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Cubs surprise everyone by drafting pitcher Horton at No. 7

The MLB Draft was full of surprises for the Cubs.

With the No. 7 pick, they chose Oklahoma right-handed pitcher Cade Horton, a player no one expected to be selected that high.

Then on a Zoom call with reporters, Horton said he learned his slider - arguably his most effective pitch - late this spring and used it for the first time against Texas in the Big 12 title game.

"At Texas Tech (on May 21), I didn't have a good start," Horton explained. "I felt like guys were really getting to the fastball and sitting on one pitch. Once they got it, they were hammering it.

"So after that start, I was like, 'I've got to do something different. I've got to add in a cutter or slider to get these guys off the fastball.'"

Horton tried one version of a slider, then said teammate Ben Abram taught him a grip that worked well in the bullpen. A few weeks later at the College World Series, Horton struck out 11 vs. Notre Dame and 13 against eventual champ Mississippi.

In Game 2 of the final series, Horton gave up 1 run over seven innings against Ole Miss, then left in the eighth after throwing 107 pitches. Mississippi eventually won 4-2 to win the title.

He can hit upper 90s with his fastball, with a slider that measures in the upper 80s. Scouting reports say he also has a good curveball, while Horton admitted his change-up needs some development.

Horton needed Tommy John surgery before his freshman year of college, didn't pitch in 2021, then was brought along slowly this spring. Horton made just 12 appearances and 9 starts for the Sooners last spring, so his 5.58 ERA is misleading.

When it comes to Chicago, Horton said he's never been to Wrigley Field but has some connections. He called Oklahoma teammate Kendall Pettis, a Chicago native from Brother Rice High School, his best friend, and also played with Cubs 2020 first-rounder Ed Howard at a few events. Howard, a South Side native, was also an Oklahoma commit until signing with the Cubs.

"Me and Ed played the summer of our junior year together, so he was actually one of the first guys I called after my name got called," Horton said. "I was just so excited to be with him and I'm ready to get to work."

Horton said he also knows Cubs minor-leaguers Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kohl Franklin.

"It's crazy. It doesn't feel real," he said. "I'm just so blessed to be in this position and ready to get to work."

A lifelong resident of Norman, Oklahoma, Horton was a prolific high school quarterback and originally planned to play two sports at Oklahoma. After the elbow surgery, and knowing he'd be draft-eligible as a sophomore, Horton quickly decided to focus on baseball.

"I knew my future was in baseball," he said. "I love baseball more than I love football."

Horton knew the Cubs were interested but had no contact with the team, saying he left that to his adviser.

The MLB Draft includes plenty of strategy using bonus money. Each team is given an amount they're allowed to spend on their draft picks. Teams can take someone who was expected to go lower in the draft, agree to a signing bonus below what is slotted for that pick, then use the savings to sign someone later in the draft.

The Cubs provided an example last year. While No. 1 pick Jordan Wicks signed for pretty close to what was slotted, the Cubs were aggressive in the second round by selecting and signing James Triantos, a high school senior who had some leverage to command more money. Triantos is already the Cubs' No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

In the second round, the Cubs took 6-4 left-hander Jackson Ferris, a North Carolina native who played at IMG Academy and is a Mississippi commit.

Twitter: @McGrawDHSports

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Oklahoma starting pitcher Cade Horton throws against Mississippi in Game 2 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Omaha, Neb. The Cubs selected Horton with the seventh pick of the 2022 MLB Draft. Associated Press
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