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Chicago Cubs select Oklahoma pitcher Cade Horton in 2022 MLB Draft

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh07/18/22griffin_mcveigh
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Photo by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images

Futures are being changed on Sunday night, with the 2022 MLB Draft taking place. Some of the top talent throughout college baseball will hear their name called in the first round by commissioner Rob Manfred. It may have taken seven picks but a pitcher finally went off the board, with Oklahoma‘s Cade Horton getting picked.

The Chicago Cubs selected Horton, adding a top-level college pitching prospect to their minor league system. Horton was a star for the Sooners this season, leading the program to the College World Series this season.

Heading into the 2022 draft cycle, Horton was seen as somebody who would be taken in the third round, possibly the second. However, due to his run with Oklahoma all the way to and even through Omaha, teams felt comfortable drafting him in the top 10. Chicago ended up being that team.

Horton pitched 53.2 innings this past season, sporting a 4.68 ERA. While that may not sound fantastic, there was drastic improvement as the season went on. During his final five starts of the season, Horton went at least five innings in all of them, with the most being 7.1 against Ole Miss in the College World Series championship round. He allowed just two earned runs in four of them, with the other being a one ER masterclass.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel talked about the specific type of pitches Horton can throw, with his slider being the main subject. He likened it to current big leaguer Chris Archer, who has been a top arm for quite some time. Funny enough, he did not start throwing the pitch until the Big 12 Tournament and into the NCAA Tournament.

“The slider is so good, reminds me of Chris Archer,” McDaniel said. “He’s going to throw a lot of sliders (at the Major League level). He’s an athlete that’s going to throw a lot of strikes.”

A Norman native, Horton will now be heading north to play for the Chicago farm system. A big need for the organization, he will instantly become one Cubs fans can get excited about. Horton seems pretty stoked as well.