Cade Horton Bio
Cade Michael Horton is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Oklahoma City native played college baseball for the Oklahoma Sooners and was selected by the Cubs with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft. A former two-sport standout in high school, Horton transitioned to full-time pitching in college and reached the 2022 Men’s College World Series before climbing through the Cubs’ minor league system. He made his Major League debut on May 10, 2025, against the New York Mets and quickly established himself as a foundational piece of Chicago’s young pitching staff.
Early Life and Background
Horton was born on August 20, 2001, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was raised in the nearby city of Norman by his parents, Mike and Cari. He grew up as the middle of five children and followed his older brother Cale into baseball, while also developing a serious passion for football. Horton attended Norman High School, where he starred as a dual-threat quarterback and a pitcher, demonstrating rare athletic ability on both the diamond and the gridiron.
As a senior, Horton passed for 3,084 yards and 26 touchdowns with seven interceptions while also rushing for 1,149 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading Norman in a memorable football season. On the baseball side, he batted .375 in five games before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 and was named the Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year. He committed to play college baseball at Oklahoma and to join the school’s football team as a walk-on, making him one of the most versatile recruits in the region.
Path to Baseball
Horton arrived at the University of Oklahoma planning to play both sports, but his baseball path took a difficult turn before his freshman year when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. The injury required Tommy John surgery and forced him to redshirt the 2021 season, delaying his pitching development but not his long-term projection. When he returned for his redshirt freshman year, Horton initially played third base and pitched only occasionally in relief as he continued his rehabilitation.
After recovering, Horton was moved into the Oklahoma Sooners’ starting rotation and quickly emerged as a frontline arm. During the 2022 season, he helped lead the Sooners to the Men’s College World Series, starting two games and reaching the MCWS Finals against Ole Miss. In that finals appearance, he set a career high with 13 strikeouts across 7.1 innings, cementing his status as a top MLB draft prospect. His performance that summer convinced the Chicago Cubs to select him seventh overall in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft.
Cade Horton Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
After being drafted seventh overall in 2022, Horton signed with the Chicago Cubs for $4.45 million and began his climb through the minor leagues. He made his professional debut in 2023, splitting the year between the Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, High-A South Bend Cubs, and Double-A Tennessee Smokies. Across 21 starts for the three affiliates, he posted a 4-4 record with a 2.65 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 88.1 innings, showcasing the swing-and-miss stuff that had made him a top draft pick.
The 2023 performance gave the Cubs confidence that Horton was on a fast track, even as the organization carefully managed his workload coming off Tommy John surgery. His ability to miss bats at every level set the stage for a promotion to Triple-A.
Minor League Development (2024–2025)
Horton split the 2024 season between Double-A Tennessee and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, where he went 2-1 with a 4.46 ERA and 40 strikeouts across nine starts. A significant shoulder injury limited his availability during the year and served as a reminder of how fragile a young pitcher’s development can be. Despite the setbacks, Horton remained the top pitching prospect in the Cubs’ system heading into 2025.
He opened the 2025 season at Triple-A Iowa and quickly rediscovered his best form, going 2-1 with a 1.24 ERA across six starts. That dominant stretch at Iowa was enough to convince the Cubs that he was ready for the Major Leagues, setting the stage for his promotion in May.
Chicago Cubs Era (2025–Present)
On May 10, 2025, the Chicago Cubs promoted Horton to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that day against the New York Mets, pitching four innings in relief and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out five batters to earn his first career win. The early weeks of his Major League career were a learning experience, as he posted a 4.45 ERA through his first 10 starts.
Horton turned a corner after the All-Star break, dominating opposing lineups in a way few rookie pitchers manage. From July 20 through the end of his regular season, he went 8-1 with a 1.03 ERA across 12 starts, allowing just seven earned runs in 61.1 innings and cementing himself as a core member of the Cubs’ rotation. His strong finish was interrupted in his final regular-season start against the Mets, when he exited the game and was later diagnosed with a fractured rib, causing him to miss the rest of the regular season and the postseason. He finished 2025 with an 11-4 record, a 2.67 ERA, and a runner-up finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting, losing to Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.
Driving Style and Strengths
Horton’s game is built on a power fastball and a sharp breaking ball that generate swings and misses at a high rate, as evidenced by his 13-strikeout performance in the Men’s College World Series Finals and his strong minor league strikeout totals. His development in the Cubs’ system emphasized pitch efficiency and sequencing, helping him transition from a relief role into a reliable starting pitcher. After the All-Star break in 2025, he showed the ability to carry a rotation with length, command, and confidence.
Notable Events and Milestones
Horton’s most memorable early career moments include his 13-strikeout gem in the 2022 Men’s College World Series Finals against Ole Miss, his first-round selection by the Cubs that same year, and his MLB debut win over the Mets on May 10, 2025. His dominant post-All-Star stretch and his runner-up finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting further established him as one of the most promising young pitchers in the National League.
Cade Horton Career Wins
Horton’s verified Major League victories include the first of his career earned in his MLB debut against the New York Mets on May 10, 2025. He went on to finish his rookie season with 11 wins against just four losses, including an 8-1 record across his final 12 regular-season starts.
MLB Highlights
Horton’s MLB win total stands at 11, with his first coming in his debut against the Mets and his most recent wins coming during a stellar post-All-Star run in 2025. His career ERA stood at 2.66 with 101 strikeouts at the time of his injury, putting him on a promising trajectory as a frontline starter. On April 7, 2026, the Cubs announced that Horton would require season-ending surgery to repair a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, a procedure later revealed to be a second Tommy John operation that will sideline him for the year.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minor leagues, Horton combined for a 6-5 record across his 2023 and 2024 seasons, with 157 strikeouts in approximately 97 innings across multiple affiliates. His most recent Triple-A stint in 2025 produced a 2-1 record and a 1.24 ERA in six starts, the dominant stretch that earned him his promotion to Chicago.
Cade Horton Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Horton is the middle of five children and was raised in Norman, Oklahoma, by his parents Mike and Cari. His older brother Cale introduced him to baseball, and the two shared the field together during their early years in the Norman youth system. Growing up in a sports-oriented household helped Horton develop the competitive foundation that has fueled his rise through college and professional baseball.
Personal Life
On December 4, 2024, Horton married his wife, Blaire Davis, in a ceremony held in the Dominican Republic. The couple’s relationship was a stabilizing presence during his rapid ascent through the Cubs’ system and into the Major Leagues. Horton remains based in the Chicago area while he continues his professional career with the Cubs.
2025 Season Performance
Horton’s 2025 season was a storybook rookie campaign that began with a winning MLB debut on May 10 against the Mets and ended with a runner-up finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting. After a rocky opening stretch that included a 4.45 ERA through his first 10 starts, he emerged after the All-Star break as one of the most dominant pitchers in the National League, going 8-1 with a 1.03 ERA across his final 12 starts. He finished the year at 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA, 101 strikeouts, and a fractured rib that kept him out of the postseason.
The fractured rib was the lone sour note of a season that otherwise cemented Horton as a foundational piece of the Cubs’ rotation and one of the top young pitchers in baseball. His strong second half gave Chicago confidence in his long-term ceiling as a frontline starter. On April 7, 2026, however, the Cubs announced that Horton would require season-ending surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament, later confirmed as a second Tommy John procedure that will sideline him for the entirety of the 2026 season.
