Major League Scouting Report On Chicago Cubs’ Winning Cade Horton

Chicago Cubs starter Cade Horton delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

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The Chicago Cubs first round selection in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft is already an important component of the Cubs starting rotation.

Cade Horton was the seventh player selected in that draft.

Horton was given a below-slot $4.45 million contract by the Cubs.

Horton, a right-hander, will turn 24 August 20.

Horton has made 16 appearances for the Cubs, with 15 of them starts. His most recent start came August 13, against the Toronto Blue Jays.

About Cade Horton:

Horton is 6-1, 211 pounds, which is good size for a big league pitcher.

Horton grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and attended Norman HIgh School. He was a multi-sport athlete at Norman, playing both baseball and football.

Horton threw 93-miles per hour in high school, and played quarterback on the football team.

Horton was the Oklahoma 2019-2020 Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year.

Horton chose to remain in comfortable surroundings to attend college. He committed to The University of Oklahoma to play both baseball and football, a rare feat.

His two-sport dream never transpired as Horton had Tommy John surgery in his freshman season, requiring him to red shirt as an Oklahoma freshman in 2021.

Horton began his red shirt collegiate career playing third base, and pitching out of the Sooners’ bullpen. After his full recovery, Horton made his debut as a starter.

Horton became the ace of the Oklahoma staff.

Scouting Cade Horton:

Horton really changed his collegiate pitching experience once he mastered the art of throwing both a cutter and a wicked slider.

He has carried those two major pitches into his repertoire as a major league pitcher.

Even with a good arsenal, Horton experienced some regression in his velocity and effectiveness following his Tommy John surgery.

In 2024, Horton experienced a subscapularis strain in his rotator cuff. The supbscapularis is one of four muscles which compose the rotator cuff apparatus.

It took perseverance and hard work to bring him to the point of regaining his own confidence, and the confidence of his pitching coaches.

But he did just that.

Now Horton has recovered, and is on the major league roster, and pitching in the Cubs starting rotation.

One must remember that Horton is still not that far out from that Tommy John surgery, but his velocity and pitch mix are now very solid.

Horton made his major league debut with the Cubs May 10, 2025, at the age of 23. He pitched four innings, relieving starter Brad Keller in the second inning. He got the win in the game, yielding 4 hits, and 3 earned runs. He struck out five, and walked one.

His slider is a plus plus pitch in his repertoire, earning a Grade 70.

brooksbaseball.net indicates that Horton throws a two-seam fastball at 94.01 miles per hour.

His slider registers 83.24 MPH.

Horton’s most widely used pitch is his cutter, which he throws 53.52% of the time. That’s the pitch that sets up the slider, which he throws at a 25.36% clip.

Most pitchers use their fastball to set up the rest of their arsenal. However, Horton uses his two-seamer on only 7.25% of his pitches, which is rare.

Horton also throws a changeup, which he uses 13.77% of the time.

Some scouts believe Horton can become a late inning, high leverage reliever, or a closer if the Cubs need him in that role.

Horton slid into the No. 5 slot in the Cubs rotation, behind Matthew Boyd, Colin Ray, Shota Imanaga, and Javier Assad.

After his win August 13 start against Kevin Gausman and the Blue Jays, Horton has a record of 7-3, with a 3.07 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP.

Scouting Grade for Cade Horton: 55

Horton has solid command and control, with his slider being his best pitch.

A solid repertoire and good mound presence should continue to bode well for Horton, as he is an above average starting pitcher.

Upside remains for Horton, as he is just 23-years-old, and will gain valuable experience in this, his first full year on the big league roster.

Health concerns may be an issue for Horton, as he has experience both elbow and rotator cuff issues in the past.

For now, however, Cade Horton is taking the ball in the Cubs rotation.