Honoring Black History Month: Zinn’s Full Circle South Bend Experience

Like all professional baseball players face, former South Bend Cubs infielder Delvin Zinn had to answer the inevitable question. When is it time to hang up the cleats? The temperatures were dropping as the fall of 2024 approached. Zinn had just wrapped up what would be his final 55 pro games with the Frontier League’s Evansville Otters. The Pontotoc, Mississippi, native had devoted nearly his entire life to athletics, but for the first time, he knew it was time.

“The decision actually wasn’t as big of a challenge as I thought it would be,” Zinn said. “That’s especially with the reality of welcoming our second daughter to the world. The atmosphere of Independent Ball wasn’t as glamorous as Minor League Baseball, but midway through that season (in Evansville), I got a call from Joe Hart.”

The relationship with Hart, the South Bend Cubs Team President, was one that Zinn had already spent years cultivating. A former Chicago Cubs Minor League prospect, Zinn spent parts of three seasons as a member of the South Bend roster, including winning the 2019 Midwest League Championship.

When Hart approached Zinn on the phone, he was in search of someone to help run operations at the 1st Source Bank Performance Center. With Performance Center General Manager Mark Haley’s extended health situation at the time, the Performance Center was in search of someone who can help Haley’s youth players, and provide the same mentorship as the South Bend managerial legend. Hart’s inkling to bring in Zinn came from the constant stories of Zinn’s willingness to impact the community as a player, and also taking home the prestigious Paul Deguch Community Service Award in 2021.

“I called my wife immediately and asked what she thought, and she said, ‘You should probably take it’,” Zinn said with a chuckle. “I always said I would play for as long as I think I can make it to the Big Leagues. It’s a hard reality, but I got to that point. And I said I can put my competitive fire into something else and join a well-established organization and amazing place in the Performance Center.”

The reason why Zinn’s mindset and personality meshed so well to help youth players accomplish their eventual baseball dreams at “The P.C.”? His upbringing.

Zinn was a two-sport star at Pontotoc High School, one of the three main high schools in Pontotoc, a town with a population just north of 5600. High school athletic events are what make a place like the State of Indiana special. With all kinds of small communities having basketball gyms or football fields with seating that sometimes even outweighs the total town population. The same can be said about Pontotoc.

The always-athletic Zinn found his home both on the baseball field and basketball court. The talent between the foul lines, however, is what first earned him a spot at Mississippi State University for his first college stop, but not before the Cubs selected him out of high school in the 28th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He chose not to sign and to honor his commitment to Mississippi State. A year later, while playing at Itawamba Community College, also in Mississippi, the Cubs came calling again. Chicago selected Zinn once more; this time in the 2016 Draft, in the 23rd round. The opportunity was too good to pass up, and he inked his deal.

The path Zinn would eventually embark on was filled with twists that he would never anticipate, but he always kept one thing he always knew. A southern charm, and treating people the right way.

“The reason I like giving back comes from the easy answer of growing up in the South,” Zinn laughed. “My grandparents and parents were really big on respect. Never forgetting where you come from. I’ve always been lucky enough to have a great support system. And I know not everyone was that fortunate. For me I just try to be that for everyone else. It comes natural, because I grew up with it, and everyone I grew up with had it. Putting pride aside to lend a hand.”

And as we celebrate and honor Black History Month, with Zinn’s heritage to his hometown also comes plenty of African-American history.

Pontotoc native Steve Pegues was the first and only person from the small town to play in the Major Leagues, making his MLB debut with Cincinnati in 1994, and then also playing for Pittsburgh.

Also, before the color barrier was ended by Jackie Robinson, a Pontotoc native named Cowan “Bubba” Hyde paved the way for young athletes in Mississippi after playing 17 years in the Negro Leagues. He played primarily for the Memphis Red Sox, but also one season in 1937 with the Indianapolis Athletics. Hyde was signed by Memphis at just 14 years old out of Pontotoc, but returned to his hometown to complete his high school diploma before rejoining the team. Hyde passed at the age of 94 in 2003.

Lastly, in USA history, Pontotoc was home to one Alfred Oscar Coffin, the first African-American in United States history to earn their PHD in biology. He went on to become a college professor at multiple universities, including Illinois Wesleyan in the 1800s. He passed away in 1932.

Zinn comes from a place of pride. Treating each individual the same, regardless of the color of their skin. It’s the lessons that he learned throughout his early life that he has now taken to the 1st Source Bank Performance Center.

“I’ve been blessed to be around different personalities and different managers in this game and in my life,” Zinn said. “I’ve tried to take pointers and tidbits from every one individually. I’ve been around coaches who are extremely chill and don’t yell, and have also been around the opposite. I’m not a yeller, but setting the respect right away is really important”

One of the managers Zinn got to play for in his extended professional career was the late Buddy Bailey, who passed away in September of 2025. Bailey led South Bend to the 2019 Midwest League Title, and managed Zinn when he was with the team for the first half of the season. Although practices could be grueling, and you always got an earful of honesty, it’s people like Bailey that have turned Zinn into the instructor and coach that he is now.

“My first couple years with the Cubs were pretty laid back to be honest,” Zinn said. “But I grew up with the Buddy-style practices. Now, I was absolutely exhausted with him after we worked out. Buddy had a knack for getting the best out of everybody that he coached. Everyone that played for him, that was their best year in the organization. He told us you had to be obsessed with work. Because this is our job, and along with having fun. I would’ve played for him every year if I could.”

Taking the principles that he picked up along the way, Zinn’s time at the 1st Source Bank Performance Center has been off-and-running. 2025 was his first full season on the job, and in 2026, he’s ready to continue helping young people succeed in their aspirations. Which after all, is the true mission for him as a mentor. Plus, kids and young adults coming to work with Zinn can be assured they are getting the greatest possible training. Until Cristian Hernandez broke the record in 2025, Zinn held the South Bend Cubs single-season stolen base record with 42 in 2021.

“Hales did a phenomenal job setting the table for me to come in and get right to work,” Zinn said. “My biggest goal is to implement baseball technology to help this next generation of kids. I couldn’t do it without Amanda, Patrick, and John. They make it super easy. But at the end of the day, I want to bring my personality into it. Making it a family type atmosphere, so we can all click as one.”