Injury to Pittsburgh Pirates' Spencer Horwitz Opens Door for Prospect Billy Cook to Get a Look

A return in eight weeks puts Horwitz on a timeline to rejoin the team the second week of the season, but there's also a question of how much rehab time Horwitz would need. The Pirates open the 2025 campaign on March 27 with four games at the Miami Marlins.

Cook, a 26-year-old first baseman and outfielder, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Pepperdine. The Pirates acquired him in a trade-deadline deal last July for minor league right-hander Patrick Reilly.

He showed the Pirates enough in 30 games at Triple-A Indianapolis last summer -- .276 average, five homers, 21 RBIs and nine stolen bases – to earn a September call-up. In 16 games with the Pirates, he hit .225. Among his 11 hits, three were home runs and he added eight RBIs.

The Pirates acquired Horwitz in a trade at the winter meetings on Dec. 10 as part of a three-team deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians. Pittsburgh completed the trade with the expectation he would start at first base.

Horwitz has 112 major league games under hit belt, hitting .264 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs. He’s exhibited a great eye at the plate, walking 46 times.

In three seasons at Triple-A Buffalo, he has a .316 average with 16 home runs and 122 RBIs. His walks-to-strikeout ratio is nearly 1:1 – 152 bases on balls and 154 strikeouts.

While Horwitz could be ready to start the season with the Pirates, Cook has a great opportunity to demonstrate his skills, either earning a roster spot or showing he could be a major league ready prospect waiting in the wings at Triple-A.