NEW YORK — The question of what Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner has left to prove to a wider MLB audience seems silly to first baseman Jared Young.
‘‘Maybe they just haven’t been watching,’’ said Young, who was roommates with Hoerner in Double-A, ‘‘because I think he’s pretty incredible.’’
At this time of year, All-Star Game talk becomes a staple. Who was snubbed? Who’s getting well-deserved recognition? Which pitchers will get the start?
Three Cubs were selected as All-Stars — left-hander Justin Steele, right-hander Marcus Stroman and shortstop Dansby Swanson — but only Steele is set to play in the game Tuesday in Seattle. Even as congratulations were going around for the trio, Hoerner’s name was on his teammates’ lips.
‘‘Just the plays he makes, how he battles, his clutch, timely hitting,’’ Stroman said. ‘‘Seems like he’s always doing something each and every game to shift the momentum of the game. I feel like he’s easily an All-Star.’’
The All-Star Game gathers some of the best players, but it’s also inherently a popularity contest. The showcase leans on fans to vote for the starters, player votes to choose most of the pitchers and reserves and MLB selections to fill out the rosters. Hoerner didn’t make the top 10 in the first phase of fan voting.
It couldn’t have helped Hoerner’s case that his development into one of the Cubs’ core players came as the team went into a rebuild and faded from the public view.
For the analytically inclined, some common offensive measurements don’t make the strongest case. He’s 10th among National League second basemen in weighted runs created plus (92), for example. But entering Saturday, he also had the second-best batting average among NL second basemen with runners in scoring position (.333), behind only All-Star Luis Arraez.
Hoerner leads the group in stolen bases (20) and is outpacing his competition in defensive metrics, comfortably leading NL second basemen in outs above average (seven) and defensive WAR (7.0), according to FanGraphs.
His teammates see him as an undervalued player.
‘‘He’s the guy that just cares about what the scoreboard says at the end of the day,’’ Swanson said. ‘‘So whatever is asked of him to make that happen, he’s going to do. And guys like that just tend to not get as much credit. But we definitely love having him here, and he’s a huge part of this group.’’
Look at the Cubs’ 6-3 loss Saturday to the Yankees for contributions that aren’t highlighted in the box score. Hoerner, who has the second-highest WAR (2.1) among Cubs position players, didn’t have a hit. But he drove in the team’s first run by grounding out to the right side of the field against Yankees All-Star Gerrit Cole.
He also played shortstop with Swanson on the injured list with a bruised left heel and made a sliding catch on a line drive by Anthony Rizzo to end the seventh inning.
‘‘The more you watch him, the better you think he is,’’ Young said. ‘‘That’s one of the things that maybe the league’s realizing.’’
First baseman Trey Mancini, who has spent most of his career in the American League, admitted he didn’t know much about Hoerner before joining the Cubs this season. Hoerner made a quick impression.
‘‘One of the most impressive guys I’ve ever played with,’’ Mancini said in April. ‘‘He is wise beyond his years.’’
Said third baseman Patrick Wisdom: ‘‘Whether it’s making a sick play, whether it’s coming up clutch, whether it’s taking advantage of a base — whatever it is, he’s doing something in the game that’s impactful and makes you go, ‘Dang, he’s a good player.’ So I think he should be in the All-Star Game, 100,000%.’’
What does Hoerner think?
‘‘I would love to be an All-Star, whether it’s this year or in the future,’’ he said last week. ‘‘And nice to continue to have that as something to achieve in my career.
‘‘But, obviously, you want to have the support of the people in your own locker room first and foremost, and it’s awesome to have guys speak on my behalf.’’
