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Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton is expected to take a major step forward in 2026. The youngster recently impressed in his rookie campaign, posting an 11-4 record, a 2.67 ERA, and a 1.08 WHIP. His stellar season earned the ace a second-place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Horton was only edged out in the award by Atlanta Braves slugger Drake Baldwin.

Horton’s impressive rookie campaign, however, was cut short due to injury. A rib issue forced the pitcher to miss Chicago’s 2025 postseason run. Without the ace, the Cubs were eventually knocked out of the Fall Classic by the rival Milwaukee Brewers. Following the exit, it was revealed that team management felt that they were at least one starting pitcher short in the postseason.

The Cubs will now hope that Horton can remain healthy throughout the 2026 season, potentially including the playoffs. If so, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma believes that the 24-year-old starter should compete for the Cy Young award. The reporter helped make the bold prediction by pointing towards Horton’s improved strikeout rate towards the end of 2025. As Sharma notes, the pitcher’s K rate was an impressive 26% during his final nine starts of his rookie campaign.

So far this spring, Horton has maintained a solid strikeout rate in Arizona. In four appearances, the youngster has picked up 17 strikeouts against a total of 68 batters (25%). While he has endured a couple of subpar outings, Horton ended his preseason on a high note. The ace recently hurled six innings without giving up a run against the Brewers on March 22.

Chicago Cubs Coach Tells Cade Horton to Repeat Dominant Rookie Season

GettyCade Horton will be key to Chicago’s success in 2026.

There were earlier suggestions that Horton could very well be the Cubs’ opening-day starting pitcher in 2026. Nevertheless, manager Craig Counsell has opted to give Matthew Boyd the ball instead. Horton is expected to be the team’s number two starter behind the lefty moving forward.

Although there are high expectations surrounding Horton, Counsell has attempted to ease the pressure on the youngster. “We’ve really stressed to Cade a slow, steady build-up for the season,” Counsell told reporters in early March, as reported by Sharma. “That’s what’s most important. He should have the feeling of he’s got a lot of time. He feels great, he’s in a great place.”

Despite this, the Cubs coach also asked Horton to repeat his impressive rookie season. “He dominated the league last year,” Counsell continued. “There (weren’t) many challenges when he was pitching. He was outstanding. Now it’s: Do it again. Do it over a full season.”

Chicago Looking for First Division Title in Six Years

Horton’s biggest competition for the N.L. Cy Young is obviously Pittsburgh Pirates superstar Paul Skenes. The pitcher previously posted an impressive 2.43 ERA, along with a 1.00 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts in just 167 innings in 2025. The ace has only allowed one run in just over six innings of work during spring training.

The Cubs starter may not be able to supplant Skenes atop the National League pitchers list. He should, however, be in line to help Chicago compete for their first Central Division title since 2020. Assuming he can remain healthy, Horton could very well earn multiple votes for the Cy Young, even if he does not collect the trophy.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore