Are Cubs fans getting way ahead of themselves thinking about Nico Hoerner becoming the next big thing at Wrigley Field even though he only played 14 games in the minors in 2018, and got a bit more of playing time in the Arizona Fall League? Maybe, but it’s getting pretty hard to deny that this dude can hit when every time he gets a chance to play he smashes the ball everywhere.
The Cubs have a few guys who are going to get playing time at second base in 2019, but Nico Hoerner is coming for that job. The 2018 first round pick of the Cubs just keeps hitting everywhere he goes.
Hoerner got his first spring training start on Thursday against the Rockies and he went 3-for-3, with an RBI-single, a triple and a run scored. He also had a great at-bat against Wade Davis, battling with two strikes and eventually got on base with an infield single.
In the second inning, Hoerner singled to left-center, driving in Addison Russell in his first at-bat.
Nico Hoerner RBI single!! #Cubs pic.twitter.com/dBwYUlTyKG
— Cubs Insider (@realcubsinsider) March 7, 2019
After facing Davis and getting an infield hit, Hoerner then tripled to center field off of Seunghwan Oh. He then scored on a sac-fly.
#Cubs prospect Nico Hoerner put his skills on display yesterday against the Rockies.
The 2018 first-round pick went 3/3 with a Triple. pic.twitter.com/MIrR8nkMtH
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) March 8, 2019
Hoerner’s development took a bit of a hit in 2018, because of an elbow injury, but he caught everyone’s attention during the Arizona Fall League. Scouts, coaches and his peers raved about Hoerner and it’s only a matter of when he’ll be the next Cubs prospect to make an impact at the major league level.
When a fan at the “Down on the Farm” panel at Cubs Convention asked about exciting prospects in the Cubs system, director of player development Jaron Madison eagerly threw out Hoerner’s name.
“Not just as a player and how athletic he is and how dynamic he is, but also the person and teammate and the leader he is,” Madison said. “He has a chance to be really special. He’s on his way; he should be a pretty quick mover.”
Hoerner is currently ranked as the second best prospect in the Cubs minor league system. By 2020, he might just be starting at Wrigley Field.
