Zack Short: Leading the Charge

SOUTH BEND, IN - At the start of the season, Cubs fans filled the seats at Four Winds Field with excitement and high hopes of seeing top-prospects such as hard-throwing righty Dylan Cease or speedy outfielder D.J. Wilson; however, few people anticipated the show to be stolen by a 5'10" shortstop from Kingston, New York. But leadoff hitter Zack Short, a 17^th round pick from Sacred Heart University last summer, has done exactly that.

"I haven't hit leadoff much, but I like to see a lot of pitches," said Short. "I like to think of [myself] like Dustin Pedroia; he's not the biggest guy but he grinds it every day and he doesn't care how big or small he is."
Despite his size, the Sacred Heart alum has already hit two, first pitch leadoff homeruns, both coming only five days apart. But leadoff hitter or not, Short leads by example in the clubhouse; what he lacks in size he makes up for in effort, passion, and heart.

"Growing up I was always playing with the older kids and they would always hold me to a higher standard," said Short. "It was very competitive, and now I hold my brothers and teammates to the same high standard."
In his first 14 games after moving to the leadoff spot, Short, the second shortest player on the South Bend roster (no pun intended), hit .339 with 11 RBI's, four homers, 13 walks, and 17 runs scored including a career-high game in which he went 3-for-5 with six RBI's and two 3-run homeruns. And though he was selected in the 17^th round, his hard-nosed work ethic and camaraderie with his teammates have quickly earned him the respect of top ranked players in the organization.
"He's a great teammate, fun to be around, and he's always picking someone up," said 2015 4^th round pick D.J. Wilson. "He definitely shows the qualities of leader on the field and off." 
Although Short is smaller than most players, he is motivated by one simple phrase, "never give up," which is represented by the NGU acronym on the bill of his hat. Thus, if this early season success continues, there will be nothing short about Zack's professional baseball career.