Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin are the two leading contenders for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Baldwin finished first in a recent MLB.com Rookie of the Year poll of 41 experts, picking up 25 first-place votes versus just nine for Horton. However, the Cubs rookie is a slight favorite for the honor as things stand today.
Let's look at the latest betting futures for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Odds are subject to change.
National League Rookie of the Year | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
Cade Horton (CHC) | -130 | -130 | -130 |
Drake Baldwin (ATL) | +130 | +130 | +130 |
Isaac Collins (MIL) | +800 | +800 | +800 |
Matt Shaw (CHC) | +6500 | +6500 | +6500 |
Agustin Ramirez (MIA) | +7500 | +7500 | +7500 |
Caleb Durbin (MIL) | +7500 | +7500 | +7500 |
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
Jakob Marsee (MIA) | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
Chase Burns (CIN) | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
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Horton favored slightly
Cade Horton (-130) is favored to win the NL Rookie of the Year award. The 24-year-old right-hander pitched five no-hit innings against the Braves last Wednesday. In his following start on Tuesday, he helped his Cubs stay in the playoff race, limiting Atlanta to four hits in a 6-1 victory.
Horton’s 1.25 ERA in his past 12 starts leads all MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 50 innings. Over that stretch, he's allowed two or fewer runs in 11 outings. On the season the Oklahoma City boy is 10-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 21 games with 89 strikeouts. Opponents have a .223 batting average against him.
Is Cade Horton the NL Rookie of the Year?
“He's been the best pitcher in the GAME since the All-Star break…”@markdero7 dives into the @Cubs 24-year-old. pic.twitter.com/fr4VTJr3eX
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 10, 2025
Baldwin falling behind
Drake Baldwin (+130) has been durable and productive on offense and defense all season. Entering Monday, the Braves catcher led all NL rookies with 63 RBIs and a .447 slugging percentage. Additionally, he has the second-most homers (15), second-highest average (.276), second-best on-base percentage (.349) and second-best OPS (.796).
However, the 24-year-old's performance has dipped since mid-August, hitting just .224 with a .644 OPS in his past 20 games. If Baldwin doesn't turn it around in the season's final few weeks, Horton may be a shoo-in for the award.
Other contenders
Isaac Collins (+800) is the only other rookie in the mix for the hardware. Helping the Brewers to first place in the senior circuit, Collins leads all NL rookies with a .371 on-base percentage and an .804 OPS. The switch-hitter is also tied for first among rookies with 16 stolen bases while playing excellent defense in left field.
If he stays sharp down the stretch, voters could reward Collins for his contributions to a first place club.
Braves catcher Drake Baldwin has run away from the rest of the NL rookie field. Interestingly, the next four best NL have all been starting pitchers.@JimBowdenGM's breakdown of the top 10 NL rookies ⤵️https://t.co/ix5ipNOvtz pic.twitter.com/M50rw2nLOw
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) September 10, 2025
2025 NL Rookie of the Year Picks
While Baldwin has had the better season as a whole, his play has dipped of late and the Braves are set to miss the postseason. Meanwhile, Horton is playing a major role in leading the Cubs to their first playoff berth since 2000.
With a 0.77 ERA over his past nine games, Horton will take home the National League Rookie of the Year Award if he can avoid a meltdown on the mound over his last few starts.
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