After months of speculation, and secrecy on the club's part, the Pirates selected Louisville catcher Henry Davis with the first overall pick in the 2021 Amateur Draft Sunday.
Davis, 21, was ranked as the No. 4 draft prospect by Baseball America, No. 5 by MLB pipeline and No. 2 on FanGraphs' board.
"I’m pretty excited," Davis said on MLB Network. "Just fired up. Ready to go. Ready to get to work."
The bat is definitely Davis' strength. As a junior for Louisville, he slashed .370/.482/.663 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and nine doubles over 184 at-bats.
Pirates' general manager Ben Cherington mentioned having Davis at the top of their board on MLB Network but his intangibles like his 'desire to get better' and getting 'outside his comfort zone' are what really set him apart.
"(He) wants to impact the clubhouse" Cherington said.
Davis was graded by FanGraphs as the best potential power hitter in this draft. FanGraphs currently ranks him as the No. 39 prospect in all of baseball.
"You win in life with the right people and I definitely have the right people by my side."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 11, 2021
Henry Davis goes first overall at the 2021 #MLBDraft!@Pirates | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/Oi6YOdww7i
"There’s a real development pattern with this kid," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said on MLB Network. "... His ability to run a staff, to shut down a running game ... this kid was a leader. As a freshman, he wasn’t that player. He really dedicated himself to the craft."
The concern with Davis is his glove, with MLB Pipeline and Baseball America giving it a pedestrian 45 grade on the 20-80 scale, with there being concerns about his framing and blocking abilities. That does not count the arm though, which drew very high praise. His arm earned a 70-grade, which is borderline elite.
A source who had been evaluating draft prospects for a National League club told DK Pittsburgh Sports that they believe Davis does have room to grow defensively.
Baseball America and MLB Pipeline gave him a 60-grade overall, which should make him the Pirates' top prospect in both of their rankings.
Davis is the seventh catcher ever to be drafted first overall, and the first since Adley Rutschman was taken first by the Orioles in 2019.
Davis is the fifth player the Pirates have ever selected first overall. The others were right-hander Gerrit Cole in 2011, right-hander Bryan Bullington in 2002, right-hander Kris Benson in 1996 and shortstop Jeff King in 1986.
