Earlier this month, arguably the most highly-touted Cub’s pitching prospect in the last two decades made his Triple-A debut at Principal Park.
On May 4, against the Omaha Storm Chasers, Cade Horton, clad in his Star-Wars-themed jersey, toed an I-Cub rubber for the first time.
After posting a 1.10 ERA, 18 strikeouts and two walks over 16.1 innings pitched with Double-A Tennessee before being called up on April 30 — one of just two Southern league pitchers to have an ERA under 1.15 over more than 15.0 innings — Horton faced one of the premier offenses in the International League for his first Triple-A test.
The Cubs’ No. 2 ranked prospect heading into 2024 and their top pitching prospect — the third-ranked right-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball — threw four innings and gave up two runs — both earned — on two hits and four walks with a season-high-tying six strikeouts. Iowa would fall, 10-3.
Through an up-and-down performance, Horton said he realizes that execution is key to both have success in Triple-A, and to find a spot in Chicago.
“I think it just all comes back to execution, just being able to throw every pitch where I want it and not not letting the moment be too big,” Horton said. “Just continuing to take it one pitch at a time and executing spots.”
In his debut, Horton walked the leadoff hitter but then retired the next three batters. However, he found trouble in the second inning.
He gave up a leadoff single to Nick Pratto, who then stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, walked back-to-back hitters to load the bases, fired a wild pitch, scoring Pratto, and then walked a third consecutive batter to load the bases again. A sacrifice fly put another out, but also another run on the board before he struck out Drew Waters to end the inning.
But he calmed down over his final two innings of work, striking out the side in order in the third and then allowing one hit in the fourth.
“I just slowed the game down [after the second inning],” Horton said. “I felt like I was trying to aim a little bit in the second inning trying to be too perfect. Instead of just trusting myself and throwing it over the plate and letting guys get themselves out.”
Through his entire outing, Horton stayed even-keeled on the surface despite facing some adversity in one of the most important days of his career.
Horton said his poise comes from his preparation.
“I do it by the work I put in each and every day,” Horton said. “I've been playing this game since I was three years old and so just remembering that and knowing that I'm prepared for whatever comes at me is how I really stay composed.”
Since his debut, Horton has made two more starts for Iowa and now holds a 1-0 record with an 8.25 ERA (11 ER/12.0 IP). He is scheduled to make his fourth start as an I-Cub on Wednesday May 22 against the Indianapolis Indians.
