Cade Horton Named Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in Oklahoma
There wasn't much of a baseball season for Oklahoma high schoolers in 2020, but in what little action there was, Cade Horton unsurprisingly dominated.
The Norman High senior earned Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year honors on Thursday, on the heels of a five-game season that saw him hit .375 with six RBIs.
Horton, who also made waves on the gridiron as a quarterback for the Tigers, is committed to play both baseball and football for Oklahoma. However, those plans are most definitely subject to change, as the 6-foot-3 standout is considered a top-50 MLB draft prospect by many experts. He'll likely hear his name called on June 10 when the draft takes place, and the allure of a sizable contract would certainly cause Horton to think twice about his future.
Horton accounted for over 4,000 total yards and 40 touchdowns for the Tigers in his senior season last fall. Despite this, he faces long odds to ever call the shots for the Sooner football team, as Lincoln Riley has Spencer Rattler, Tanner Mordecai and Chandler Morris on the depth chart. Oklahoma's also making a strong play for top 2021 signal-caller Caleb Williams.
Nevertheless, Horton is primed to see significant playing time on the diamond as a freshman, whether he's deployed as a pitcher or a position player. If his draft stock and career .420 batting average is any indication, he should contribute right away to a Sooner squad that appeared destined for the College World Series before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short.
Horton is the first Norman High player to receive the Gatorade Player of the Year award.
To get the latest OU posts as they happen, join the SI Sooners Community by clicking “Follow” at the top right corner of the page (mobile users can click the notifications bell icon), and follow SI Sooners on Twitter @All_Sooners.
