Greg Brown Gone as Cubs Hitting Coach, Minor League Hitting Coordinator Dustin Kelly Promoted
The life expectancy for a Cubs hitting coach drops every season, as Greg Brown didn’t even last a full year in the role. Hired last November, the former college coach oversaw an offense that struck out less than in either of the two previous seasons while displaying less raw power than any squad since 2014. Brown succeeded Anthony Iapoce, who lasted just two seasons following one year of Chili Davis.
Brown was more or less set up to fail, given a roster that Jed Hoyer publicly admitted didn’t have nearly enough power. Maybe there were other personal or philosophical issues behind the scenes, all I know is that no other coach would have made this team any better. Sahadev Sharma tweeted that Brown has been offered another role in the organization, but he is reportedly leaving to seek other opportunities.
It has now been 20 years since a Cubs hitting coach lasted more than three seasons, with Jeff Pentland serving in the role from 1998-2002. The Cubs have had 11 different men there in that time, eight of whom have lasted two years or less.
Greg Brown will not return as Cubs' hitting coach, less than one year after being hired.
Minor-league hitting coordinator Dustin Kelly has been promoted to #Cubs hitting coach.
Cubs offered Brown a position elsewhere in org, however, he has chosen to seek other opportunities.
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) October 28, 2022
Let’s hope that doesn’t hold true for Dustin Kelly, who has been promoted from minor league hitting coordinator to take over as Cubs hitting coach. I just hope he isn’t being hired as yet another sacrificial scapegoat. And hey, maybe it’s the exact opposite and the organization is so high on Kelly that Brown was removed to clear a spot lest Kelly be lost to another organization.
