Nico Hoerner

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Nicholas Mackie Hoerner

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Biograophical Information[edit]

Nico Hoerner was drafted 24th overall in the 1st round of the 2018 amateur draft, out of Stanford University, by the Chicago Cubs. He began his pro career with the AZL Cubs 1, and also played for the Eugene Emeralds and South Bend Cubs in 2018, for a total of 14 games, hitting .327.

In 2019, he played 70 games for the Tennessee Smokies of the AA Southern League, where he hit .284 with 3 homers and 22 RBIs. He missed some time with an injury and went back to the Arizona League for a rehabilitation assignment with the AZL Cubs 2 for a week at the end of June. He played shortstop, second base and center field during the season. Given his limited professional experience, he was not expecting to be called up to Wrigley Field at the end of the year, but plans changed when SS Addison Russell was the victim of a beaning, with regular SS Javier Baez already unavailable. He was sitting at home in Oakland, CA when he got the call and had a memorable debut on September 9th as he started at shortstop against the San Diego Padres and collected 3 hits, including a triple, and 4 RBIs in a 10-2 win with the Cubs in the heat of a pennant race. He was the first player from the 2018 draft to reach the majors. In 20 games, he hit .282 with 3 homers, 13 runs and 17 RBIs.

Hoerner spent 2020 with the big league team, playing in 48 of the club's 60 games during the pandemic-shortened season. His main position was second base and he hit .222 with only 4 extra-base hits, all doubles, in 108 at-bats, for an OPS+ of just 57. Had this been a normal year, he probably would have been sent down to the minors for more seasoning, but that option was unavailable with the minor leagues being shut down. Still, he was a finalist for a Gold Glove at second base. He was not used in the postseason as the Cubs were upset in two games by the Miami Marlins in the Wild Card Series. He then saw his 2021 season shortened to 44 games as he made various appearances on the injured list and also was sent to the minor leagues on some rehabilitation assignments. He hit well when he was in the line-up, batting .302 with 10 doubles and 16 RBIs, with an OPS+ of 106. Defensively, he played both second base and shortstop.

He was finally able to play a full season at the big league level in 2022 when he appeared in 135 games as the team's regular shortstop, hitting .281 with 22 doubles, 5 triples and 10 homers. These were his first hits longer than a double since his initial call-up back in 2019. He also scored 60 runs, drove in 55, and stole 20 bases in 22 attempts. His OPS+ was 107 and his defensive play was above average, so he looked set for a long career as the Cubs' starting shortstop, but plans changed over the winter when the Cubs signed free agent Dansby Swanson to a huge contract. This meant that he would move back to second base, displacing Nick Madrigal who had been acquired in 2021 to form a double play combo with him, but whose frequent injuries and weak hitting had cost him a regular job. Just prior to the start of the 2023 season, he was offered a three-year contract extension worth $35 million, taking him through his years of eligibility for arbitration.

Notable Achievements[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

  • Jordan Bastian: "This Cubs prospect may be a future No. 1 hitter", mlb.com, January 19, 2020. [1]
  • Jordan Bastian: "Nico embraces Cubs' tradition of giving back", mlb.com, November 25, 2021. [2]
  • Jordan Bastian: "'We go way back': Paths of Madrigal, Hoerner convene in Cubs' infield", mlb.com, March 28, 2022. [3]
  • Jordan Bastian: "Cubs, Hoerner agree to 3-year, $35 million extension", mlb.com, March 27, 2023. [4]

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