2025 MLB Draft Profile: Missouri Pitcher Sam Horn

Missouri Tigers pitcher Sam Horn has the chance to be one of the highest MLB Draft picks from the program since 2020, when fellow pitcher Ian Bedell went in the fourth round.

Horn, also a quarterback for Missouri's football team, sits as a MLB.com top-150 draft prospect and Baseball America has him as the No. 56 prospect in the class. Despite the range in his prospect rankings, his talent and potential is clear, which puts him in a good position for the upcoming draft.

But there is a chance the right-hand pitcher would decline the draft option and choose to instead return to Mizzou for another football season. He is currently competing for the starting quarterback role with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula.

Should he choose not to sign a contract with a team, he could return for the 2025 football season and 2026 baseball season. After those seasons, he would be able to enter the draft pool again.

"He showed what he is capable of," head coach Kerrick Jackson said in a post game conference following their first round exit of the SEC Tournament. "But that's what you get when you get a guy that's a two-sport athlete, right? We are only getting him part of the time."

Here's a look at Horn's draft stock, and what he would bring to a MLB team.

Player Info

• DOB: August 21, 2003 (21)
• Hometown: Lawrenceville, Ga.
• High School: Collins Hill
• Recruiting Class: 2022
• Positions: Right-hand Pitcher

MLB Combine Scouting and Evaluation

Even with his fate uncertain on which sport he will pursue, Horn participated in the MLB Draft combine in June.

In the MLB Draft Combine, Horn displayed an above average fast ball and slider, with a slightly below average changeup. He is capable of reaching the upper 90s with his fastball, averaging 94-96 mph with stuff. His slider has been tagged as a plus pitch with some bite to it that sits in the lower 80s. However, Horn has favored a sweeper rather than the slider, following his return from Tommy John.

In Horn's favor is his athleticism. The 6-foot-4 right hander's ability to play two sports displays his agility and toughness, which comes as a plus for someone with little collegiate experience. He has proven that he is capable of continued development and has a high ceiling, with throwing upper 90s before being drafting.

Horn's biggest downfalls in his draft stock comes with having just 15 collegiate innings under his belt, and his uncertainty with which sport to pursue.

After an impressive first couple of innings in his freshman season, Horn found himself sidelined with injury. It was revealed prior to his redshirt freshman season that he would undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL.

He returned to the mound in the middle of April, starting five games for the Tigers. Horn struck out 14 batters in 10 2/3 innings. While his fastball served him well in that fashion, he struggled with control at times, walking eight batters and hitting three.

With much of Horn's collegiate pitching experience coming during a return from injury, it is hard to be certain of his true talent and skill level. Despite solid stats already, he is still expected to refine his pitches more and work on control, making him an attractive draft pick.

MLB Comparison: Bubba Chandler

Projection

While Horn has the potential to be a late Day 1 pick, it is more likely that he will be chosen in day two of the draft.

Teams would likely be weary to draft Horn and end up wasting a draft pick, however, if he chose not to sign with the team. Due to this, Horn may see himself get drafted in a lower spot than predicted.

The Last Word

“Whenever he settles in to figuring out exactly what lane he's going to go in, I think he's going to be phenomenal in whatever he chooses."Kerrick Jackson on Horn