Cook delivered his first career hit and two RBIs in the first inning Sunday.
Pittsburgh Pirates fans have been clamoring for weeks to see one, or multiple, hitting prospects make their big league debut during the final month of the season.
They got their wish over the weekend. Billy Cook received his call to the Majors to make his MLB debut on Sunday. He didn’t disappoint.
Acquired by the Pirates in a minor league trade with the Baltimore Orioles, Cook delivered a 2-for-4 day at the plate. It didn’t take long for Cook to make an impact.
In his first at-bat, Cook doubled down the left-field line to score Bryan De La Cruz and Nick Gonzales. The Pirates beat the Washington Nationals 7-3.
Billy Cook’s first big league plate appearance is a two-run double!!! pic.twitter.com/sPWJaH2WQP
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 8, 2024
He can play the infield, he can play the outfield, but the most important thing Cook did is showcase a potential bat the Pirates can explore utilizing in 2025.
Primarily an outfielder, Cook started at first base Sunday and fared well in the series finale.
Yes, it was only one game. No one’s sugarcoating it. We all remember the Drew Maggi experience.
Cook slashed .276/.389/.486 with a .875 OPS in 30 games at Triple-A Indianapolis following the trade. A top-25 prospect in the Pirates system, Cook doesn’t bring any high-profile accolades as a former 10th-round pick but owns 41 homers and 155 RBIs over the last two seasons.
The traits might not be flashy, but the production level speaks for itself. Cook and infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke have been hitting better than almost anyone in the organization upon acquisition since July 30.
It’s imperative for the Pirates to play Cook, Nick Gonzales, Oneil Cruz in the outfield, Henry Davis when he returns from the injured list, and other young players to see what they have in the final 18 games.
Bring up Yorke. Bring up Liover Peguero. Move on from Michael A. Taylor and others on expiring contracts who are blocking paths for young players.
We’re seeing the future with Paul Skenes and Jared Jones pitching over 100+ innings, Skenes more than Jones, and the same should apply for hitting prospects. Skenes and Jones are building up innings to prevent even the idea of a September shutdown next season. Like Cook, it’s past due to see the organization’s future rather than hold on to the past five months.