Cubs announce changes on player development staff

As they move closer to hiring a manager to replace Joe Maddon, who landed the same job with the Angels Wednesday, the Cubs announced a flurry of moves on the player development side.

With Jason McLeod moving from senior VP of amateur scouting/player development to director of player personnel in September, Matt Dorey was named senior director of player development Thursday.

Dorey was the Cubs' director of amateur scouting the last six years.

Bobby Basham was named director of player development.

Over the past two years, he was the Cubs' director of special projects/assistant director of player development.

Looking to produce more pitching in the minor leagues, the Cubs named Craig Breslow director of pitching/special assistant to the president and general manager.

A former major-league reliever for 12 seasons, Breslow joined the Cubs in January as director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations.

Justin Stone was named director of hitting.

The Cubs' biokinematic hitting consultant since 2018, Stone started Elite Baseball Training in Chicago in 2011. He was also the GM at the White Sox's Training Academy from 2001-11.

Jeremy Farrell was named assistant director of baseball and Jaron Madison was named special assistant to the president/general manager, a player evaluation role with emphasis on professional, amateur and international scouting.