The Henry Davis era is underway in Pittsburgh. Davis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft, was called up by the Pirates to make his MLB debut in Monday's series opener with the Chicago Cubs (GameTracker). The catcher/outfielder got the start in right field and batted seventh in his first big-league game.
And, in his first at-bat with the Pirates, Davis worked the count full against veteran lefty Drew Smyly, and pulled a double down the third base line for his first big-league hit. To the action footage:
"If I can help the Pirates win in right, I'm excited about it," Davis told the Associated Press prior to Monday's game. "... I think at any point, I would've been confident in my ability to help the team have a good at-bat or just play well and contribute to a win. I don't know if it's more of a point where I can point out one moment. I've always been confident in my ability."
Davis, 23, starred at Louisville prior to being selected with the No. 1 pick two years ago. He slashed .284/.433/.541 with 11 home runs and nearly as many walks (40) as strikeouts (46) in 51 games at Double-A and Triple-A prior to being called up. Although he's spent the majority of his career behind the plate, Davis has outfield experience and is capable in right field.
Our R.J. Anderson ranked Davis the No. 19 prospect in baseball earlier this month. Here's his write-up:
The Pirates selected Davis with the top pick in the 2021 draft, yet he received only the fifth-highest signing bonus, with Pittsburgh funneling the savings to other parts of their class. There was nothing inherently wrong with that strategy since evaluators felt he was a defensible pick, but it hasn't revealed itself as a slam-dunk choice. That's in part because Davis was limited by injuries to just 67 games over his first season-plus as a professional. He's fared better this year, in health and performance, showing off the big-time power that made him so enticing to begin with. While the hope is that Davis remains tolerable behind the plate, it's perhaps noteworthy that the Pirates have given him more looks in right field this year, if only to preserve his body and help unlock his bat. It should go without writing that a move that far down the defensive spectrum would make Davis less interesting as a prospect. It should also go without writing that the Pirates will live with that reality if it means he's free to launch 30-plus home runs a year.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton indicated the team will get Davis in games behind the plate. Pittsburgh's primary catcher, veteran Austin Hedges, owns a .175/.231/.242 batting line this season, though he has long been a standout defender. Backup Jason Delay has hit a strong .293/.359/.402 in 2023.
The Pirates entered Monday's with a 34-36 record. Despite that, they are only 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
