Former Tar Heel Adam Greenberg will get his one more at bat as the Miami Marlins have offered Greenberg a one-day contract.
“A very sad story, very tragic story, but like many of those this is going to turn out to be just incredible,” UNC head coach Fox said. “You have to give the Miami Marlins a lot of credit, their president and their owner for doing what they’re doing and realizing that this young man needed an opportunity to get back in the batter’s box in the major leagues.”
Greenberg started his baseball journey at Guilford High School in Guilford, Conn., before attending the University of North Carolina.
Greenberg was a three-year letterman from 2000-02 for the Tar Heels and earned Freshman All-America honors from Baseball America. The Atlantic Coast Conference also tabbed Greenberg for freshman honors as he was named the 2000 ACC Freshman of the Year.
Baseball America again recognized Greenberg in 2002 as a third team All-America as he hit .337 with 80 runs scored, 17 doubles and 17 home runs.
The Chicago Cubs picked Greenberg in the ninth round of the 2002 MLB Draft to start his professional career.
After two and a half years in the minor leagues, the Cubs called Greenberg up for his MLB debut.
Greenberg’s debut came on July 9, 2005 as he faced Valerio de los Santos in what would be his only at bat in the major leagues. Greenberg was hit in the head with a de los Santos offering and was removed from the game.
Greenberg suffered a concussion as a result of the hit by pitch and dealt with post-concussion syndrome in addition to several other health issues throughout the rest of the 2005 season.
“If anybody has followed his story since he has been at Carolina, he was a great player while he was here, the ACC Freshman of the Year. He willed himself through the minor leagues and as everybody knows he got his chance to get up with the Cubs and the unimaginable situation happened. One pitch in the major leagues,” Fox added.
After recovering from his symptoms, Greenberg played two more years in minor league baseball before going to independent ball in search of another shot with a major league club. His last season in the independent leagues came in 2011 with the Bridgeport Bluefish.
Filmmaker Matt Liston then began the One More At Bat campaign, an online drive for an MLB team to give Greenberg one more at bat in the big leagues.
Greenberg returned to the diamond a few weeks ago in search of a spot on Team Israel for the World Baseball Classic. Greenberg earned a spot on the squad and played in two of the team’s three qualifiers.
The Miami Marlins made Greenberg’s dream come true on Tuesday as it announced on the Today Show that Greenberg would be offered a one-day contract with the club. Greenberg is expected to get his one at bat against the New York Mets on Tuesday, Oct. 2 in Miami.
“A great, great story and I’m happy that Adam is getting another chance,” Fox said.
– News release