Cade Horton's brilliant 2025 campaign was marred by a season-ending injury that sidelined him for the team's postseason run, but the Chicago Cubs right-hander unquestionably left his mark on the club down the stretch - and his efforts have earned him The Sporting News' NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Before we dig in, let me clarify: this is not the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) Rookie of the Year Award, but it's still noteworthy regardless. Horton is the first Cubs player to earn the honor since Kris Bryant a decade ago - here's just a bit of what the write-up on this year's awards had to say about his rookie campaign.