When Nico Hoerner slapped a single through the right side in the first inning of 2025 NLDS Game 3, it might have seemed like just another base hit. But that single—followed immediately by walks to Kyle Tucker and Ian Happ—set the stage for the four-run outburst that kept the Chicago Cubs' season alive.
Two days later, with the Cubs facing elimination again, Hoerner delivered another leadoff single to begin Game 4's crucial first inning, sparking a three-run frame that propelled Chicago to a 6-0 victory and forced a deciding Game 5.
These weren't flashy home runs or spectacular defensive plays. They were textbook examples of what makes the Stanford product the Cubs' most valuable player—even if most casual fans don't realize it yet.
The Number That Tells the Whole Story
Here's a stat that might surprise Cubs fans debating whether Kyle Tucker, Ian Happ, or Michael Busch is their team's MVP: Nico Hoerner leads them all with 6.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in 2025.
Not only does he pace the Cubs, but Hoerner ranks fifth among all National League position players in WAR—trailing only Shohei Ohtani, who's in a different stratosphere altogether. For context, only one player ahead of Hoerner in the MVP conversation has a realistic shot at the award.
Player | Team | 2025 WAR | Position
- Shohei Ohtani | Dodgers | 9.2 | DH
- Nico Hoerner | Cubs | 6.1 | 2B
- Kyle Tucker | Cubs | 4.7 | OF
- Pete Crow-Armstrong | Cubs | 5.1 | OF
- Ian Happ | Cubs | 3.8 | OF
"I think what people don't necessarily understand about Nico is just his competitive fire and spirit," Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said earlier this season. That competitive fire, combined with elite fundamentals honed during his three years in Palo Alto, has made Hoerner indispensable.
Manager Craig Counsell has been even more emphatic, insisting that Hoerner transcends the typical "glue guy" label. "In the last month, it's pretty remarkable what he's doing," Counsell said as the Cubs clinched their playoff berth in late September.
The Stanford Foundation: Where Excellence Became Routine
Hoerner's path to becoming the Cubs' most valuable player traces directly back to the Stanford baseball program, where he spent three seasons refining the technical skills and baseball IQ that now define his game.
As a freshman in 2016, Hoerner started 53 of Stanford's 54 games at second base, immediately showcasing the defensive reliability that would become his calling card. By his sophomore year, he had moved to shortstop and was hitting .307/.357/.406 with 18 doubles—displaying the gap-to-gap power and on-base skills that make him so valuable.
The Cardinal program emphasized fundamentals, situational awareness, and the kind of high-IQ baseball that doesn't always show up in highlight reels. Hoerner absorbed those lessons completely. His mother, who graduated from Stanford in 1985, undoubtedly understood the academic and athletic standards her son would face in Palo Alto.
When the Cubs selected Hoerner 24th overall in the 2018 draft, they weren't just getting a talented athlete—they were getting a player who understood the game at a graduate-level depth despite being just 21 years old.
Breaking Down the Value: More Than Meets the Eye
So how does a second baseman who hit .297 with just seven home runs in 2024 accumulate more WAR than teammates who posted gaudier offensive numbers? The answer lies in Hoerner's comprehensive excellence across multiple facets of the game.
Defense: Hoerner won the 2023 Gold Glove at second base and remained elite in 2024, recording the best defensive season of his career according to advanced metrics. His positioning, soft hands, and ability to turn double plays make him one of the league's premier defenders at a premium position.
Baserunning: While his 31 stolen bases in 2024 grabbed headlines (the first Cub to reach 30 since Tony Campana in 2012), Hoerner's baserunning value extends beyond steals. He takes the extra base consistently, rarely makes outs on the basepaths, and pressures defenses with his speed and instincts.
Consistency: Perhaps most importantly, Hoerner rarely has bad stretches. His .297 average in 2024 represented the best mark of his career, and he maintained that production over 151 games. From August 24 through season's end, he hit .356—the third-best average in the majors during that span.
Clutch Performance: Hoerner's .355 batting average with runners in scoring position last season wasn't an accident. His Stanford training prepared him for high-leverage situations, where technical execution matters most.
CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson captured Hoerner's essence perfectly: "The consistency, which is the hardest part of this game, when things aren't going well, when things are going well, he really embodies that consistency."
The Playoff Proving Ground
If the regular season established Hoerner as the Cubs' most valuable player, the postseason has cemented his reputation as a winner.
In elimination Game 3 at Wrigley Field, with the Cubs facing a potential sweep, Hoerner's first-inning single kept the line moving after Michael Busch's leadoff homer. That rally produced four runs—matching the Cubs' entire output from the first two games combined.
"I thought we did a great job in the first inning," Counsell said after the game. "Nico getting on base right away again, it's not going to be a one-run inning. You're going to have a tough inning again."
Game 4 followed the same script: Hoerner singled to lead off the first, Tucker walked, and Ian Happ launched a three-run homer that essentially decided the game before most fans had finished their first beer.
These aren't coincidences. Hoerner's .870 OPS in September showed he was peaking at exactly the right time. His ability to work counts, put the ball in play, and create opportunities for others makes him the perfect catalyst atop the Cubs' lineup.
Why He's More Valuable Than the Big Names
The Cubs' roster features several players with bigger reputations: Kyle Tucker arrived via trade as a three-time All-Star; Ian Happ signed a lucrative extension; Michael Busch has provided impressive power. Yet Hoerner's 6.1 WAR dwarfs all of them.
The explanation isn't complicated: baseball rewards players who contribute in multiple ways. Tucker might hit for more power, but Hoerner's combination of hitting, defense, and baserunning—maintained over 151 games—produced more total value.
Consider this: Hoerner recorded 178 hits in 2024, second-most on the Cubs. He stole 31 bases, first on the team. He won a Gold Glove at second base. He hit .297, best among Cubs regulars. No single element is spectacular, but the aggregate is elite.
"Has elite football instincts for the position," one NL coordinator told ESPN earlier this year—wait, wrong sport. But the sentiment applies: Hoerner has elite baseball instincts, understanding leverage, situation, and opportunity in ways that separate good players from great ones.
His Stanford education—both academic and athletic—taught him to think the game at a level that pure athletes never reach. He's not the fastest player in baseball, but he steals 31 bases because he studies pitchers. He's not the strongest hitter, but he gets 178 hits by working counts and using the whole field.
The Perfect Glue Guy
Rookie third baseman Matt Shaw offered perhaps the best description of Hoerner's value: "With his personality, too, he's always trying to bring up the people around him and that shows his selflessness. The more he does it, the more others start to do it and in that sense, he's a glue for the clubhouse. When you're in the clubhouse every single day for 100-whatever games, you see it every single day. The consistency, which is the hardest part of this game, when things aren't going well, when things are going well, he really embodies that consistency."
That consistency extends to the postseason, where Hoerner has delivered key hits in both elimination games. His Game 3 and Game 4 singles weren't spectacular, but they kept rallies alive and set the table for others to drive in runs.
The Season's End
As the Cubs prepared for a win-or-go-home Game 5 in Milwaukee, they leaned heavily on their secret weapon—the Stanford product who led them in the stat that matters most, even if casual observers still didn't recognize it.
But despite Hoerner's best efforts throughout the season and playoffs, the Cubs' remarkable run came to an end in that decisive fifth game. The loss didn't diminish what Hoerner accomplished in 2025—leading the team in WAR, delivering clutch hits in elimination games, and proving himself as Chicago's most complete player.
Hoerner won't hit 40 home runs or make SportsCenter's top plays every night. But he gets on base, plays Gold Glove defense, steals bases, and makes the routine plays that winning teams require. That's what 6.1 WAR looks like—and why the Cubs' most valuable player was their best-kept secret all season long.
For a franchise seeking to return to World Series glory for the first time since 2016, having a player who excels in every facet without needing the spotlight proved invaluable. The Stanford Cardinal taught Hoerner how to play the game the right way. In 2025, he showed the baseball world why that education was priceless—even if the season ended sooner than Cubs fans hoped.
Sources:
BVM Sports: "How Cubs' Nico Hoerner Emerged as Key Player on Playoff Team" (September 22, 2025) CBS Sports: "How Cubs' Nico Hoerner went from underrated 'glue guy' to starring on a World Series hopeful" (September 2025) MLB.com: "Cubs win NLDS Game 3" (October 8, 2025) Yahoo Sports: "MLB playoffs 2025: Cubs force NLDS Game 5" (October 10, 2025) Chicago Tribune: "Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner takes intensity into first playoff game" (September 30, 2025)