MESA, Ariz. — On the back fields of the Chicago Cubs spring training complex, numerous team officials gathered behind home plate of Field 6. Big leaguers Ian Happ and David Peralta were getting ready to take some live at-bats, but the real show was who took the mound: Cade Horton.
Horton is the Cubs’ top pitching prospect and arguably their most hyped arm in two decades. On Saturday morning, Horton struck Happ out twice and induced weak contact against the Cubs’ All-Star left fielder in two other at-bats. It’s four at-bats during a back field simulated game in early March that Happ is using to ramp himself up as he works his way back from a hamstring strain that’s kept him out of Cactus League action since Feb. 29. That’s nothing to get worked up about. But there is legitimate excitement surrounding Horton and his future.
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The 22-year-old righty was sitting 93-95 mph and throwing the nasty slider that helped him get drafted seventh overall by the Cubs in 2022. He also flashed a changeup that took big strides last summer but didn’t use his curveball much, a pitch that’s also been described as plus by scouts who saw him go to it more often in last season’s final months.
“He made awesome strides last year,” director of pitching Ryan Otero said. “He totally changed his curveball and greatly improved his changeup, both as a weapon against lefties. He has a true four-pitch mix that back in college was more fastball and slider. For us, we want to maintain that and just prepare his body. We’re hoping for a workload that we haven’t seen from him before yet. Just get him in that routine and make sure he’s ready for four- and five-day rest as a starter.”
Otero was promoted from assistant director of pitching after former VP of pitching and assistant GM Craig Breslow departed to run baseball operations in Boston. He’s worked with many of the pitchers in the organization and saw firsthand as Horton developed quickly to enhance his arsenal. Horton gets praised for his athleticism and feel for pitching as he’s shown an impressive ability to learn and execute the instruction he’s received.
@ANG_Recruiting pic.twitter.com/3gGS27mplP
— Tennessee Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) August 8, 2023
Some wondered why Horton wasn’t a non-roster invitee to MLB camp. Otero explained the organization’s thinking.
“We do that pretty typically with our starter prospects just to make sure we control their workload and set them up for the season,” Otero said. “Obviously, in major-league spring training games, there are other needs. We just want to make sure we’re responsible with him. Obviously with the injury history and last year was his first real full-season starter workload. We just want to make sure we’re smart about that.”
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After returning from Tommy John surgery with the University of Oklahoma, Horton pitched just 53 2/3 innings in 2022 and didn’t throw in affiliated games the summer after being drafted by the Cubs. Last season, Horton accumulated 88 1/3 innings across three levels, reaching Double A. The Cubs haven’t decided whether they’ll have Horton begin at Double A or Triple A this season. For now, it seems unlikely that he’ll start in extended spring training with the idea of limiting his innings load.
“We don’t really like subscribing to firm inning projections because the body is more complicated than that,” Otero said. “We use them as a guide. We have a lot of really helpful readiness tests, workload tests and fatigue tests just to see where players are at. Everything is on the table, but my expectation would be an affiliate.”
And for those eager to see Horton at Wrigley, a big-league debut this summer is certainly on the table.
“All of our pitchers, we treat the same,” Otero said. “The goal is to win major-league games. Whoever is ready to do that, absolutely. If guys are ready, including him, that’s the plan.”
Where does Matt Shaw’s power come from?
Matt Shaw hits his first home run of Spring Training! pic.twitter.com/MdZjnH5WIb
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 8, 2024
Matt Shaw doesn’t look like the prototypical power hitter. The 2023 first-rounder is measured at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, but a strong lower half has helped him tap into more slug than one might assume just by looking at him. Across three levels and 170 plate appearances last summer, Shaw had 21 extra-base hits and delivered a .261 ISO. He’s shown similar ability to drive the ball in the spring, ripping two doubles, two triples and a homer in 32 plate appearances.
“I think power mostly comes from approach,” Shaw said. “Understanding that you have to hit the right pitches. Then when I get that pitch, making sure I don’t miss it. Being very confident in that plan and being able to square up balls consistently in the air. A lot of guys are going to hit home runs if they do that. For me, it’s being consistent with that approach and the power comes naturally a bit.”
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Drafted as a shortstop out of the University of Maryland, Shaw is working hard on defense. He knows that with Nico Hoerner at second and Dansby Swanson at shortstop, there isn’t much room in the middle infield. So since the offseason started, his focus has been on third base.
Development with the glove will be important if he’s going to be a fast riser and arrive in Chicago this summer. But that doesn’t mean Shaw’s a finished product on offense.
“Being able to elevate offspeed pitches consistently,” Shaw said. “Ground balls are outs, especially on those pitches. Thus far in the spring, I’ve been able to do it on offspeed late in counts, at least hit in the air. It might not always be a hit or a home run or whatever. But at least it’s not a ground ball where you know you’re out.”
Can Owen Caissie cut down on the swing-and-miss?
Owen Caissie has crushed the ball all spring and fans are ready to crown him the next great power hitter to arrive at Wrigley. But Caissie has to show that he can reduce his swing-and-miss in the minors before he reaches the highest level.
“I don’t really care about it,” Caissie said of his 31.1 percent strikeout rate at Double A last season. “I know I’m going to get better with it. It comes down to me being really disciplined at the plate.”
Owen Caissie is now tied with the most hits in Spring Training with 9 🔥
(📸: @MLB) pic.twitter.com/ViCOrLcwU6
— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) March 4, 2024
Caissie said it’s not about mechanics. Those changes happened two years ago and he’s not someone who tweaks much. He’s happy with that part of his game. It’s all about approach, swing decisions and what he’s thinking when attacking pitches.
“It’s my approach and what I really want to do with the ball,” Caissie said. “Last year I was too pull-happy sometimes. When I wasn’t striking out I was taking everything to left-center field. So it’s my approach and staying to center field with everything.”
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Caissie’s biggest issue last summer was his in-zone swing-and-miss. Some in the organization believe that was a result of the tacky ball that was used in the first half of the Double A season. Caissie believes that’s linked to him getting out of his approach, pointing out that as he’s focused on staying up the middle this spring, his in-zone whiff has stayed low.
“I feel like if I’m on time and I stay to center field, I’m one of the better hitters,” Caissie said. “That’s just me being confident, I guess. It’s really just trying to focus in on my zone and stay there.”
The power and exit velocities are elite. Not just for a prospect, but for anyone in baseball. That alone would make him an impactful player in the big leagues, but if he can get a handle on the swing-and-miss, he could be even better than advertised.
Nazier Mulé’s rehab continues
Nazier Mulé was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 as a two-way player. The talented righty has yet to throw a pitch in professional baseball after having his debut delayed by Tommy John surgery late last May. Before that, Mulé intrigued onlookers at instructs with a fastball that was touching the upper 90s and a strong slider.
Mulé is now healthy and focused solely on pitching. His rehab is going well and he was throwing in the mid-90s recently during a session in the Cubs’ pitching lab. The hope is that he’ll be ready to pitch in games by May.
(Photo of Cade Horton pitching in a High-A game last June: Mattie Neretin / USA Today)