The Los Angeles Dodgers took a developmental gamble on Sam Horn in the 2025 MLB Draft, recognizing the potential of a two-sport athlete whose baseball career had been interrupted by injuries.

More than a year later, the right-handed pitcher is finally getting an opportunity to establish himself professionally.

Horn, selected by Los Angeles in the 17th round out of the University of Missouri, is making his professional debut with the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.

Despite limited collegiate experience on the mound and an extended recovery process, the 23-year-old has emerged as an intriguing bullpen arm during the fall showcase.

Through six appearances, Horn has recorded a 1.50 ERA across six innings. He has struck out eight batters while issuing four walks, giving the Dodgers an encouraging early look at a pitcher who has spent much of the past two years working his way back onto the field.

Horn arrived at Missouri as a two-sport athlete, balancing baseball with his responsibilities as a football player. However, his development on the diamond was interrupted by Tommy John surgery during the 2024 season.

Despite having pitched just 15 innings across three collegiate seasons in the Southeastern Conference, the Dodgers saw enough potential to select him in the 2025 Draft.

Los Angeles signed Horn for $497,500, allowing him to return to Missouri for another football season before beginning his professional baseball career.

That opportunity ended almost immediately.

Horn suffered a broken tibia during his only offensive play in Missouri's season opener against Central Arkansas on Aug. 28, 2025. The injury required two surgeries and further complicated his transition into professional baseball.

His recovery continued into 2026, preventing him from beginning his throwing program with the Dodgers until after spring training. He subsequently worked through rehabilitation, instructional workouts and bridge-league competition before receiving his assignment to the Arizona Fall League.

While Horn is still building experience, his physical tools have remained a significant part of his appeal.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander has primarily operated with a fastball in the 94-96 mph range, occasionally reaching 97 mph. His extension also helps the pitch play effectively against hitters, giving him an element that could become important as he progresses through the Dodgers' minor league system.

Horn has paired his fastball with a sweeping breaking ball that produces considerable horizontal movement. The 82-85 mph offering has already generated six of his 13 swinging strikes during his Arizona Fall League appearances.

Another area of development has involved his changeup. After experimenting with a different grip during his rehabilitation, Horn has incorporated a variation that features significant movement toward the arm side. The pitch has given him another option against left-handed hitters and has already produced encouraging results.

He has also spent time developing a cutter, although his limited bullpen appearances have not required him to rely on the additional offering extensively.

Horn's remaining Arizona Fall League appearances provide an opportunity to continue refining his pitches while becoming more comfortable with the professional game.

However, his next challenge will involve adjusting to a baseball-only schedule for the first time. Throughout his college career, football and baseball alternated as his primary responsibilities, giving him relatively little time away from organized competition.

Now, with his football career behind him, Horn will enter an offseason centered entirely on baseball.

For the Dodgers, his initial professional appearances represent an encouraging development after multiple injuries delayed his arrival. His performance in Glendale does not erase the time he missed, but it gives the organization an early opportunity to evaluate the pitcher it envisioned when selecting him in the 2025 Draft.