1/17 Wood & Prior

Jason McLeod, the Cubs director of player development and scouting, made a point of asking Kerry Wood and Mark Prior to speak to a dozen top prospects during the team’s first rookie development camp. Prior spoke Thursday, which was the final day of the week-long program.

“Who better to know and understand having all the hype, having all the pressure, being the young guy coming up and then performing in this environment?” McLeod said of the two Cubs pitchers who had to deal with plenty of highs and lows in their careers. “”Who better than those two guys? Those had to have been two of the most hyped Cubs prospects of the last 15 to 20 years.”

McLeod knew Prior from his brief time with the Padres. The pitcher didn’t hesitate when asked to talk to the kids.

“He was fired up about it and said, ‘I’d love to talk to those guys,’” McLeod said.

– Carrie Muskat