The starting pitching market is churning — your move, Cubs

President of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs Jed Hoyer watches players during batting practice, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, in Chicago, the day before Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.Nam Y. Huh/AP Photos

Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins admits that he was the “low guy” on right-handed pitcher Cade Horton when the team was preparing for the 2022 MLB Draft.

That wasn’t a knock on Horton himself, or his standout performance in the College World Series. It was more of a question of sample size.

Horton was less than a year and a half removed from Tommy John surgery. He played mostly third base his redshirt freshman year at Oklahoma as he worked…