Cubs draft grade: What the experts think about surprising first-round pick
The Chicago Cubs surprised some by grabbing Oklahoma’s Cade Horton with the No. 7 MLB Draft selection but the experts loved the pick.
Cade Horton’s star turn in the College World Series earned him a higher-than-expected selection in the 2022 MLB Draft.
The Cubs used the No. 7 pick to add the right-handed pitcher who dominated for Oklahoma earlier this year.
Since he only ranked No. 24 on the MLB Top 250 Draft Prospects list, there might be a temptation to call this one a reach. Draft experts would disagree.
Experts love the Cubs selecting Cade Horton in the MLB Draft
Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline had significant praise for Horton in MLB.com’s draft tracker:
“There was a lot of late buzz that Horton might sneak into the top 10 picks after his stellar postseason run and the Cubs made the move here at seven. While he missed all of the 2021 season after Tommy John surgery and didn’t really catch fire until his final five starts this year, he showed enough that in my mind he was the best college pitcher available. He’s a quality athlete with a fastball that reaches 98 mph and a wipeout slider that touches 90. A two-way player at Oklahoma, he could really take off now that he’s healthy and will focus only on pitching.”
Draft reaction on Twitter came to similar conclusions about Horton.
Wow. Cade Horton goes no. 7 to the #Cubs. He's worth every penny. Showed who he really was his last 5 starts. Up to 98 with a high-spin, power breaking ball that projects plus. Two dynamic breakers. Already over TJ. Horton could be a frontline guy. Those are rare in this class.
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) July 17, 2022
MLB dot com draft and prospect expert Jim Callis said on MLB Network that the Chicago Cubs got the best pitcher in the draft with Cade Horton.
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) July 18, 2022
Here’s a look at Cade, who missed 2021 with Tommy John and just got better and better as the year went along. The under-the-hood numbers on FB/SL are really good and he checks both the “natural athlete” and “hungry competitor” boxes the Cubs love. https://t.co/pPpKDCOLo4
— Cubs Prospects - Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) July 18, 2022
The Cubs go the under slot route (presumably), with RHP Cade Horton from Oklahoma. One of the best college pitchers in the draft, though it's a thin crop this year because of all the injuries. He's very young for a college starter (just 20), and he was flying up lately.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) July 17, 2022
If you had said in early May that Cade Horton would go seventh overall to the Cubs, your sanity would have been questioned. Great finish to the season with a newfound dastardly slider.
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) July 17, 2022
I've heard some very good stuff about Cubs No. 7 overall pick Cade Horton behind the scenes. I get the sense that he was more well liked than we realized based on the latest mocks.
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) July 18, 2022
And if getting him under slot (presumably) also let's you grab a stud in the second round, great.
Cade Horton is a really intriguing No. 7 pick for the Cubs. His stuff is electric and he left hitters fooled in the College World Series. Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins trust his development with their pitch lab. He's 20, a year past Tommy John and could rise quickly in the system.
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) July 18, 2022
There’s clearly some risk with Horton given the recent Tommy John surgery and the fact that he didn’t start making waves until late in the college baseball season.
Overall in 2022, he was 5-2 with a 4.86 ERA. He also played third base, shortstop and DH.
His work in the postseason really set him apart. He was 3-0 in five starts with a 2.61 ERA and 49 strikeouts.
The pitcher will need to prove the franchise right to select him as he moves through the organization towards a major league debut.
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