Norman’s Cade Horton is the Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year in baseball. He was a two-sport star for the Tigers and is headed to OU where he will play football and baseball with the Sooners. Find out what Cade thinks about the Major League Baseball Draft and why he plays two sports.
You can also read a transcript of this interview below.
Although we make every effort to accurately render the conversation, we also rely on AI for help so please excuse any mistakes.
Deion Imade 0:07
Welcome to Ford High School Weekly. I’m your host, Deion Imade. On this week’s episode we’ll be talking to Cade Horton, the two-sport star for the Norman Tigers. Well, formerly from the Norman Tigers, as he graduated this year where he played football and baseball, playing quarterback on one field and shortstop and pitcher on the other. This fall, he’ll be enrolling at OU, where he’ll play both of these sports. But it looks like he’s going to have a decision to make here in the near future as the MLB draft comes up really soon. Looks like a win win situation to me. Let’s see what Cade has to say. Well, let me be the first to say the former Norman Tiger. Now and alumni Cade Horton. Cade is signed, play with Oklahoma, baseball and football. But before we get into all that we what we like to do here on the Ford High School Weekly is we’d like to get to know the person that we’re talking to we let the viewers get to know you and I’m going to give you a couple of questions and give you two options. You tell me which one of these you prefer and tell me why. Is that cool with you Cade?
Cade Horton 1:17
Yeah, absolutely.
Deion Imade 1:18
All right, first off two guys that 30 for 30 ESPN is about to do a little bit of a documentary on I thought this would be an interesting question for you, especially since you’re in the baseball world; Sammy Sosa or Mark McGwire pick one.
Cade Horton 1:35
Um, I’d probably go with Sammy Sosa just to learn more about him and just see what he was about. But that’s just me personally,
Deion Imade 1:45
I think I would pick Sammy Sosa too. It’d be interesting to see what he’s like as far as before and post career in the in the major leagues.
Next question it let’s let’s stick with the baseball Okay, two players that are very popular in this day and age, especially in in our age group. Bryce Harper or Mike Trout?
Cade Horton 2:09
I’m gonna go with Mike Trout. I just he’s, he’s a great player. But he’s also good off the field with what he does and so I guess Mike Trout
Deion Imade 2:25
speaking of off the field and you man did you see those clips of him on Instagram? That Top Golf yeah he was knocking that out of the stadium
Cade Horton 2:35
Oh yeah, that ball was smokes
Deion Imade 2:38
incredible I’ve seen him a lot man that’s an that’s an impressive athlete right there. Alright let’s do it. Let’s let’s switch over to your other you know sport there football wise and you play quarterback for the Norman Tigers and you’ll be playing for the Sooners at that position as well. Which player do you prefer? They recently just you know faced off on that The on the golf course. So let’s see which Cade prefers Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.
Cade Horton 3:06
I prefer Tom Brady. Just because he the way he operates the way he pushes his guys and he has more rings.
Deion Imade 3:21
It’s all about winning, huh Cade?
Cade Horton 3:22
Yeah, absolutely.
Deion Imade 3:24
I don’t know man I’m I’m behind the sheriff there. I’m a big Payton guy so, but I mean everybody has their opinion everybody has their opinion. All right, let’s let’s switch over to you know, some comic book superheroes here. I mean, the two biggest ones are Superman and Batman. Now which one do you prefer?
Cade Horton 3:47
I prefer Superman.
Deion Imade 3:50
Tell me why.
Cade Horton 3:52
It’s just like, I don’t know. He’s just, he’s just my guy. Superman is Superman.
So I don’t know.
Deion Imade 4:02
I mean, I mean, I wouldn’t go ahead and pick Superman to mean Batman he he’s one of the I I started appreciating Batman later on in life when I was like a guy who you know, just trained and has all the gadgets, you know, billionaire. Girls, I mean, can’t argue with.
Cade Horton 4:21
Yeah.
Deion Imade 4:23
All right. I don’t I don’t know if you’re, if you’re a car guy or not, but how about how about this? Would you rather have a nice fully loaded truck? Or a fancy let’s say Ferrari sports car?
Cade Horton 4:40
Um, I would rather have a truck just because I drive a car right now. And I I don’t like how much or how it doesn’t have a lot of space. And so I’d go with a truck.
Deion Imade 4:54
I mean, you’re a big guy. six, three. I mean, you need space, right? I feel your pain to getting low to the ground out that just doesn’t fit me.
Check out more from my conversation with Cade Horton at YurView.com/OK. When we come back we’ll talk to Cade about his family and how he ended up playing two sports. Ford High School Weekly will be right back.
Welcome back to Ford High School weekly. We’re talking to former Norman Tiger Cade Horton
Announcer 5:27
So Fourth down at 24 the Tigers. Here comes a blitz off the edge from Davis. He circles his way back, hits Horton. In the end zone all alone and a touchdown for the Tigers! To put the ball on the money, in between three defenders.
Deion Imade 5:42
Cade, you had an impressive career throughout your time in high school and and my question to you first and foremost, what I always ask every one of our guests is why did you play? I mean, I guess both of the sports that you play? I mean how did you start in and why do you play?
Cade Horton 6:01
You know, I started playing baseball and football. When I was five years old. I’ve never really looked back. It’s just been a part of who I am growing up, and it really hasn’t changed. So that and the reason I play is just I love competition. I love winning.
It’s just that feeling of winning is great. So that’s really why I play is just being able to compete and having fun with your teammates and just the camaraderie between the guys.
Deion Imade 6:38
We just recently all watched that Jordan documentary 30 for 30 The Last Dance. Did you did you get a chance to watch it? Yeah, so so one of the things that everybody was so impressed about with Michael Jordan is his competitiveness and his ability to you know, turn it on, when it was winning time, as Reggie Miller likes to call it. So you just stated You’d like to be out there you like to compete? What? What? What’s behind that? What? Why is that? Well, who instilled that in you?
Cade Horton 7:08
Honestly, probably growing up in a big family. It’s just been a part of the family. You know, just in the competitiveness of being the middle child and having an older brother. So we’re always competing. So that’s probably the big that’s what it got instilled into me at a young age and it’s never stopped growing. So
Deion Imade 7:34
I knew me and you had a had a kinship, somehow. Middle child syndrome is in me as well. So I know exactly what you’re talking about. How many siblings do you have?
Cade Horton 7:46
I have four siblings.
Deion Imade 7:49
You want to give them a shout out what what’s their names and what are they what do they do
Cade Horton 7:52
I have an older sister Bree, and an older brother Cale. Then my little sister Brooklyn and my little brother Jase.
Deion Imade 8:00
So you’re right smack dab in the middle there. Hmm. So how is that affected you? I mean, how do they support you throughout your your athletic career?
Cade Horton 8:09
Oh yeah, they’ve always been there for me when I needed them most. So it’s just just having them there to show support and stuff like that is really nice.
Deion Imade 8:22
So as far as your parents how they raised y’all as far as athletics and, and throughout life, what’s the what’s, what do you think is most important in their eyes, about their kids and how they want them to go and live their lives?
Cade Horton 8:36
Um, you know, it’s, they’re always saying that it’s your life, you can choose your path. So they’ve always let us you know, just do what we wanted to, you know, as far as sports and all of that. So that’s really the big thing. They’ve always wanted us to succeed and be able to, you know, have fun while we’re doing it.
Deion Imade 9:03
Playing sports, you play the position that everybody wants to play. I mean everybody when you get started everybody knows about the quarterback and he’s the man that touches the ball every play and he most of the time the leader on the team. Why and how did you pick that position? And how did you get started?
Cade Horton 9:22
Um, honestly, I I can tell you this is what I’ve been playing my whole life. And so I I really I honestly don’t remember how I got started at quarterback but I haven’t. I haven’t changed since I was little. So
Deion Imade 9:38
So you just picked up a football, threw it one time, and everybody was like, he’s the quarterback.
Cade Horton 9:42
Yeah. I mean, I don’t really remember. I was so little. But yeah.
Deion Imade 9:48
I mean, and that and it’s funny too, because honestly, when you’re put in that position as the middle child, normally when you’re playing in the backyard, you don’t get to be the quarterback at all. Yeah, been there done that. Well on the on the other side of you, I mean kind of what’s your what’s your baseball career? How did you you know, if nobody if people don’t know Cad e is a right handed pitcher and also a shortstop so how did you you know find yourself in those positions?
Cade Horton 10:22
Um I’ve been playing shortstop since I was little again never really switched from shortstop and then in high school I had good velo and so I kind of found myself on the mound and then it’s just progressed since freshman year. So that’s really how I found myself doing both in baseball.
Deion Imade 10:45
Up next, Cade will tell us how he decided to stay close to home and go to OU. Check out Ford Game of the Week Classic, Tuesday and Friday night at 8pm on YurView channel 3, and go to YurView.com/OK to get more complete interviews and local high school sports coverage.
Welcome back to Ford High School Weekly. We’re talking to Norman’s two-sport star Cade Horton. What would you say is your style? I mean, behind center what kind of player, what kind of quarterback are you?
Cade Horton 11:18
Um, I’d say I’m a dual threat just because I do like running the ball. I like scrambling. So I’d say I’m a dual threat
Deion Imade 11:28
I would say so to a guy who passed for over 3000 yards and and rushed for over 1000 yards. A pretty impressive stat by you. But as far as, you look up to Tom Brady, but are there other quarterbacks that are dual threats that you kind of mirror your game after?
Cade Horton 11:46
Patrick Mahomes I like I like his game a lot. Lamar Jackson. Those are the two guys that really stick out in my mind.
Deion Imade 11:54
But yeah, those are some some big shoes to fill right there.
So sneaking up on the football side, what made you want to attempt to play at the next level, not just football, but also baseball.
Cade Horton 12:09
You know, I just really wanted to keep my options open. Playing football. I love football. It’s been one of my dreams since I was little. So just being able to have that opportunity. I would, I don’t know why I wouldn’t take that. So it’s just it’s been, it’s gonna be fun being able to do that.
Deion Imade 12:30
So one of my favorite players of all time, Deion Sanders. He recently has said this, and he said it multiple times in his career where, you know, football was that one true love but baseball with that, that other girl over there on the side that he just couldn’t quit. Now, Cade, with you being a two sport star and going to play at the next level, which a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to do so mean? Which one is it for you?
Cade Horton 13:03
Um, honestly, it’s it honestly depends on the season. When it’s football season, I love football. When it’s baseball season. I love baseball. So that’s just really I don’t it’s, it’s not like I love them. I don’t love one or the other more.
Deion Imade 13:19
So it’s more like they’re your children and you both love them.
Cade Horton 13:22
Yeah.
Deion Imade 13:26
Well, in that case, I mean, you’re getting an opportunity to play football in the Big 12 and play baseball in the Big 12. Now, when it came time to make a decision on where you were gonna, you know, further your education and your academics and athletic career. What was the deciding factor on choosing?
Cade Horton 13:54
I’m just being able to play the two sports, that made a made a big difference. And also the coaching staff the way they handled Kyler and Cody Thomas being able to handle the two sport athletes and just the relationships, love relationships I’ve built with Coach Riley and Skip is incredible so just that. Those are the biggest factors that have played into making my decision to go to OU.
Deion Imade 14:31
Now with you choosing OU I mean Was there anything as far as it being so close to home that kind of you know, scares you away from making that decision? Because I you know, some kids want to go off and
Cade Horton 14:48
yeah
Deion Imade 14:48
pave their own path.
Cade Horton 14:50
You know, for me, it wasn’t really about going away from home. Yeah, I’ve lived here my whole life but some It will be fun to be You know, the hometown kid. So that was, that was honestly my biggest thing on it, just being able to be the hometown kid.
Deion Imade 15:12
When we come back, we’ll talk to Cade about the pandemic and we’ll get a take on the MLB draft
Announcer 15:18
pretty well hit. Back, back, cruising into second base is going to be Cade Horton.
Deion Imade 15:23
Check out your YurView.com/OK for more Oklahoma High School Sports content. You’re watching Ford High School Weekly.
Welcome back to Ford High School Weekly. We’re talking to Cade Horton.
Announcer 15:40
Cade Horton. It’s chance Shelton. Shelton Next pitch breaker roll. Line drive down the left field line he hung that one, two runs are going to school and maybe three.
Deion Imade 15:48
With a pandemic coming down and you not being able to finish off your senior year. I believe you only got to play five games, but still put up some impressive numbers in those five games rules. What was the roughest part?
Cade Horton 16:02
The roughest part was, you know, being able to play and then it getting taken away. I think that was the, the roughest part or you know, training all fall and winter. And then it being cut short so I think that was the hardest part.
Deion Imade 16:22
How did that affect you as far as training and getting and getting ready for your next career? I mean, it’s your your next path to college and and what’s potentially in front of you?
Cade Horton 16:37
Yeah, it was, it was kind of tough at start. Just being able to get back in a routine and finding a routine, just everything being thrown off. So just finding places to do stuff was hard at first and then I finally got into a routine and got things started.
Deion Imade 16:59
So a lot of at home workouts over there. I see that whiteboard behind you, who are some of the people that have been, you know, helping you through that process of like, finding ways to like to help you stay active and be in shape for what’s about to come the summer?
Cade Horton 17:16
I’ve been playing catch with Jake Jewell. We’ve been playing catch every day since this whole thing started. So he’s really been helping me stay in shape and just, you know, going to the gym when it opened back up,
Deion Imade 17:31
how was it to be one of the, you know, a class that didn’t have an opportunity to do a lot of things that you look forward to as a senior in high school, especially not being able to walk during graduation?
Cade Horton 17:43
You know, it’s just some things that you need to take more serious, like people losing their lives with this with this, this Corona going on and so, in the long in the long run, I think it’s better for all of us. to sacrifice that, then, you know, have this thing spread more.
Deion Imade 18:06
What’s the difference for you right now tried training for baseball and training for football is is there a difference? Or is there are you just trying to stay in shape for whatever comes your way?
Cade Horton 18:17
No, I’ve actually been doing a little bit of both. You know, I’ve been throwing footballs one day and the next I’ll throw baseballs and then just working out and staying in shape. So just keeping my arm healthy and stuff like that to pitch all the way here
Announcer 18:34
3-2 pitch on the way. Here it comes. Popped up. Short centerfield, kind of No Mans Land.. Oh, that’s an outstanding catch. Great job by the shortstop who goes out back to the infield and Cade Horton.
Deion Imade 18:47
So Cade, with everything going down and you being one of the top rated players in the country. The draft is coming up here soon. What is your . .you know . . What’s what do you think is gonna happen? How do you feel about the whole process? How has the process been for you?
Cade Horton 19:06
Yeah, the process has been fun, but busy at the same time. It’s, it’s I feel like with it being five round it’s gonna be a very college heavy draft. But it’s gonna be fun to see what happens with everything. So we’ll watch it play out.
Deion Imade 19:25
So it’s correct me if I’m wrong the draft MLB draft is normally 40 rounds and this year it’s only five
Cade Horton 19:32
Yep, that’s right
Deion Imade 19:33
so when that news was was brought to your attention. And I’m guessing people around you in your circle told you and were able to, to keep you informed about everything that was going on. What What was your opinion about it?
Cade Horton 19:48
Um, you know, I, I didn’t really have that big of a opinion on it. It’s not my choice. So I can’t really speak on that because I don’t know, I just, I don’t really have a say. So.
Deion Imade 20:08
So what were some of the things that your parents told you? I mean, I know my dad would have been like, Ah, you know, you gotta play the cards, the cards that you’re dealt here. Is that something? Was that a goal for you? I mean,
Cade Horton 20:20
um, it was
I just it’s just like I I’m in a win win situation. If I go to college, great and if I don’t, great, so I it’s, it’s not I’m not in a bad situation at all. I’m actually in a really good spot. So that’s how I look at it.
Deion Imade 20:43
I feel like you’ve said that sentence before – a win win situation at either. I feel like it kind of goes with your life here. I mean with you. If you say you had a terrible football season, but you still have an opportunity to make it up on the baseball diamond, or if you have a good football season and you can you can follow it up with a good baseball season. So your life has just been a win win situation.
Cade Horton 21:08
Yeah.
Deion Imade 21:09
Well that I think that’s the perfect title for this for this interview. Anyway, well, hopefully we we get to see you continue on that winning trend. And I don’t know if you can see above me right here. Hopefully that’s not too many wins during Bedlem. Thank you so much for joining us Cade. And thank you so much and good luck with everything you have in the future.
Cade Horton 21:34
Thank you. Appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
Deion Imade 21:37
I’d like to thank Cade Horton for being our guest today. Hey, you guys working out this summer. We want to see your preparation for the upcoming season. If you want to see yourselves on TV, send them to me at @deionimade_28 (on Twitter). We’re interested in all sports. We’re talking about volleyball, softball, track, whoever’s playing and participating in sports in the state. of Oklahoma on the high school level, send us your videos and we’ll show them on TV. Go to your YurView.com/OK for more complete interviews and high school sports content. Thank you for watching Ford High School Weekly. Until next time, I’m your host, Deion Imade.
