Pirates Hitting Coach Helped Spencer Horwitz Modernize Approach
There will be a sense of familiarity for first baseman Spencer Horwitz when he first steps into the dugout for the first time as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Newly hired Pirates hitting coach Matt Hague ascended the coaching ranks in the Toronto Blue Jays organization on a similar timeline to that of Horwitz. In their time together, Horwitz credited Hague with helping him improve his approach to hitting when they were together in Double-A New Hampshire in 2022. As a result, Horwitz turned things around and not long after, was called up to Triple-A Buffalo.
"Before I worked with Matt, I was not a real big thinker about hitting," Horwitz said in a Q&A with MLB.com's Jim Lachimia. "I was more, “See ball. Hit ball.” Kind of old-school. It took struggling in 2022 for about a month for me to open up and be willing to try some new things. From 2022 on, Matt taught me so much about game planning -- understanding what the pitcher is trying to do, and what I do well. But also understanding the actual swing and what it’s supposed to feel like and what it’s supposed to look like."
Horwitz was part of a trade to the Cleveland Guardians for All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez on Dec. 10. That same night, Horwitz was traded from the Guardians to the Pirates for a trio of pitchers, including right-hander Luis Ortiz.
After a solid start to the 2022 season in New Hampshire, Horwitz endured a brutal month at the plate in May, batting .216/.337/.365 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs and he struck out 20 times across his 74 at-bats. Horwitz made a complete 180 in June, batting .370/.490/.667 with 5 home runs and 13 RBIs. As a result, Horwitz got called up to Triple-A on July 5, 2022.
Horwitz, 27, made his MLB debut in 2023, playing in just 15 games. After beginning the 2024 season in Triple-A, Horwitz was called up in June and played in 97 games, batting .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 381 plate appearances.
Hague was the Blue Jays' assistant hitting coach in 2024 before getting hired as the Pirates' hitting coach earlier this offseason.
