When Is Cade Horton Getting Called Up? Fantasy Baseball Prospect Outlook (Week 6 Update)

May 5, 2025

When is Cade Horton getting called up? Will Horton get promoted in May 2025? Read about this top fantasy baseball prospect outlook heading into Week 6.

Chicago Cubs' No. 2 prospect, Cade Horton, is one of the best pitchers in the minors. Horton has been pitching well at Triple-A Iowa this season and had a strong chance to be promoted to the major league roster by the summer. 

However, with the recent injury to Shota Imanaga (hamstring), Horton could be up sooner than anticipated. Imanaga joins Justin Steele (elbow) and Javier Assad (oblique) on the 15-day injured list, and the Cubs might need a pitcher to fill in over the next few weeks. 

So, when are the Cubs going to call up Horton? Can we expect him to make his debut in May? Let's dive in and find out. 

Cade Horton Prospect Update for Fantasy Baseball

The Cubs selected Horton with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. The right-hander then put together a strong season in his first minor league campaign in 2023. He finished with a 2.65 ERA and 117 strikeouts across 88 1/3 innings pitched at Single-A, High-A, and Double-A.

Horton, though, didn't have as strong of a year in 2024. He had a 7.50 ERA in his five starts at Triple-A before suffering a season-ending lat strain toward the end of May. He tried to come back from that injury later in the year but suffered a setback at the beginning of August, which officially ended his second minor league season. 

Cade Horton is having a stellar season 🌟

The righty sports a 1.24 ERA and an .129 opponent average -- both the second-best in the International League.

Horton has allowed one of fewer runs in each of his six stats this year. https://t.co/6H1RheoCMz pic.twitter.com/jBJxu0vOVr

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 5, 2025

Even though he missed most of the 2024 season, Horton is off to a fantastic start to begin his 2025 campaign. He currently owns a 1.24 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts across six starts at Triple-A Iowa. In his last two outings, MLB Pipeline's No. 47 overall prospect has allowed just two runs over 12 innings to go with 10 total strikeouts. 

Cade Horton Outlook for Fantasy Baseball

It remains to be seen if the Cubs will call up Horton to take Imanaga's spot in the rotation. The team could decide to promote Jordan Wicks in the coming days or let Chris Flexen start some games to give Chicago's top pitching prospect some more time in the minors. Wicks started 10 games in 2024, and Flexen started 30 games for the White Sox last year. 

Nonetheless, there's a strong possibility that Horton takes the left-hander's spot. He has looked sharp on the mound to begin the 2025 season and gives the Cubs the best chance to win each game. Therefore, the Cubs' No. 2 prospect is a sneaky add in some 12-plus team leagues.

Craig Counsell said Cubs are sorting through all their options to fill Shota Imanaga's spot in rotation but top prospect Cade Horton and veteran Chris Flexen are possibilities.

— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) May 5, 2025

With Horton last pitching on Sunday, his pitching schedule lines up perfectly to take that rotation spot. The Cubs don't need to fill that role until Saturday, which is when Imanaga would have pitched. So, we should know by Friday if Chicago plans to promote its top pitching prospect to face the New York Mets. 

Top Prospect Rankings and Call-Up ETAs

You can also check out the rest of RotoBaller's fantasy baseball prospect rankings. Eric Cross updates the below rankings weekly for the top impact prospects for 2025, and when they may be called up:

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