RADIO
Cade Horton is a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup for Week 9 (2025). Target Cade Horton as a top prospect free-agent add for fantasy baseball.
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues
ROSTERED IN: 20% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: Clocking in at MLB's No. 35 prospect, the Cubs selected Cade Horton's contract on May 10 to start against the New York Mets at Citi Field. The 23-year-old picked up his first major league win, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out five in four innings, tossing 77 pitches (49 strikes).
Asking a rookie to make his first MLB start on the road against a first-place team is a big ask, but Horton impressed with his stuff, which included a 95-plus mph fastball, sweeper, and changeup.
Across three levels in his first year of professional ball, he posted a 2.65 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 88 1/3 innings pitched. He began 2024 at the Double-A level, dazzling in four starts, pitching to a 1.10 ERA with 18 K in 16.1 frames of work. This led to his promotion to Triple-A, where he struggled, allowing 15 earned runs on 17 hits in 18 innings.
However, Horton was able to right the ship in 2025, posting a 1.24 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in six starts at Triple-A before his call-up to the majors.
Horton made his second career appearance on Friday against the White Sox at Wrigley Field, with the Cubs' offense again helping him earn the win. The Cubs put up 13 runs against their crosstown rivals, while Horton twirled five innings (79 pitches, 52 strikes), allowing three runs on seven hits, walking none, and striking out two.
In his most recent outing, Horton tossed five and a half innings of one-run ball against the Miami Marlins. He allowed six hits and three walks and struck out just three batters.
Cade Horton spun 5.1 innings of 1-run ball with 3 strikeouts against the Marlins.
His changeup was untouchable—122 proStuff+ with an 81.8% whiff rate—and the sweeper carved at 120. He set it all up with a 96 mph cut-ride fastball at 118 proStuff+. pic.twitter.com/aszqpZw3BR
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) May 21, 2025
His few mistakes are easily fixable, but whether he sees those results at the MLB level remains to be seen. Horton is expected to remain in the rotation until Shota Imanaga (hamstring) returns from the injured list.
- Written by Lauren Amour
Top Prospect Rankings and 2025 Call-Up ETAs
You can also check out RotoBaller's fantasy baseball prospect rankings for 2025. Eric Cross updates the below rankings weekly for the top impact prospects for 2025, and when they may be called up:
| Rank | Player | Pos | Team | ETA |
| 1 | Roman Anthony | OF | BOS | June |
| 2 | Matt Shaw | 3B | CHC | Now |
| 3 | Bubba Chandler | SP | PIT | June |
| 4 | Jacob Misiorowski | SP | MIL | June |
| 5 | Jac Caglianone | 1B | KCR | July |
| 6 | Marcelo Mayer | SS | BOS | July |
| 7 | Coby Mayo | 3B | BAL | July |
| 8 | Brady House | 3B | WAS | June |
| 9 | Andrew Painter | SP | PHI | June |
| 10 | Colby Thomas | OF | ATH | June |
| 11 | Chase DeLauter | OF | CLE | June |
| 12 | Samuel Basallo | C | BAL | July |
| 13 | Deyvison De Los Santos | 1B | MIA | June |
| 14 | Otto Kemp | 3B | PHI | June |
| 15 | Shay Whitcomb | INF | HOU | July |
| 16 | Kyle Teel | C | CHW | July |
| 17 | Thomas Saggese | INF | STL | June |
| 18 | Rhett Lowder | SP | CIN | June |
| 19 | Zac Veen | OF | COL | June |
| 20 | Jonathon Long | 3B | CHC | June |
| 21 | Carson Whisenhunt | SP | SFG | June |
| 22 | Brandon Sproat | SP | NYM | June |
| 23 | Emmanuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | July |
| 24 | Justin Crawford | OF | PHI | July |
| 25 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | July |
Top Prospect Dynasty Rankings
Looking for longer term fantasy baseball prospect rankings? You can also check out RotoBaller's top dynasty prospect rankings from Eric Cross:
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | Age | ETA | Prev |
| 1 | Roman Anthony | OF | BOS | 21.01 | 2025 | 1 |
| 2 | Leodalis De Vries | SS | SDP | 18.6 | 2027 | 18 |
| 3 | Nick Kurtz | 1B | ATH | 22.18 | Debuted | 12 |
| 4 | Jesus Made | SS | MIL | 18.02 | 2027 | 16 |
| 5 | Jordan Lawlar | 2B/SS | ARI | 22.84 | Debuted | 15 |
| 6 | Konnor Griffin | SS/OF | PIT | 19.06 | 2027 | 27 |
| 7 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | CLE | 22.72 | 2025 | 6 |
| 8 | Sebastian Walcott | SS | TEX | 19.18 | 2026 | 5 |
| 9 | Max Clark | OF | DET | 20.4 | 2026 | 8 |
| 10 | J.J. Wetherholt | SS | STL | 22.69 | 2026 | 11 |
| 11 | Zyhir Hope | OF | LAD | 20.32 | 2026 | 19 |
| 12 | Walker Jenkins | OF | MIN | 20.24 | 2026 | 4 |
| 13 | Matt Shaw | 3B | CHC | 23.53 | Debuted | 7 |
| 14 | Josue De Paula | OF | LAD | 19.98 | 2026 | 34 |
| 15 | Samuel Basallo | C/1B | BAL | 20.76 | 2025 | 13 |
| 16 | Bubba Chandler | P | PIT | 22.67 | 2025 | 29 |
| 17 | Coby Mayo | 3B | BAL | 23.44 | Debuted | 17 |
| 18 | EmManuel Rodriguez | OF | MIN | 22.22 | 2025 | 10 |
| 19 | Andrew Painter | P | PHI | 22.1 | 2025 | 14 |
| 20 | Jackson Jobe | P | DET | 22.8 | Debuted | 9 |
| 21 | Kevin McGonigle | 2B/SS | DET | 20.75 | 2026 | 20 |
| 22 | Jac Caglianone | 1B | KCR | 22.27 | 2025 | 30 |
| 23 | Dalton Rushing | C/1B | LAD | 24.24 | Debuted | 23 |
| 24 | Felnin Celesten | SS | SEA | 19.67 | 2027 | 28 |
| 25 | Chase DeLauter | OF | CLE | 23.61 | 2025 | 21 |
| 26 | Marcelo Mayer | SS | BOS | 22.43 | 2025 | 38 |
| 27 | Chase Burns | P | CIN | 22.33 | 2026 | 46 |
| 28 | Lazaro Montes | OF | SEA | 20.57 | 2026 | 39 |
| 29 | Bryce Eldridge | 1B | SFG | 20.57 | 2025 | 24 |
| 30 | Robert Calaz | OF | COL | 19.48 | 2027 | 31 |
| 31 | Noah Schultz | P | CHW | 21.78 | 2025 | 26 |
| 32 | Cam Smith | OF | HOU | 22.23 | Debuted | 36 |
| 33 | Braden Montgomery | OF | CHW | 22.06 | 2026 | 37 |
| 34 | Agustin Ramirez | C/1B | MIA | 23.69 | Debuted | 45 |
| 35 | Travis Sykora | P | WAS | 21.05 | 2026 | 41 |
| 36 | Bryce Rainer | SS | DET | 19.87 | 2027 | 61 |
| 37 | Moises Ballesteros | C | CHC | 21.5 | Debuted | 60 |
| 38 | Carson Williams | SS | TBR | 21.9 | 2025 | 25 |
| 39 | Jonny Farmelo | OF | SEA | 20.44 | 2026 | 43 |
| 40 | Emil Morales | SS | LAD | 18.65 | 2027 | 42 |
| 41 | Colt Emerson | SS | SEA | 19.82 | 2026 | 32 |
| 42 | Chase Dollander | P | COL | 23.56 | Debuted | 47 |
| 43 | Luis Pena | 3B/SS | MIL | 18.62 | 2027 | 134 |
| 44 | Thomas White | P | MIA | 20.63 | 2026 | 68 |
| 45 | Luke Keaschall | 2B | MIN | 22.76 | Debuted | 48 |
| 46 | Aidan Smith | OF | TBR | 20.82 | 2026 | 40 |
| 47 | Jett Williams | SS/OF | NYM | 21.54 | 2025 | 53 |
| 48 | Michael Arroyo | 2B | SEA | 20.53 | 2026 | 35 |
| 49 | Jacob Misiorowski | P | MIL | 23.12 | 2025 | 76 |
| 50 | Colby Thomas | OF | ATH | 24.31 | 2025 | 52 |
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup?
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