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Nico Hoerner To Bat 6th, Play SS In MLB Debut
His promotion comes as Javier Baez and Addison Russell deal with injuries.
(670 The Score) The Cubs have called up top prospect Nico Hoerner, and he'll start at shortstop and bat sixth as the team opens a four-game series at the San Diego Padres on Monday evening.
Listen to your team news NOW.Hoerner's promotion comes as the Cubs are shorthanded as shortstop. Javier Baez has a hairline fracture in his left hand and could miss the rest of the regular season. He was set to visit a specialist Monday, after which the Cubs will know more about a potential timeline for a return. On Sunday, backup shortstop Addison Russell was hit in the head by a pitch in a loss to the Brewers. He's being evaluated for a concussion.
Hoerner, 22, is the No. 47 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He finished the season at Double-A Tennessee, where he hit .284 with three homers, 22 RBIs and a .743 OPS in 70 games. The Cubs selected him in the first round of the 2018 amateur draft.
To make room for Hoerner on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated lefty reliever Randy Rosario for assigment. In other roster moves, Chicago recalled right-hander James Norwood and optioned right-hander Adbert Alzolay.
Entering Monday, the Cubs were 4.5 games back of the NL Central-leading Cardinals in the division race and 1.5 games up on the Diamondbacks for the second NL wild-card spot.