Shortly after retiring from professional baseball after the 2003 season, Karl Jernigan helped coach his friend's 9-year-old travel team.
"I was just told these kids were very good, but this was my first time coaching," Jernigan recalled. "During the first practice, I had to ask, 'Who is this shortstop? He's freaking good.' "
That shortstop was Addison Russell, who has displayed his fearlessness against older competition, whether it was in tournaments, at Pace High School in Florida or during this, his rookie season with the Cubs, when he displaced three-time National League All-Star Starlin Castro.
"Addison has a gift," Jernigan said. "He does things you can't teach."
Russell's "gift" aside, Cubs manager Joe Maddon likes infielders with "no chrome attached," which is why Russell's sound-and-simple approach eventually resulted in his switch from second base to shortstop _ his original position _ over the rangy but mistake-prone Castro on Aug. 7.
Russell's sound play dates to his days performing for Jernigan, an outfielder for two seasons in the Giants' minor league system.
"Some kids peak at an early age, stop growing and stop wanting to work," said Jernigan, who coached Russell until Russell enrolled at Pace and is now an assistant varsity baseball coach. "He's continued to work just as hard now as he did when he was 9."
Jernigan, 37, recalled taking Russell and his 11-year-old teammates from their small Northwest Florida community to their first wood bat tournament in Atlanta to face several ballyhooed teams.
"This was a big tournament," Jernigan said. "They had a team from Houston that flew their kids in to play. Well, Addison hit a home run in his first at-bat."
Jernigan, who visited Russell this summer in Chicago and when the Cubs played in Atlanta two months ago, said Russell the major-leaguer has retained the calm demeanor he had as a youngster.
"He's still very humble," Jernigan said. "He's not letting the big-city life get to his head."
Russell is part of a loaded Cubs rookie class that includes Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber, but at 21, Russell is the youngest player on the roster. And that's nothing new to him.
"Even when I was little I played two years over my regular age," Russell said with no trace of self-satisfaction.
As a freshman at Pace, Russell became the starting varsity shortstop for a prestigious program that won its fourth Florida state title in Russell's sophomore season in 2010 and reached the semifinals the following season.
Russell signed a letter of intent with Auburn but elected to sign with the Athletics for a $2.65 million bonus as the 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft.
The A's were impressed with Russell's experience and success with the 2011 USA 18-and-under national team, for whom he batted .364. They assigned Russell one level higher than his minor league service time normally would dictate.
Only a right hamstring tear at the start of the 2014 season at Double-A Midland slowed Russell, but that didn't stop the Cubs in their pursuit of him during trade talks involving Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel.
The Cubs monitored Russell's recovery and eventually landed him in a five-player deal.
Russell has remained injury-free to the point where he already has set a goal for 2016 _ stealing more bases.
"I'm looking forward to adding that to my game," he said.
Russell has stolen only two bases while being caught three times in 2015, but he was 21-for-24 on steal attempts at Class A Stockton in 2013.
Bench coach Dave Martinez said he and Russell have talked about working on his leads and jumps and what to look for as a baserunner in the spring.
"I'm not going to say he can steal 40," Martinez said, "but he can be a great situational base stealer."
In part because of his willingness to adjust, Russell went from an adequate No. 9 hitter to an important part of the Cubs' offensive surge in the second half.
Under the recommendation of Cubs hitting coach John Mallee, Russell altered his stance and immediately achieved positive results. Russell has raised his batting average from .226 in the first half to .243, hitting six home runs during a 16-game span that started late last month.
"He's the best," Mallee said of Russell's willingness to be coached. "You give him the information and let him make decisions. It was a very natural move for him. It kept him in motion, improved his timing and it's becoming more natural."
Because of his stellar defense and ability to hit for power, comparisons to Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin are understandable.
"He's been unbelievable," Martinez said. "To be 21 and do the things he's done and helped us the way he's helped us, it's been incredible. We think he's going to have an unbelievable future and will only get better. You're starting to see the power he has. He has the ability to hit 20 home runs, steal 25 bases, drive in 70-80 runs and play the shortstop he's capable of playing."
In the process, Russell has inspired kids in his community.
"Everyone around here thinks they can be the next Addison Russell," Jernigan said. "But there aren't many like Addison. What he's accomplished doesn't surprise me."
