Report: Cubs hiring David Ross as manager

The Chicago Cubs are hiring former major-league catcher David Ross to be their new skipper, Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported.

Ross, 42, worked as an ESPN baseball analyst and special assistant to baseball operations for the Cubs since retiring in 2016 after winning the World Series with Chicago. He has no managing experience but played in the majors for 15 years.

The official announcement is expected to come this week, and Ross' agent has been discussing contractual terms with Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, according to David Kaplan of ESPN.

"I've always looked at Rossy as a coach when he played here," Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "Yeah, it was goofy, it was fun, it was energetic, but when he needed to tell you something, he let you hear it.

"From the very get-go, I felt like this guy will be a manager someday."

In the meantime, other contenders for the opening have been told they are out, according to Heyman.

Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada reportedly was the other finalist for the Cubs' managerial position. He has also drawn interest from the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Cubs appreciated Ross' strong delivery of a mock 2020 spring training team speech, a source told Craig Mish of FNTSY Sports Radio. The club apparently asked Ross and Espada to compose and deliver mock speeches for the staff during the second round of interviews.

Chicago has been looking for a new manager since parting ways with Joe Maddon at the end of September.

The Cubs (84-78) finished third in the National League Central this past campaign and missed the postseason for the first time since 2014.