The Chicago Cubs have signed Adam Spencer following his outstanding performance at the Australian Under-18 National Baseball Championships in Perth this January. Six organizations chased the signature of the 17-year old from New South Wales, but in the end it was the Cubs who landed Adam, with the young pitcher agreeing to a package worth well into six figures.

Paul Weaver, Special Assistant to the General Manager, says that Adam is only the second Australian to be signed by the Cubs and thinks that he has what it takes to make it to the top. "We are excited about Adam becoming a member of the Chicago Cubs family. We are committed to finding and bringing the best players we can to the organization from all parts of the world. When I saw Adam pitch he showed a very sound delivery with a smooth effortless arm action, a competitive nature and a good feel for pitching. He is very determined and dedicated. I feel that he has a chance to fill out, mature and gain strength and with that become more consistent and develop into a solid Major League pitcher".

Adam started playing baseball almost by accident. Aged 9 and bored with cricket and athletics, he received a flyer at school from his local baseball club (Carlingford in Sydney's north-west) and decided to give baseball a try. His arm strength was evident right from the start and as a result Adam was pitching in his first team - the prophetically named Under-10 Cubs.

He was targeted for representative honors early, playing for the Hills association from Under-12's, touring Japan with the NSWJBL Under-13's and making the NSW state team in Under-14's and Under-16's. However the highlight of his time in junior baseball was playing for Australia in the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Maryland, USA. "That's when I knew I wanted to make baseball my career. There was something really special about playing in the US and stepping on to the mound in front of a huge crowd of people", Adam says.

Adam moved to the Baulkham Hills club in 2004 and continued to work his way up through the ranks. In 2006/07, his first season of Under-18's, he dominated the competition, winning both the league's pitching and batting awards. Following his successful summer season, Adam spent the winter working on his mechanics with pitching coach Barry Holland.

On returning to Baulkham Hills for the 2007/08 season he caught the eye of new Baulkham Hills first grade coach Craig Stoves who immediately earmarked Adam for a spot in the first grade pitching rotation. Stoves, a former pro scout with the Florida Marlins was impressed when working with Adam during pre-season training. "I knew the first time I saw Adam that he was destined for bigger things. I was sure that it would not be long before he would be signing a pro baseball contract".

Stoves now works as a baseball agent and in baseball player management for Platinum Player Management, and he offered advice, support and guidance to the young prospect and his parents. "In the end it was an easy decision to have Craig represent me. He has been a pro scout for 12 years and he has in-depth knowledge of pro baseball. It also made more sense to go with an agency based in the US rather than Australia. Platinum have a lot of experience and we were very pleased with the way that they managed the whole process".

Adam feels that playing this season in first grade was the key to his preparation for the Nationals. "It's great facing top-class hitters every week - it has really sharpened my pitching skills". Clearly the higher level of play paid off when he produced the stand-out pitching performance of the tournament, throwing the first 7 innings of the 11-inning final against the powerful Queensland lineup, setting up the NSW win and collecting 11 strikeouts along the way.

Steve Wilson, the Pacific Rim Scout for the Cubs and a former Major League pitcher himself, watched Adam in Perth and speaks highly of him. "He is not afraid of the bat, he throws strikes and tries to pound the strike zone, especially with his fastball. He has an advanced delivery for his age and experience, it is repeatable, and there is not much to tweak or change. He showed a nice feel for 3 pitches and importantly a feel for his curveball and making the ball spin. Adam has a good body with projection, and is very competitive on the mound, showing good demeanor and poise".

Adam is due to play in the first grade final series in March, and then later in the year is off to the MLB Academy. He also hopes to be selected in the NSW Schoolboys side, as well as the Australian team for the AAA World Championships in July. While his baseball schedule is busy, the Cubs' Australian scout Larry Home feels that Adam is ready for all the challenges ahead. "We were impressed with his make up and work habits and had the opportunity to meet his family so we felt very comfortable with the type of young man that Adam is".

This year will be a demanding one for Adam as he juggles his baseball commitments with study for the HSC. Staying focused on school will be his biggest challenge, when all he really wants to do is make a start on his professional career.

Adam at the contract signing with Larry Home and Craig Stoves