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==Early life and amateur career==
==Early life and amateur career==
Horwitz is the son of David and Laura Horwitz, and has a brother, Ben.<ref name="Spencer Horwitz - Baseball">{{cite web | url=https://radfordathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/spencer-horwitz/5947 | title=Spencer Horwitz - Baseball }}</ref> He was born in [[Timonium, Maryland]].<ref name="milb.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/news/horwitz-morris-named-high-a-west-postseason-all-stars | title=Horwitz, Morris Named High-A West Postseason All-Stars }}</ref> He is Jewish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/introducing-top-prospect-spencer-horwitz/|title=Introducing: top prospect Spencer Horwitz &#124; Jewish Baseball News}}</ref> He attended [[St. Paul's School for Boys (Maryland)|St. Paul's School for Boys]] in [[Brooklandville, Maryland]]. Playing baseball for the school, primarily at [[catcher]], he was a 2016 [[Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association]] (MIAA) First Team selection, and twice MIAA All-Conference, as in hockey he played as a [[defenseman]] and led the high school to two state championships.<ref name="Spencer Horwitz - Baseball"/><ref name="radfordathletics.com">{{cite web | url=https://radfordathletics.com/news/2021/12/6/baseball-radford-alum-spencer-horwitz-finds-success-in-the-minor-leagues.aspx | title=Radford Alum Spencer Horwitz Making the Most of Minor League Opportunity }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://csplusbaseball.ca/2019/11/26/cs-chat-2019-vancouver-canadians-1b-13-spencer-horwitz/ | title=C's Chat – 2019 Vancouver Canadians 1B #13 Spencer Horwitz | date=November 26, 2019 }}</ref>
Horwitz is the son of David and Laura Horwitz, and has a brother, Ben.<ref name="Spencer Horwitz - Baseball">{{cite web | url=https://radfordathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/spencer-horwitz/5947 | title=Spencer Horwitz - Baseball }}</ref> He was born in [[Timonium, Maryland]]. <ref>https://twitter.com/Jay_HorwitzPR/status/1669809919132856320?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet</ref> Horwitz is also the gradson of long time [[New York Mets]] Media Relations Director Jay Horwitz <ref name="milb.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/news/horwitz-morris-named-high-a-west-postseason-all-stars | title=Horwitz, Morris Named High-A West Postseason All-Stars }}</ref> He is Jewish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewishbaseballnews.com/introducing-top-prospect-spencer-horwitz/|title=Introducing: top prospect Spencer Horwitz &#124; Jewish Baseball News}}</ref> He attended [[St. Paul's School for Boys (Maryland)|St. Paul's School for Boys]] in [[Brooklandville, Maryland]]. Playing baseball for the school, primarily at [[catcher]], he was a 2016 [[Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association]] (MIAA) First Team selection, and twice MIAA All-Conference, as in hockey he played as a [[defenseman]] and led the high school to two state championships.<ref name="Spencer Horwitz - Baseball"/><ref name="radfordathletics.com">{{cite web | url=https://radfordathletics.com/news/2021/12/6/baseball-radford-alum-spencer-horwitz-finds-success-in-the-minor-leagues.aspx | title=Radford Alum Spencer Horwitz Making the Most of Minor League Opportunity }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://csplusbaseball.ca/2019/11/26/cs-chat-2019-vancouver-canadians-1b-13-spencer-horwitz/ | title=C's Chat – 2019 Vancouver Canadians 1B #13 Spencer Horwitz | date=November 26, 2019 }}</ref>


Horwitz then played [[college baseball]] at [[Radford University]], playing 161 games at [[first base]] and 6 games in [[left field]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=horwit000spe# | title=Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History }}</ref> In 2017 as a freshman, Horwitz batted .311/.384/.481, and was named [[Big South Conference]] Second Team, and a ''[[Collegiate Baseball]]'' Freshman [[All-America|All American]].<ref name="baseball-reference.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=horwit000spe | title=Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History }}</ref> In 2018, he batted .288/.386/.443 in 219 [[at bat]]s, had 43 [[Rbi baseball|RBI]]s (7th in the Conference) and 34 walks (9th; the same as his number of [[strikeout]]s), and was again named Big South Conference Second Team.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=e9508acb | title=2018 Big South Conference Batting Leaders }}</ref><ref name="Spencer Horwitz - Baseball"/> After the 2018 season, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Bourne Braves]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1211100&seasonid=31242 |title=Spencer Horwitz |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=July 16, 2022}}</ref> In 2019 he batted .268/.392/.465 in 213 at bats, led the league with 49 walks (against only 29 strikeouts) and 7 sacrifice flies, and had 49 runs (6th) and 10 home runs (7th), and was named Big South Conference Honorable Mention.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=390b2828 | title=2019 Big South Conference Batting Leaders }}</ref>
Horwitz then played [[college baseball]] at [[Radford University]], playing 161 games at [[first base]] and 6 games in [[left field]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=horwit000spe# | title=Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History }}</ref> In 2017 as a freshman, Horwitz batted .311/.384/.481, and was named [[Big South Conference]] Second Team, and a ''[[Collegiate Baseball]]'' Freshman [[All-America|All American]].<ref name="baseball-reference.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=horwit000spe | title=Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History }}</ref> In 2018, he batted .288/.386/.443 in 219 [[at bat]]s, had 43 [[Rbi baseball|RBI]]s (7th in the Conference) and 34 walks (9th; the same as his number of [[strikeout]]s), and was again named Big South Conference Second Team.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=e9508acb | title=2018 Big South Conference Batting Leaders }}</ref><ref name="Spencer Horwitz - Baseball"/> After the 2018 season, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Bourne Braves]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1211100&seasonid=31242 |title=Spencer Horwitz |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=July 16, 2022}}</ref> In 2019 he batted .268/.392/.465 in 213 at bats, led the league with 49 walks (against only 29 strikeouts) and 7 sacrifice flies, and had 49 runs (6th) and 10 home runs (7th), and was named Big South Conference Honorable Mention.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=390b2828 | title=2019 Big South Conference Batting Leaders }}</ref>

Revision as of 03:49, 17 June 2023

Spencer Horwitz
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 48
First baseman
Born: (1997-11-14) November 14, 1997 (age 26)
Timonium, Maryland, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right

Spencer Elliott Horwitz (born November 14, 1997) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was ranked 13th on Major League Baseball's 2022 Top 30 Blue Jays prospects list.[1] Horwitz played for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Early life and amateur career

Horwitz is the son of David and Laura Horwitz, and has a brother, Ben.[2] He was born in Timonium, Maryland. [3] Horwitz is also the gradson of long time New York Mets Media Relations Director Jay Horwitz [4] He is Jewish.[5] He attended St. Paul's School for Boys in Brooklandville, Maryland. Playing baseball for the school, primarily at catcher, he was a 2016 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) First Team selection, and twice MIAA All-Conference, as in hockey he played as a defenseman and led the high school to two state championships.[2][6][7]

Horwitz then played college baseball at Radford University, playing 161 games at first base and 6 games in left field.[8] In 2017 as a freshman, Horwitz batted .311/.384/.481, and was named Big South Conference Second Team, and a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All American.[9] In 2018, he batted .288/.386/.443 in 219 at bats, had 43 RBIs (7th in the Conference) and 34 walks (9th; the same as his number of strikeouts), and was again named Big South Conference Second Team.[10][2] After the 2018 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[11] In 2019 he batted .268/.392/.465 in 213 at bats, led the league with 49 walks (against only 29 strikeouts) and 7 sacrifice flies, and had 49 runs (6th) and 10 home runs (7th), and was named Big South Conference Honorable Mention.[12]

Professional career

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Horwitz in the 24th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[13] He signed for a $100,000 signing bonus.[7]

Horwitz spent his first professional season in 2019 with the Rookie League Bluefield Blue Jays and Low–A Vancouver Canadians.[14] He batted a combined .307/.368/.440, as in 248 at bats he had 4 home runs, 52 RBIs, stole 5 bases without being caught, and walked 24 times (while striking out 30 times).[9] He played 26 games at first base, 18 games in left field, and two games at second base.[9] With Bluefield, he batted .330 (6th in the Appalachian League), with 18 doubles (3rd), 49 RBIs (3rd), and 3 sacrifice flies (10th).[15] He was named a 2019 Appalachian League All Star.[16] Horwitz did not play for a team in 2020 due to the Minor League Baseball season being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Horwitz returned in 2021 to play for the now High–A Vancouver and for the Double–A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Horwitz batted a combined .294/.400/.462, as in 405 at bats he had 12 home runs and 66 RBI, and 70 walks (versus 68 strikeouts).[9] He played 85 games at first base, five games in left field, and one game at second base.[9] With Vancouver, he led the High-A West with 28 doubles and 70 walks (to only 66 strikeouts), and had a .401 on base percentage (9th) with 65 runs (6th), 62 RBIs (5th), and 5 sacrifice flies (3rd).[17] He had a 28-game hitting streak, breaking a 60-year-old Northwest League/High A-West League record.[18][6] He was named the Northwest League’s 2021 Top MLB Prospect, and a post-season All Star.[18][4]

After the season, Horwitz played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .375 (6th in the league)/.460(9th)/.484 in 64 at bats, with 4 stolen bases (9th in the league) without being caught, as he played 12 games at first base and two games in left field.[19][20][21] He was named an Arizona Fall League Rising Star.[16] MLB.com named him Toronto's #30 prospect.[22]

Horwitz started 2022 with New Hampshire, and was named Eastern League Player of the Week on June 13.[23] In July, as Horwitz was among the Eastern League leaders batting .297(4th)/.413/.517 in 232 at bats, with 46 runs (4th), 19 doubles (4th), and 43 walks (5th), he was promoted to the Class AAA Buffalo Bisons.[16][23] In 2022, between the two teams he batted .275/.391/.452 in 403 at bats with 77 runs, 12 home runs, and 51 RBIs.[24]

On November 15, 2022, Horwitz was added to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. He was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the 2023 season.[25] In 57 games for the Bisons, he hit .300/.421/.405 with 2 home runs and 34 RBI. On June 16, 2023, Horwitz was promoted to the major leagues for the first time after Nathan Lukes was optioned to Triple–A.[26]

International career; Team Israel

Horwitz was selected to the Israeli national baseball team roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[27] He played left field for Team Israel manager and former All-Star Ian Kinsler, and alongside All-Star outfielder Joc Pederson and starting pitcher Dean Kremer, among others.[28][29][30]

See also

References

  1. ^ "MLB 2022 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Spencer Horwitz - Baseball".
  3. ^ https://twitter.com/Jay_HorwitzPR/status/1669809919132856320?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
  4. ^ a b "Horwitz, Morris Named High-A West Postseason All-Stars".
  5. ^ "Introducing: top prospect Spencer Horwitz | Jewish Baseball News".
  6. ^ a b "Radford Alum Spencer Horwitz Making the Most of Minor League Opportunity".
  7. ^ a b "C's Chat – 2019 Vancouver Canadians 1B #13 Spencer Horwitz". November 26, 2019.
  8. ^ "Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History".
  9. ^ a b c d e "Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History".
  10. ^ "2018 Big South Conference Batting Leaders".
  11. ^ "Spencer Horwitz". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  12. ^ "2019 Big South Conference Batting Leaders".
  13. ^ "Horwitz has hit the ground slugging for Jays".
  14. ^ "Ex-Radford star Spencer Horwitz becomes Appalachian League standout".
  15. ^ "2019 Appalachian League Batting Leaders".
  16. ^ a b c "Spencer Horwitz Stats, Fantasy & News".
  17. ^ "2021 High-A West Batting Leaders".
  18. ^ a b "Introducing: Top prospect Spencer Horwitz | Jewish Baseball News".
  19. ^ "2021 Arizona Fall League Batting Leaders".
  20. ^ "Blue Jays prospect watch: Spencer Horwitz tears up Arizona Fall League". Toronto Star. December 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "Jays' Horwitz shows off bat, speed in AFL". MLB.com.
  22. ^ "Blue Jays Top Prospects". MLB.com.
  23. ^ a b "Spencer Horwitz promoted to Triple-A Buffalo".
  24. ^ "Spencer Horwitz College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics".
  25. ^ "Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Optioned to MiLB camp". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  26. ^ "Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Officially promoted". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  27. ^ "Pederson, Kremer headline Team Israel's Classic roster". MLB.com.
  28. ^ Scott Barancik (July 21, 2022). "Israel's roster swelling with stars; Joc Pederson, Harrison Bader among recent WBC commits". Jewish Baseball News.
  29. ^ "Israel drawn to WBC group in Miami". IAB – Israel Association of Baseball.
  30. ^ "The Official Site of Major League Baseball". MLB.com.

External links

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