Pirates acquire first baseman Spencer Horwitz from Cleveland Guardians
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pirates announced late on Tuesday night that they had made a trade to acquire a first baseman.
The team acquired Spencer Horwitz from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz and minor-league pitchers Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy.
Earlier in the day, Horwitz was acquired by Cleveland from Toronto.
Horwitz finished first among MLB rookies in on-base percentage last season with a .357., fourth in OPS at .790, and a batting average of .265 to go along with a .433 slugging percentage.
"Spencer has been a consistently strong offensive performer throughout his pro career, including his first extended Major League experience this season," said Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington. "As a left-handed hitting first baseman with on-base skill, we believe he's a strong fit for our lineup and team."
He began his 2024 season in Triple-A where he ranked second in on-base percentage, third in batting average, fourth in walks, and seventh in OPS.
Then, once he was called up in June, he went on to reach base safely in each of his first 17 starts. He also had the fifth-most pitches seen in a plate appearance, where he saw 10 or more pitches during an at-bat seven times.
The 27-year-old was voted the International League's (Triple-A) Best Defensive Infielder in 2023.
