Cubs' Nico Hoerner can thrive on team full of talent by just being himself

New York Times

4 hours ago

CHICAGO — Jameson Taillon felt like something was off with his team in Japan. The Chicago Cubs were lacking an element he knew was important.
'I know it was only two games, but it just felt like we were missing something,' Taillon said. 'I kept thinking about Nico. Energy-wise, he brings an edge to the team, leadership qualities.'
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Nico Hoerner is in the middle of his seventh season with the Cubs. Those leadership qualities were evident from the moment he landed with the big-league club in 2019. Hoerner never really drew eyes as a likely superstar. He won't hit 30-plus home runs or earn MVP votes. But he's tremendously valuable in ways that help his team win, traits that were missing when he sat out the opening series while recovering from offseason surgery.
'It's a sign of a good team when players are able to be themselves,' Hoerner said. 'I definitely feel like I can be myself and be a part of a winning team. There are better versions of me that I can put forward, but at the same time, I know I've been part of some of the winning we've done so far. I don't feel like I have to do too much.'
Hoerner's teammates can rattle off what he does well on the field. It's a list full of crucial skills.
'He makes so much contact, he's such a good base runner, he's so good at second,' Taillon said. 'When you play with him for a little while, it's easy to just come to expect it. When you're new here, it can open your eyes. For a guy who might not hit 20-30 homers, he's a toolsy player and does a lot of things really well.'
Catcher Carson Kelly joined the Cubs as a free agent over the offseason. Despite not having played with Hoerner before, he was aware of what he brought to a team.
'If you're in the industry, you know the value he brings to the table,' Kelly said. 'The defense, the professional at-bat, the intangibles, being in the right position, being a great teammate. Word travels around the league. He's always putting a great at-bat together. It never seems like he's out of control. He's embraced and knows what type of player he is, and I think he still is getting better.'
Hoerner is a strong base runner with above-average speed. He's sixth in baseball with an 89.8 percent contact rate, and only two regulars have a lower strikeout rate (7.3 percent). That skill set allows him to thrive with runners in scoring position as he has a .389 batting average in those moments, fifth highest in baseball. For someone who has little power — Hoerner has no home runs and a .067 ISO — his ability to come through in those situations makes him valuable in a lineup that regularly has men getting on base ahead of him.
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'If you're not going to hit for power, your chance to really impact games is to drive (runs) in,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'So you need men on base. Every hitter wants the men on base situation. That's how players make each other better, you're on base for each other.
'He's better than the rest of the players with the ball in play. So he gives himself more chances for the hits to fall in. He does that by extending the at-bats with foul balls, the 10-pitch at-bat, where it just gives himself another chance, another chance. That's going to provide success at some point.'
Hoerner says a lot of his success in those situations comes down to his mentality. He knows contact matters in those moments, so he's just letting his natural skill set play. Taillon said the team's confidence is high whenever Hoerner steps to the plate with men on base.
'He's a really smart baseball player,' Taillon said. 'He understands how guys are going to attack him. He understands if (a pitcher) needs a swing-and-miss, where they may go against him and where he should look. He's got a really good understanding of the situation.'
Perhaps the most special part of Hoerner's game is his defense. By outs above average, there's no better second baseman in the National League than Hoerner since 2022. He's second in the NL over that span in defensive runs saved behind Brice Turang.
'He's a great defender, he has great hands, a great internal clock and he understands the game,' Taillon said. 'But a lot of his really nice defense comes from some want-to. He loves taking hits and runs away. You can feel it. He gets after it. He's attacking the baseball. It's an edgy defense.'
Taillon pointed out that Hoerner could likely play shortstop for many teams across the league. He did so Sunday for the Cubs in a 14-6 loss to the Seattle Mariners, giving Dansby Swanson a full day off on an oppressively hot summer day in Chicago.
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While his offense is merely average, his defense keeps runs off the board and helps his team win games. Taillon recalled numerous moments when Hoerner saved him runs because of his glove. One moment in particular, a diving play in St. Louis, stood out in his memory.
'I remember from the mound I could hear him hit the ground,' Hoerner said. 'He was running so hard and dove so hard. That's the kind of stuff that gets you so much respect from your teammates.'
That effort does not go unnoticed.
'It's a toughness, grit, resiliency,' Counsell said. 'Those are traits Nico certainly has. I think we throw those words around a lot, but there's a scale for that. Nico goes to the top of that with what he provides.'
Counsell pointed out that in a game based on failure, Hoerner's resiliency comes in handy over a long season. He also noted that Hoerner is incredibly detail-oriented. The Cubs are trying to win by doing the little things right — defense, base running and other aspects that may not show up in the box score. Hoerner is the model.
'What I've noticed,' Kelly said, 'in between innings in the dugout, if we do something small, he'll point it out. 'Great block there.' The little details, he's always paying attention. Do you know how hard it is to win a game in the big leagues? It comes down to little things. When we celebrate those little wins, Nico notices those and vocalizes it. It shows his character and how he handles every single day. He's a true pro.'
Hoerner arrived in the big leagues at the tail end of the World Series core's run of success. That means he's yet to get a postseason at-bat. Having the opportunity to make noise in October is something he's desperate to experience.
He holds himself to a high standard, and he believes there's more for him offensively. But he's got a string of three straight seasons with at least 4 WAR (FanGraphs) and a decent chance to make it a fourth.
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The experienced pro takes great pride in the fact his teammates appreciate him for what he brings to the table. As part of a roster with star power such as Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, and power hitting coming from Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch, Hoerner can just be himself. And for a team looking to end a playoff drought, that's more than enough.