Jed Hoyer Gets Extended As The Cubs’ Playoff Push Continues

With Thursday’s trade deadline looming, the Chicago Cubs announced one big move Monday afternoon: The team and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension.

It may not be the extension announcement Cubs fans have been hoping for (yes, Kyle Tucker is still set to hit free agency this offseason). There’s also certainly a section of fans wondering why the team extended Hoyer right now.

With his contract set to expire after this season, Hoyer had to prove he could build a winner. So far this year, the Cubs have been on that track.

He built one of the best rosters in baseball. The Cubs entered Monday tied with the Brewers atop the National League. The farm system is strong (five prospects on Just Baseball’s most recent Top 100 update).

In ownership’s eyes, Hoyer has done enough to warrant a few more seasons of partnership.

“Jed and his baseball operations staff have built a healthy player development organization and put an exciting, playoff-contending team on the field,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in the team’s press release.

“We are looking forward to the rest of the season and to working with Jed for years to come.”

A Long Partnership Continues

Hoyer is in his 14th season with the Cubs. He joined the organization under his predecessor, Theo Epstein, after 2011 and was part of the front office that helped end the World Series drought in 2016. When Epstein stepped down after the 2020 season, Hoyer took over.

His first year in charge saw him dismantle the previous core, including dealing the likes of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez just before the 2021 trade deadline (and before each reached free agency). He then let Willson Contreras walk following a rebuilding season in 2022.

To say he made unpopular moves in the first couple of years of his tenure would be an understatement. However, Hoyer stood firm in his vision for building “the next great Cubs team.” Player development led to consistently high farm system rankings with a number of top 100 prospects. In 2023, the Cubs were back to being a postseason contender.

Of course, Hoyer has yet to build a playoff team in his tenure. In both 2023 and 2024, they finished with 83-79 records and zero postseason appearances.

But so far in 2025, the Cubs have reaped the rewards of the last few years of work.

Craig Counsell, whom Hoyer made the bold move to acquire before 2024, has steered the Cubs to one of baseball’s best records. He also made the aggressive, blockbuster trade for Tucker, despite him having only one year left of team control. Tucker has put together an All-Star season as that star bat the Cubs were missing the last two years.

Pete Crow-Armstrong — the return in the Báez deal — is now one of MLB’s bright, rising stars. Recent first-round draft picks Matt Shaw and Cade Horton are big league contributors. Gold Glove-caliber players are all around the field, and the offense has consistently been great all season.

The Cubs have built a strong, contending team and are well-positioned to make big moves this week.

At least year’s end-of-season press conference, though, Hoyer didn’t sound like an executive feeling the pressure of going into the last year of his contract — or any added pressure, at least.

“First of all, I think there’s always pressure,” he said then. “It’s professional sports. I think that that’s part of it. But no. I’m excited about next year, and I look at it as an opportunity. I feel pressure, but I feel the pressure I always should feel, which is, I’m president of Cubs and and this is an exciting opportunity and exciting time to be in this role, and we’re in really good position.”

Hoyer has said his contract status wouldn’t have an effect on his decision-making. But there’s always uncertainty hanging around for anyone during a contract year.

This extension gives Hoyer clarity on his future. Obviously, the job on the field isn’t finished. The Cubs still have to finish the marathon and get back to the postseason.

But now with his extension — and especially the timing of it — Hoyer and the rest of the front office can attack these days before the deadline without that potential distraction and upgrade a roster that already has its sights set on playing well into October.

“I’m so grateful for the Ricketts family’s trust and support for 14 years,” Hoyer said in the release. “The Cubs are a special organization with an amazing fan base. I’m excited to keep building on the momentum we have and to work with a terrific baseball operations staff to consistently deliver a championship-caliber team for this great city.”