Billy Horton

Billy Horton has worked for three MLB clubs including the San Francisco Giants during their World Series Championship runs in 2012 and 2014. Horton served as a Manager, Hitting Coach, Fundamentals Coach, and Director of Extended Spring Training during his 8 years with the Giants (2012-2019).

During that time the Minor League teams he coached had a winning percentage of (.612). Four of those teams reached the post-season, including 3 trips to the League Championship Series, and an Arizona League Championship in 2013. More than two dozen Giants players who were drafted or signed as minor league free agents in that time span have made their MLB debut.

Horton has also worked in various capacities for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2001-2003, 2006) and Chicago White Sox (2003). This includes the Diamondbacks 2001 World Series title. More recently, he has served as the Manager of the Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft League (2021) and the Field Coordinator for the Arizona Collegiate Wood Bat League (2022). In 2023, Horton was the Manager and Director of Player Personnel for the Billings Mustangs in the Pioneer League. The Mustangs went on to win the North Division crown and eventually lost in the Pioneer League Championship. Horton was named the Pioneer League Manager of the Year at the end of the season.

He attended Spring Hill College (AL) from 1992-1995. Horton was a utility player for the Badgers and played 6 different positions during his college career. They won 138 games during his time there which is the most ever in a 4-year span of the school. He signed his first pro contract in 1996 and played for 6 Independent League teams from 1997-2000 as a catcher, first baseman, and outfielder. In 1998 he was on the New Jersey Jackals team that won the Northeast League Championship. Horton also signed free agent contracts with the Chicago White Sox (1999) and Anaheim Angels (2000) and attended spring training with both teams.

In 2006, Horton founded Cactus Athletics, a company dedicated to training young athletes and coaches. Over the past 18 years more than 10,000 players and coaches have participated in their camps, clinics, and baseball leagues that are based in Phoenix, AZ. He is familiar with technology used by MLB teams including Rapsodo, K-Motion, Hit Trax, Trackman, and Blast Motion. He and his wife Taleen have been married 16 years, and they have two sons, Connor (15) and Bryce (13). They live in Scottsdale, AZ with their hound dog Rusty.