ALTOONA, PA. -- Henry Davis’ first trip to the plate and first hit at Class AA Altoona were pretty predictable if you have been following him this year.
His first time up, he got on base by catching one on his foot, making it the 10th time he’s been hit by a pitch already in the young season.
“It’s a compliment, right?” Davis jokingly asked Tuesday afternoon in the People’s Natural Gas, home of the Curve, dugout. “It’s a compliment to get hit. It shows respect.”
The first hit? Well, that’s why pitchers have to respect him:
HOLY HENRY😍 The first home run in Double-A for @henrydavis32 puts us up 3-1. pic.twitter.com/m0MCP0AZoE
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) May 10, 2022
Davis turned on that fastball and drove it 407 feet, showing not only his advanced feel for the game facing a higher level of pitcher, but also his highly rated talents as a ball player. It’s why he tore up Class High-A pitching in Greensboro, slashing .341/.450/.585 with five home runs and 22 RBIs over his 100 plate appearances.
It’s for those reasons that Davis is the very rare Pirates prospect who is being fast-tracked through the farm system. It was less than 10 months ago that the Pirates took him first overall in the amateur draft. Now, he’s two steps away from the big leagues. And while far from guaranteed, a promotion to Class AAA Indianapolis could be in the cards before the year is through.
“If we feel like we've had enough time, we've seen enough and someone's consistently doing the things that we've asked them to do and that they need to do and someone pushes their way up so that it helps spread that group out a little bit, then we'll do that,” Ben Cherington said at the end of April on the decision to put Davis on a faster track to the bigs.
It’s an exciting proposition for Davis and Pirates fans, but these last two levels can’t be skipped.
“Do I think I could contribute to them winning games? 100%. But my job is to be here,” Davis said. “I’m not Ben Cherington. He has a lot on his plate. I have a lot on mine. We each just try and do our jobs.”
Until then, there’s Altoona, which very-well could be one of the most exciting stops in his trip to the majors.
While the Pirates are regarded as having one of the best farm systems in baseball, Altoona’s group is considered to be arguably the best, featuring five players outside of Davis who rank in Baseball America’s top 10 Pirates prospects: Second baseman Nick Gonzales, shortstop Liover Peguero and right-handed pitchers Quinn Priester, Mike Burrows and Carmen Mlodzinski.
Last season, when it was time for Davis to start his season with an affiliate, he requested to join that team in Greensboro, which the organization granted.
It was important to him that he got to play and be a part of this team that so many have pegged as having a good chunk of the next potential Pirates contender.
“I think that’s the goal whether it’s AAA, AA or whatever level you’re at,” Davis said. “Everybody wants to be a part of that team. That’s the goal. We’re not just here to get better at baseball. That’s part of it, but we’re here to get better at winning so we can win in Pittsburgh. It’s definitely a group that has a lot of people who aspire to be a part of that and have the potential to do that, so definitely excited to be a part of it.”
It also helps him build relationships with what’s going to be a good chunk of the Pirates’ future pitching staff. That ability to relate to pitchers and learn makes them click was a big reason why the Pirates drafted Davis. He’s taken it another step forward as a professional by learning Spanish to talk to Latin players directly.
“I think those relationships are all about consistency,” Davis said. “Showing up every day, being that guy for them, I think it’s very important. I started last year, even on the bench having conversations about those guys, what they need and whatnot. Just gonna continue to build on it.”
It goes without saying anymore how much this Pirates regime values good relationships.
He checks a lot of boxes of everything the Pirates look for in a player, especially catcher. So how exactly do you manage a guy like this?
“Let him go,” Curve manager Kieran Mattison said. “I hadn't seen him this year under the lights. I saw him this spring and we have a small sample size [from] last year. Just let him go man and be a guard rail for him and guide him and give him the help he needs to grow. He's a student of the game, so we're gonna be in a good spot.”
Mattison managed the same core team in Greensboro last year. Davis got a taste of that group and played six games for them before an oblique injury cut his season short.
During minor-league spring training, Davis was the guy many other prospects gravitated to in camp, either to watch a batting practice or have a conversation. That comes with the territory of being the first overall pick.
It’s pressure that his manager knows that he can handle.
“This guy, if you put him in the Sahara desert, he’ll find a way to get better,” Mattison said. “Guys like that don't put pressure on themselves. They strive to be great.”
“When I get to the field, I have a job to do,” Davis said. “Doesn’t matter if I’m the last pick or the first pick. When I step up to the plate, it’s my job to have a good at-bat. When I go behind the plate, it’s my job to manage a good game. Everything else just kind of falls away.”
He’ll continue to handle the pressure fine. That’s why he could, if not should, be in the majors next season.
Speaking of which, there are no minor-league games on Monday. Pittsburgh is just a 100 mile jaunt west from Altoona. Any chance we could see Davis at PNC Park this season, even if it’s just as a fan for now?
“That would be fun,” Davis said with a grin. “Yeah, why not?”
