The Cubs are looking to sign a mentor:

But the idea of signing a big-shot pitcher such as All-Star lefty Jon Lester makes it easy to forget the other big need the Cubs’ top execs have identified: a veteran every-day player to help ease the pressure and transition of all the young guys expected to be on the 2015 roster.

General manager Jed Hoyer said again over the weekend that this remains a priority for a team that — despite the growth of Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo — still doesn’t have a productive, veteran, lean-on-me presence in the clubhouse.

‘‘It’s hard. There’s not a lot of bats available,’’ Hoyer said. ‘‘And there’s a lot of positions on the field that we want to dedicate to the guys that are here or to young players.

‘‘But I do think it’s important to have some veteran guys with good approaches that these guys can lean on, because I do think right now we don’t really have guys that have played for a long time in the big leagues that have been through the ups and down as much.’’

Good young teams do sign veterans to fill in holes, and if they serve as a mentor, that’s a bonus. The Indians did this when they brought in Orel Hershiser, Dennis Martinez, and Eddie Murray to round out their roster in the mid 1990s, and went on to great success.

What I don’t know is how well ball players will respond to a signing for a mentor role. I almost think the Cubs would be best to keep this desire close. Professional athletes want to compete, not mentor. Make the competition the reason for signing, but grab someone who would be good at coaching also.