3 Cubs prospects who stand to gain the most from Nico Hoerner's surprise surgery news

Talk about an injury update that blindsided everyone. Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner recently underwent right flexor tendon surgery, an inauspicious start to an offseason of critical importance on the North Side.

The Cubs have not yet released any sort of timeline for his recovery, but the rough timeline we've seen when pitchers undergo this procedure falls anywhere between six to nine months. Obviously, if it wound up being on the long side of that range, Hoerner would not be ready to go come Opening Day, instead lining up for a potential midseason return.

That's pure speculation at this point and we'll await word from the club on how the procedure went and what sort of timeline we're looking at. But if Hoerner isn't ready to go come spring, three Cubs prospects who could stand to benefit from the unfortunate news.

Matt Shaw is the obvious choice to step in for Hoerner if he misses time

Cubs top prospect and MLB Pipeline's #22-ranked talent Matt Shaw is, at least in theory, the next man up on the organizational depth chart. The former first-rounder is knocking on the door already after making the jump to Triple-A Iowa this year and could crack the Opening Day roster in Hoerner's stead.

This year between Tennessee and Iowa, Shaw slashed .284/.379/.488 with only 95 punchouts in 121 games, a promising sign for the 22-year-old infielder whose hit tool has drawn rave reviews. With Hoerner locked in at second and Dansby Swanson at short, the Cubs have given Shaw reps at third base, so he could bring added versatility to Craig Counsell's club in 2025.

This is, by far, the most logical move for a team that needs to win. Letting your top prospect get a shot while Hoerner recovers and gets ready could have some rough spells, sure. But you've got to pull the trigger on that move eventually and the injury gives you a clear path to Shaw getting everyday reps at the big-league level.