What can the Cubs expect from Horton in Year 2?

Posted February 16, 2026 4:00 pm

By Sahadev Sharma

MESA, Ariz. — On Sunday afternoon, Cade Horton took the mound for a live BP session on the backfields of the Cubs complex in Mesa. At one point, the young pitcher ripped a heater that bore in on the hands of switch-hitting prospect Pedro Ramirez. Ramirez looked back toward some coaches, almost in disbelief. A staffer looked at the tablet in front of him. It read 98 mph.

“We’ve really stressed to Cade a slow, steady build-up for the season,” manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s what’s most important. He should have the feeling of he’s got a lot of time. He feels great, he’s in a great place.”

Yeah, but he’s sitting 96 and touching 98 in the middle of February.

“And he’s cruising,” Counsell said, suggesting Horton was not really hitting the throttle this early in camp.

So, what does that say about where he’s at?

“Well, that’s why I said he’s in a really good place,” Counsell said.

Counsell isn’t one for hyperbole. That’s why what he said about Horton at the start of spring training shouldn’t be overlooked.

“He dominated the league last year,” Counsell said at the opening of camp. “There (weren’t) many challenges when he was pitching. He did. He was outstanding. Now it’s: Do it again. Do it over a full season.”

Horton finished the season with a 2.67 ERA over 118 innings. His strikeout rate rose as the season continued. He limited hard contact and missed barrels. Despite being on a pitch count in the final months of the season, he was still able to eat innings and learned how to be incredibly efficient.

Perhaps the one big challenge he faced was in his ninth start, a disastrous outing in Houston against the Astros in which he gave up seven runs in four innings of work. From that point on, Horton posted a 1.36 ERA in 14 starts. He was, as his manager said, dominant.

Horton finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and firmly established himself as one of the league’s exciting, young and upcoming pitchers. But 23 games do not make a career. Horton understands that there’s plenty of work to do.

“There’s still a lot to prove,” Horton said. “First year, now guys have a scouting report on me. Now it’s all about going out there and executing a pitch and giving my team a chance to win.”

Horton showed that he’s unafraid to adjust. Largely known for his cut-ride four-seamer and a nasty sweeper, Horton started leaning a bit more on a much-improved changeup midway through the season. A sinker that he’d rarely thrown before became a part of his arsenal against righties. His curveball was important against lefties. He proved he had the full package to be a dominant starter at the highest level.

Horton has never shied away from the hype that has often followed him. The seventh overall pick in 2022, Horton emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in the game coming into 2024. But an injury-riddled season seemingly slowed his rise. Horton learned from those struggles. He worked on correcting some mechanical flaws and stayed healthy to deliver a breakout 2025 season in which he greatly impacted a playoff club.

A broken rib kept him from making any postseason starts, but Horton is likely to be at or near the front of a rotation that has more talent than it did entering last season and has people hoping it can be a major strength for the Cubs.

Opposing teams will have more data on Horton. Hitters will be more familiar with his game. He’s no longer a depth piece who enters the rotation midseason. Instead, he is a much-needed part of it and someone who, if he can build on last summer, should be mentioned with some of the best pitchers in baseball.

“He’ll have to navigate that,” Counsell said. “Cade is a person that wants challenges in front of him. He’s already locked in and going about business like you’d expect him to.”

For some, it could be overwhelming. Horton has embraced these moments and thrived.

“That’s the thing about the second year,” Horton said. “Now people have expectations. But the expectations don’t change for myself. I’m going to go out there and give my team a chance to win. That’s my expectation. Everyone else’s expectation doesn’t really have a say in how I go about my day.”