Cubs hire hitting coach, search ongoing for other vacancies

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The Cubs are still in the process of rounding out manager David Ross' coaching staff but have filled one vacancy.

The Cubs announced Tuesday they've hired Greg Brown as hitting coach. He replaces Anthony Iapoce, whom the Cubs fired last month.

Brown spent the last two seasons as a minor-league hitting coordinator with the Rays. Prior to joining Tampa Bay, the 41-year-old was head coach at Nova Southeastern University from 2011-19.

He was an area scout with the Astros from 2009-10 and signed Kiké Hernández and J.D. Martinez in Houston's 2009 draft class.

"We're really excited to bring him on," Cubs president Jed Hoyer said of Brown Tuesday at the GM Meetings. "He was excellent in the interview process.

"His background is fascinating with being a really good area scout to a really good college coach to being a coordinator of an organization that really does a great job developing hitting. He was really impressive throughout and we're excited to bring him on board."

The Cubs are continuing their search for a new assistant hitting coach after Chris Valaika left for Cleveland's top hitting coach job last week. An announcement on that position could come late this week.

The Cubs are planning to hire from outside the organization.

"Obviously we were sad to lose Chris Valaika," Hoyer said. "He was a guy that we hired and watched him grow. You're always bummed to lose him. Excited to bring Greg on board, but also kind of bittersweet to lose Val."

The Cubs also parted ways with longtime pitching strategy coach Mike Borzello after the 2021 season, and Brad Mills, assistant director, advance scouting/run production, is also no longer with the organization.

Hoyer said the Cubs are going to fill Borzello's vacant position with two roles on the pitching side — at least one hire likely coming from outside the organization.

Contributing from California: Gordon Wittenmyer

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