Spencer Horwitz named as MLB Pipeline’s All-Rookie Second Team first baseman

Horwitz became a regular for the Jays in early June and ended the season slashing .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs in 381 plate appearances, along with an 11 BB% and an 18.4 K%. Overall, he had 127 wRC+ with a 1.9 fWAR, hitting a career-best 16 home runs when including the four he had with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

Among rookies, Horwitz’s 127 wRC+ ranked tied for fifth in the league for qualified batters, tied with Iván Herrera, but behind Xavier Edwards, Jackson Merrill, Lawrence Butler, and Tyler Fitzgerald. Still, Horwitz should’ve been on the All-Rookie First Team.

The first baseman that got the nod over Horwitz was the Chicago Cubs’ Michael Busch, who slashed .248/.335/.440 with 21 home runs in 567 plate appearances, along with an 11.1 BB% and a 28.6 K%. While he accumulated more fWAR in his additional 186 plate appearances, Busch had a 119 wRC+, quite a bit worse than Horwitz’s.

Horwitz played a significant amount of second base as well in 2024, playing 288 innings at the keystone position while posting -5 Defensive Runs Saved and 0 Outs Above Average. However, former Blue Jay Otto López deservedly won the All-Rookie First Team spot for second base.

Now playing for the Miami Marlins, López had a solid season, slashing .270/.313/.377 with six home runs in 434 plate appearances, giving him a 91 wRC+ and a 2.5 fWAR. The bat may not have been great, but López had 9 DRS and 17 OAA in 850.1 innings at second. Like Alejandro Kirk, López was robbed of a nomination for the Gold Glove.

Either way, Horwitz has earned a spot on the 2025 Blue Jays in some capacity. Whether that is as their backup first baseman, a platoon second baseman, or as the primary designated hitter is yet to be known.