Cubs' Adbert Alzolay connects the clubhouse, organization with 'true leadership qualities'

MESA, Ariz. – Cubs reliever Adbert Alzolay walked into the clubhouse and spotted lefty starter Shota Imanaga at his locker, brow furrowed, in an interview.

Alzolay strode over and patted Imanaga on the chest.

“Hey, good job yesterday,” he said. “You feel good?”

Imanaga nodded, his expression brightening.

“Good. Nice. Nice,” Alzolay said. “The split, nasty. I love it.”

“Thank you,” Imanaga said.

It was the day after Imanaga’s first spring training start, a solid showing against the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. In postgame interviews, Imanaga had honed in on ways to improve. But Alzolay brought a different perspective.

“When I first joined, he was the guy who helped me out,” Imanga told the Sun-Times through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “If I didn't know where to go, or what the schedule for the practice was, he just told me to follow him. So, it's been great. I really love the guy.”

Alzolay is barely 29 years old, with just over three years of service time under his belt. But over the past year he’s come into his own on the mound and in his identity as a leader.

Even before new manager Craig Counsell got to know Alzolay, he thought he had “true leadership qualities.”

“I really probably believe that even stronger now,” Counsell said early in spring training.

He said something similar to Alzolay early in the first few days of camp.

“That's huge coming from him,” Alzolay said to the Sun-Times. “I feel it’s because I’m just trying to pass around what I have learned from all the guys that helped me before in this organization.”

Alzolay has a magnetic personality, is bilingual, spends his offseasons around teammates and minor-leaguers at the Cubs’ Mesa complex, and has been in the organization since signing with the Cubs out of Venezuela in November 2012. He’s become a connector in the major-league clubhouse and through the levels of the farm system.

Right-hander Ben Brown, ranked the Cubs’ No. 11 prospect by MLB Pipeline, lauded the influence Alzolay had on him last offseason. Brown was new to the organization, after being traded from the Phillies at the trade deadline.

“He's so impressive, the way that he can communicate,” Brown told the Sun-Times. “The way that he gives advice, he's so mature.”

Before the Cubs’ Spanish class graduation Friday, Alzolay addressed the group. And pitching coach Tommy Hottovy referenced a presentation on the minor-league side earlier this spring that included a highlight of Single-A Myrtle Beach pitcher Jose Romero closing out a playoff game and giving the same fist pump that Alzolay patented as the Cubs closer last season.

“He has always been a hard worker, consistent worker, smart, intelligent about what he wants to do,” Hottovy said. “And now the success has fallen, and so it's easy for guys to follow him and easy for guys to learn [from him].”

That energy in Alzolay’s on-field celebrations has softer edges off the field. But it’s just as infectious.

“And genuine,” second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “And he does a really nice job of being in touch with guys from all over the locker room. Just the kind of guy that I feel like everyone feels good being around.”

When Alzolay has a break in his own schedule, he can often be spotted among the Cubs pitching coaches watching his teammates’ bullpens. Depending on the day and time, he might be in uniform, or he might still be barefoot after a grounding session.

Early in spring training, the Cubs had a mic on Alzolay as he cheered on Imanaga in the bullpen.

“When you come into a new country, a new team, it's really hard for you to communicate with everyone else – trying to make you feel comfortable and feel like you belong here has been our main goal for him this whole spring,” Alzolay said. “It’s just trying to make him feel comfortable around everyone here. We know all the talent he has. So, at this level, it comes [down to] confidence.”

As good as Alzolay is at pitching, he may be even better at instilling confidence.