Growing up in Norman, Oklahoma, Horton attended Norman High School where he participated in football and baseball. In the past, he also belonged to a private fantasy football league.[1] Horton committed to play walk-on football at Oklahoma and baseball for the University of Oklahoma.[2] He ran for 1,149 yards and 15 touchdowns in his senior football season in addition to passing for 3,084 yards and 26 touchdowns with seven interceptions.[3] Before COVID-19 caused the baseball season to be cancelled, Horton batted.375 in five games and was voted the Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year.

Before the start of his rookie season, Horton tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, necessitating Tommy John surgery and a redshirt season.[5] Still recovering from elbow surgery, he started his redshirt freshman season at third base and occasionally filled in as a relief pitcher.Later, [6] Horton was added to the Sooners’ starting lineup.With the Sooners, he advanced to the Men’s College World Series and started two of the team’s games. He struck out 13 batters in 7.1 innings, a career high, in the MCWS Finals game against Ole Miss.[8]

The Chicago Cubs choose Horton with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.[9] The team signed him for $4.45 million.[10]