The Chicago Cubs are making sure Nico Hoerner is not going anywhere for a while. The club has agreed to a six-year contract extension with its Gold Glove second baseman, keeping the 28-year-old in Chicago through at least the 2030 season. Reports late Friday say the agreement is pending a physical and is expected to come in around $141 million, locking in a rugged, defense-first table-setter fresh off one of his best all-around years in 2025.
What the reports say
ESPN reported that Chicago and Hoerner have a six-year deal in place that is awaiting the standard medical, according to ESPN. Local outlet ABC7 Chicago echoed that reporting and pegged the guarantee at roughly $141 million. As of publication, neither the Cubs nor Major League Baseball had issued an official announcement.
Hoerner's 2025 breakout
Hoerner quietly put together a standout season in 2025, finishing the regular season with a .297 average, seven home runs, 61 RBIs, and 29 steals, per his MLB.com player page. FanGraphs credited him with a career-high 4.8 fWAR, and MLB.com's awards log shows he took home a Rawlings Gold Glove at second base. He then turned it up in October, hitting .419 in the postseason as the Cubs advanced to the NL Division Series.
What the club is saying
Manager Craig Counsell sees even more room for growth. “I think Nico can grow,” he said in remarks published by ESPN, noting that the organization believes there is additional upside if Hoerner drives the ball a bit more. The sentiment lines up with Chicago’s broader strategy of building around a defense-centric core. With Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson already anchoring the infield, the front office appears intent on maintaining a strong defensive spine while younger pieces develop around it.
Roster impact and trade chatter
By extending Hoerner, the Cubs effectively pull one of the winter's more popular trade targets off the board and double down on the current infield mix, which already features high-profile additions. Hoerner’s name surfaced in trade speculation over the offseason, with outlets tracking interest from the Giants and Mariners, a run of rumor coverage chronicled by MLB Trade Rumors. The extension should give the front office cleaner payroll projections and fewer what-ifs as it works on the finishing touches ahead of Opening Day.
What’s next
Hoerner still needs to pass the routine physical before the team makes anything official, and final confirmation will land on the Cubs’ website and the MLB transaction feed. If the deal is completed as reported, it locks in another homegrown defensive standout for Chicago’s near-term core and could reshape how the club approaches both in-season moves and the trade deadline.
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