MESA, Ariz. — For much of 2024 Cade Horton couldn’t find a groove.

“I think there was some mechanical things and just really not feeling like myself, [not] feeling athletic and I felt like I was trying to force a lot of things,” Horton said on Sunday morning near the agility field at Sloan Park.

As a pitcher, it can be simple to fall into the trap of trying to repeat mechanics and — in Horton’s case — losing some of what made him a 1st-round pick in 2022.

[WATCH: Jed Hoyer recaps Cubs’ offseason in exclusive interview during Cubs-Rangers Cactus League game]

“Sometimes as pitchers, we can get so robotic and just ‘pick up your leg, break your hands [and] go,’” Horton said.

Manager Craig Counsell wanted Horton to return to his old self.

“Cade’s such a good athlete and just don’t forget about that’s kind of how you got here is because you’re just a great athlete,” Counsell said. “Everybody, the industry and the information and the training facilities, the world can make [pitching] super complicated. It really doesn’t need to be super complicated for Cade.

“He’s an athletic mover that has really good pitch qualities. Just go do that and then the learning will kind of happen through the experience.”

[WATCH: An exclusive, in-game interview with Kyle Tucker after his Cubs debut]

That’s what he tried to accomplish on Sunday.

In his ramp-up before his first live batting practice of the season, Horton was on the agility field at Sloan Park and playing long toss, but he was side-stepping forward before unleashing a throw to his partner.

“When I’m out here playing catch, you’ll see me take a three-step drop and throw the ball,” Horton said. “It’s just little things like that, just keeping me athletic and keeping me on time, and really getting my arm path back to being what it was.”

Horton then went out and threw a 1-inning outing where he faced four batters — outfielders Travis Jankowski twice and Greg Allen and infielder Ben Cowles.

Jankowski grounded to third base in his first appearance and then hit a line drive to left-center on the first pitch in the second. Allen struck out on a 2-2 count and Cowles popped out.

“Felt really good,” Horton said. “A lot of excitement — first live since May and I felt like my goal was to go out there and just attack hitters and kind of get my groove back on. And I feel like I accomplished that, so I’m happy with what went on today.”

Now, the hope for him and the Cubs is that Horton can build off that. Last year he looked destined to debut in the major leagues — he started the year in Double-A and was promoted to Triple-A after 4 solid outings at Tennessee. But Horton struggled with Iowa, posting a 7.50 ERA in 5 starts before landing on the injured list and missing the rest of the season with a Grade 2 subscap strain.

Now, as he strives to return to being the athlete that had him on the fast track to the majors, Horton hopes it means 2025 could be the year he debuts in Chicago.

“He needs to just pitch and take the ball on this on his start day,” Counsell said. “And pretty confident that the results will follow after that. So, injuries, it’s a part of the pitching journey, unfortunately, and he dealt with a bunch of stuff last year.

“But we feel really confident if he just gets out there on regular turn that a great version of Cade is going to show up.”