The Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to recall Henry Davis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 June Amateur Draft. He’ll arrive in Pittsburgh on Tuesday in time to begin the Pirates’ three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pirates Recall Former No. 1 Draft Choice
Henry Davis coming back up, per source.
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) June 3, 2024
Davis broke camp with the Pirates after an excellent spring that saw him hit four homers in the exhibition games. However, that strong spring didn’t translate to the regular season for the 24-year-old catcher. He struggled to the tune of a .162/.280/.206 stat line, with no home runs, when he was sent to triple-A Indianapolis on May 3. Although he was producing in triple-A, Davis was bypassed when Joey Bart went on the injured list on May 28. Instead, the Pirates recalled light-hitting catcher Grant Koch. The reason was that Davis had more work to do, and Koch had caught Paul Skenes several times.
Henry Davis
This move represents a rather sudden change of heart. With the Pirates’ offense scuffling, they may have felt they needed to turn to Davis, who was hitting .296/.436/.642, 7 HR, and 17 RBI in 23 games at Indy. Or perhaps it was the realization that Koch isn’t cutting it against major-league pitching. Koch has struck out six times in eight plate appearances and reached base only once, on a walk.
A myriad of possibilities exist regarding how Davis will be employed. Since Ben Cherington took over as Pirates general manager in 2020, the Pirates have viewed the catcher position as a defense-first position, valuing pitch-framing and game-calling skills at the expense of offense. The current No. 1 catcher, veteran Yasmani Grandal, draws high praise in those areas. Pitch-framing is not yet a strength of Davis. However, with the Pirates desperately needing offensive production, they may sacrifice some defense behind the dish.
Another possibility would be to return Davis to right field, where he played last year for the Pirates. This is a highly unlikely outcome, as Davis performed poorly in 2023 and has yet to play there in 2024. He might take some turns at the designated hitter spot. Andrew McCutchen has been producing there lately but could be moved to right field. The Pirates have shown a reluctance to use the 37-year-old franchise icon in the field since his 2023 return. However, “Cutch” played a full game in right field on May 19 in Chicago, handling four chances flawlessly. It may have been an audition for more playing time on the field in anticipation of the Pirates intending to recall Davis when he was ready.
Who’s Out?
As of this writing, the corresponding move to make room for Davis is unknown, but Koch is the logical candidate to return to triple-A. Koch, a 2018 draft pick, is an Everyman type who’s spent six seasons in the minors. His promotion was a major feel-good story. He was the Drew Maggi of 2024. However, baseball is a cruel business sometimes. The Pirates need offense more than warm, fuzzy feelings, and Koch would provide little value as a No. 3 catcher.
Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton are scheduled to pitch the first two games for the Dodgers. Davis will be put to the test right away.
Main Photo Credits: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
