Jed Hoyer praises Nico Hoerner while steering clear of commenting on trade rumors

You knew it was coming. In the question-and-answer session with the media assembled for Alex Bregman's introductory press conference Thursday morning, Jed Hoyer was asked about both Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner - both of whom, to varying degrees, have been mentioned in speculative trade rumors over the better part of the last week.

Surprising to no one, Hoyer didn't touch the question with a ten-foot pole, with nothing but good things to say about Hoerner but didn't give any real commitment on roles or those rumors. When asked about Shaw, the Cubs' president of baseball operations hit the nail right on the head, more or less saying that Shaw is a talented player and versatility is important in today's game.

Nico Hoerner trade rumors continue to swirl in the background

The New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and, to a lesser degree, Boston Red Sox have been connected to Hoerner of late - but there has been no indication Chicago is actively shopping their Gold Glove second baseman. Sure, there's interest, as there often is with high-quality players on expiring contracts, but the general sense is it would take a dramatic overpay to pry him away from Hoyer and the Cubs.

One could easily make the case that Shaw is the more logical trade candidate, especially if the front office likes its chances of extending Hoerner before he reaches free agency at season's end. The team control alone makes him incredibly attractive as a trade piece. But, at least looking specifically at 2026, this is a Cubs team that - at least on paper - is best off with both Hoerner and Shaw in the fold.

I'd expect these rumors to continue to percolate leading up to spring training - so I'm not getting too caught up in every new 'report' that we see online. For now, the Cubs have one of the best infields in all of baseball, with Bregman manning the hot corner to round out the mix of Dansby Swanson, Hoerner and Michael Busch.

And, for today, that's what I'm going to focus on.