Chicago, Ill. — The Chicago Cubs are set to elevate pitching prospect Cade Horton to the major leagues just ahead of their weekend series against the New York Mets. His promotion comes amid a series of setbacks in the Cubs’ pitching rotation, as the team struggles with injuries to several key players.
Reports indicate that Horton, who remains unlisted on the team’s 40-man roster, has been traveling to New York this week. The organization will need to make a corresponding move to clear a spot for him, highlighting the urgency of the situation within the pitching staff.
The Cubs entered this season with a strong rotation anchored by Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. However, they suffered a significant blow when Steele underwent UCL surgery last month, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Adding to the team’s woes, Imanaga recently strained his hamstring and has been placed on the 15-day injured list, missing valuable starts. While the severity of his injury is less than Steele’s, his absence still leaves a void in the rotation.
The Cubs have also been missing Javier Assad, who has not pitched this season due to an oblique strain suffered at the start of the year. Though he began a rehab assignment, Assad re-injured the same area, complicating his return to the mound. These injuries have created an unexpected opportunity for Horton, who is eager to make his major league debut.
As of now, the Cubs have not officially named a starter for Saturday’s game at Citi Field, but indications point toward Horton stepping into that role. The choice between promoting him or opting to stretch out veteran Chris Flexen has emerged as a pivotal decision for the team’s management.
Horton, a right-handed pitcher drafted seventh overall by the Cubs in 2022, has been regarded as the team’s top pitching prospect. At 6 feet 1 inch tall, Horton possesses a fastball that consistently reaches the mid-90s, complemented by a highly-rated slider. His average fastball velocity has increased to 95.8 mph this season with Triple-A Iowa—a notable improvement over last year.
In his time at Triple-A, Horton has delivered an impressive performance, boasting a 1.24 ERA while averaging nearly 31 strikeouts per nine innings of work across 29 innings pitched. Although he has also dealt with a significant walk rate, his electric pitching style has earned him this opportunity.
Should Imanaga return to action soon, Horton’s call-up may be brief, but strong early performances could allow the Cubs to reconsider their bullpen alignment. Potentially, they might shift Ben Brown or Colin Rea into relief roles if Horton proves impactful in his first outings.
It is important to note that while this promotion comes too late for Horton to achieve a full year of service time, he still qualifies for the Prospect Promotion Incentive. This means that if Horton secures a top-two finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, he could still earn that coveted full-service year. However, due to the timing of his promotion, the Cubs would not gain an additional draft pick should he reach this milestone.