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Prospect Rankings

PlayerPositionCurrent TeamBatsThrows
1
Photo headshot of Wander Franco
Wander Franco
SS
Tampa Bay Rays
MLB
23SR
2
Photo headshot of Gavin Lux
Gavin Lux
SS/2B
Cincinnati Reds
MLB
27LR
3
Photo headshot of Luis Robert Jr.
Luis Robert Jr.
OF
Chicago White Sox
MLB
27RR
4
Photo headshot of Adley Rutschman
Adley Rutschman
C
Baltimore Orioles
MLB
26SR
5
Photo headshot of MacKenzie Gore
MacKenzie Gore
LHP
Washington Nationals
MLB
25LL
6
Photo headshot of Jo Adell
Jo Adell
OF
Los Angeles Angels
MLB
25RR
7
Photo headshot of Casey Mize
Casey Mize
RHP
Detroit Tigers
MLB
27RR
8
Photo headshot of Nate Pearson
Nate Pearson
RHP
Chicago Cubs
MLB
28RR
9
Photo headshot of Royce Lewis
Royce Lewis
SS
Minnesota Twins
MLB
25RR
10
Photo headshot of Bobby Witt Jr.
Bobby Witt Jr.
SS/3B
Kansas City Royals
MLB
24RR
11
Photo headshot of Jarred Kelenic
Jarred Kelenic
OF
Atlanta Braves
MLB
25LL
12
Photo headshot of Jesús Luzardo
Jesús Luzardo
LHP
Philadelphia Phillies
MLB
27LL
13
Photo headshot of Cristian Pache
Cristian Pache
OF
Arizona Diamondbacks
AAA
26RR
14
Photo headshot of Joey Bart
Joey Bart
C
Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB
28RR
15
Photo headshot of Brendan McKay
Brendan McKay
LHP
Tampa Bay Rays
AAA
29LL
16
Photo headshot of Andrew Vaughn
Andrew Vaughn
1B/OF
Chicago White Sox
MLB
26RR
17
Photo headshot of Dylan Carlson
Dylan Carlson
OF
Tampa Bay Rays
MLB
26SL
18
Photo headshot of Julio Rodríguez
Julio Rodríguez
OF
Seattle Mariners
MLB
24RR
19
Photo headshot of Forrest Whitley
Forrest Whitley
RHP
Houston Astros
MLB
27RR
20
Photo headshot of Michael Kopech
Michael Kopech
RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB
28RR
21
Photo headshot of Carter Kieboom
Carter Kieboom
SS/2B
Los Angeles Angels
AAA
27RR
22
Photo headshot of Sixto Sánchez
Sixto Sánchez
RHP
Miami Marlins
AAA
26RR
23
Photo headshot of Dustin May
Dustin May
RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB
27RR
24
Photo headshot of Matt Manning
Matt Manning
RHP
Detroit Tigers
MLB
26RR
25
Photo headshot of CJ Abrams
CJ Abrams
SS
Washington Nationals
MLB
24LR
26
Photo headshot of Drew Waters
Drew Waters
OF
Kansas City Royals
MLB
26SR
27
Photo headshot of Luis Patiño
Luis Patiño
RHP
San Diego Padres
AAA
25RR
28
Photo headshot of JJ Bleday
JJ Bleday
OF
Athletics
MLB
27LL
29
Photo headshot of Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers
2B/SS
Colorado Rockies
MLB
28RR
30
Photo headshot of Alec Bohm
Alec Bohm
3B/1B
Philadelphia Phillies
MLB
28RR
31
Photo headshot of Riley Greene
Riley Greene
OF
Detroit Tigers
MLB
24LL
32
Photo headshot of Alex Kirilloff
Alex Kirilloff
OF/1B
Minnesota Twins
MLB
27LL
33
Photo headshot of Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy
C
Atlanta Braves
MLB
30RR
34
Photo headshot of Spencer Howard
Spencer Howard
RHP
San Francisco Giants
AAA
28RR
35
Photo headshot of Marco Luciano
Marco Luciano
SS
San Francisco Giants
MLB
23RR
36
Photo headshot of Grayson Rodriguez
Grayson Rodriguez
RHP
Baltimore Orioles
MLB
25LR
37
Photo headshot of Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson
RHP
Atlanta Braves
MLB
26RR
38
Photo headshot of Logan Gilbert
Logan Gilbert
RHP
Seattle Mariners
MLB
27RR
39
Photo headshot of Mitch Keller
Mitch Keller
RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB
28RR
40
Photo headshot of Nick Madrigal
Nick Madrigal
2B
Chicago Cubs
MLB
27RR
41
Photo headshot of Ke'Bryan Hayes
Ke'Bryan Hayes
3B
Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB
27RR
42
Photo headshot of Nolan Jones
Nolan Jones
OF/3B
Colorado Rockies
MLB
26LR
43
Photo headshot of Kristian Robinson
Kristian Robinson
OF
Arizona Diamondbacks
AA
24RR
44
Photo headshot of Jeter Downs
Jeter Downs
SS
New York Yankees
AAA
26RR
45
Photo headshot of Vidal Bruján
Vidal Bruján
OF/2B/SS
Chicago Cubs
MLB
26SR
46
Photo headshot of Tarik Skubal
Tarik Skubal
LHP
Detroit Tigers
MLB
28RL
47
Photo headshot of Nolan Gorman
Nolan Gorman
2B/3B
St. Louis Cardinals
MLB
24LR
48
Photo headshot of Nick Lodolo
Nick Lodolo
LHP
Cincinnati Reds
MLB
26LL
49
Photo headshot of Alek Thomas
Alek Thomas
OF
Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB
24LL
50
Photo headshot of Luis Campusano
Luis Campusano
C
San Diego Padres
MLB
26RR
51
Photo headshot of Nico Hoerner
Nico Hoerner
SS/2B/OF
Chicago Cubs
MLB
27RR
52
Photo headshot of Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright
RHP
Kansas City Royals
MLB
29RR
53
Photo headshot of Hunter Greene
Hunter Greene
RHP
Cincinnati Reds
MLB
25RR
54
Photo headshot of Jasson Domínguez
Jasson Domínguez
OF
New York Yankees
MLB
21SR
55
Photo headshot of Josh Jung
Josh Jung
3B
Texas Rangers
MLB
26RR
56
Photo headshot of Evan White
Evan White
1B
Los Angeles Angels
AAA
28RL
57
Photo headshot of Taylor Trammell
Taylor Trammell
OF
Houston Astros
MLB
27LL
58
Photo headshot of Matthew Liberatore
Matthew Liberatore
LHP
St. Louis Cardinals
MLB
25LL
59
Photo headshot of Brady Singer
Brady Singer
RHP
Cincinnati Reds
MLB
28RR
60
Photo headshot of A.J. Puk
A.J. Puk
LHP
Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB
29LL
61
Photo headshot of Daniel Lynch IV
Daniel Lynch IV
LHP
Kansas City Royals
MLB
28LL
62
Photo headshot of Ronny Mauricio
Ronny Mauricio
2B/SS/OF
New York Mets
MLB
23SR
63
Photo headshot of Francisco Alvarez
Francisco Alvarez
C
New York Mets
MLB
23RR
64
Photo headshot of Oneil Cruz
Oneil Cruz
SS
Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB
26LR
65
Photo headshot of Heliot Ramos
Heliot Ramos
OF
San Francisco Giants
MLB
25RR
66
Photo headshot of Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
SS/2B
New York Yankees
MLB
26LR
67
Photo headshot of Josiah Gray
Josiah Gray
RHP
Washington Nationals
MLB
27RR
68
Photo headshot of Brailyn Marquez
Brailyn Marquez
LHP
Houston Astros
AAA
25LL
69
Photo headshot of DL Hall
DL Hall
LHP
Milwaukee Brewers
MLB
26LL
70
Photo headshot of Shea Langeliers
Shea Langeliers
C
Athletics
MLB
27RR
71
Photo headshot of Hunter Bishop
Hunter Bishop
OF
San Francisco Giants
AAA
26LR
72
Photo headshot of Xavier Edwards
Xavier Edwards
2B/OF
Miami Marlins
MLB
25SR
73
Photo headshot of Keibert Ruiz
Keibert Ruiz
C
Washington Nationals
MLB
26SR
74
Photo headshot of Sam Huff
Sam Huff
C/1B
San Francisco Giants
MLB
26RR
75
Photo headshot of Jordan Groshans
Jordan Groshans
3B/SS
Kansas City Royals
AAA
25RR
76
Photo headshot of Daulton Varsho
Daulton Varsho
C
Toronto Blue Jays
MLB
28LR
77
Photo headshot of Triston Casas
Triston Casas
1B
Boston Red Sox
MLB
24LR
78
Photo headshot of Brennen Davis
Brennen Davis
OF
New York Yankees
AAA
25RR
79
Photo headshot of Brandon Marsh
Brandon Marsh
OF
Philadelphia Phillies
MLB
27LR
80
Photo headshot of Jesús Sánchez
Jesús Sánchez
OF
Miami Marlins
MLB
27LR
81
Photo headshot of Trevor Larnach
Trevor Larnach
OF
Minnesota Twins
MLB
27LR
82
Photo headshot of Geraldo Perdomo
Geraldo Perdomo
SS
Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB
25SR
83
Photo headshot of Brusdar Graterol
Brusdar Graterol
RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB
26RR
84
Photo headshot of Edward Cabrera
Edward Cabrera
RHP
Miami Marlins
MLB
26RR
85
Photo headshot of Jordan Balazovic
Jordan Balazovic
RHP
Detroit Tigers
AAA
26RR
86
Photo headshot of Bryson Stott
Bryson Stott
SS
Philadelphia Phillies
MLB
27LR
87
Photo headshot of Clarke Schmidt
Clarke Schmidt
RHP
New York Yankees
MLB
28RR
88
Photo headshot of Corbin Carroll
Corbin Carroll
OF
Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB
24LL
89
Photo headshot of Shane Baz
Shane Baz
RHP
Tampa Bay Rays
MLB
25RR
90
Photo headshot of Brent Honeywell
Brent Honeywell
RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB
29RR
91
Photo headshot of Deivi García
Deivi García
RHP
Milwaukee Brewers
AAA
25RR
92
Photo headshot of Brett Baty
Brett Baty
3B/OF
New York Mets
MLB
25LR
93
Photo headshot of Ryan Mountcastle
Ryan Mountcastle
OF/1B
Baltimore Orioles
MLB
27RR
94
Photo headshot of Miguel Amaya
Miguel Amaya
C
Chicago Cubs
MLB
25RR
95
Photo headshot of Tyler Freeman
Tyler Freeman
SS/2B
Cleveland Guardians
MLB
25RR
96
Photo headshot of Luis Garcia
Luis Garcia
SS--24SR
97
Photo headshot of Simeon Woods Richardson
Simeon Woods Richardson
RHP
Minnesota Twins
MLB
24RR
98
Photo headshot of Seth Corry
Seth Corry
LHP
San Francisco Giants
AA
26LL
99
Photo headshot of George Kirby
George Kirby
RHP
Seattle Mariners
MLB
26RR
51
Nico
Hoerner
SS/2B/OF, Chicago Cubs
  • AGE
    27
  • BATS
    R
  • DOB
    05/13/1997
  • THROWS
    R
  • HT
    6' 1"
  • DRAFTED
    2018, 1st (24) - CHC
  • WT
    200
  • ETA
    2020
  • TWITTER

Scouting Grades/Report (20-80 grading scale)

  • Hit
    60

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

Hoerner wasn't a consensus first-rounder when the Cubs spent the 24th overall pick and a $2,724,000 bonus on him in the 2018 Draft, but that now looks like a steal. Though he missed time with strained left elbow ligaments in his debut and with a hairline fracture of his left wrist last April, he has displayed a potent bat and advanced rapidly when healthy. Injuries to Javier Baez and Addison Russell necessitated an emergency big league callup last September, and he responded by hitting .282 with three homers in 20 games.

Hoerner makes contact more easily than most hitters because he has tremendous hand-eye coordination, a short right-handed swing and a disciplined approach. Hitting just three homers in three years at Stanford led to questions about his power, but he has surprised the Cubs with the strength in his hands and ability to drive the ball with wood bats. If he can continue to learn to lift more balls in the air, he could hit 15 homers per season.

Enhancing his offensive profile, Hoerner possesses solid speed and the savvy to steal an occasional base. He's a reliable defender with good instincts at shortstop, though his range and arm are no better than average for the position. Most scouts think he fits better at second base -- he has earned some Ian Kinsler comparisons -- and he also saw some action in center field last summer.