A reminder that since the Cubs aren’t likely going to go beyond 2026 for these sorts of things, this is probably just a thought exercise. But let’s give it a shot anyway!
Cade Horton was the Cubs’ No. 1
pick in 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma.
Then various injuries prevented him from pitching a full season until, well, this year when he threw more innings than he had, basically, ever: 147 combined between the Cubs and Triple-A Iowa.
Then a non-arm injury sidelined Horton for the postseason — and who knows, maybe the division series against the Brewers turns out different if he could have pitched.
Here’s some video from what was probably his best start in 2025 — five no-hit innings and six strikeouts against the Braves Sept. 3 [VIDEO].
Giving contract extensions to young pitchers is always risky. Horton does have that injury history, though before the rib fracture that took him out of this year’s postseason he had been 100 percent healthy in 2025.
Horton just turned 24. The Cubs should have at least five more seasons of team control. So should they just ride out those five years, pay him whatever arbitration salaries he’d earn when he becomes eligible, then let him walk as a free agent?
Or could they try to lock him up beyond those five years and build around him? For the first time maybe ever, the Cubs appear to have a starting pitcher with whom they could do that.
A possible comp is Garrett Crochet. Now, I’m not saying Horton is right now as good as Crochet, though of course we’d certainly like him to be. Crochet is two years older than Horton and signed a six-year, $170 million extension with the Red Sox just after the 2025 season began.
That came off a 4.1 bWAR season he had with the White Sox before they traded him to Boston, a weird year in which the White Sox pretty much limited Crochet to four innings per start after he and his agent said they didn’t want him traded at the 2024 deadline if he was just going to be a reliever.
Horton’s 118 innings with the Cubs produced 2.0 bWAR, and if he’d have pitched a full season maybe that’s 3.0.
Once again, injuries are always a possibility with pitchers. We don’t know how durable Horton will be going forward, though of course we hope he is.
How about this: Three years at $45 million, then team options for the following three years at $20 million, $25 million and $30 million, so if they’re all exercised that’s a six-year, $120 million deal.
Who says no?
This series will continue on Monday.
