Nico Hoerner spotted doing fielding work as Opening Day status among top Spring Training questions

One of the biggest questions that the Chicago Cubs will have in Spring Training is the status of second baseman Nico Hoerner.

After undergoing surgery last October, the Cubs have been vague about Hoerner's recovery timeline. During the Cubs Convention last weekend, Hoerner wasn't ready to commit to the idea that he would be cleared for Opening Day. Hoerner told reporters that he has yet to resume hitting and hasn't begun a throwing program either.

Hoerner is at the Cubs' Spring Training complex in Arizona and was spotted doing some fielding work.

Nico Hoerner's injury recovery takes center stage ahead of Cubs' Spring Training.

At the very least, Hoerner is able to field ground balls. However, it's also worth pointing out that he was flipping the ball instead of proceeding with the throw. Nonetheless, it's a reminder that Hoerner serving as the Cubs' Opening Day second baseman is far from a lock at this point.

Hoerner's injury adds to the importance of the Cubs' signing of Jon Berti. While Berti can play nearly every position like Vidal Bruján, who the Cubs traded for earlier this month, Berti has had more sustained offensive success at the Major League level. In the event that Hoerner does miss time to open the season, the Cubs likely feel more comfortable with Berti being the starter at second base instead of Bruján. It's a far more appropriate fallback for the Cubs as opposed to last season when they were forced to turn to Nick Madrigal and Miles Mastrobuoni far too many times due to injury.

It would also seem that we can officially put to rest the idea of Hoerner being traded this offseason. While many continue to suggest that the Cubs could move Hoerner for a starting pitcher and then sign Alex Bregman, the logic behind the additional compensation it would cost the Cubs to sign Bregman, given his qualifying offer, makes a pairing unlikely.