Nico Hoerner Bio
Nicholas Mackie Hoerner, known professionally as Nico Hoerner, is an American professional baseball middle infielder for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at Stanford University, was selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2019. Over his career, Hoerner has developed into one of the National League’s most reliable defenders, earning two Gold Glove Awards in 2023 and 2025.
Hoerner has spent his entire major league career with the Cubs, transitioning from shortstop to second base and establishing himself as a contact hitter and a base-stealing threat. Known for his glove work and steady bat, he has become a core piece of the franchise’s middle-infield foundation.
Early Life and Background
Nico Hoerner was born on May 13, 1997, and grew up in Oakland, California. He attended Head-Royce School in Oakland, where he was a multi-sport athlete, playing soccer, basketball, and baseball. He played on the varsity baseball team all four years of high school, showcasing a competitive edge that hinted at a future in the sport.
As a senior in 2015, Hoerner batted .517 with six home runs, 30 RBIs, and 40 runs scored, putting together a prolific final high school season. Despite those numbers, he was not selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft and chose to continue his baseball career in college.
Path to Baseball
After high school, Hoerner enrolled at Stanford University to play college baseball for the Stanford Cardinal. In 2016, as a freshman, he started 53 of Stanford’s 54 games at second base, batting .254 with 53 hits, 24 RBIs, and eight doubles. That summer, he joined the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League, where he hit .304 with two home runs, 31 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and 12 doubles in 257 at-bats, sharpening his skills against top amateur competition.
As a sophomore in 2017, Hoerner moved to shortstop and started all 58 of Stanford’s games that year, slashing .307/.357/.406 with 18 doubles, one home run, and 33 RBIs. He earned All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Defensive honors, then spent the summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, batting .301 with six home runs and being named a league all-star.
Hoerner’s junior year in 2018 cemented his draft stock. He batted .345 with two home runs, 40 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases, earning All-Pac-12 recognition for a second straight season. His combination of contact hitting, speed, and defensive versatility made him a first-round talent.
Nico Hoerner Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
The Chicago Cubs selected Hoerner 24th overall in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed for a $2.72 million bonus. He made his professional debut with the Arizona League Cubs, was reassigned to the Eugene Emeralds in June, and was promoted to the South Bend Cubs in mid-July. A strained ligament in his left elbow cut his season short on July 18, but in 14 games across the three affiliates, he hit .327 with two home runs, six RBIs, and six stolen bases. He closed the year with the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League.
Hoerner began 2019 with the Tennessee Smokies, slashing .284/.344/.399 over 70 games with three home runs, 22 RBIs, and eight stolen bases before earning a major league call-up. On September 9, 2019, the Cubs selected his contract and promoted him to the majors, making him the first player from his 2018 draft class to reach the show. That night against the San Diego Padres, he went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in his debut, including a single in his first at-bat against Cal Quantrill. Over 20 games that September, he batted .282 with three home runs and 17 RBIs.
Chicago Cubs Breakthrough (2020–2022)
The 2020 shortened season gave Hoerner a brief look as a regular, as he slashed .222/.312/.259 with 13 RBIs across 48 games. In 2021, oblique injuries limited him to 44 games, but he still managed a .302/.382/.369 line over 149 at-bats with ten doubles, 16 RBIs, and five stolen bases, showing the on-base skills that would later define his game.
Hoerner’s 2022 campaign marked his true arrival. On Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit a two-run home run off reigning NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, the first home run of the 2022 MLB season and his first since 2019. He went on to play 135 games, slashing .281/.327/.410 with 22 doubles, ten homers, and 55 RBIs while making 517 plate appearances. He played 133 of those games at shortstop and finished second in the National League in Outs Above Average, signaling his emergence as an elite defender.
Chicago Cubs Era (2023–Present)
After the Cubs signed shortstop Dansby Swanson in December 2022, Hoerner shifted to second base. On January 13, 2023, he agreed to a one-year, $2.525 million contract to avoid arbitration, and on March 27 he signed a three-year, $35 million extension. The 2023 season was a career-defining year: he played 150 games and slashed .283/.346/.383 with nine home runs, 68 RBIs, 98 runs scored, and 43 stolen bases. He stole 30 bases on August 15, becoming the first Cub since Tony Campana in 2012 to do so, then stole his 40th base on September 13, the first Cub since Juan Pierre in 2006 to reach that mark. He also led the league with 411 assists. On November 5, 2023, Hoerner was awarded the Gold Glove Award at second base, joining Swanson as the 13th middle-infield duo to win the award and the first since Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford in 2016.
In 2024, Hoerner played 151 games, slashing .273/.335/.373 with seven home runs, 48 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. On October 11, 2024, he underwent flexor tendon surgery. He returned healthy in 2025, playing 156 games and slashing .297/.345/.394 with seven home runs, 61 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases. On November 2, 2025, he was awarded his second career Gold Glove Award for National League second basemen. On March 27, 2026, Hoerner agreed to a six-year, $141 million contract extension with the Cubs, locking in his future in Chicago through the next decade.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hoerner’s milestone moments include his historic 2023 base-stealing season, his first career grand slam on July 19, 2023, against the Washington Nationals, and his back-to-back Gold Glove Awards in 2023 and 2025. His March 27, 2026, $141 million extension also marked a defining off-field milestone, reflecting his value to the Cubs organization.
Nico Hoerner Career Wins
Hoerner’s individual accolades include two Rawlings Gold Glove Awards and recognition as one of the National League’s top defensive middle infielders. He has accumulated 40 career home runs, 313 RBIs, and 143 stolen bases through the 2026 season, combining contact, speed, and defense into a complete middle-infielder profile.
MLB Highlights
Hoerner’s MLB debut on September 9, 2019, against the San Diego Padres produced three hits and four RBIs, an immediate sign of his bat-to-ball skills. His 2023 Gold Glove Award came after a season in which he led all second basemen with 411 assists, while his 2025 Gold Glove reflected continued defensive excellence. In 2022, he finished second in the National League in Outs Above Average, the strongest single-season defensive indicator of his career.
Other Wins and Performances
Hoerner earned All-Pac-12 honors in both 2017 and 2018 at Stanford and was a Cape Cod Baseball League all-star in 2017. His college accolades, combined with his 24th-overall draft selection, helped establish his reputation as a polished, high-floor prospect before he ever reached the majors.
Nico Hoerner Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Hoerner’s parents are Fred Hoerner and Keila Diehl, both educators. Fred has retired, while Keila works for the University of California, Berkeley. Hoerner has one sibling, a sister named Annika. Growing up in the Bay Area, he became a fan of the Oakland Athletics, the local American League franchise.
Off the field, Hoerner has remained closely connected to the Oakland community that shaped him. His educational family background and lifelong ties to Northern California have remained a steady part of his public identity.
2025 Season Performance
Hoerner’s 2025 campaign was a return to full health and a showcase of his offensive consistency. Playing 156 games for the Cubs, he slashed .297/.345/.394 with seven home runs, 61 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases, anchoring the top of Chicago’s lineup. His batting average was his highest since his 2019 debut, and he added another 31 doubles to his ledger while continuing to play strong defense at second base.
The defining moment of the 2025 season came on November 2, when Hoerner was awarded his second career Gold Glove Award for National League second basemen, cementing his reputation as one of the league’s premier defenders. With the Cubs’ middle-infield tandem of Hoerner and Swanson now both holding Gold Gloves, the duo continued to set the defensive standard in the National League.
Entering the next phase of his career, Hoerner’s six-year, $141 million extension signed in March 2026 secured his long-term place in Chicago. The combination of his contact bat, base-stealing speed, and award-winning defense positions him as a foundational piece of the Cubs’ roster for years to come.
