NBC Sports Chicago is evaluating some of the most pressing Cubs questions entering spring training. Next up: Will Nico Hoerner be the Opening Day second baseman?
The Cubs look set to return largely the same roster from last season but still have a few things to figure out this spring. For one, who's the starting second baseman?
Second base was a weak spot for the Cubs last season. Eight players combined for a .220/.301/.383 (.684 OPS) slash line — all team lows — as they struggled to replace Ben Zobrist’s production during his stint on the restricted list.
Zobrist is a free agent and there’s been no momentum on a Cubs reunion, though he's also weighing retirement. Assuming he doesn’t return, an open competition will commence between David Bote, Daniel Descalso, Robel Garcia and Nico Hoerner for the starting job. Ian Happ is another candidate but he'll compete for the starting center field job.
Hoerner’s case will be the most intriguing to watch over the coming weeks. The Cubs called him up in a pinch last September after Javier Baez and Addison Russell went down with injuries. The 22-year-old impressed in a 20-game stint, hitting .282 with a .741 OPS, tallying 17 RBIs. He played a sound defensive shortstop, flashing good range and a solid arm.
Not bad, considering he was at home pre-promotion, prepping for the Arizona Fall League.
With Baez healthy, Hoerner's immediate path to the Cubs runs through second base, where he played his entire freshman year of college and in 17 games last season. He's also learning center field, which may prove valuable on the Cubs’ versatile roster.
“[I’m] getting comfortable at a lot of positions on the field,” Hoerner said last month. “I’ve played mainly shortstop my whole life but [I’ve] gotta be ready to play second base, center field or wherever I end up."
Hoerner was positioned to join the Cubs at some point in 2020 and his September stint expedited that process. The Cubs are open-minded about his fit with the club, but are also considering his development and don’t want to rush him to the big leagues. After all, he has just 89 minor league games under his belt.
“We haven't figured that out yet," Theo Epstein said at GM Meetings of where Hoerner will start the season. "I think you could make strong arguments on both sides, whether he should be part of the club on Opening Day or a little bit more seasoning [in the minors].
“I think a lot will depend on what else we do [this winter] and yeah, sure, what type of spring training you have might be a factor as well. We're not at the point where we're ready to make that decision yet, but we're open-minded."
If Hoerner looks overwhelmed at the plate, the Cubs will likely send him to Triple-A out of camp — a level he bypassed completely in 2019. They may send him down even if he looks spectacular, getting him more reps around the diamond in an environment with less pressure. He flashed his potential last season and has the chance to prove himself further this spring.
"Clearly he exceeded our expectations in that spot,” Jed Hoyer said in December of Hoerner’s big-league stint. “What that means going forward, I can't answer at this point. But I think it's safe to say we hold him in incredibly high regard and whatever number of games in September that he played in — I'm still incredibly impressed that he can go from being at home to starting the next night and performing the way he did."
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