Player: Cade Horton
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Height: 6’1 Weight: 211 Age: 22 Bats/Throws: R/R Current Level: AA Tennessee
MLB.com Rank: 2nd in Cubs System
Fangraphs Rank: 7th in Cubs System (2023)
Drafted: 1st Round, 7th overall, 2022
Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK
College: Oklahoma
Ever since the Cubs drafted Cade Horton 7th overall in the 2022 draft, there’s been a ton of excitement about him throughout the organization. It’s pretty incredible how little actual pitching Horton did at Oklahoma before being drafted. He missed his first season in 2021 due to Tommy John surgery and didn’t throw his first inning until March 29th of 2022 (although he did play third base all season). He shot up draft boards with his postseason performance in Oklahoma’s 2nd place finish at the College World Series. Horton had 13 strikeouts over 7.1 innings in the final game of that World Series.
That CWS performance caught the eyes of plenty of scouts and ultimately led to being the 7th overall pick of the Cubs. The Cubs signed Horton for a below-slot value at $4.45 million.
Rising Through the Ranks
Horton began the season with four starts at Myrtle Beach. He dominated with 21 strikeouts and a 1.26 ERA in 14.1 innings. After a quick promotion, he spent the majority of the season in South Bend where he posted a 3.83 ERA over 11 starts recording 12.45 K/9. He finished the year with six starts at Double-A Tennessee. There, he looked solid once again; posting a 1.33 ERA although he did strikeout less (28.4%) and walk more (10.1 BB%).
We see Cade Horton’s strikeout and walk percentage by Level for 2023 below:
As noted before, we see the walk percentage increase as he got to Double-A paired with a consistent strikeout decrease as he faced tougher competition. I think this shows he was just too dominant at the first two levels. Now that he’s reached Double-A he cannot overpower hitters as easily, which will help develop into a more complete pitcher. We only have the one professional year to look at with him, but flying through three different levels in your first year as a starting pitcher is impressive.
Scouting Grades
| Fastball | Slider | Curveball | Changeup | Command |
| 60/60 | 60/60 | 50/55 | 35/45 | 30/50 |
Horton’s fastball ranges from 95-97 mph with movement. His slider is more of a slurve/sweeper as it has both vertical and horizontal movement. His curveball is a bit slower in the low 80s and has not been as effective as that slider. The changeup is improving and becoming a weapon he can use against lefties.
His willingness to mix up his pitch sequencing has been a strength. He seems to have confidence no matter what he’s throwing, and it’s proven to keep opposing hitters off-balance. Coaches and scouts have also praised his competitive native and determination.
Looking Ahead
As Horton continues his ascent through the Cubs’ minor league system, the excitement about his potential grows. While there are areas for improvement, such as refining his command and ensuring durability over a full season, the raw materials for a future star are definitely there. Most project him as a mid-rotation starter but with so few innings under his belt there’s a wide array of future possibilities. I’m super excited to see the path for Cade Horton as a Cub.