(670 The Score) When the Cubs acquired second baseman Nick Madrigal in a trade with the White Sox last July, they reunited him with a longtime friend in shortstop Nico Hoerner.
Madrigal and Hoerner followed similar paths to the big leagues that intertwined from their time as teenagers playing for Team USA in northern California to becoming Pac-12 rivals in college – with Madrigal playing for Oregon State and Hoerner for Stanford – to being first-round picks of Chicago teams in 2018.
Now, Madrigal and Hoerner are forming a double-play combination for the Cubs, and it’s something Madrigal cherishes, as he told the Mully & Haugh Show on Wednesday morning.
“I don’t think we ever could’ve imagined when we were younger playing on the same major league team together up the middle,” Madrigal said. “We’ve formed a friendship over the years just playing against each other, playing with each other.
“We always had that mutual respect for each other. I mean, he was always one of the best players on the field. The bigger kid, threw the hardest, hit the hardest balls. I always respected his game and the friendship just came over the years.
“I’ve seen from afar what kind of player he’s formed himself into. I just think it’s awesome playing up the middle with him.
“I feel as comfortable as ever on the field next to him.”
Madrigal was the key return to the Cubs in the trade that sent All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox last July. The Cubs also received right-hander Codi Heuer in the trade, though he's out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this year.
The Cubs’ lineup on Opening Day last Thursday at Wrigley Field featured Madrigal starting at second base and Hoerner playing shortstop.