The Chicago Cubs have a lot of excitement in the early stages of the 2026 season. The team has a lot of young players who can be impactful on an everyday basis, but one player can really make things click. There are some incredible hitters, but one has one of the boldest predictions by one outlet. Let’s take a deeper dive into what the bold prediction is and why it is not as far-fetched as it originally seems.
Nico Hoerner is predicted to win the 2026 National League batting title
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter wrote an article with 10 bold predictions for the 2026 season. One of his predictions was that Chicago’s second baseman Nico Hoerner would win the NL batting title. Looking back at last season, there are reasons to be optimistic. Below is what he based his prediction on:
“After a strong second half led to a career-high 114 OPS+ last season, he looks poised for a career year offensively. The 28-year-old hit .317 after the All-Star break, including a .333/.375/.467 line in 112 plate appearances over the final month. His .297 average overall trailed only Trea Turner (.304) in the NL batting title race. With his speed, contact skills and good lineup protection, Hoerner is one of the few solid bets in the sport to push for a .300 batting averge. Picking up where he left off last September would propel him to the top of the NL leaderboard.”
There has not been a Cubs player to win the National League batting title since Derrek Lee did so in 2005. That season, Lee posted a .335 batting average. In terms of Hoerner, he has been one of the most consistent contact hitters in the game. Hoerner is coming off signing a massive six-year extension on Thursday and is a career .282 hitter. It will be intriguing to see how the lineup looks if he can be a solid hitter who keeps the lineup rolling in the middle of the lineup.
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