Hoby Milner’s journey to Chicago part of ‘a great fairytale’ for his father, Brian, a former Cubs scout

In the stands at Tropicana, Brian wore the ...

CHICAGO — A 48-year-long fairytale brought Brian Milner to Tropicana Field in early April. Milner watched his son Hoby toss a scoreless relief appearance for the Chicago Cubs during a win against the Tampa Bay Rays in a full-circle moment for the family. Brian spent 12 seasons (1996-2007) as a Cubs scout and now gets to see Hoby representing the team.

In the stands at Tropicana, Brian wore the Cubs-issued scout jersey, No. 34, that he would wear to tryout showcases so players knew which teams were represented. When Hoby signed with the Cubs in the offseason, “oh, he was pumped,” the 35-year-old lefty said about his father.

“I rooted for the Cubs growing up, but once I got into high school, I started thinking, like, ‘Oh, what’s it going to be like with my dad being a scout? ’” Brian’s time as a Cubs scout saw him assigned to the north Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas regions and also involved pro team coverage, which during his last five years included the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. Beyond his scouting expertise, Brian understood better than most the challenges of making it to the majors.