The St. Louis Cardinals continued to bolster their pitching pipeline on Day 2 of the 2026 MLB Draft, selecting right-handed pitcher Drew Horn from Middle Tennessee State University with the 354th overall pick in the 12th round.
At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, the Smyrna, Tenn., native may not fit the classic prototype of a power right-hander, but Horn’s performance in the Conference USA and his proven ability to miss bats have earned him a professional opportunity with an organization that values strike-throwing and competitive makeup.
Horn enjoyed a breakout 2025 season as a redshirt sophomore for the Blue Raiders, posting a sparkling 1.75 ERA over eight starts and 46.1 innings. He led the team with 57 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .149 batting average. His highlight moment came on March 9, 2025, when he tossed a nine-inning no-hitter against Oakland University, striking out 13 and walking just two to earn College Baseball Foundation co-Pitcher of the Week honors along with multiple national and conference weekly accolades.
That dominant outing was part of a larger surge that saw Horn earn All-Conference USA Second Team honors in 2025, a spot on the 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Watchlist, and preseason All-Conference USA recognition.
Horn’s calling card is a lively fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has been clocked as high as 98 mph, boasting strong spin rates that generate swings-and-misses up in the zone. He complements it with a mid-80s slider (sometimes described as a “slutter”) that provides a solid secondary offering.
His compact frame and athletic delivery allow him to repeat mechanics well when healthy, contributing to the impressive strikeout rates seen at both the junior college and Division I levels. Control has been a strength at times, though he battled some inconsistency and an injury in 2026 that limited his effectiveness.
Prior to MTSU, Horn began his collegiate career at Walters State Community College in Tennessee. As a redshirt freshman in 2024, he appeared in 16 games (two starts), posting a 3.25 ERA in 25 innings with an eye-popping 14.04 K/9 rate.
A 2022 graduate of Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, Horn comes from a strong athletic family. He is the son of Randy and Terri Horn, both MTSU graduates. His father played football for the Blue Raiders, and his grandfather, Larry Maxwell, competed in both baseball and basketball at Tennessee Tech. Horn is majoring in Sport Management.
Injuries have interrupted his trajectory at points — including a shortened 2025 campaign and a hampered 2026 season in which he went 2-2 with a 7.32 ERA in 35.2 innings across 10 appearances (eight starts) — but when right, he has shown the ability to dominate and go deep into games.
For the Cardinals, Horn represents classic mid-round value: a polished college arm with swing-and-miss stuff who could develop into a reliable starter or high-leverage reliever. St. Louis has a strong track record of developing right-handed pitchers who may lack prototypical size but possess competitive fire and pitchability.
Horn becomes the latest in a string of Conference USA products to hear their name called, and he’ll look to follow the path of other Cardinals draftees who have turned strong college performances into professional success. Expect him to report to the Gulf Coast League or a short-season affiliate to begin his climb through the system.
Welcome to the Cardinal Way, Drew Horn.
