Position: IF
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 190 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Born: 11/14/1997
College: Radford University
How Acquired: (Trade (with Guardians)
Drafted: 24th Round, 717th Overall, 2019 (Blue Jays)
Bonus: $100,000
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 1
Overview
Horwitz is a contact-oriented hitter with exceptional plate discipline who went from a 24th-round draft pick of Toronto to the majors. He hit for high averages throughout the minors and often walked more than he struck out. He also developed moderate power. He’s struggled badly against LHPs in the majors and upper minors. An issue for him has been a positional fit. In the minors, he played mostly first, with some time in the outfield. In the majors he’s split his time about evenly between first and second. Statcast rates his speed and arm near the bottom of the scale. The scouting reports on his defense at first in the minors weren’t good, but the defensive metrics in the majors have found him close to average at second and a little above at first.
During the 2024 winter meetings, Horwitz was traded twice on the same day. First Toronto sent him to Cleveland, then the Pirates acquired him for three pitchers in what appeared to be an overpay.
2019-22
Horwitz hit at every level as he moved up through the minors. Toronto started him in advanced rookie ball and he hit .330 with good doubles power. He didn’t play during the 2020 season. In 2021, Horwitz spent most of the season in high A, where he posted an .846 OPS with more walks than strikeouts, and ten home runs. He added another two longballs in a brief stint in AA.
The Jays sent Horwitz back to AA to open 2022 and he put up a 297/413/517 line with ten home runs in 70 games. He followed that with a .724 OPS in 44 games in AAA. LHPs were a problem, though, as on the year he managed only a .681 OPS against them, compared to .891 against RHPs. The Jays added him to the 40-man roster after the season.
2023-24
Back in AAA in 2023, Horwitz had a 337/450/495 line, with 30 doubles and ten home runs, and more walks than strikeouts. He got into several major league games in June, then got a September callup, and had a .726 OPS in 15 games with the Jays. The platoon split remained, as he had a .691 OPS against LHPs and wrecked RHPs for a 1.016 figure.
A little surprisingly, the Jays sent Horwitz back to AAA to start 2024. He continued hitting, with a .970 OPS and again more walks than strikeouts. The Jays finally called him up in early June and he took over as their main second baseman, although he moved to first in August. He batted 265/357/433 with a dozen home runs in 97 major league games. The platoon split continued, although he got only 81 plate appearances against LHPs. He had a .522 OPS against them and .864 against RHPs.
After the trade to Cleveland, the Pirates acquired Horwitz for Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle. They hope he’ll fill their traditional first base vacancy.
Stats
Transactions
June 5, 2019: Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 24th round, 717th overall pick; signed on June 16.
November 15, 2022: Contract purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays.
December 10, 2024: Traded by the Toronto Blue Jays with Nick Mitchell to the Ceveland Guardians for Andres Gimenez.
December 10, 2024: Traded by the Cleveland Guardians to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle.