2 weeks Ago
Cade Horton’s first taste of Triple-A didn’t go the way he or the Cubs envisioned. The 23-year-old righthander was limited to just five starts and a 7.50 ERA for Iowa last year, earning the promotion to the cusp of the major leagues following a dominant four starts to begin the 2024 campaign at Double-A Tennessee.
However, Horton did not pitch after May 29 because of a Grade 2 subscapularis strain in his right shoulder and then experienced a setback with the injury in early August to end his season. “It’s tough because I’m always the guy who’s wanting to go until I break,” Horton said. “And so just having those people around me to be like, ‘No, let’s do the smart thing.
You have a whole career ahead of you.’ “So that’s what I’ve really learned—you should say something and get right, because it’s hard to go out there and pitch if you aren’t feeling good.” Horton, who expects to be ready to go for the start of spring training, believes he learned more through the experience with his shoulder injury than he would have been on the mound for the entirety of last season.
“Adversity can be good because you learn about yourself and learn who you are through those experiences,” Horton said. “Sometimes getting hurt and doing these things, I can learn more about myself that’s going to take me further than if I wouldn’t have faced this adversity.” Horton has a chance to help the Cubs’ pitching staff at some point in 2025 if he can stay healthy, either through a spot start this summer or as a weapon out of the bullpen, something the organization has shown a willingness to do with young pitchers.
“I’m just wanting to find a seat on the plane and help my team win,” Horton said. “My job at the end of the day is to go out there and get outs, whether that be in the bullpen, whether that be starting. It really doesn’t matter to me.
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