Cubs Defense-First Player Consistently Comes Through When Needed Most at the Plate

The Chicago Cubs have had one of the most prolific offenses in baseball thus far in the 2025 MLB regular season.

Ranking near the top of several statistics, they are receiving contributions from up and down the roster.

Some of the standout performances are expected, such as from right fielder Kyle Tucker, who was acquired in an offseason trade from the Houston Astros to help elevate and anchor the lineup.

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Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has ascended to a star, turning into a true five-tool player and National League MVP candidate.

Keiya Suzuki is one of the most productive designated hitters in baseball, leading the NL with 67 RBI. 

The Cubs have received stellar production from all of their catchers and the only starter with an OPS+ not in triple digits is rookie third baseman Matt Shaw, who has looked much better since his call-up after early struggles.

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There are so many incredibly productive players in the lineup, one who gets overlooked is second baseman Nico Hoerner.

He isn’t blasting home runs like some of his other teammates or knocking in runs at a ridiculous pace. But, he gets the job done at the plate despite being known for his defensive acumen.

Hoerner has a .294/.334/.369 slash line with an OPS+ of 103 and bWAR of 3.0. He has only one home run and one triple on the season but has hit 17 doubles and stolen 15 bases.

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What makes his production at the plate all the more impressive is that when Chicago needs a clutch performance, they can count on him to come through.

As shared by Thomas Nestico on X, Hoerner is one of the most clutch performers in the MLB this season.

His clutch score of 0.97 is the fifth best in baseball.