The Detroit Tigers made a move, trading for left-handed pitcher from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for cash considerations. The Cardinals had designated the 27-year-old pitcher earlier that day after signing Phil Maton, their first free-agent acquisition of the offseason.
This marks his second stint with the Tigers this offseason. The former White Sox and Cubs prospect finished the 2024 season with the Boston Red Sox after appearing in 18 games with them last summer. The Tigers claimed him off waivers from Boston earlier in the offseason but designated him for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Gleyber Torres when they signed him in late December. The Cardinals then picked him up, only to trade him back to the Tigers now.
Horn, a former Auburn left-hander, has been a strikeout threat throughout his four years in professional baseball, although his command has been inconsistent. Even at the Triple-A level, he has struck out 28-29% of hitters faced but has continued to walk about five batters per nine innings in his two years at the highest minor league tier.
With an open spot on the 40-man roster, the Tigers added Horn to their roster and optioned him to minor league camp.
Horn typically averages 95 mph with his four-seam fastball, which has a slight cutter-like action and produces below-average ride from a high three-quarters arm slot. The pitch has a little seam-shifted movement, causing it to sink late despite its initial riding appearance. While he generates a decent number of ground balls, Horn also allows significant line drive contact. However, hitters attempting to elevate the pitch often end up popping it up. He complements the fastball with two high-spin breaking balls.
His primary weapon is an 82 mph sweeper, which generates many swings and misses, along with a less frequently used 78-79 mph curveball. The curve plays like a slower version of the sweeper, offering more depth than horizontal break. Horn mixes these pitches well, giving hitters two distinct movement profiles that appear similar from his hand. Additionally, he uses a high-80s cutter to jam right-handed hitters inside.
Overall, Horn’s pitch mix is intriguing, but his long-standing command issues have yet to be solved, despite multiple attempts from different organizations. He’s been a full-time reliever since 2022, but his continued struggles with walks have kept him from being effective at the major league level. His stuff is unique enough that the Tigers may have some plans for adjustments, and considering Horn hasn’t had the benefit of top-tier pitching development organizations in his career, it will be interesting to see if Detroit can help him unlock his potential.
The Tigers’ decision to reacquire Horn suggests they believe in his potential. It could also indicate some concerns about Andrew Chafin. The veteran left-hander started well, but his velocity hasn’t yet returned to his usual 91-92 mph range, and he’s struggled with control in his last two appearances. Since Chafin is on a minor league deal, the Tigers have time to work with him, but he likely has an opt-out clause in late April or May if the team doesn’t think he’s ready for the major leagues.
If Chafin doesn’t regain his form and the Tigers need another lefty to complement Tyler Holton in the bullpen, there are other better options than Horn at the moment, such as Sean Guenther, Lael Lockhart Jr., or even converting Brant Hurter to a relief role. However, with some time spent in minor league camp, Horn could develop into a viable option for the bullpen later in the season.
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