Getting to know the Herd: UTL Spencer Horwitz

BUFFALO, NY – Buffalo Bisons infielder Spencer Horwitz recently accomplished a lifelong goal of his: making his Major League debut. After getting his long-awaited call to the Majors on June 16, 2023, an adrenaline filled Horwitz hopped on plane to Texas, excited to join the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It was a dream come true,” Horwitz said simply when asked about his MLB debut experience. “It was an unbelievable experience that I was able to share with family and friends and I will cherish that moment forever,” he continued on to say. Horwitz said that his parents, David and Laura, and his brother Ben were able to make the trip down to Texas to share this moment with him in person.

Horwitz appeared in three games for the Blue Jays, going 2-for-8 and recording a run and an RBI. Horwitz said that standing on first base after his first big league hit was a surreal moment and one that he will never forget.

While Horwitz’s stint with the Blue Jays was short and sweet, he was still able to pick up some valuable lessons from the experience that will help him stay prepared for his next chance at a call up.

“Getting a taste of the big leagues has made me hungrier than ever,” Hortwitz said, “I know how much work those guys put in and I now know how much more work I need to put in, so it just motivates me to work harder to get there and stay.”

Now back with the Bisons, Horwitz has turned his attention to the second half of the MiLB season and he’s determined to help the Herd be as successful as possible.

When asked what’s the most important thing the Herd need to focus on in the second half of the season is, Horwitz answered quickly with one word: consistency. “When we put it all together, we’re a good team,” Horwitz said, “and we showed flashes on that in the first half, but we lacked some of that consistency at times.”

Horwitz immediately started smiling when asked about how its been playing with a relatively young Bisons infield group. Being just 25 years old himself, he’s gets to play alongside players like 24-year-old Otto Lopez, 25-year-old Tanner Morris, and 24-year-old Davis Schneider every day.

“It’s awesome,” Horwitz said with no hesitation, “I’ve been playing with some of these guys for my entire professional career so it’s all I know.” He went on to say it’s like a being with your best friends and they’re all there to make each other better.

“I’m telling them they belong in the MLB just as much as I do,” Horwitz said with the utmost respect for his teammates.

When talking about how the team is a support system for him, Horwitz reflected back to when he was in the Bisons’ clubhouse and he got the nod from Blue Jays. He simply said, “it was a special moment to share with my teammates.”

The support system in the Bisons’ clubhouse stems from the knowledge possessed by the veteran players on the team. “Baseball is a game that is constantly changing and evolving but the older guys have experience that we just don’t have,” Horwitz said. “I’m just always trying to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as I can from them.”

Aside from the Majors and the Minors, Horwitz also debuted in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Team Israel, which he described as an honor to represent his family’s heritage.

“It was my first time playing in a big league stadium and I was surrounded by some great players and MVPs,” Horwitz said when reflecting on the WBC, “it was a great experience that helped prepare me really well for my MLB debut.”

With some MLB experience under his belt, it will surely be exciting to watch Bisons infielder Spencer Horwitz in the second half of the season to see what he can do as a leader on this Buffalo team.