Position preview: Horwitz looks to make case as full-time option
The offseason has been quiet for Ben Cherington and the Pirates' front office. Outside of a few additions via free agency and trades, they haven't done much to improve the roster. So, as sping training approaches and the team heads to Bradenton, Fla, there are questions that need to be answered.
That being said, welcome to the second edition of our 2025 positional preview. I started yesterday with the catchers and will be working my way around the diamond before finishing with the starting rotation and bullpen on Sunday and Monday, respectively. We'll look at what players are in the hunt for playing time, take a look back at what happened in 2024 and what the outlook is for 2025. Hope you enjoy it.
• Position: First base
• Players: Spencer Horwitz, Billy Cook, Endy Rodriguez, Jared Triolo
• 2024 review: The pairing of Rowdy Tellez and Connor Joe made a combined 203 appearances -- 1,359 2/3 innings -- while Jared Triolo (9), Yasmani Grandal (2) and Billy Cook (5) made occasional appearances as well.
Tellez and Joe were both sub-par offensively. While hitting 13 home runs and tallying 56 RBIs, Tellez went through his fair share of struggles and hit .243/.299/.392 in 131 games. Tellez started slow, hitting .192 in April and .143 in May, but found his stride over the next three months. He hit .333 in June, .297 in July and .300 in August. During that stretch, he hit 11 home runs and tallied 42 RBIs. He was released in late September four plate appearances shy of a $200,000 bonus, a move the front office received plenty of criticism for.
In his second season in Pittsburgh, Joe played 123 games, struck out 91 times, hit .228/.320/.368 and added nine home runs to go with 36 RBIs and 22 doubles. He also recorded a .688 OPS, the lowest mark of his career. Among the 36 first basemen with at least 400 plate appearances, Joe ranked 32nd in batting average and Tellez ranked 22nd. They both ranked in the bottom six -- Tellez was 31st and Joe was 33rd -- in OPS, painting a picture of where the Pirates ranked compared to the rest of the league.
Cook played 35 innings at first base after being acquired from the Orioles and called up on Sept. 8. He earned a majority of his playing time -- 85 innings -- in the outfield and hit .224/.224/.449, with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs. He also struck out 19 times in 49 plate appearances over 16 games. He showed his determination to play the game with high energy and a lot of effort and flashed his potential on different occasions as all eight of his RBIs came from four games. In his Pirates debut, he recorded a two-hit, two-RBI game in a 7-3 win over the Nationals.
The position left a lot to be desired in 2024 as there was a lack of consistent power that never provided a true threat in the middle of the lineup, which needs to change in 2025.
• 2025 outlook: The Pirates' main move of the offseason was sending Luis L. Ortiz, 2024 third-round draft pick Josh Hartle and 20-year-old left-hander Michael Kennedy to the Guardians for 27-year-old first-baseman Spencer Horwitz. Whether he'll be the full-time answer at first base or work in a platoon with Cook, is a question that will be answered in spring training.
To start, it looks like first base is Horwitz's position to lose. He was acquired to fill the hole that was left by Tellez and Joe and he's confident that he can prove what he's capable of after playing 337 2/3 innings at the position over the last two years. Horwitz also played 288 innings at second base last season, but how he performs at the plate will ultimately determine the type of playing time he garners.
As a left-handed bat, Horwitz hit .265/.357/.433 last season with the Blue Jays and recorded a .790 OPS to go with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. However, he's hit right-handed pitching much better than left-handers in his career. In his two major-league seasons, he's hit .283/.376/.476 against right-handers compared to .195/.276/.247 against left-handers. He's also never hit a home run against a left-handed pitcher in the majors.
“I’ve been working at it for years," Horwitz said last month at PiratesFest. "I don’t want to be known as a platoon guy, hopefully, I get some chances against lefties too.”
With Class AAA Buffalo last season, Horwitz had 55 at-bats against lefties and hit .309/.424/.345 with a .769 OPS and no home runs. In 2023, he recorded 115 at-bats against lefties and hit .261/.350/.348 with a .698 OPS and one home run. If his struggles against left-handed pitching continue, it leaves the door wide open for Cook as a right-handed hitting option.
Cook has limited exposure to left-handed pitching at the major-league level. In his 10 plate appearances against lefties last season, he hit for a .400 average with one home run and five RBIs. In his 39 at-bats against right-handed pitchers, Cook hit .179/.179/.359. It was much of the same in the minors as he hit .291/.438/.544 against left-handers while playing at three different levels.
Endy Rodriguez is another player who could be an option down the line if he shows he can hit consistently after undergoing Tommy John surgery last offseason. Rodriguez said he hasn't had any conversations with the Pirates about playing first base this season and said he is a catcher, first and foremost, at PiratesFest last month. However, he has worked at the position in the past and said he's open to playing wherever to help the team win.
Like other positions, the Pirates still have questions to answer at first base and it looks like the situation will play out at LECOM Park over the next month and a half until the best option reveals itself.
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
5:37 pm - 02.05.2025DowntownPosition preview: Horwitz looks to make case as full-time option
The offseason has been quiet for Ben Cherington and the Pirates' front office. Outside of a few additions via free agency and trades, they haven't done much to improve the roster. So, as sping training approaches and the team heads to Bradenton, Fla, there are questions that need to be answered.
That being said, welcome to the second edition of our 2025 positional preview. I started yesterday with the catchers and will be working my way around the diamond before finishing with the starting rotation and bullpen on Sunday and Monday, respectively. We'll look at what players are in the hunt for playing time, take a look back at what happened in 2024 and what the outlook is for 2025. Hope you enjoy it.
• Position: First base
• Players: Spencer Horwitz, Billy Cook, Endy Rodriguez, Jared Triolo
• 2024 review: The pairing of Rowdy Tellez and Connor Joe made a combined 203 appearances -- 1,359 2/3 innings -- while Jared Triolo (9), Yasmani Grandal (2) and Billy Cook (5) made occasional appearances as well.
Tellez and Joe were both sub-par offensively. While hitting 13 home runs and tallying 56 RBIs, Tellez went through his fair share of struggles and hit .243/.299/.392 in 131 games. Tellez started slow, hitting .192 in April and .143 in May, but found his stride over the next three months. He hit .333 in June, .297 in July and .300 in August. During that stretch, he hit 11 home runs and tallied 42 RBIs. He was released in late September four plate appearances shy of a $200,000 bonus, a move the front office received plenty of criticism for.
In his second season in Pittsburgh, Joe played 123 games, struck out 91 times, hit .228/.320/.368 and added nine home runs to go with 36 RBIs and 22 doubles. He also recorded a .688 OPS, the lowest mark of his career. Among the 36 first basemen with at least 400 plate appearances, Joe ranked 32nd in batting average and Tellez ranked 22nd. They both ranked in the bottom six -- Tellez was 31st and Joe was 33rd -- in OPS, painting a picture of where the Pirates ranked compared to the rest of the league.
Cook played 35 innings at first base after being acquired from the Orioles and called up on Sept. 8. He earned a majority of his playing time -- 85 innings -- in the outfield and hit .224/.224/.449, with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs. He also struck out 19 times in 49 plate appearances over 16 games. He showed his determination to play the game with high energy and a lot of effort and flashed his potential on different occasions as all eight of his RBIs came from four games. In his Pirates debut, he recorded a two-hit, two-RBI game in a 7-3 win over the Nationals.
The position left a lot to be desired in 2024 as there was a lack of consistent power that never provided a true threat in the middle of the lineup, which needs to change in 2025.
• 2025 outlook: The Pirates' main move of the offseason was sending Luis L. Ortiz, 2024 third-round draft pick Josh Hartle and 20-year-old left-hander Michael Kennedy to the Guardians for 27-year-old first-baseman Spencer Horwitz. Whether he'll be the full-time answer at first base or work in a platoon with Cook, is a question that will be answered in spring training.
To start, it looks like first base is Horwitz's position to lose. He was acquired to fill the hole that was left by Tellez and Joe and he's confident that he can prove what he's capable of after playing 337 2/3 innings at the position over the last two years. Horwitz also played 288 innings at second base last season, but how he performs at the plate will ultimately determine the type of playing time he garners.
As a left-handed bat, Horwitz hit .265/.357/.433 last season with the Blue Jays and recorded a .790 OPS to go with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. However, he's hit right-handed pitching much better than left-handers in his career. In his two major-league seasons, he's hit .283/.376/.476 against right-handers compared to .195/.276/.247 against left-handers. He's also never hit a home run against a left-handed pitcher in the majors.
“I’ve been working at it for years," Horwitz said last month at PiratesFest. "I don’t want to be known as a platoon guy, hopefully, I get some chances against lefties too.”
With Class AAA Buffalo last season, Horwitz had 55 at-bats against lefties and hit .309/.424/.345 with a .769 OPS and no home runs. In 2023, he recorded 115 at-bats against lefties and hit .261/.350/.348 with a .698 OPS and one home run. If his struggles against left-handed pitching continue, it leaves the door wide open for Cook as a right-handed hitting option.
Cook has limited exposure to left-handed pitching at the major-league level. In his 10 plate appearances against lefties last season, he hit for a .400 average with one home run and five RBIs. In his 39 at-bats against right-handed pitchers, Cook hit .179/.179/.359. It was much of the same in the minors as he hit .291/.438/.544 against left-handers while playing at three different levels.
Endy Rodriguez is another player who could be an option down the line if he shows he can hit consistently after undergoing Tommy John surgery last offseason. Rodriguez said he hasn't had any conversations with the Pirates about playing first base this season and said he is a catcher, first and foremost, at PiratesFest last month. However, he has worked at the position in the past and said he's open to playing wherever to help the team win.
Like other positions, the Pirates still have questions to answer at first base and it looks like the situation will play out at LECOM Park over the next month and a half until the best option reveals itself.
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Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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