3 Cubs Players Fueling Recent Hot Stretch

The Chicago Cubs have played good baseball through the first five weeks.

They will enter May with a 19-12 record and winners of 12 of their last 15 games. That record currently puts them second in the National League Central standings, only behind the 20-11 Cincinnati Reds.

As the calendar almost turns to May, it’s a good time to look at which players are off to great starts. Here are three Cubs players who have been most impressive through March and April.

Moisés Ballesteros

Ballesteros has been on another level to begin the 2026 season. He is currently batting .338 with five home runs, five doubles, 16 RBI, and seven walks across 27 games and has been one of the Cubs' best hitters in the early going.

A big part of why the Cubs have won 12 of their last 15 games is because of Ballesteros’ bat. He has a 1.125 OPS with three home runs and nine RBI since April 14 and ranks toward the top of the league in hard-hit rate (53.3%) and launch angle sweet-spot rate (40%).

At just 22 years old, Ballesteros is proving what he can do offensively. He has been a bright spot in Chicago’s offense so far this season and will enter May with a 95th percentile Batting Run Value (10) on Baseball Savant. That’s just how good he was in March/April.

Nico Hoerner

Nico Hoerner has been one of the most impactful players in Major League Baseball this year. He’s batting .291 with four home runs, 26 RBI, and seven stolen bases across 31 games while continuing to play Gold Glove defense at second base.

Hoerner has easily been one of the best all-around players to start the season. He ranks in the 83rd percentile in Batting Run Value (6), 98th percentile in Baserunning Run Value (1), and 99th percentile in Fielding Run Value (5).

The Cubs second baseman also has an impressive 1.9 WAR. That 1.9 WAR ranks as the fifth-highest in baseball, only behind Jose Soriano (2.6), Shohei Ohtani (2.2), (2), and Kevin McGonigle (2). Hoerner has been Chicago’s MVP so far.