Report: Cubs, Hoerner agree on three-year, $35 million contract extension

The Cubs headed into training camp with two obvious contract extension candidates.

Left fielder Ian Happ was one, second baseman Nico Hoerner the other.

"I can tell you that we have interest in both guys, in keeping them long-term," Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said in January. "We've started the process. We've had dialogue with the agents. There's a real desire and we've had those meetings. Off the record, it's a moving deadline."

The deadline's been fast approaching.

"My preference is really not to get toward the end of spring training and get to a place where I feel like it's affecting the preparation and mentality for the season," Hoyer said.

With the season starting Thursday against the Brewers at Wrigley Field, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Cubs and Hoerner reached agreement on a three-year, $35 million contract extension Monday night.

Since Hoerner is already signed for $2.5 million this season, the extension begins next year and runs through 2026. Hoerner would have been eligible for free agency at the end of the 2025 season.

Moving back to second base this year after shortstop Dansby Swanson joined the Cubs on a seven-year, $177 million contract, Hoerner is coming off a productive 2021 season.

Over 125 games, the Cubs' 2018 first-round draft pick hit .281/.327/.410 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

In 2021, Hoerner was on the injured list four times and played only 44 games.

"A huge factor for me was just the amount of at-bats I was able to have last year," Hoerner said. "You can always work hard in the off-season but until it's really based on the game itself, it's not worth that much."