Horwitz, possible first baseman, acquired from Guardians for Ortiz
The Pirates have evidently found their first baseman, as they have acquired Spencer Horwitz from the Guardians in exchange for pitchers Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle, per source.
Horwitz, 27, was acquired by the Guardians in the deal that sent Andres Gimenez to the Blue Jays earlier today. He slashed .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games this past season. He finished first among all qualifed MLB rookies in on-base percentage, fourth in OPS (.790), sixth in batting average and eighth in slugging percentage.
Horwitz, whose ties to Matt Hague stem from his time coaching in the Blue Jays’ organization, doesn’t hit the ball hard — an 88.2 average exit velocity and 36.6 hard-hit rate — but his plate discipline is a plus. He ranked above average in a number of offensive metrics this past season, including squared-up rate (27.3%; 72nd percentile), chase rate (25.7%; 69th percentile), whiff rate (19.4%; 79th percentile), strikeout rate (18.4%; 69th percentile) and walk rate (11%; 83rd percentile).
“Spencer has been a consistently strong offensive performer throughout his pro career, including his first extended major-league experience this season,” Ben Cherington said. “As a left-handed hitting first baseman with on-base skill, we believe he’s a strong fit for our lineup and team.”
In his first significant taste of major-league action in 2024, Horwitz appeared in 41 games at first base, 39 at second and 17 at designated hitter. He was voted the International League’s best defensive infielder by league managers in a Baseball America poll in 2023.
In trading away Ortiz, the Pirates part ways with a versatile pitcher. He was dependable as both a reliever and a starter, posting a 3.32 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 37 appearances and 15 starts. Kennedy and Hartle are ranked as the Pirates' No. 15 and 17 prospects, respectively, according to MLB Pipeline. In acquiring Horwitz in this three-for-one deal, they get a quality hitter with six years of team control to fill a need in the field and in the lineup.
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THE ASYLUM
José Negron
10:48 pm - 12.10.2024DallasHorwitz, possible first baseman, acquired from Guardians for Ortiz
The Pirates have evidently found their first baseman, as they have acquired Spencer Horwitz from the Guardians in exchange for pitchers Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle, per source.
Horwitz, 27, was acquired by the Guardians in the deal that sent Andres Gimenez to the Blue Jays earlier today. He slashed .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games this past season. He finished first among all qualifed MLB rookies in on-base percentage, fourth in OPS (.790), sixth in batting average and eighth in slugging percentage.
Horwitz, whose ties to Matt Hague stem from his time coaching in the Blue Jays’ organization, doesn’t hit the ball hard — an 88.2 average exit velocity and 36.6 hard-hit rate — but his plate discipline is a plus. He ranked above average in a number of offensive metrics this past season, including squared-up rate (27.3%; 72nd percentile), chase rate (25.7%; 69th percentile), whiff rate (19.4%; 79th percentile), strikeout rate (18.4%; 69th percentile) and walk rate (11%; 83rd percentile).
“Spencer has been a consistently strong offensive performer throughout his pro career, including his first extended major-league experience this season,” Ben Cherington said. “As a left-handed hitting first baseman with on-base skill, we believe he’s a strong fit for our lineup and team.”
In his first significant taste of major-league action in 2024, Horwitz appeared in 41 games at first base, 39 at second and 17 at designated hitter. He was voted the International League’s best defensive infielder by league managers in a Baseball America poll in 2023.
In trading away Ortiz, the Pirates part ways with a versatile pitcher. He was dependable as both a reliever and a starter, posting a 3.32 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 37 appearances and 15 starts. Kennedy and Hartle are ranked as the Pirates' No. 15 and 17 prospects, respectively, according to MLB Pipeline. In acquiring Horwitz in this three-for-one deal, they get a quality hitter with six years of team control to fill a need in the field and in the lineup.
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