Cubs: When will Nico Hoerner get that much-awaited phone call?

(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Few Chicago Cubs players had better springs than Nico Hoerner. He looked stronger, certainly more sure of himself, and his stats were good: 16-for-44, 8 runs, 11 RBI and an OPS of 1.055. He looked like a shoo-in, and then was optioned to Triple-A.

Why?

Forget the “he needs more seasoning” excuse; it’s the old Kris Bryant quandary all over again. By keeping Hoerner in the minors for 36 more days, the club gets to keep him another year before having to deal with free agency.

So we’ll see him in about three more weeks then? Not so fast.

There are two factors that can affect his return. One is how well he performs in Triple-A. Remember, it is his first stint at…