Way-too-early 2026 mock draft may signal Nico Hoerner's Cubs exit

A very early 2026 MLB mock draft has the Cubs taking the best second baseman in the class, raising the question of Nico Hoerner's future with the team.

In the mock draft from Bleacher Report, Chicago uses the 23rd overall pick to choose Chris Rembert, a second baseman from Auburn. And it's easy to see why the Cubs would draft him. As a freshman this year, Remburn smacked 10 homers, drove in 46 runs, and slashed .344/.467/.555 over 260 plate appearances.

The Cubs are keen on using their first-round pick to take hitters who are already in college, like Matt Shaw, Cam Smith, Ethan Conrad, and Hoerner himself back in 2018. Rembert has already impressed, and he will have another year to develop with the Auburn Tigers. More importantly, Rembert has also seen success using a wood bat in the Cape Cod League this year. In 23 plate appearances, Rembert collected eight RBI and nine hits, including three homers and two doubles.

Rembert is already showing signs of being an advanced hitter, and the Cubs will likely be in on him if he's available since next year's draft is shortstop and outfielder-heavy. The Cubs have a lot of shortstop depth throughout their system, and Dansby Swanson is under contract for four more years. On the outfield side, the Cubs are top-heavy with Pete Crow-Armstrong, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara under team control for a while, and the team loaded up at the position in this year's draft. Rembert fits the bill, and the Cubs have an important decision to make on Hoerner's future.

Will the Cubs keep Nico Hoerner?

Hoerner is set to reach free agency after the 2026 campaign, when he will be 29 years old. Hoerner is going on four straight seasons of impeccably consistent play for the Cubs. The second baseman has led the team in hits each year since 2023, and he is on pace to do the same in 2025 (133 so far). This year, Hoerner is slashing .291/.339/.374 with 20 doubles and 48 RBI. Hoerner is also second on the team with a 4.7 bWAR, behind only Crow-Armstrong's 6.4 mark.

Hoerner is a rock on this team. He has a masterful control of the strike zone, he is clutch with runners in scoring position, and he plays gold glove defense at both middle infield positions. It's a bit surprising that the Cubs haven't approached Hoerner with another contract extension already. He is in his prime and should not see any signs of regression for years to come. Perhaps the team has other plans, but it will be hard to replace Hoerner's gamer mentality on and off the field.