

Snell smiles while walking back to the dugout before the Cubs game against Beloit on April 18, 2026.

so many things in similar ways. I talked about my maturity level, and he has really helped me in that area. Both as a human being and as a baseball player. It’s a blessing I get to be around him so much.” 2026 has led Snell to more standout career accomplishments, including mashing his first professional home run in Dayton on April 23. In our Wrigley Field dugout conversation, Snell emphasized that being a South Bend Cub has made a key difference in the beginning of his young baseball career. “That home run was a really cool swing because the ball was so inside and I had to get my hands at it,” Snell explained. “And to do it with South Bend is special. South Bend has become our home. I think God put me here for a reason, because I have the right people around me. And I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.”

JUNE 2026

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COACHING UP HIS OLD CLUB

Former South Bend Cubs outfielder Chris Pieters returns as hitting coach By: Tyler Reidy

wo months into the season, the South Bend Cubs have one of Minor League Baseball’s strongest offenses. They set the Cub record for April home runs, scored more than 20 runs twice during a single series in May, and have dominated with runners in scoring position. For all of that to happen, the players of course must execute. But how they’re put in a position to succeed makes a difference, too. That’s where Nate Spears and Chris Pieters, the 2026 South Bend hitting coaches, come in. Spears has been with South Bend for three years now, but Pieters is just a rookie — at least, when it comes to coaching in the Midwest League. He played for the South Bend Cubs as an outfielder in 2017, and he’s enjoyed the return to his old stomping grounds as a coach. “It brings a lot of memories, and facing really great superstars that are actually in the big leagues right now,” Pieters said. “I feel that it's a great opportunity for me to help [the players] actually display what it actually takes to get to the next level.” Now 31, Pieters signed with the Cubs at age 16, coming from

the small island of Curacao. The country has produced its fair share of Major League talent, including Andruw Jones, the Hall of Fame Atlanta Braves outfielder whom Pieters idolized as a kid. From the time he began to play, Pieters both pitched and hit, aligning himself with the customs of his homeland’s premier talent. “Curacao is just about helping the nation win in international tournaments,” Pieters described. “And most of the time, the best players do both as they have games they pitch and the days they're not pitching, they're hitting. So scouts had that on their scouting reports, and whenever they saw that the pitching didn't really go as planned, they provided me the opportunity In his return to South Bend, Pieters takes the field during Opening Night introductions at Four Winds Field on April 3, 2026. (Credit: Mandy Coppinger)

to still pursue my dream and actually give it a shot as a hitter.” A competitive and emotionally charged pitcher in his day, Pieters gave up the mound a few years into his professional career. However, he believes that his time spent as a hurler helped him as a position player and still does as a coach. “Being able to switch the perspective of how they're gonna attack you helped me extremely, and it also helped with the handling of emotions, knowing that, being on the mound, there is a lot of pressure,” Pieters said. Pieters spent his first three and a half seasons in the Dominican and Venezuelan Summer League before debuting stateside in 2015. ... continued on next page.

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At the time, the Minor Leagues featured three levels of A-ball; for the Cubs, Low-A Eugene, Single-A South Bend, and High-A Myrtle Beach. Pieters spent all of 2016 with the Eugene Emeralds, winning a Northwest League title in his first full year of baseball in America. A year later, he spent the entire season in South Bend, coming over to Four Winds Field with many of the teammates he had just won a championship with. For the Cubs, Pieters produced his best Minor League season, hitting .254 with 25 extra-base hits and 31 runs batted in across 86 games. He fondly remembers seeing the ball well in Fort Wayne, where he belted two of his four Midwest League home runs.

Pieters’ playing career would fizzle out after the 2018 campaign in Myrtle Beach, but that didn’t mean the Cubs wanted to part with him. Late in a Spring Training one year as rosters began to finalize, he remembers several players being called into the office and cut. Pieters received the same call, but the Cubs offered him a different piece of information. “It was actually just to provide me with the opportunity to coach,” Pieters described. “...I like acquiring new skills… If I was a better hitter than I was a pitcher, maybe I'll be a better coach than I was a hitter, so that actually just mainly made me make the decision." After spending last year with the Arizona Complex League’s Cubs

With current Toronto Blue Jays superstar infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (right) looking on, Pieters hands off his equipment after reaching third on a triple in a South bend Cubs game against Lansing on June 15, 2017.

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squad, Pieters had joined forces with the great Nate Spears in South Bend. Pieters has a great amount of admiration for his fellow hitting coach, and their shared background as former Minor League hitters makes for a strong partnership and stream of messaging to current Cub players. “It's just been two baseball minds bouncing off each other on a daily basis on what we got to do to provide the players with the best opportunity to succeed, especially in that game at that moment,” Pieters said. While a South Bend player, Pieters vividly remembers watching and interacting with current MLB superstars. Fernando Tatis Jr. was a Fort Wayne TinCap then, while

Pieters rounds third base after hitting a home during a South bend Cubs game against Lake County at Four Winds Field on July 26, 2017.

Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were Lansing Lugnuts. Enabling such transformation — from young, wide-eyed ballplayers to polished, Major League-ready commodities — still drives Pieters in his everyday work. “The focus is to just make everybody the best version of themselves,” Pieters described. “Put themselves in the best spot they can be to display on a daily basis that they are worthy of a shot in the big leagues. That's all we care about, and that's what drives us to provide the players with what they need on a daily basis.” Still, the efforts of coaching can never succeed without buy-in from the players, and the Cubs have plenty of that in 2026. South Bend having its best first half since the championship seasons of 2019 and 2022 has been no accident, and it’s a byproduct of a tremendous camaraderie that exists on and off the field. “I've been coaching for seven years now. I think this is the most connected clubhouse I've ever seen,” Pieters said. “So it makes our job way easier as they motivate themselves. Since they're best friends and they're rooting for each other, all we preach to them is, ‘Go out and beat the pitcher together.’”

JUNE 2026

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SOUTH BEND CUBS SEASON SEAT HOLDER OF THE MONTH

North American Signs

What does your company do? North American Signs is a full-service signage partner that helps brands show up boldly and consistently across every location, from design and manufacturing to installation and ongoing maintenance. We make sure your signs do more than exist, they make an impact. What is your favorite thing about Four Winds Field? The family atmosphere stands out to us. It feels relaxed and genuine, like a place where family traditions are made. How long have you been in business in the area? We’ve been serving clients across North America for over 90 years, with strong roots and partnerships throughout the Midwest. How does your company use their tickets? We use them to build relationships with clients and partners, but mostly we love giving our team a well-earned night at the ballpark. How long have you been a season seat holder and what brings you back to Four Winds Field each year? We’ve been season seat holders for 10 years, and we keep coming back for the experience: great baseball paired with a family-friendly atmosphere. What position would Stu hold in your company? Stu would have to be in business development because he’s outgoing, memorable, and knows how to draw a crowd. Plus, anyone who can keep one hand on a tray of nachos while greeting fans is clearly built for multitasking!

SOUTH BEND CUBS GROUP OUTING OF THE MONTH

LECO Corporation

What does your company do? LECO Corporation is a global leader in analytical instrumentation, mass spectrometers, and metallography equipment. Since our founding in 1936 in St. Joseph, Michigan, we’ve been committed to delivering innovative solutions that help customers analyze materials and improve quality across industries. How long have you been in business in the area? LECO Corporation was established in 1936 in St. Joseph, Michigan. It is comprised of several facilities locally and worldwide. How does your company use their tickets? Each year, we host a South Bend Cubs Night Out, inviting our employees and their families to enjoy a fun, relaxing evening together at the ballpark. It’s a great opportunity to connect outside of work and celebrate our team. How long has your company done outings at the ballpark and what brings you back to Four Winds Field each year? LECO has enjoyed outings at Four Winds Field for several years, and we continue to return because of the consistently great experience. The welcoming environment, excellent customer service, and memorable entertainment make it a highlight for our employees year after year. Do you think you could strike out Stu? Why? We’ll leave the pitching to the pros—but at LECO, we’re all about precision and performance! With the right data and a little teamwork, we might just have a shot. What is your favorite food item at Four Winds Field? It’s hard to beat a classic ballpark hot dog—but the variety of food options keeps everyone coming back to try something new!

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SOUTH BEND CUBS 2026 ROSTER

PITCHERS

ETHAN BELL

JACKSON BROCKETT

KENTEN EGBERT

ETHAN JOSTIN ELI FLANAGAN FLORENTINO JERZEMBECK

BEN JOHNSON

MASON MCGWIRE

GRAYSON MOORE

KOEN MORENO

NAZIER MULE

KENYI PEREZ

COLE REYNOLDS

ALFREDO ROMERO

BRAYDEN SPEARS

ADAM STONE

KEVIN VALDEZ

JP WHEAT

DREW BOWSER

JOSE ESCOBAR

MATT HALBACH

COLE MATHIS

CHRISTIAN OLIVO

TY SOUTHISENE

NATE WILLIAMS

CATCHERS

DILAN JUSTIN GRANADILLO STRANSKY

MIGUEL USECHE

INFIELDERS

OUTFIELDERS LEONEL ESPINOZA

JOSIAH HARTSHORN

KANE KEPLEY

Roster updated as of May 31 31,, 2026

KADE SNELL

IN ADVANCE / DAY OF

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Baseball Fans, You can stream our PBS Michiana original documentary South Bend: Built by Baseball on our app at pbs.org. Learn more about us at our website wnit.org.

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2026 SOUTH BEND CUBS COACHING STAFF Daniel Wasinger - Manager

Daniel Wasinger enters his first season as manager of the South Bend Cubs, after serving as South Bend’s bench coach in 2025. With South Bend last season, Wasinger also served as the first base coach. He began his coaching career in 2024, joining the Cubs organization as a Development Coach with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He played two seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks system in 2018 and 2019. After his time with Arizona, Wasinger continued playing professionally in Independent Baseball and the Mexican Leagues. He was selected by Arizona in the 31st round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Southeastern Louisiana University.

Nate Spears - Hitting Coach

Nate Spears returns for his third season with the South Bend Cubs as the hitting coach. Spears began his playing career with the Baltimore Orioles, after being selected in the fifth-round of the 2003 MLB Draft. The Fort Myers, Florida native was traded by the Orioles to the Chicago Cubs in the Corey Patterson deal in 2006. Spears played for former South Bend manager Buddy Bailey in 2008 with Double-A Tennessee, and made it to Triple-A Iowa. His career then took him to the Boston Red Sox, where he made his MLB debut. Spears played for Boston in 2011 and 2012.

JC Bonilla - Pitching Coach

Jeancarlos Bonilla joins South Bend after serving as the assistant pitching coach with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 2025. Bonilla began working for the Cubs as the assistant pitching coach for their Dominican Summer League team in 2023. He held the same role in the 2024 season. A Bronx, NY native, Bonilla played college baseball at both Lackawanna College and Grambling State University. Bonilla graduated from Grambling State with both a Bachelor’s of General Studies with a minor in History in 2020 and a Master’s degree in Sports Administration in 2022.

Henry Haack - Pitching Coach

Henry Haack played college baseball at Denison University from 2019-2022, where he was a data analytics major. The Evanston, Illinois native put up a 3.34 ERA in 51 total collegiate appearances. Last year, Haack spent the season in the Dominican Republic with the DSL Cubs Academy.

Max Anastasio Development Coach

Chris Pieters Hitting Coach

Maggie Lowenhar Athletic Trainer

Grant Vera Strength and Conditioning

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REARRANGING THE PIECES In his new organization, Adam Stone finds success on the mound and the chess board By Tyler Reidy

ince finishing his college career in 2022, South Bend reliever Adam Stone has been through it all. Opportunities, setbacks, and changes have written the story of his first four professional years, and they’ve put him in a spot to be at his very best right now. Two months into this season, Stone has been one of the premier options in the Cubs’ bullpen, and he’s hard to miss. Standing at 6-foot-6 with long and bushy brown hair, he’s an imposing opponent for any hitter. But off the mound, he’s one of the friendliest and most interesting guys you’ll find around the clubhouse. Stone’s journey began in Connecticut, where he followed older brothers Kevin and Grant into baseball. Kevin is the reason Adam

wears No. 25 wherever he can, including here in South Bend. Just like his brothers, Adam elected Harvard as his place to play college baseball. The school’s reputation precedes itself as a place of great challenge for everyone, let alone a student-athlete on his way to professional play, but Stone learned with time how to deal with his responsibilities. “There was definitely a learning curve when you first got there, because you had to make sure that

Stone stares his down his opponent at the plate during a relief appearance against the Lansing Lugnuts at Four Winds Field on May 5, 2026.

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all your academics were settled, and you had to get that straightened out before you were able to go across the river and do all your baseball activities,” Stone described. “Harvard was awesome, and I really enjoyed my time there… Everybody there is special in some regard, so that was a really cool experience.” While taking classes such as Social Psychology with Dr. Ellen Langer, Stone’s favorite course in college, the right-hander carved out a career worthy of Major League attention. Around the time of the draft in 2022, he got the call from the New York Yankees, a franchise he grew up only a few hours from. As an undrafted signing, Stone would have his shot at professional pitching. “I had an idea that I would have a chance, but it was super cool to finally get the call and know that I was gonna fulfill the dream of being a pro baseball player,” Stone said. “That was a super special moment.” Unfortunately, Stone just couldn’t stay healthy while a Yankee prospect. Rotator cuff inflammation limited his first full year, as he pitched only 20 innings with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons in 2023. The following year, Stone needed to have a bone spur removed from elbow. Then, just as he was about to finish his recovery, he required Tommy

John surgery that wiped out his 2024 and 2025 seasons. The rotten injury luck frustrated Stone, but his mindset and appreciation for the game haven’t wavered. “I definitely learned a lot about myself and the perspective that you need to take when you come to the ballpark every day,” Stone said. “You're getting paid to play baseball. That's a success, and it's definitely something that you shouldn't take for granted. So when I come to the field every day and I'm healthy, just being grateful for that is important.” At the end of 2025, Stone would become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. For a player like him signed at age 19 or older, this occurs when the player has completed four professional seasons and is not protected on his original organization’s 40-man roster or Triple-A reserve list. Having not pitched in two years, Stone knew his time with the Yankees wouldn’t last much longer. He needed a chance to showcase himself for other organizations, and he found exactly that in the Arizona Fall League. Pitching in Mesa, the Spring Training home of the Chicago Cubs, Stone competed against MLB-caliber talent, proving to both himself and others that he could still record outs at a high level. “That was the best possible thing

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JUNE 2026

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Stone releases a pitch during his outing against Fort Wayne at Four Winds Field on April 29, 2026.

that could have happened for me and my career, for sure,” Stone said. “Just having those innings in the Fall League helped a bunch when I ramped up for this season, because there's jitters – you need to get them out of your system – because I hadn't played in a couple years. It was good to just get into games and gain some confidence against some really good guys.” A month later, in December, the Rule 5 Draft arrived. Stone received a text from his agent reporting that he’d been picked up by the Cubs. “My world got flipped upside down,” Stone recalled. “Joining a new org, you’ve gotta learn stuff about how the org is run and different philosophies that coaches have, but it's been an incredible experience, and I'm really happy that it happened.” Assigned to South Bend at the start of 2026, Stone has introduced himself to Cub fans with confident pitching and excellent numbers. He’s introduced his clubhouse, however,

to something totally different: chess. Stone picked up the game while with Harvard baseball, an apparent hotbed for chess mastery. “Some of my buddies were child prodigies, so I brought it into pro ball, and it's been a lot of fun,” Stone said. “Guys get the chess bug, and they're just grinding it when they get to the field, when they go home, so it's been a lot of fun to bring that chess culture to the team.” Stone isn’t the first South Bend Cub of recent years to carry chess fever. He credits fellow Harvard product and former South Bend reliever Hunter Bigge for inspiring his chess endeavors. Now a Tampa Bay Ray, Bigge has evidently got some skills. “He is the best chess player I've ever played,” Stone said of Bigge. While Stone has largely been the grandmaster of the South Bend clubhouse this year, he’s quick to point out the development of his teammates. Before his promotion to Double-A Knoxville last month, reliever Jackson Kirkpatrick could regularly give Stone a run for his money. Right-hander Nate Williams is so invested in improving that he’s obtained a board that lights up as he plays, informing him of the best possible moves. A good chess match is a great way to analogize Stone’s professional career. It takes time and has its ups and downs, but every move happens for a reason. Here in South Bend, Stone doesn’t need to have all the pieces exactly where he wants them — just a chance to stay on the board and continue playing the game he loves. Follow us on X & Instagram: @SBCubs

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SPEARS THROWS DARTS

South Bend pitcher Brayden Spears embraced the grind of Independent Baseball, earning opportunity to pursue Big League dreams By Brendan King

hile he was being recruited to play college baseball, South Bend Cubs right-handed pitcher Brayden Spears had a desire to find a new adventure. Pitching at the time in his high school days at Liberty High School in Brentwood, California, Spears wanted to embark on a journey that would take him out of ‘The Golden State.' A certain destination sparked his interest: Boise, Idaho. What he didn’t know at the time was that a brief stop in Boise would eventually blossom into a professional baseball career. In 2020, Boise State Baseball had just been revived for the upcoming NCAA Baseball season. After being discontinued in 1980, following the first Boise State games being played in 1936, former Chicago Cubs minor league manager Gary Van Tol was named the Broncos head coach in the hopes of building the program back into a West Coast power. Spears emailed Van Tol to

Spears prepares to make a pitch during his relief appearance against Fort Wayne on April 28, 2026.

express his interest in being part of the first roster in the return of the baseball program. After no response, Spears emailed Van Tol again, then again, and again, and again. After five tries, no luck. Just when Spears thought he had to settle for playing baseball at a small school locally in California, his phone rang. “I sent Gary one last email, and he called me” Spears said. “He said, ‘After the sixth email I thought I better call you.’ I went on a visit and fell in love with the area. I would’ve gone there as a regular student if I didn’t play baseball. And it was an awesome story developing. There were going to be 20 freshmen on the roster and I ended up committing.” The initial Boise connection between Van Tol and the Broncos was developed because Van Tol was the former Cubs' Minor League manager of the Boise Hawks. Now an independent baseball team, ... continued on next page.

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Boise was a longtime Cubs affiliate and was also with the Rockies for a short time. I began my broadcast career with them in 2017. Van Tol stayed around Boise and was tasked with leading the new Broncos baseball program. He had Spears as one of his recruits, but ultimately, COVID-19 ended any hopes of Boise State bringing back baseball. After one season, the

Spears heads out onto the field during team introductions at Four Winds Field on April 3, 2026.

program folded in the middle of the pandemic. That left Spears without a collegiate home. Eventually, he made his way to the University of Oregon, and then Cal State Fullerton. In 2022, he was at a life crossroads after finishing his college baseball career. “I was honestly going to be done with baseball,” Spears said. “But then Gary (Van Tol) threw me a lifeline. Gary got the job as the Boise Hawks independent baseball coach. He asked me to come try out for the team and play. So I went out there for spring training, had a good run, and ended up being a starting pitcher for them. That’s how it all happened, and I ended up staying for three years.” In three seasons of unaffiliated baseball with the Hawks, Spears pitched in 39 total games and picked up 171 strikeouts. His final season in Boise came in 2024, and at just 23-years-old, the success at that level gave him baseball career options. The solid numbers with the Hawks attracted multiple MLB teams that wanted to sign Spears. Ultimately, the Chicago Cubs were the highest bidder. The Cubs signed Spears to a free agent deal on

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February 10, 2025, giving him his first chance to climb the ladder to the Big Leagues. With the Myrtle Beach Pelicans last season, Spears was one of the most reliable Carolina League relievers, working in 36 games and posting a 3.13 ERA. At 6-foot-6, Spears uses his size on the mound to help get hitters out. His big frame pairs with almost a side-arm delivery, where it is very difficult for opposing hitters to see the ball leave his right hand. That motion was developed even before his days in Idaho, working with one of the top pitching coaches in the country. “As a big guy you would think I’d release the ball in a high slot, but when I was 16 I was lucky enough to work with Tom House,” Spears explained. “He was Nolan Ryan’s pitching coach. So as a teenager I was out there throwing with him. He told me my arm slot is where your head and eye level is. So with my head being level and my arm slot being low, that’s always what I stuck with.” 2026 brought the opportunity to leap up a level, landing with the South Bend Cubs. In May, South Bend took their annual visit to work out at Wrigley Field on a Monday off day. The experience and opportunity to use the Wrigley facilities gave Spears a new perspective on the game. “Walking in there it hits you all at once that it is one of the most historic ballparks in the world, and I’m playing for the organization.” Spears said. “It gives you another level of laser focus in that it is the

Spears follows through on a pitch during his outing against the Fort Wayne TinCaps on April 28, 2026.

pinnacle of where you want to be. I want to show up everyday for work and that be my place of work.” While playing independent baseball in the Pioneer League, bus rides can stretch anywhere from eight to 14 hours depending on where you are heading. For any player, becoming accustomed to the grind lifestyle can be difficult. But Spears embraced it over his three years in that circuit. Now in a situation where that grind is not as fierce in affiliated baseball, Spears has never lost the mindset that helped him get to this point. “I think that experience gives me an edge,” Spears said. “Knowing that I can do that for three years and grind through adversity, being here is cake. I have everything set up for me to be successful, and now it’s just a matter of doing it." Follow us on X & Instagram: @SBCubs

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