Spencer Horwitz Bio
Spencer Elliott Horwitz is an American professional baseball first baseman and second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays selected Horwitz in the 24th round of the 2019 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut in 2023. Horwitz played for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Early Life and Background
Spencer Elliott Horwitz was born on November 14, 1997, in Timonium, Maryland. He is the son of David Horwitz and Laura Horwitz, and has a brother named Ben. Horwitz is Jewish. He attended St. Paul’s School for Boys in Brooklandville, Maryland, where he excelled in both baseball and hockey. In baseball, Horwitz played as a catcher and was a 2016 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association First Team selection while also earning MIAA All-Conference honors twice. In hockey, he served as a defenseman and led the high school to two state championships.
Path to Professional Baseball
Horwitz played college baseball at Radford University, where he primarily played first base. As a freshman in 2017, he batted .311 with an on-base percentage of .384 and a slugging percentage of .481 in 206 at-bats. He earned Big South Conference Second Team honors and was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. In his sophomore season of 2018, Horwitz batted .288 with a .386 on-base percentage and .443 slugging percentage in 219 at-bats, drove in 43 runs which ranked seventh in the conference, and earned another Big South Conference Second Team selection. After the 2018 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In his junior year of 2019, he batted .268 with a .392 on-base percentage and .465 slugging percentage, hitting 10 home runs while drawing a league-leading 49 walks against only 29 strikeouts, earning Big South Conference Honorable Mention.
Spencer Horwitz Career
Minor League Career (2019–2022)
The Toronto Blue Jays selected Horwitz in the 24th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed for a $100,000 signing bonus. He spent his first professional season with the Rookie League Bluefield Blue Jays and Low-A Vancouver Canadians. Horwitz batted a combined .307 with a .368 on-base percentage and .440 slugging percentage, hitting 4 home runs and driving in 52 runs. He was named a 2019 Appalachian League Post-Season All-Star. The 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Horwitz did not play that year.
Horwitz returned in 2021 with the High-A Vancouver Canadians and Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He posted a combined .294 batting average with a .400 on-base percentage and .462 slugging percentage, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 66 runs. He drew more walks (70) than strikeouts (66) while leading the High-A West in doubles (28, tied) and walks (70). Horwitz also recorded a 28-game hitting streak, breaking a 60-year-old Northwest League record. He was named the Northwest League’s 2021 Top MLB Prospect and earned Post-Season All-Star honors. Following the season, he played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .375 with a .460 on-base percentage in 64 at-bats and was named an AFL Rising Star. MLB.com ranked him as Toronto’s number 30 prospect.
Toronto Blue Jays Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Horwitz began 2022 with New Hampshire and was named Eastern League Player of the Week on June 13. He was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo following a strong start to the season. Across both levels in 2022, he batted .275 with a .391 on-base percentage and .452 slugging percentage in 403 at-bats, scoring 77 runs while hitting 12 home runs and driving in 51. He played 73 games at first base and 20 games in left field. On November 15, 2022, Horwitz was added to the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster and was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the 2023 season. Baseball America named him Toronto’s number 14 prospect.
Following a hot start in Triple-A, Horwitz was promoted to the major leagues on June 16, 2023. On June 18, 2023, he made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays and collected his first MLB hit off Texas Rangers pitcher Jon Gray. He hit his first major-league home run, a solo shot, in a 7-5 win against the Colorado Rockies on September 3, 2023. In 39 at-bats for the Blue Jays that season, he hit .256 with a .341 on-base percentage and .385 slugging percentage. During his time in Triple-A Buffalo that year, he batted .337 which ranked 10th in the league while drawing 78 walks against 72 strikeouts. He was voted the Bisons’ 2023 team MVP and was recognized as the International League’s top defensive infielder.
On January 19, 2024, MLB Pipeline ranked Horwitz number 9 on its Top 10 First Baseman Prospects list. He was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the 2024 season, where he batted .335 with a .456 on-base percentage and .514 slugging percentage in 212 at-bats, with more walks (44) than strikeouts (41). Horwitz was called up to the Blue Jays on June 6, 2024, after the club designated Cavan Biggio for assignment. For the 2024 season with Toronto, he batted .265 with a .357 on-base percentage and .433 slugging percentage, scoring 46 runs while hitting 12 home runs and driving in 40 in 328 at-bats. Defensively, he split time between first base (41 games), second base (39 games), and designated hitter (17 games). Among qualified American League rookies, Horwitz ranked first in OPS and seventh in WAR.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2025–Present)
On December 10, 2024, Horwitz was traded from the Blue Jays to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for Andrés Giménez and Nick Sandlin. On the same day, he was then traded by the Guardians to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy, and Josh Hartle. Horwitz missed spring training and the first 45 games of the 2025 season following thumb surgery to relieve right wrist pain. He returned and made an impact on July 23, 2025, when he hit his first career grand slam off Troy Melton of the Detroit Tigers. For the 2025 season, Horwitz batted .272 with a .353 on-base percentage and .434 slugging percentage in 364 at-bats, hitting 26 doubles and 11 home runs while scoring 55 runs and driving in 51.
Driving Style and Strengths
Horwitz is known for his exceptional plate discipline and ability to draw walks at a high rate. Throughout his minor league career, he consistently posted more walks than strikeouts, demonstrating a patient approach at the plate. He shows power to all fields and has proven ability to hit for average at every level. Defensively, he is versatile enough to play both first base and second base at a high level, which adds value to his profile. His ability to handle both corner infield positions gives his team lineup flexibility.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his notable achievements, Horwitz set a 60-year-old Northwest League record with a 28-game hitting streak in 2021. He earned Northwest League Top MLB Prospect honors that same year. His MLB debut came on June 18, 2023, against the Texas Rangers. His first career grand slam came on July 23, 2025, against the Detroit Tigers while playing for Pittsburgh. Throughout his minor league career, he accumulated strong numbers while consistently demonstrating plate discipline that exceeded his strikeout totals.
Spencer Horwitz Career Wins
Horwitz has built impressive statistics across his professional career through June 20, 2026. He has accumulated a career batting average of .271 with 34 home runs and 131 runs batted in across his MLB tenure.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Through June 20, 2026, Horwitz has played in parts of four MLB seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates. He has accumulated a career batting average of .271 with 34 home runs and 131 RBIs. His best professional season came in Triple-A Buffalo in 2023, where he batted .337 with 30 doubles while drawing 78 walks against only 72 strikeouts. He followed that with a strong 2024 Triple-A campaign, batting .335 with a .456 on-base percentage. In his rookie MLB season of 2024, he ranked first among qualified American League rookies in OPS and seventh in WAR.
Minor League Achievements
Horwitz posted outstanding numbers throughout his minor league career. In 2019, he batted .307 with 52 RBIs and earned Appalachian League Post-Season All-Star honors. His breakout 2021 season saw him hit .294 with 12 home runs and 66 RBIs while leading the High-A West in doubles and walks. He was named the Northwest League’s Top MLB Prospect and earned Post-Season All-Star recognition. Following that season, he excelled in the Arizona Fall League with a .375 batting average, earning AFL Rising Star honors.
Spencer Horwitz Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Horwitz grew up in Timonium, Maryland, as the son of David Horwitz and Laura Horwitz. He has a brother named Ben who also played baseball. His family has supported his baseball career throughout his development from youth hockey and baseball through his collegiate and professional career.
Personal Life
Horwitz is Jewish and represented Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He played left field for Team Israel under manager Ian Kinsler, alongside All-Star outfielder Joc Pederson and starting pitcher Dean Kremer. Beyond baseball, Horwitz was a multi-sport athlete in high school, excelling as both a baseball player and hockey defenseman. He led his high school hockey team to two state championships during his time at St. Paul’s School for Boys.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Horwitz’s first full season with the Pittsburgh Pirates following the December 2024 trade. He began the year on the injured list after undergoing thumb surgery during spring training, missing the first 45 games of the season. He rejoined the active roster in late May and worked to establish himself in the Pirates lineup. On July 23, 2025, he delivered a memorable moment by hitting his first career grand slam against Detroit Tigers pitcher Troy Melton, providing a signature highlight during his first season with his new club.
Throughout the 2025 campaign, Horwitz served as a versatile infielder for the Pirates, logging time at both first base and second base. He continued to demonstrate the patient approach at the plate that characterized his minor league success, drawing walks and working deep counts. His ability to play multiple positions added valuable flexibility to the Pirates roster as they developed their young core. He finished the season with solid numbers including 26 doubles, 11 home runs, and 51 RBIs while maintaining his reputation for plate discipline.
Looking ahead, Horwitz appears positioned as an important part of the Pirates’ future at the corner infield spots. His defensive versatility to play first base and second base provides the team with valuable positional flexibility. His demonstrated ability to hit for average and power while maintaining excellent plate discipline suggests he can be a consistent contributor in the middle of a lineup. If he remains healthy following his wrist issues, his patient approach should help him continue to develop as a reliable run producer for Pittsburgh.