How Cade Horton Matches Up Against Fellow NL Rookie of the Year Finalists

The Chicago Cubs had a shining star on their pitching staff this season, and the best thing about him was that it was his first season in the majors.

It doesn't come as a surprise that Cade Horton is up for National League Rookie of the Year, because the way he performed on the mound in 2025 showed the sky is the limit for the rookie.

There was one part of Horton's rookie campaign that was truly heartbreaking: his season-ending injury (a fractured rib). His rookie campaign came to a close in September, and had the Cubs advanced to the NL Championship Series, there was a chance he could have walked out to the mound again. However, it wasn't meant to be.

Now that the season is officially over with the finish of the World Series, the player accolades will start to roll in, one of which is Rookie of the Year. Horton is the lone pitcher among the finalists, facing a pair of strong hitters: catcher Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves and third baseman Caleb Durbin of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Horton vs. Baldwin vs. Durbin

Cade Horton | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

By the end of Horton's rookie campaign, he had racked up quite the impressive stat line, even though he was on a strict 85-pitch count regardless of what the game looked like for the Cubs.

2.67 ERA
11-4 Record
97 Strikeouts
1.08 WHIP
.219 Opponent's Batting Average

For a small comparison to a noteworthy pitcher that has been on every highlight reel, let's look at Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was just named World Series MVP. Yamamoto finished the year with a 2.49 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, better than Horton, but just barely.

Between the pair of hitters, Drake Baldwin has the clear upper hand over Durbin. Still, while Durbin ranks amongst some of the best rookies in the NL swinging a bat, he doesn't land with the elite bats that the league has to offer, while Horton was arguably the best arm in baseball over the second half of the season.

Cade Horton (since all-star break)

7 GS
37.0 IP
0.49 ERA
0.78 WHIP
24.8 K%
8.0 BB% pic.twitter.com/AtRAPYJqM0
— Chief Cub (@ChiefCub) August 24, 2025

Durbin finished with 80 RBI, which leads all NL rookies, but was 26th against all NL hitters. His 80 RBI were a beautiful complement to 19 homers, which was second amongst rookies. But against everybody? Tied for 44th.

The hardest part about an accolade such as this is that it doesn't compare the same position. No matter who wins, it is an honor for any of these three to win as they put up incredible rookie seasons. But to have watched Horton on the mound start after start, it is hard to imagine his impact on the game doesn't win him this award.

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