{"id":131145,"date":"2025-12-15T23:18:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T23:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131145"},"modified":"2025-12-15T23:18:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T23:18:09","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8-inside-international-spotlight-nico-hoerners-skill-set-is-quietly-lining-up-perfectly-for-team-usa-at-the-world-baseball-classic-and-the-more-insiders-break-it-down-the-cleare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131145","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8 INSIDE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Nico Hoerner\u2019s skill set is quietly lining up perfectly for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, and the more insiders break it down, the clearer it becomes why his impact could go far beyond the stat sheet. What makes him such a seamless fit may surprise even longtime Cubs fans."},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\">Nico Hoerner has lived up to his first-round pick status with the Chicago Cubs since he arrived in the Majors in 2019.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\">In his seven years in Chicago, he\u2019s slashed .282\/.340\/.384 with 36 home runs and 278 RBI. He\u2019s won two Gold Gloves and even finished 19th in National League MVP voting last month. He\u2019s not a superstar, but he\u2019s the type of player that all teams want \u2014 tough, gritty, willing to do whatever it takes, no matter the position.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\">It\u2019s the biggest reason why Alex Cohen, one of the voices of the Cubs at Marquee Sports Network, said recently that Hoerner would make a great fit for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-3\"><strong>Mark Cohen on Nico Hoerner\u2019s WBC Fit<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\">Hoerner is going to go in and take over Team USA, and that\u2019s not the point of including him on the team, according to Cohen. In a tournament like the WBC \u2014 which is done in two weeks \u2014 a player with Hoerner\u2019s ability to play multiple positions, along with his make-up at the plate, is an asset.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\u201cI think he\u2019s somebody that Team USA could really use.\u201d@voiceofcohen2 wants to see Nico Hoerner in the World Baseball Classic! pic.twitter.com\/X0qc1NeKsK<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) December 12, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\">\u201cI think he\u2019s someone the USA could really use,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cLooking at it from a depth perspective because Nico has position flexibility. Remember, throughout his career he\u2019s played third, he\u2019s played short, he\u2019s played second, he\u2019s played a little outfield. From a versatility standpoint, especially in the international game, a guy who can play all of those positions [is valuable]. He can run, he makes a lot of contact against strikeout-heaving pitchers from international teams. I think he\u2019s someone Team USA could really use.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\">Hoerner has played 500 games at second base and 210 at shortstop. He\u2019s played eight games at third base, four in center field, and four in left field in his MLB career.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\">Several players have already accepted invitations to play for Team USA per CBS Sports, led by American League MVP and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is expected to play in the outfield with Arizona\u2019s Corbin Carroll and Hoerner\u2019s teammate, Pete Crow-Armstrong.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Nico Hoerner | Matt Marton-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\">Baltimore\u2019s Gunnar Henderson, Kansas City\u2019s Bobby Witt Jr., and Milwaukee\u2019s Brice Turang are expected to be part of the infielder. Seattle\u2019s Cal Raleigh and the Los Angeles Dodgers\u2019 Will Smith have already been tapped to play catcher.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\">One Cubs pitcher, Matthew Boyd, has been selected, along with National League Cy Young winner and Pittsburgh star Paul Skenes. Philadelphia\u2019s Kyle Schwarber is expected to play at designated hitter.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\"><strong>MORE<\/strong>: Cubs Predicted To Sign Phillies Star To Four-Year, $110 Million Deal<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\">Other players selected for Team USA are Boston reliever Garrett Whitlock, Tampa Bay reliever Garrett Cleavinger, and Tampa Bay reliever Griffin Jax. The roster is subject to change until the WBC begins.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\">The 20-team tournament begins on March 5. Team USA will play in a bracket with Mexico, Italy, Great Britain, and Brazil. The championship game is set for March 17 at loanDepot Park in Miami. The US was in the championship game in 2023, losing to Team Japan.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-15\"><u><em><strong>The Latest Chicago Cubs News<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\">Cubs GM Carter Hawkins Explains Chicago\u2019s Slow Start To Free Agency<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\">Cubs Legend Anthony Rizzo Reveals The Next &#8220;Terrifying&#8221; Project He&#8217;s Taking On<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\">Cubs Were Devin Williams\u2019 Top Choice Before One Detail Killed The Deal<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\">Ian Happ Reveals Why Alex Bregman Would Be A Great Fit For The Cubs&#8217; Lineup<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nico Hoerner has lived up to his first-round pick status with the Chicago Cubs since he arrived in the Majors in 2019.  In his seven years in Chicago, he\u2019s slas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":131146,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>\ud83d\udea8 INSIDE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Nico Hoerner\u2019s skill set is quietly lining up perfectly for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, and the more insiders break it down, the clearer it becomes why his impact could go far beyond the stat sheet. 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