Cubs Scout Stan Zielinski Dies

Stan Zielinski, an area scout in the Midwest with the Chicago Cubs, died suddenly Thursday at his home in Winfield, Ill. He was 64.

Zielinski was inducted into the Midwest Scouts Association Hall of Fame in December and was the Cubs’ scout of the year in 2015. He previously worked for the Marlins, Expos and White Sox. He was listed as a signing scout for several prominent major leaguers, including Kyle Schwarber, Jeff Samardzija, Cliff Floyd and Kirk Rueter, with Rueter signing as an 18th-round pick.

He worked with the Cubs since 2001 and started with the White Sox as a scout in 1979. According to a 2009 Chicago Tribune story by Dan McGrath, Zielinski grew up in Chicago and played baseball at St. Mary’s (Minn.).

“Stan was an incredible scout and an unfailingly kind person,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said in a statement issued by the club. “For many of us, working closely with Stan was a highlight of being with the Cubs. He has been a big part of the heart and soul of the Cubs scouting staff for more than 15 years; without Stan we certainly would not have won the World Series. The impact he made on this organization and his co-workers will continue to live on.

“Together we grieve his loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to Stan’s wife Holly, his children Zach and Anna, the entire Zielinski family, and Stan’s many friends and colleagues.”

Cubs area scout and former big leaguer Keith Lockhart echoed Epstein’s thoughts.

“When Stan received the scout of the year award for the Cubs last season, it was such a treat to see the excitement on his face, especially when Kyle Schwarber reached out to him to congratulate him,” Lockhart said. “It was priceless. Stan will be truly missed. He had wisdom and insight in this industry that not many people have but will strive to get.”

In a 2006 interview with BA’s Alan Schwarz, then-Cubs general manager Jim Hendry praised Zielinski as “probably as versatile a scout as I’ve ever seen.”

“He is a great amateur scout—doesn’t want to be a crosschecker, doesn’t want to be the scouting director, loves the area work. At the same time, I can send him on a major league trade the day after he saw a high school game, and he’s gonna be outstanding at that. That’s a very rare thing.

“I have to be honest with you: Michael Barrett’s here because of him. Glendon Rusch is here because of him. We drafted Rich Hill (because of him). That’s how much I lean on the guy. He’s that good, and I don’t think the country’s ever heard of him.”