Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner has had a rough go of it in the Cactus League thus far. The second baseman has had 41 at-bats, but just two runs and three RBI to go along with six hits. Hoerner, 26, is coming off another strong campaign for the Cubs and finished 2023 with nine homers, 68 RBI and 43 stolen bases in 150 games. He also hit a healthy .283 with a .729 OPS. It's always a risk to read too much into Spring Training results with proven commodities and despite Hoerner's tough time this spring, managers should have no hesitation about grabbing him in upcoming drafts. His ADP of 60 is high, but his position and ability to help across the board provide managers with good value.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is 0-for-5 through two Cactus League games. He was 0-for-3 in his debut, a 7-0 loss to the Padres on Sunday, and 0-for-2 on Tuesday in a tie versus the Reds. He batted in his typical leadoff spot on Sunday, but on Tuesday he was uncharacteristically batting cleanup. That shouldn't be the case during the regular season as he spent his time hitting out of the 1-2 spots in the order all of last year, and his speed profile is more suited for the top of the order with his 43 stolen bases in 2023. He's less suited for the middle of the order as he isn't a big power producer (1.8% Barrel%), with just nine home runs and 68 RBI last season. He does have supremely high contact rates that make him one of the best in the league at putting the bat on the ball, which makes him a more attractive asset in points leagues. As for roto, he's going around 60th overall, well ahead of his RotoBaller rank of 78.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson and second baseman Nico Hoerner both won Gold Gloves in 2023. It's Swanson's second straight Gold Glove, while Hoerner won his first Gold Glove this year. Swanson's 20 outs above average led all MLB shortstops, and he also set a career-high with 18 defensive runs saved, which led all shortstops. The Cubs had a franchise-record three Gold Gloves this year with left fielder Ian Happ also winning the award. Other National League Gold Glove winners in 2023 include Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, Diamondbacks rookie catcher Gabriel Moreno, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, Colorado Rockies center fielder ... [More]

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (knee) is out of the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This comes after Hoerner fouled a ball off his knee during Friday's game. Luckily, it appears Hoerner has avoided serious injury and is available off the bench for this game. In his absence, Christopher Morel will bat leadoff and cover second base versus left-hander Eric Lauer on Saturday.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (knee) exited Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers due to a left knee contusion. He went 0-for-3 before Miles Mastrobuoni took over for him at second base in the seventh inning. Hoerner fouled a ball off his knee during the sixth frame but stayed in for the bottom half defensively, insinuating that he's not dealing with a significant injury. The Cubs, losers of fourth straight after Friday's deflating extra-inning defeat, hope the speedy contact hitter can push through the bruise this weekend as they vie for an NL wild-card berth. On top of great defense at the keystone, Hoerner is batting .283 with 68 RBI, 98 runs scored, and 43 stolen bases in 619 at-bats during 2023.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is out of Saturday's starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fantasy managers shouldn't need to worry as this appears to be a routine rest day for Hoerner. The 26-year-old has gone 2-for-8 with an RBI through the first two games of this series. Nick Madrigal will cover second base and bat ninth versus right-hander Colin Selby on Saturday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly with Hoerner on the bench.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner collected three singles in the loss to the Kansas City Royals Friday. Hoerner was 3-for-4 with a strikeout. He also walked and drove in a run. Hoerner has been great as an option at second base and should also have shortstop eligibility. Though he doesn't have great power, he's been contributing in all other categories, even in those leagues that use OBP instead of AVG. Over his last 15 games, he has a .356/.457/.525 slash line, and he's been even hotter than that over his last seven.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner will take the day off on Friday as the team faces the visiting Atlanta Braves. In his absence, Nick Madrigal will get the start at second base and will bat leadoff for the Cubbies against left-hander Max Fried. Hoerner has mostly been useful to fantasy managers for his speed -- he's stolen 26 bases this year and 46 in the last two seasons -- but he's also hitting a strong .277/.330/.399 with eight home runs, 20 doubles, four triples, 58 RBI and 64 runs scored in 463 trips to the plate over 100 games as Chicago's starting second baseman. The 26-year-old has been on fire offensively since July 22, going 17-for-49 (.347) with two homers, five doubles, four RBI, five stolen bases and 13 runs scored in 11 games.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner went 3-for-4 Saturday with a base on balls and three runs scored in an 8-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Hoerner was struggling, slashing 176/.256/.257 throughout July. He's stolen 22 bases out of 25 attempts in 90 games played this season. This is a considerable improvement compared to last year, as the 26-year-old only managed to swipe 20 bags in 135 contests. Besides stealing bases, Hoerner has six home runs with 54 RBI.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Nico Hoerner went 2-for-5 with a grand slam in an 8-3 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Hoerner's first career grand slam came in the eighth inning and broke what had been a close game wide open. The 26-year-old infielder is putting together a solid season for the Cubs, hitting .272 with six homers, 51 runs, 54 RBI, and 21 steals across 371 at-bats. After a cold streak to open July, he is hitting .250 with nine RBI over his past seven games.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner went 3-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored in a lopsided 10-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday afternoon. The Cubs were all over Guardians starter Cal Quantrill in this one, pummeling him for six earned runs. Hoerner put Chicago on the board in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run single to score Jared Young and Nick Madrigal. He would pick up two more singles in the contest and come around to score via a Christopher Morel homer in the bottom of the sixth. The 26-year-old has been hot over his last 65 at-bats (15 games), posting a .865 OPS with 13 RBI and four stolen bases. Hoerner is slashing a rock-solid .290/.338/.406 with five home runs, 42 RBI, and 18 stolen bases over 303 at-bats on the year. He's finally putting it all together this season and in on pace to smash all of his previous career highs.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is starting at the keystone and is hitting leadoff for the Cubbies on Friday against Baltimore Orioles left-hander Cole Irvin. Hoerner will get a chance at the top of Chicago's batting order after hitting in the two-hole recently. Mike Tauchman will take a seat with a left-hander on the mound for Baltimore. Hoerner is currently riding a modest four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 6-for-18 (.333) with one RBI, two stolen bases and six runs scored. The 26-year-old middle infielder is most useful for his speed (16 stolen bases this year), while he's also hitting a solid .283 (71-for-251) with 29 RBI and 38 runs scored in 60 games played in the Windy City.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner made a difference right away in Friday night's 10-1 shellacking of the Philadelphia Phillies in his first game back from the injured list. Out of the leadoff spot, Hoerner went 3-for-6 with two doubles and four RBI. Fantasy managers have to be pretty happy that the 26-year-old infielder hit the ground running right after missing time due to a hamstring injury. He's been great so far for the Cubs, hitting .310 (49-for-158) with eight double, a triple, two home runs, 23 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 170 plate appearances over 36 games played. Hoerner will continue to have plenty of value in all fantasy leagues as the Cubs' primary second baseman.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (hamstring) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. As expected, Hoerner will make his return to the field after a minimal injured list stint due to a hamstring strain. The 25-year-old has been off to a fantastic start, so hopefully the time off won't slow him down. He's slashing .303/.348/.395 with two home runs and 19 RBI, with 12 stolen bases in 35 games. Hoerner will bat leadoff and play second base versus lefty Ranger Suarez on Friday. Fantasy managers should make sure to get him back in there before game time.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is on track to return on Friday, according to manager David Ross. The 26-year-old recently landed on injured list due to a left hamstring strain. Luckily, it appears Hoerner will be ready to return when he's first eligible. That is great news for fantasy managers considering how well Hoerner has been playing this season. He's slashing .303/.348/.395 with two home runs and 19 RBI, with 12 stolen bases in 35 games in 2023.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) was able to do some running on the field prior to Monday's game against the Houston Astros. The 26-year-old was recently placed on the injured list due to a hamstring issue. The organization is hopeful that Hoerner will only need the minimum stint on the injured list. The fact he has been on the field and doing baseball activities is good news. Before landing on the injured list, Hoerner was hitting .303/.348/.395 with two homers, 19 RBI and 12 stolen bases. It sounds like he is progressing well, which is great news for fantasy managers.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) resumed baseball activities on Saturday. He played catch, took some grounders, and went through agility drills prior to Saturday's game. This is an encouraging sign as Hoerner was placed on the IL on Friday. It shouldn't be a long stint on the shelf for the 26-year-old speedster. He should return to the Cubs sometime next week unless he suffers a setback in his recovery.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 9. The 25-year-old suffered the left hamstring strain on Tuesday, but the team was hopeful he'd be able to avoid going on the injured list. Unfortunately, Hoerner hasn't progressed as well as the organization hoped. They'll opt to give him some extra rest and hopefully he'll be able to return after the minimum stint. In a corresponding move, Miles Mastrobuoni has been recalled from the minors. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Mastrobuoni to bring much to the table.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The team is considering him day-to-day after he left Monday's contest due hamstring tightness. He underwent an MRI that revealed a mild left hamstring strain. That being said, the Cubs are hopeful Hoerner can avoid the injured list and just sit out for a few games. In the meantime, Christopher Morel will cover second base and bat eighth versus righty Jack Flaherty. Fantasy managers who are looking for an extra bat this week might want to consider snagging Morel. He'll likely see significant playing time while Hoerner is out.

Updating a previous report, Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) left Monday's game early against the St. Louis Cardinals due to left-hamstring tightness. Hoerner injured his leg running the bases, and it's currently unknown if he'll need a stint on the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back for more information on his injury on Tuesday. Before he left the contest, Hoerner went 0-for-3 and left four runners on base in the 3-1 loss to the visiting Cardinals. The 25-year-old second baseman entered the game hitting a strong .309 (46-for-149) with six doubles, a home run, 19 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 161 plate appearances over 34 games. If Hoerner needs a stint on the injured list, Nick Madrigal would likely benefit the most from more playing time at the keystone.