Henry Davis had exactly the kind of weekend you would hope to see from a player that was taken first overall. The catcher collected six hits, four of which went for extra-bases.
That’s awesome. When’s he getting to Pittsburgh?
Dealing with that wrist injury, Davis was struggling in Altoona, so seeing this kind of success even in a small samples size, is encouraging.
Offensively, Davis is the prototypical high college draft pick, advanced enough to move very quickly through the system on his way to the majors. Adjusting to coming back from an injury and a new level, Davis has shown the blend of power and approach that could land him in Pittsburgh as soon as middle of the season next year (the good ole Super Two stuff).
That’s where things get a little interesting, and different, when it comes to Davis specifically. We saw another first overall pick, Adley Rutschman, make a similar ascent up the ladder to land in Baltimore. He, of course, lost a season due to the pandemic, but made the jump to the majors after about a year and a half of minor league time.
Davis should be able to do the same, right?
What makes the path to the majors a little more complex for a catcher than with any other fielding position is the secondary work needed on defense. There are so many variables that catchers have to adjust to at the professional level: Calling games, receiving a higher level of pitches, as well as the work required to get on the same page as the pitching staff.
It also means taking charge in controlling the run game.
That’s something that Davis can certainly work on, only throwing out 15.6% of would be base stealers. There are more variables in the minors now that may impact those numbers, but that isn’t the only thing that still is in development.
Davis has six passed balls in 207 2/3 innings behind the plate this season. When compared to some of the other catching prospects in the system, it shows the work still left for Davis.
| Player | CS% | PB | Innings Caught |
| Abrahan Gutierrez | 28.1% | 1 | 181 |
| Endy Rodriguez | 21.2% | 4 | 274 2/3 |
| Blake Sabol | 15.6% | 5 | 300 |
| Henry Davis | 15.6% | 6 | 207 2/3 |
This isn’t to say that Davis can’t stay behind the plate, which is far from the truth. He has the raw talent and work ethic to do it. It’s just a reminder that the catcher position stands alone when it comes to development, and just because the bat can move quickly, doesn’t mean the player can.
Sunday marked the halfway point in the regular season, with some leagues naming their midseason champions. There is plenty of time for Davis to develop in the right direction as far as getting on the right kind of timeline to make his debut next year.
It’s just an easy time to remember that catcher is one of the few positions, maybe the only, where the glove has to match the bat to reach the highest level, and stick.
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