WATCH: Cade Horton shares how he received call to major leagues |
Tony Crumpton
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- Friday, May 09 2025
Chicago Cubs rookie pitcher Cade Horton met with the media ahead of Friday night's game against the New York Mets talking about how he received the call up to the major leagues, what he's learned from veteran players making their big-league debuts and more.
Watch the pregame video below:
Video summary/cliff-notes:
(00:00) Cade Horton reflects on the past year as “crazy,” crediting offseason hard work and maturity for his progress.
(00:20) Describes the current season as a typical build-up, starting slow and progressing into deeper innings; says he feels healthy and strong.
(00:43) Recalls being told by TC that he won Triple-A Pitcher of the Month; Marty then broke the news that he was being called up to the majors.
(01:00) Horton’s first calls were to his wife and family, who will attend his debut game and have supported his journey.
(01:37) He sought advice from teammates who had debuted before, appreciating their guidance and stories about handling debut nerves.
(02:00) He didn't anticipate the call-up even when a spot opened due to injury; focused on controlling what he could instead of playing "GM."
(02:37) Manager Craig Counsell encouraged Horton to perform well enough to earn a call-up, which motivated him to stay consistent.
(02:57) Horton emphasized daily focus and effort, regardless of results, staying present and working to improve constantly.
(03:16) Marty playfully told him about the Pitcher of the Month award before revealing his promotion to the majors.
(03:32) Horton is proud of reducing his walk rate and pitching back-to-back six-inning games, a milestone he hadn’t reached since college.
