Chicago Cubs Expect Their Top Pitching Prospect To Be Ready for Spring Training

The Chicago Cubs believe their top pitching prospect will be available for Spring Training where he could compete a spot in the rotation.

Cade Horton sits during a warmup / MATTIE NERETIN / USA TODAY NETWORK

When the Chicago Cubs finished their final game of the year on Sunday, things officially transitioned into offseason mode where the entire organization will work on figuring out a way to get this team into the playoffs.

Despite there being some good moments throughout the year in 2024, this season has been a disappointing one overall.

All eyes will be on how this organization attacks things this winter. Ownership and the front office have repeatedly stated they want to build a contender, and Jed Hoyer said their goal is to do that in 2025 after missing out on the playoffs again.

One thing the Cubs need to figure out is their pitching staff.

Their bullpen was a major issue again during the early portion of the year, causing them to drop games they should have won that likely would have had them in contention if those contests were closed out. But in the second half, there was some marked improvement, especially when Porter Hodge took over the closer role.

Chicago had a great starting rotation this season, putting up the sixth-best ERA in the MLB with a 3.77. They largely had people in and out because of injuries, so that signals just how deep their pool of options are going forward.

There are likely three players locked into the rotation in 2025.

Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga will be their two aces, followed by Javier Assad in some capacity based on how well he has performed since transitioning from his original reliever role.

Who will be the starters beyond those three is something that needs to be figured out.

Many people inside and outside the Cubs organization are hoping their superstar pitching prospect Cade Horton will find himself in the rotation to begin the year, but after he was shut down this season with a shoulder injury on May 29 at the Triple-A level with a 7.50 ERA across his five starts, there are some concerns if he'll be ready.

Per Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, "The expectation is that he'll be ready for spring training and do everything he can to have a healthy and strong 2025," so at least he should be in the mix when they get ready for the upcoming season.

If Horton is able to take the next step in his career, that could reduce the need for Chicago to spend on a high-profile starter in free agency.

Ranked as the No. 2 prospect in their pipeline and No. 28 overall across minor league baseball, he was dominant during his first year in the pros last season, posting a 1.33 ERA across his six starts in Double-A.

There are also some concerns that Horton's stuff might not play as well in the bigs like it did in the lower levels of the minors.

The velocity on his fastballs increased in 2023, but during a few of his starts this year, that ticked down a few notches that hinted an injury might be coming, or last season was just an anomaly.

The team thinks it was more due to his shoulder injury that ended his campaign prematurely than him losing some overall zip, something that Sharma laid out.

"The Cubs believe that at the end of 2023, Horton was really locked in with his mechanics and at the top of his game. This season he got a little out of whack, falling into some old habits that led to him staying over the rubber a little longer. The Cubs were focusing on him moving down the mound better, leaning into his strong athleticism. It was a very simple fix that he was progressing with before the injury popped up. The belief is velocity won't be an issue going forward," he reports.

Everything surrounding Horton will be heavily monitored before the 2025 season begins, but if he can become the starting pitcher he's projected to be, then Chicago has another elite weapon in their rotation for years to come.