The biggest position battle in Cubs camp gained a lot more clarity when the club optioned Nico Hoerner to the minor leagues on Saturday.
Veteran Eric Sogard, in camp as a non-roster invitee, will make the opening roster.
Hoerner and Sogard have been competing for the starting second base job this spring, along with David Bote and Ildemaro Vargas. The 23-year-old Hoerner seemed to have the inside lane to the job at the onset of camp, before the club added the veteran Sogard on a minor-league deal earlier this month.
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But Hoerner from the beginning of spring training looked at risk of a demotion because of the roster flexibility his minor league options offer the Cubs.
Further, a developmental stretch in the minor leagues always loomed as a possibility. Hoerner skipped Triple-A entirely when the Cubs promoted him to the big leagues in an emergency situation in 2019. In fact, he has far more at-bats in the minors (337) than the big leagues (186).
With the minor-league season delayed until May, Hoerner will be training at the Cubs' alternate site.
Cubs manager David Ross said earlier this month Hoerner's job was "to make it as tough on me and Jed [Hoyer] and our group as possible to put him in the lineup." And a recent 0-for-16 skid aside, the 2020 NL Gold Glove finalist has impressed at the plate, hitting .361 through Friday.
MLB
Sogard has also had a strong performance at the plate (.370, 10-for-27) as have Bote and Vargas. Bote won the everyday job, with Sogard and Vargas in the picture in reserve roles.
Hoerner's demotion leaves Sogard and Vargas as backup shortstop options behind starter Javier Báez.