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Watch: Nico Hoerner’s Incredible Perspective on Playing Professional Baseball While Finishing College

Nice Hoerner dove straight into the hearts of Cubs fans last year when he hit the first pitch he ever saw at Wrigley Field straight over the center-field wall. He was an unexpected call-up for a team needing a fill-in at shortstop during the midst of a playoff push and, boy, did he perform well.

Hoerner ended the 2019 season with a slash line of .282/.305/.436 that included 17 RBI, 13 runs, and three home runs over 20 games. Extrapolate that out over a full season and you get a gaudy 138 RBI, 106 runs, and 24 homers.