As Cubs continue getting trade calls, where does that leave Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw?

After signing All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract, the Cubs continue to field inbound trade inquiries about their potential surplus of infielders, leaving Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw in somewhat unsettled positions.

While the club doesn’t necessarily view a Hoerner trade as a likely outcome, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer didn’t outright reject the possibility. And though Shaw could excel in a super-utility role, Chicago’s front office is constantly looking at ways to create added value, manage payroll considerations and continue building for the future.

“There’s always calls coming in,” Hoyer said Thursday. “It’s an active industry where people are always looking at those things. It’s our job to listen to things. It’s always our job to seek to make the team better. It doesn’t mean we’re looking to do something. But, of course, people are going to call. The job is to listen and to think about it.”

The Hoerner trade rumors popped up last offseason, resurfaced again during Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in December and then became a natural follow-up question during Bregman’s introductory news conference.

Team officials have downplayed these cycles as due diligence rather than active attempts to trade Hoerner, a Gold Glove second baseman who’s highly respected in the clubhouse for his work ethic, intensity and baseball IQ.

That description of Hoerner sounds similar to the scouting report on Bregman, who said they have already exchanged text messages.

“I’ve heard he’s amazing,” Bregman said. “All the guys love him. Student of the game. Plays hard. Shows up ready to play every single day. A guy that wants to win really badly. I’m looking forward to being his teammate.”

That still sounds like the plan, unless the Cubs get overwhelmed by an offer that’s hard to conceptualize at this point, given their win-now expectations. The 28-year-old has the ability to hit .300, steal 30 bases and serve as the backup to Gold Glove shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Recent reports linked the San Francisco Giants to Hoerner, a Bay Area native and a Stanford University graduate who’s entering the final season of the three-year, $35 million contract extension he signed in 2023.

With Bregman taking over at third base, the Cubs could theoretically move Shaw to second base and use Hoerner as a trade chip to improve other areas of the roster and plan around his potential departure as a free agent.

The Cubs could also seriously engage in another round of contract negotiations with Hoerner, a homegrown player with a deep appreciation for Wrigley Field’s history and atmosphere.

“I think the world of Nico,” Hoyer said. “We’ve had him for a long time. We’ve extended him. He’s a huge part of our team. He does so many things on the field exceptionally well. I’m glad he’s a Cub.”

Shaw, meanwhile, could be an appealing option on the trade market as a pre-arbitration, 24-year-old who remains under club control through the 2031 season.

As a rookie last year, Shaw figured out how to play third base and wound up becoming a Gold Glove finalist. Though he took a detour to Triple-A Iowa to work on his swing and looked overmatched in the playoffs, a strong second half boosted his overall offensive numbers toward a league-average level.

Shaw’s long-term potential as a two-way player is obvious. In addition to moving around the infield, Hoyer said Shaw could “absolutely” shift to the outfield as needed.

“Matt Shaw’s a really good athlete,” Hoyer said. “I have no questions about his defense at any position or his ability to learn something really quickly.”

With the 2016 World Series champs reuniting as Cubs Convention headliners this weekend, Hoyer pointed to that team as an example of the importance of collecting depth and high-end talent.

The 2016 Cubs overcame Kyle Schwarber’s brutal knee injury early in the season. Kris Bryant’s versatility defined his National League MVP campaign that year. Ben Zobrist, the 2016 World Series MVP, had already elevated the super-utility role within the baseball industry. Javier Báez accumulated 450 plate appearances while playing multiple positions and then became a breakout postseason star.

Ten years later, that history lesson could be a reason to keep Shaw and Hoerner — unless the Cubs get a trade offer that blows them away.