Opposition research: Nico Hoerner

TL;DR

Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs is having a standout season, batting .325 with three home runs and leading the NL with 21 RBIs. His performance could place him in MVP discussions if he maintains it throughout the season.

Key points

Nico Hoerner is batting .325 this season
He has three home runs and leads the NL with 21 RBIs
Hoerner has won two Gold Gloves
His career high for home runs in a season is ten
He could be in MVP discussions if he maintains his performance

Nico HoernerChicago CubsNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies

Apr 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the second inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images In 2023, I thought it would be fun to title my series previews using lyrics from Beastie Boys songs. It seemed like a fine idea until the Phillies found themselves seven games under .500 in early June. I decided that they no longer deserved me making the effort to find an appropriate song lyric. Once I stopped, the team promptly began to play better. As you may have noticed, I had been using Guns N’ Roses lyrics for my series preview titles, and just like in 2023, it hasn’t been going very well for the team. Therefore, GNR is being shelved, and I am switching back to the player-focused opposition research previews from last season. If the team’s fortunes turn around, feel free to thank me. After a dreadful homestand, the Phillies will head to Wrigley Field to face the Cubs. Despite the Phillies’ success at home in recent seasons, it is probably for the best that they get away from the understandably irate hometown fans for a little bit. After a slow start, the Cubs enter the series on a five-game winning streak, partly because they’ve had the good fortune of playing the Phillies and the Mets. One of their hottest hitters in second baseman Nico Hoerner, who appears to be adding top offensive performance to his elite defensive game. Hoerner spent the first seven years of his career as an excellent defender (two Gold Gloves) and adequate hitter. You can do far worse than a Gold Glove middle infielder putting up an OPS over .700. But this season, he has been far more than adequate. He’s batting .325 with three home runs (his career high for a season is ten) and leads the NL with 21 RBIs. There’s a good chance the Hoerner won’t be able to keep it up and he’ll slowly regress closer to the numbers we’re used to. But if he can find a way to continue this performance for a full season, he’ll likely find himself in MVP discussions at the end of the year.

Q&A

What are Nico Hoerner's current batting statistics for the 2026 season?

Nico Hoerner is batting .325 with three home runs and leads the National League with 21 RBIs.

How many Gold Gloves has Nico Hoerner won in his career?

Nico Hoerner has won two Gold Gloves during his career as an excellent defender.

What is Nico Hoerner's career high for home runs in a season?

Nico Hoerner's career high for home runs in a season is ten.

What impact could Nico Hoerner's performance have on MVP discussions?

If Nico Hoerner continues his strong performance throughout the season, he could be a candidate for MVP discussions.