Addison Russell may be one of the highest-rated defensive shortstops in baseball and Javy Baez might be one of the slickest infielders in the game, but deep down in the depths of the Cubs farm system lurks shortstop Nico Hoerner, the Cubs’ 2018 first round pick.
And it turns out he has quite a glove on him:
SS Nico Hoerner with a phenomenal catch in his @SBCubs debut!
–@nico_hoerner pic.twitter.com/Avrkpibnk4— SportZ Report – Cubs (@SR_Cubs) July 12, 2018
WOW.
That is some straight up EL MAGO-style glove work. Hoerner jumped so high to get that ball, but makes it look smooth as hell. And it wasn’t even the first time!
Watch Cubs First Rounder Nico Hoerner Make an Eye-Popping Javy Baez-like Play https://t.co/nTTZy04QWP pic.twitter.com/4zRiCstSbr
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) June 5, 2018
That play was good, but I think last night’s is more impressive. And it came in his South Bend Cubs debut! After just seven games at Eugene, which is a fairly fast track, even compared to some of the Cubs’ recent big-time college prospects (Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ, Kris Bryant).
Hoerner isn’t expected to have quite as big of a bat as any of those three, but he did kill it in short-season ball, and went 2-4 in his South Bend debut, so, hey – so far, so good. And, of course, if his glove is anywhere close to as legit as the early highlights have made it seem, the Cubs will have no trouble finding a spot for him down the line somewhere.