Photo: Melissa Tamez, Icon Sportswire

Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is currently routing the rest of the field in Defensive Runs Saved at his position. He also trails only his teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong, Rays shortstop Taylor Walls, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts in Defensive Wins Above Replacement.

Most Defensive Runs Saved – Second Base, 2025 Season

When I see gaps that wide between the No. 1 and No. 2 players at a position, I like to dig into why the gap is so large.

In Hoerner’s case, there is a pretty easy answer.

Our version of MLB’s Outs Above Average is Plays Saved, a stat that has existed since the first season for which Defensive Runs Saved was first calculated, 2003 (we called it plus-minus then). It’s basically the same concept as OAA – how many more plays did a player make than the average player at his position, which can be broken down directionally (left, right, and straight-on).

By our measures, Hoerner has a +16 plays saved on balls hit to his right. No other infielder is better than +11 or better at making plays in any direction this season*. Hoerner has made 113 plays on 182 opportunities**. The expectation is that an average fielder would make 97 of them.

* Ke’Bryan Hayes is + 11 on balls hit to his right at third base.

 ** Opportunities = plays with a > 0% out probability.

The excellence on balls hit to his right is a new development. Hoerner has played second base regularly the last two years and was +4 and +1 on those plays.

The types of plays that help produce this sort of stat take on a few different forms. Here are three valuable ones for Hoerner this season.

Here’s Hoerner staying on his feet and going across second base to reach a ball and throw out Jacob Wilson of the Athletics.

Here’s another play of that nature. This time the Cubs defense is shifted, so it’s a little easier for him to get to the ball. He still has to make a shortstop’s throw to first base from where he’s standing and given that he’s played shortstop in past seasons, that’s not an issue.

Here’s a diving play against the very fast Elly De La Cruz. Dives are a low percentage play for Hoerner, as they are for most second basemen, but that one worked.

If Hoerner’s play looks familiar to Cubs manager Craig Counsell, it should. Defensive Runs Saved was calculated a little differently when Counsell played, as good positioning was credited to the player rather than the team.

As such, Counsell has Hoerner beat. In 2005 Counsell was a +24 on balls hit to his right on the way to a season with 30 Runs Saved. From a defensive perspective, it was an all-timer of a season. Counsell still shares the single-season record for most Runs Saved by a second baseman with Chase Utley. Hoerner’s season may not reach that level, but it’s looking like a great one too.