{"id":145116,"date":"2026-01-25T15:04:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T15:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=145116"},"modified":"2026-01-25T15:04:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T15:04:55","slug":"cubs-fans-stunned-after-star-snubbed-from-mlb-top-100-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=145116","title":{"rendered":"Cubs Fans Stunned After Star Snubbed From MLB Top 100 List"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/files.fanbeat.win\/art\/UkC54ai3gByW.avif\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">IMAGE: New York Mets pinch-runner Luisangel Acuna (2) steals second as Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) cant handle a throw during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. \/ David Banks \/ Imagn Images<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Nico Hoerner Snubbed from MLB\u2019s Top 100 List &#8211; And It Makes No Sense<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Every offseason brings its fair share of debates, and few things stir the pot quite like a Top 100 players list. MLB Network just dropped its latest version, and while the Chicago Cubs are well represented, there\u2019s one glaring omission that\u2019s hard to ignore &#8211; Nico Hoerner didn\u2019t make the cut.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with who <em>did<\/em> make the list for the Cubs. Newcomer Alex Bregman landed at No. 35, a fair spot considering his All-Star campaign in 2025, even if a quad strain sidelined him for a chunk of the season. Then there\u2019s Pete Crow-Armstrong at No. 40 &#8211; a touch low for a guy who just posted a 30\/30 season <em>and<\/em> took home a Gold Glove in center field, but understandable given his second-half slump.<\/p>\n<p>Michael Busch (No. 67) and Seiya Suzuki (No. 77), the Cubs\u2019 top home run hitters in 2025, also earned spots. And for those keeping tabs on former Cubs, Kyle Tucker (No. 21) and Cody Bellinger (No. 43) made appearances as well.<\/p>\n<p>All in all, not a bad showing for the North Siders. You could make a case for Ian Happ or even Matthew Boyd sneaking onto the back end of the list, and it wouldn\u2019t be a surprise if Cade Horton becomes a regular fixture on these rankings as soon as next year.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s get to the real head-scratcher: <strong>Where is Nico Hoerner?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t just a mild snub. This is a \u201cdid someone forget to hit Ctrl+F before submitting the final list?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>kind of omission. Hoerner isn\u2019t a borderline case.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s not a \u201cmaybe next year\u201d guy. He\u2019s already there &#8211; and has been.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, Hoerner put together a season that checks every box: elite defense, consistent contact, speed, and sneaky value. He earned his second career Gold Glove at second base, slashed .297\/.345\/.394, and posted a 109 wRC+.<\/p>\n<p>He swiped 29 bags, rarely struck out, and led the league in batting average against left-handed pitching. And here\u2019s the kicker &#8211; his 4.8 fWAR was the best among all second basemen last season.<\/p>\n<p>Better than Ketel Marte (No. 19).<\/p>\n<p>Better than Brice Turang (No. 62).<\/p>\n<p>Both of whom did make the list.<\/p>\n<p>So what gives?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s one thing to debate rankings &#8211; that\u2019s the whole point of lists like these. But leaving Hoerner out entirely?<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not a matter of opinion. That\u2019s a miss.<\/p>\n<p>A big one.<\/p>\n<p>Hoerner\u2019s game might not be flashy in the traditional sense. He\u2019s not launching 40 homers or flipping bats into orbit.<\/p>\n<p>But his value is undeniable. He\u2019s a throwback player in the best way &#8211; a contact machine with elite defensive instincts and the kind of baseball IQ that doesn\u2019t show up in highlight reels but wins games.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s the glue guy every contending team needs, and the Cubs are lucky to have him.<\/p>\n<p>Even amid swirling trade rumors, Hoerner remains one of the most complete players in the league at his position. He\u2019s the type of player who makes a Top 100 list feel legitimate.<\/p>\n<p>Leaving him off? That just raises questions about the whole exercise.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe MLB Network will revisit the list. Maybe they\u2019ll offer an explanation. But until then, Cubs fans &#8211; and baseball fans who value defense, consistency, and all-around excellence &#8211; have every right to be scratching their heads.<\/p>\n<p>Because when you\u2019re listing the best players in baseball, and Nico Hoerner\u2019s name isn\u2019t on it? You\u2019re not just overlooking a good player. You\u2019re missing one of the best at his position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IMAGE: New York Mets pinch-runner Luisangel Acuna (2) steals second as Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) cant handle a throw during the eighth inning at&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-145116","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>Cubs Fans Stunned After Star Snubbed From MLB Top 100 List - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=145116\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cubs Fans Stunned After Star Snubbed From MLB Top 100 List - 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