The Chicago Cubs have officially signed Nico Hoerner to a six-year, $141 million contract extension, and now we have additional details on how the agreement was reached. Hoerner, 28, was poised to become one of the most sought-after free agents following the 2026 season, but the Cubs paid up to lock up their Gold Glove second baseman, and they also gave the 2018 first-round pick peace of mind with a key incentive that was the difference-maker in the new contract.
Hoerner’s extension will begin in 2027, but he is receiving a $5 million signing bonus, split into two payments. The second baseman will earn $23 million over the first two years of his deal, and then Hoerner will make $22.5 million each year from 2029 to 2032. A total of $10 million will be deferred from the contract, which brings the present value of the deal to $137.5 million, according to New York Post reporter Joel Sherman.
Obviously, the money played a huge factor into Hoerner bypassing free agency and staying with the Cubs, but he specifically requested a no-trade clause from the team. Jed Hoyer told the media that without the no-trade clause, Hoerner would not have agreed to sign an extension with the Cubs.
The Cubs have been more willing than other organizations in recent years to secure players on long-term contracts with this key incentive. Dansby Swanson got the no-trade protection as well as Ian Happ, who signed a three-year extension back in 2023. This past offseason, the Cubs were able to rip Alex Bregman away from the Boston Red Sox, and a leading reason was their commitment to him, by also adding in the no-trade clause to his five-year contract.
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We talked more about Hoerner’s extension when the news first broke on Opening Day. Check out the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast, as we’ll have more on Hoerner this week.
