Nico Hoerner Quietly Enjoying Excellent Season for Cubs

Nico Hoerner is in his seventh year with the Chicago Cubs and has consistently been an important glue guy every single year. He has not strayed from that role this season. He has continued to showcase his elite speed, outstanding fielding, and reliable bat at the plate. Although he is having an exceptional season, he has been sparingly talked about around the league.

Nico Hoerner’s Stellar Offense

Hoerner has spent the majority of this season in the Cubs’ 6 or 7-hole, but frankly, he is a better player than that. The one downside to Hoerner’s offense is his power. While he had seven homers last year and nine two years ago, he hasn’t hit any this year. This is undoubtedly the main reason he isn’t talked about more. The home run ball is so valuable in today’s game that if a player can’t hit them, they are automatically seen as less valuable. Although his power is below average, he still brings a lot of value to the plate.

This year, Hoerner is hitting .288 with a .397 AVG with RISP. This is an incredible number for anyone and is part of the reason he holds so much value. Additionally, he is in the 99th percentile in K% at only 7.1%. He does everything he can to put the ball in play, which puts him and the team in the best position possible. With a low strikeout rate and a high average, especially with RISP, he gives the Cubs a stable bat in the back end of their lineup. This is very important to any team. Having a guy like Hoerner in the 7-hole ensures the lineup is more balanced and not top-heavy. Not only does he have a solid bat, but he also possesses top-end speed.