There was a time when outfielder Brennen Davis was the Chicago Cubs top prospect in their farm system. This was before injuries derailed his progress and muddied the waters of his future. But Davis, 24, is making a fierce comeback at Triple-A Iowa a little over a month into the 2024 season. He has seven home runs in his last nine games, including a two-homer game on May 18. Now that Davis is fully healthy, he is looking to regain the form that made him a former Cubs top prospect just two years ago.
Former Chicago Cubs Top Prospect Brennen Davis Is Obliterating Triple-A Pitching
BRENNEN. DAVIS. GRAND. SLAM. He had five homers in his last six games and six in his previous eight. pic.twitter.com/n08lSVpnhx
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) May 18, 2024
The Cubs drafted Davis in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. In 2019, Davis hit a healthy .305/.381/.525 in High-A South Bend before breaking his right index finger, ending his season. 2020 was a lost season as COVID-19 caused the minor league season to be canceled. In a 2021 spring training game, Davis was hit in the face by a pitch, causing him to miss the beginning of that season with a concussion.
On A Fast Rise To Stardom, Davis Racks Up Accolades In 2021
Once healthy, Davis compiled a productive 2021 season, posting a .860 OPS with 19 home runs and 53 RBI. Most of that damage came at Double-A Tennessee, although he did get promoted to Triple-A Iowa by the end of 2021. Davis was also selected to play in the 2021 All-Star Futures Game. He didn’t waste the opportunity either, belting two home runs and earning MVP honors. This success culminated in Davis being named the 2021 Cubs Minor League Player of the Year.
This quick rise by Davis did more than make him the Chicago Cubs top prospect to open the 2022 season. MLB Pipeline had him ranked at No. 15 on their top 100 list in the league. But he would struggle severely in 2022 and ultimately miss a large part of the season due to a severe back injury. A collection of blood vessels that were pressing on a nerve in his back caused Davis to undergo season-ending surgery on June 3.
Before surgery, Davis played 53 games across three levels in the minors, hitting just .180/.299/.298. This was a far cry from the success he enjoyed in 2021. Still, the Cubs protected Davis from the Rule 5 Draft the following November by adding him to their 40-man roster. Unfortunately, 2023 would not be much better for Davis. Lingering back issues and core muscle surgery caused a flurry of stints on the injured list for the young outfielder. When he was healthy that year, he hit a dismal .201/.297/.307. His back issue had affected his progression and his production at the plate.
Davis Falls Off Chicago Cubs Top Prospect List
At the start of the 2024 season, Davis was no longer one of the Cubs top prospects. He was removed entirely from the top 30 list in the preseason rankings. “Whatever happened to Brennen Davis?” This question was frequently asked by Cubs fans who followed the team’s prospects. He was the rising star in the Cubs system; suddenly, he was gone.
Davis began 2024 on the injured list with another concussion but has since returned to Triple-A Iowa. And he has returned in a big way. Davis has emerged from two years of injuries and struggles that saw him nosedive straight out of the Cubs plans. While he fell off the radar, outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara have moved up the ranks in the Cubs system. But the torrid stretch Davis is currently on has him back in the Cub’s top 30 at No. 22.
Since being activated off the injury list this season, Davis is slashing .264/.434/.571, good for a stellar 1.005 OPS. He has also added eight home runs, seven of which have come in May alone. If Davis can continue to hit and stay healthy, perhaps he can continue where he left off in 2021. Maybe he can be an answer to the offensive woes that have plagued the Cubs recently. What a story that would be.
Main Photo Credits: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
