Cubs' Opening Day decision just sent Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s free agency price sky high

Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s free agency prospects rose significantly on Thursday as news surfaced that Nico Hoerner is off the market. The Chicago Cubs reportedly agreed to a six-year extension with Hoerner, a lifetime Cub and two-time Gold Glove second baseman who finished No. 19 in National League MVP voting last season.

With Hoerner off the board, the competition in free agency for Chisholm figures to be much stronger. The only other second baseman set to his free agency who approaches Jazz in value is Brandon Lowe, but Lowe is older and has far less upside.

Bo Bichette is another name to watch, especially given his willingness to play different infield positions. Bichette signed a three-year deal with the New York Mets in the offseason that features opt outs after this season and next -- essentially, Bichette signed three one-year deals. It'll be interesting to see how he approaches 2026-27 free agency, and if/how that affects Chisholm's market.

Regardless, Hoerner was the obvious running mate alongside Chisholm at the very top of the second baseman FA list, and now that he's committed to the Cubbies, Chisholm stands alone.

Massive Jazz Chisholm contract projections seem reasonable with Nico Hoerner returning to the Cubs

Suddenly, the idea of a $300 million Chisholm contract doesn't seem quite as outrageous as it did merely a few days ago, when The Athletic's Jim Bowden predicted that Jazz would land precisely that deal in free agency, courtesy of Brian Cashman and the Yankees' front office. The Yankees part of that take remains ludicrous, but the dollar figure? Perhaps not.

Boston Red Sox fans and other Chisholm detractors scoffed at Bowden's prediction, while Yankees fan realists laughed off Bowden's forecast as something that Cashman wouldn't do in 300 million years.

Speaking of laughter, there was plenty of it from the peanut gallery when Chisholm said this past offseason that he's seeking something in the realm of a $35 million AAV, 8-10 year deal in 2026-27 free agency (pre-dating Bowden by multiple months).

There was similar online mockery when Chisholm proclaimed this past winter that he's shooting for a 50-50 season in 2026. That'll be a tough mark for him to approach, although falling short of it and still excelling is kind of the point.

But when it comes to Chisholm's contract forecasts, the Yankees star might ultimately be the last one laughing (all the way to the bank). A big injury or an unexpected drop in production in 2026 would change the landscape of this discussion, but if Chisholm stays on his current trajectory, he's going to get a massive deal. The Hoerner news is an important development in that conjecture.

Will the Yankees be the franchise to pay Jazz? Surely not, but another organization surely will. In fact, if Chisholm has another season like he had in 2025, there will be a handful of eager suitors calling his agent in November.