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Chi. Cubs • #70 • SP

Cade Horton

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Schedule

Preseason
@
CHW
Cancelled
vs
SEA
Sat, Mar 8
W 9-8
vs
SF
Sun, Mar 9
L 8-6
@
CLE
Mon, Mar 10
W 7-4
vs
MIL
Tue, Mar 11
L 9-7
vs
SD
Fri, Mar 21
4:05 pm
Regular season
vs
LAD
Tue, Mar 18
6:10 am
FOX
vs
LAD
Wed, Mar 19
6:10 am
FS1
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Player Outlook
Seemingly everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Cade Horton in 2024, and he went from one of the top pitching prospects in the game to a high-risk flyer in dynasty leagues. There were red flags from the jump, with Horton surprisingly not getting assigned to big-league spring training, and then curiously getting sent back to Double-A to start the year, rather than Triple-A. Once he got the bump to Triple-A at the end of April and we could track his starts on Statcast, it became clear that Horton was sitting 93 mph and touching 95 mph with his fastball after sitting at 95-97 mph in 2023 (touching 98 mph). Unsurprisingly, he was shut down with a shoulder strain at the end of May, and he never returned following an August setback. Horton had Tommy John surgery while at Oklahoma and his 88.1 innings in 2023 were a career high, so when factoring in his 2024 shoulder injury, the durability risk is off the charts. His slider is good enough that he could still end up being a closer or a 120-140 inning per year starter, but it makes more sense to hold or cash out this offseason than to buy in dynasty leagues.

Fantasy News

  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Makes spring debut

    Rotowire
    Horton (shoulder) gave up one earned run on one hit and struck out one over one inning in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Mariners in Cactus League play. The right-hander is being brought along slowly this spring after he didn't pitch during the final four months of the 2024 season while recovering from a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain. Horton should increase his workload in his next spring outing, though it could come at minor-league camp rather than in the Cactus League.
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  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Completes bullpen session

    Rotowire
    Horton (shoulder) faced four batters during a brief bullpen session Sunday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. It was a short but meaningful appearance on the mound for Horton, who was facing live hitters for the first time in about nine months. The young righty was ultimately shut down last year due to a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain, and he's slowly building himself back up in camp. Horton, who was drafted seventh overall by the Cubs back in 2022, is one of the team's top pitching prospects and could be closing in on his MLB debut this season. The lost 2024 campaign may slow Horton down a bit, but if he looks good at Triple-A Iowa early in the year, he could start to force the issue, though Chicago would have to open up a spot on its 40-man roster to make room for the 23-year-old.
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  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Throwing light mound sessions

    Rotowire
    Horton (shoulder) has been throwing light "touch-and-feel" sessions off the mound, Ryan Herrera of Just Baseball reports. Horton didn't pitch after late May last season following a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain. However, he's been able to go through a normal throwing progression this offseason and said he's "feeling good and ready to go for spring training." Horton likely would have debuted in 2024 if not for the injury, and while he's slated to begin 2025 back at Triple-A Iowa, the 23-year-old could play an important role with the Cubs this season, if healthy.
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  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Set for shoulder exam

    Rotowire
    Horton will undergo an exam on his right shoulder in mid-November in hopes of gaining clearance to begin a throwing program, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports. Horton missed the final four months of the 2024 season due to a moderate subscapularis strain in his pitching shoulder. If he's able to begin throwing this month, the 23-year-old should have a relatively normal offseason. Horton got off to a great start at Double-A Tennessee (1.10 ERA) this season but posted a 7.50 ERA in five starts with Triple-A Iowa before getting injured. He is likely to return to Iowa to begin 2025 but, if healthy, has a good shot to enter the Cubs' rotation at some point during the season.
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  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Likely out for season

    Rotowire
    Horton recently suffered a setback in his rehab for a right lat strain and isn't expected to return from Triple-A Iowa's 60-day injured list this season, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. Though Horton is expected to resume throwing before Iowa's season comes to an end Sept. 22, the 22-year-old right-hander won't have enough time to get ramped up for a return to game action. The setback is a tough development for Horton, who is one of the Cubs' top pitching prospects and looked like a candidate to make his MLB debut at some point in 2024 before suffering the lat injury in late May. Over his nine starts with Double-A Tennessee and Iowa this season, Horton compiled a 4.46 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 40:13 K:BB over 34.1 innings.
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  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Missing bats at High-A

    Rotowire
    Horton has a 3.89 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 28.7 K-BB% in nine starts (39.1 innings) for High-A South Bend. The No. 7 overall pick in last year's draft, Horton made his first four pro starts at Single-A before quickly getting the bump to High-A in early May. With a slew of promotions and graduations, Horton has a case as one of the top five pitching prospects left in the minors. He has given up five or more earned runs in two of his nine starts at High-A, but he had a dominant seven-start run from May 17 through June 29, logging a 1.76 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. Given his age (turns 22 in August) and pedigree, Horton should soon get a promotion to Double-A Tennessee.
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  • Cubs' Cade Horton: Bumped to High-A

    Rotowire
    Horton will make his High-A debut Wednesday after logging a 1.26 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 21 strikeouts in 14.1 innings across four starts for Single-A Myrtle Beach. The No. 7 overall pick in last year's draft, Horton has one of the best sliders in the minors and was overmatching Single-A hitters in his pro debut. He could feasibly climb beyond High-A this season if he stays healthy, but injuries limited him to 53.2 innings at Oklahoma, so his workload will be monitored.
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