Height
6'0"
Weight
204 lbs
Age
27
College
N/A
Experience
2 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/R
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsC+
| Year | Team | GP | AVG | HR | RBI | OPS | SB | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 19 | 0.23636363 | 3 | 8 | 0.6727273 | 1 | 13 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
AAV
$780K/yr
Contract Value Index (CVI)
Billy Cook's one-year, $0.8M deal with the Pirates earns a solid C+ CVI, reflecting a competent low-risk move for an outfielder who profiles as a serviceable starter. At just above league minimum, Pittsburgh is essentially getting a free look at a player who can provide replacement-level defense and adequate depth across multiple outfield spots without any long-term commitment. The Pirates' rebuilding timeline makes this type of contract particularly sensible — Cook can serve as a bridge player while their prospect pipeline develops, and the minimal financial exposure allows them to pivot quickly if a younger player forces his way onto the roster. While Cook isn't going to move the needle significantly in terms of WAR production, outfield depth is always valuable over a 162-game season, especially for a team that will likely prioritize player development over immediate contention. The deal represents smart roster construction for a franchise still 2-3 years away from competing, giving them a known quantity at a position where they can afford to take chances on upside plays.
Fan & Media Sentiment
The baseball world views Billy Cook as a classic "wait and see" prospect whose narrative remains frustratingly incomplete. His inclusion on Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster alongside Nick Yorke generated the kind of cautious optimism reserved for young players getting their first real shot, but that goodwill quickly evaporated when his 2026 campaign crumbled due to injury setbacks and underwhelming production when healthy. The recent flashes against Boston have provided just enough intrigue to keep evaluators engaged, though most coverage carries the caveat of small sample size concerns. Cook finds himself in that uncomfortable middle ground where he's shown enough ability to avoid being written off entirely, yet hasn't delivered the consistent performance needed to generate genuine excitement about his ceiling. The disconnect between his C- public perception and similar C production grade suggests the media narrative actually aligns fairly well with his on-field reality — he's a developing talent who needs to prove he can stay healthy and translate his tools into results. For Cook to shift the conversation in his favor, he'll need a sustained stretch of quality play that demonstrates his early-season struggles were truly injury-related rather than indicative of his actual ability level.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4/10 | @ CHC | W 2-0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sun, 4/5 | vs BAL | W 8-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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