Inside Nico Hoerner's unique path to stardom with Cubs
A BROKEN HAND? That couldn't stop a 10-year-old Nico Hoerner.
Playing in Oakland's Babe Ruth League, Hoerner suffered the type of injury that would send major leaguers to the injured list. For most kids, it would knock them out of competition, at least until the cast came off months later.
Instead, Hoerner picked up a bat with one hand, learned a new position and kept playing.
"I broke my hand catching because the umpire wouldn't scoot back and the hitter just swung and hit my hand," Hoerner recalled to ESPN. "It was my left hand, my glove hand.
"It was my first time playing outfield actually because I could only throw underhanded. I couldn't squeeze it but I would still pitch. And hit. With one hand in a cast."
