Ranking the last 10 Chicago Cubs first-round draft picks, from worst to best

The Cubs are on a hot streak in terms of hitting on their first-round draft picks

2024 Chicago Cubs Spring Training
2024 Chicago Cubs Spring Training | Matt Dirksen/GettyImages
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2. 2B Nico Hoerner: 24th overall in 2018

Nico Hoerner did not take long to start making an impact on the major league roster. After being taken as the 24th overall selection in 2018, and just 89 minor league games played, he was called up to the Majors in Sept. 2019 and never looked back. Hoerner's first couple of seasons were rough, as he struggled on offense in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and went down with an oblique injury in 2021. The latter kept him sidelined for much of the year and he only turned in 170 plate appearances.

But from 2022 on, Hoerner has been able to stay healthy for the most part, and he has established himself as a mainstay in Chicago's lineup. He can play Gold Glove-level defense at both second base and shortstop, swipe a lot of bags and hit for contact better than most (career .278 hitter). Hoerner also strikes out less than the vast majority of hitters in the league, posting a 10.3 K% in 2024 (99th percentile according to Baseball Savant).

Since others on the team like Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ have no trade clauses on their contract, Hoerner has been the subject of a lot of trade rumors this offseason. Hopefully, Chicago retains his talents for the remaining two years of his deal because he is a guy who can do a lot of things at a very high level and it's fun watching him do them.

1. OF Ian Happ: 9th overall in 2015

It's hard to believe Ian Happ wasn't part of the World Series team, but he didn't make his MLB debut until 2017. It looked like he would be a slugging presence for years to come after mashing 24 home runs in his initial campaign (in just 115 games), but things didn't quite work out that way. It was a bit of a rocky road for Happ to find his footing in the Majors after a sophomore slump in 2018 and it was hard for him to warrant playing time amidst offensive struggles.

But the post-pandemic years have been kind to Happ. He has established himself as the everyday left-fielder, where he has taken home three straight Gold Glove Awards since 2022. He isn't the prolific slugger some thought he could be, but he routinely posts 20-25 home runs with an OPS above .750. He is just a solid all-around player who provides good defense, runs well and takes professional at-bats.

Happ has also emerged as a leader in the clubhouse, especially after the World Series core was traded in 2021. For years, he served as the team's player's union representative, hosts his own podcast and has embraced the Cubs fanbase in many ways.

By the end of his current contract, Happ will have spent a decade in a Cubs uniform, making him the most valuable first-round selection on this list.

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