All appropriate applause here, but this is no surprise: Chicago Cubs righty Cade Horton is one of three finalists for the National League Rookie of the Year honors thanks to his brilliant 2025 campaign.
These were the three generally expected to be finalists, with the only question being whether the Brewers would get Isaac Collins or Caleb Durbin in there:
Your 2025 @officialBBWAA NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award finalists:
– Drake Baldwin
– Caleb Durbin
– Cade Horton
Over 23 games and 118.0 innings, Cade Horton posted a 2.67 ERA—the fifth best mark among **all** pitchers in the NL with at least 100.0 innings pitched. The next closest rookie was Brewers righty Chad Patrick, whose ERA was nearly a full run higher. Horton was truly in a league of his own in that respect.
The peripherals weren’t quite as strong—20.4% strikeout rate, 6.9% walk rate, 10.0% barrel rate, 41.2% hard-hit rate, 42.3% groundball rate, and 2.2 WAR—and that may ultimately be a differentiator for any voters looking for a reason not to choose a pitcher.
That, plus the relatively shorter duration of his contributions to the Cubs, compared to the other two finalists, who were both closer to full-season position players, could also impact voting.
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Caleb Durbin hit .256/.334/.387 with a 105 wRC+ on the season over 506 plate appearances. He ran the bases well and played solid defense at third base, also chipping in at second base and shortstop. He was worth 2.6 WAR.
Drake Baldwin, who is probably the favorite, hit .274/.341/.469 with a 125 wRC+ over 446 plate appearances. He did that as a rookie catcher, handling the demanding position well and posting a 3.1 WAR. Baldwin also has some strong counting stats, and the fact that he was producing while catching is likely to earn him some extra love from voters.
I would understand Baldwin getting the votes over Horton, though I think Durbin is a tougher sell. In fact, I bet Durbin actually split some votes with Brewers prospect Isaac Collins.
So, in all likelihood, this award is coming down to Baldwin and Horton.
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Because Horton was not called up early enough in the season, the Cubs cannot qualify for a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick. This wasn’t due to any artificial holdback by the Cubs—it’s simply how his natural development arc played out, mostly due to an injury last year.
Horton himself can get a little boost, however. If he finishes in the top two of the voting, he’ll receive a full year of service time for the 2025 season, rather than just a partial year, which could be meaningful for his career moving forward.
In any case, congratulations to Cade Horton and all the finalists on an impressive rookie season. The National League Rookie of the Year race has been a fascinating one to watch!
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2025/11/03/cade-horton-is-a-national-league-rookie-of-the-year-finalist/
