Billy Cook Stats & Scouting Report

AB	21
AVG	.190
OBP	.190
SLG	.190
HR	0

Full name William Monroe Cook
Born 01/07/1999 in Layton, UT
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Pepperdine
Debut 09/08/2024
Drafted in the 10th round (287th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2021 (signed for $100,000).

View Draft Report

Cook drew significant draft interest last season but went unpicked in the shortened five-round draft. He got off to a slow start in 2021 and missed five weeks after he suffered an oblique injury and Pepperdine paused its season due to Covid-19 protocols, but he went on a tear after he returned and led the West Coast Conference with 17 home runs. He hit .450 with 12 home runs in the final month of the season. Cook is tremendously strong in his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame and shows above-average power that has a chance to be plus. He muscles up on every swing and makes extremely hard contact when he connects. Cook’s swing can get long and he will tinker with different stances and approaches. He has flashed the ability to hit good pitching, but his swing creates questions about how much contact he will consistently make at higher levels. Cook is a good athlete who is an above-average runner with an average arm in the outfield. He primarily played center field at Pepperdine and has a chance to stick there if he can improve his routes and reads with experience. Cook’s power and athleticism have teams interested in taking a chance on him at the end of the draft’s second day or early on the third day.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.

Track Record: The Pirates dealt from their pitching surplus at the 2024 trade deadline to restock their upper-level hitting depth. Nick Yorke was one such acquisition. Cook was another in a surprising swap with the Orioles for righthander Patrick Reilly. A 10th-round pick in 2021 who signed for just $100,000, Cook kept a relatively low profile in a deep Baltimore system, quietly taking a step forward with Double-A Bowie at the end of 2023. He continued to hit for more average in Triple-A in 2024 and made his Pirates big league debut late in the season, slashing .225/.225/.449 with three homers in 16 games.

Scouting Report: Cook’s supplemental tools are impressive. He turned in plus run times and had one of the strongest outfield arms in Triple-A while playing six positions, including all three outfield spots. He fits best in a corner, where he’s an above-average defender, and he’s also a serviceable first baseman. Cook has solid power, but his fringe-average pure hitting ability will ultimately dictate his overall impact. Cook has decent bat-to-ball skills, and part of his Triple-A improvement hinged on chasing less and making better swing decisions until his strikeout issues resurfaced in a brief big league sample. He can struggle with premium velocity, especially at the top of the zone.

The Future: Cook could carve out a role as a powerful and speedy super-utility option if he makes enough contact. Pittsburgh will give him every chance to do so out of spring training in 2025.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60.

Draft Prospects

Cook drew significant draft interest last season but went unpicked in the shortened five-round draft. He got off to a slow start in 2021 and missed five weeks after he suffered an oblique injury and Pepperdine paused its season due to Covid-19 protocols, but he went on a tear after he returned and led the West Coast Conference with 17 home runs. He hit .450 with 12 home runs in the final month of the season. Cook is tremendously strong in his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame and shows above-average power that has a chance to be plus. He muscles up on every swing and makes extremely hard contact when he connects. Cook’s swing can get long and he will tinker with different stances and approaches. He has flashed the ability to hit good pitching, but his swing creates questions about how much contact he will consistently make at higher levels. Cook is a good athlete who is an above-average runner with an average arm in the outfield. He primarily played center field at Pepperdine and has a chance to stick there if he can improve his routes and reads with experience. Cook’s power and athleticism have teams interested in taking a chance on him at the end of the draft’s second day or early on the third day.
Cook helped key Pepperdine’s resurgence this spring. Batting primarily in the No. 2 spot, Cook hit .344 and led the Waves in OPS (1.124), home runs (four) and stolen bases (five) before the season shut down, doing enough against good pitching to generate excitement among area scouts. Cook is a strong, athletic center fielder whose calling card is his power. He makes loud contact when he connects and shows above-average power, with the potential for plus, that he can access in games. Cook has a long swing and is vulnerable to high-end velocity, but he makes enough damage on contact to project as a positive offensive contributor. Cook is a good runner for his size and played both center field and second base at Pepperdine. He projects as a left fielder in pro ball and has the above-average arm strength to play right as well. Cook comes from a long line of athletes—his father, Chuck, played baseball at Air Force before becoming an F-16 fighter pilot. His mother, Julie, played volleyball and basketball at Air Force. His grandfather, Dan Adair, played baseball at Wyoming and was teammates with longtime big league manager Art Howe.

Career Transactions

Indianapolis Indians activated RF Billy Cook.
Indianapolis Indians activated RF Billy Cook.
Pittsburgh Pirates optioned RF Billy Cook to Indianapolis Indians.
OF Billy Cook changed number to 25.
OF Billy Cook changed number to 42.
Pittsburgh Pirates recalled OF Billy Cook from Indianapolis Indians.
Pittsburgh Pirates optioned OF Billy Cook to Indianapolis Indians.
Pittsburgh Pirates recalled OF Billy Cook from Indianapolis Indians.
Indianapolis Indians placed CF Billy Cook on the 7-day injured list retroactive to August 8, 2025.
Pittsburgh Pirates optioned OF Billy Cook to Indianapolis Indians.
Pittsburgh Pirates recalled OF Billy Cook from Indianapolis Indians.
Indianapolis Indians activated 1B Billy Cook.
Pittsburgh Pirates optioned 1B Billy Cook to Indianapolis Indians.
Pittsburgh Pirates selected the contract of 3B Billy Cook from Indianapolis Indians.
Indianapolis Indians activated OF Billy Cook.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Indianapolis Indians.
Baltimore Orioles traded OF Billy Cook to Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Patrick Reilly.
Norfolk Tides activated OF Billy Cook from the 7-day injured list.
Norfolk Tides placed OF Billy Cook on the 7-day injured list.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Norfolk Tides from Bowie Baysox.
Bowie Baysox activated OF Billy Cook.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Bowie Baysox from Norfolk Tides.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Norfolk Tides from Bowie Baysox.
Mesa Solar Sox activated OF Billy Cook.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Bowie Baysox from Aberdeen IronBirds.
OF Billy Cook roster status changed by Baltimore Orioles.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Baltimore Orioles.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Aberdeen IronBirds.
OF Billy Cook assigned to Delmarva Shorebirds from FCL Orioles Orange.
OF Billy Cook assigned to FCL Orioles Orange.
Baltimore Orioles signed OF Billy Cook.
OF Billy Cook and assigned to College Workout.