Gregg led the Eastern League in batting in 1987 with a .371 mark. When Pirates GM Syd Thrift sent him to the Braves as the player to be named later in return for Ken Oberkfell in September 1988, it contributed to Thrift’s firing in the off-season. Gregg started 1989 as one of the Braves hottest hitters, but was disabled early. When he returned, he was moved to first base part-time to replace Gerald Perry, who was out for the rest of the year. But Gregg’s hitting never lived up to his hype, and his main job throughout the rest of his career was as a left-handed pinch-hitting specialist.