The New York Yankees have a lot of expectations heading into 2026. They can’t afford to have a hole at any position on the field. With Anthony Volpe sidelined to start the season, the Yankees will give Jose Caballero every day reps, but should New York consider a trade to bring in another impact infielder?
A recent mock trade proposal by SI.com’s Ryan Shea has the Yankees making a trade for Chicago Cubs‘ infielder Nico Hoerner, who is a two-time Gold Glove winner who can add wins to any roster.
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Would the Yankees Consider Making this Trade?
GettyChicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner
According to Shea, the New York Yankees would give up a prospect/MLB package that includes Oswaldo Cabrera, Elmer Rodriguez, and Dax Kilby.
Nico Hoerner is listed as a second baseman, but he also has experience at shortstop. He signed a three-year, $35 million contract and is a free agent after the season’s end. Hoerner is a seven-year MLB veteran.
In 2025, he posted a bWAR of 6.2 over 156 games with a .297 average and 29 doubles. He’s not necessarily a power hitter, but the Yankees still need to add more right-handed hitters, and Hoerner would add another level of depth to the middle infield group.
Oswaldo Cabrera was recently optioned to Triple-A to start the season, which makes him, in a way, expendable. It’s unclear if the Yankees are actually looking to move on from Volpe as their shortstop, but if Volpe doesn’t produce with the bat, New York might ultimately have to decide on his future with the team.
This trade idea would also be a good thing for Cabrera and the pair of prospects (Rodriguez, Kilby), because it might lead to more playing time in the future.
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Who Says No to this Potential Deal?
As hypothetical a trade idea this is by SI.com, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees saying no to adding a perennial 4.0 bWAR player in Nico Hoerner for this package.
The Cubs would likely be the team to reject this trade package. However, if the Cubs intend not to retain Nico Hoerner in free agency, that could make him a tradeable piece, which is why his name recently floated around in trade speculation.
In seven career seasons, Hoerner has 21.8 wins above replacement, a lifetime .282 average with a 103 OPS+.
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