San Francisco Giants Interested in Former Stanford Cardinal Standout

Could Nico Hoerner Come Home?

Oct 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning for game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Could a Bay Area native be on his way back home? The MLB offseason is in full effect, and with pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training in about a month, teams are working tirelessly to finish building their rosters ahead of a long 2026 season.

For some teams, this offseason is about finding players to help them maintain success and continue to be the contenders that they were in 2025. For other teams, like the San Francisco Giants, the offseason has been all about finding those missing pieces that can get them into the postseason and become championship contenders.

On Tuesday, MLB insider Jeff Passan reported that the Giants are ‘aggressively pursuing’ a player very familiar with the Bay Area, who they believe to be the missing piece to their lineup. That player is none other than former Stanford Cardinal infielder Nico Hoerner.

Hoerner, who currently plays for the Chicago Cubs, is being linked to the Giants in a potential trade. The Cubs have reportedly been fielding offers on Hoerner for a couple of weeks at this point.

Passan also states that the Giants have also been engaged with the St. Louis Cardinals on their second baseman, Brendan Donovan.

The Giants have made some moves this offseason in adding to their pitching depth, but have yet to make any moves to bolster their lineup. Already boasting an infield of Matt Chapman at third base, Willy Adames at shortstop and Rafael Devers at first base, adding Hoerner could turn the Giants’ infield into one of, if not the best, in all of baseball.

Hoerner is coming off of another strong ‘25 campaign in which hit .297 with seven home runs, 61 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 156 games, winning his second career Gold Glove. A marquee player for the Cubs, Hoerner was crucial in helping the organization earn their first playoff berth since 2020 and their first playoff berth in a non-COVID season since 2018.

Born in Oakland, California and attending Head-Royce before spending three seasons at Stanford, Hoerner coming to the Giants would be a return to his roots.

A two-time All-Pac-12 team selection and an All-Pac-12 Defensive team selection as a sophomore, Hoerner played a big role in Stanford baseball’s success in 2017 and ‘18, where it made two straight NCAA Regional appearances and won the Pac-12 regular season title in 2018.

As a freshman in 2016, Hoerner was Stanford’s starting second baseman and hit .254 with 24 RBI, but after a summer in the Northwoods League, he broke out in his sophomore campaign in 2017, hitting .307 with one home run and 33 RBI while also switching positions to shortstop.

In his final season in 2018, Hoerner hit a whopping .345 with two home runs and 40 RBI, becoming a highly touted prospect going into the 2018 MLB Draft.

Drafted 24th overall by the Cubs, Hoerner has never known any other organization. But if the Giants were to trade for him, what better team to go to than the one close to where you grew up both as a person and a baseball player.