Despite dismal Grapefruit League statistics, the Pittsburgh Pirates' Henry Davis trusts his revamped swing.
Despite being a former first overall pick, Henry Davis is struggling mightily, hitting just .091 in 22 at-bats over 10 Grapefruit League games.
That’s a poor batting line for any player, regardless of whether it's spring training or not. This is notable considering the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher was chosen first in the 2021 amateur draft, but has a career batting average of .181 over 581 major-league at-bats spanning three seasons.
Some observers argue the Pirates should consider trading Davis for the best available return.
However, the Pirates are not ready to move on from Davis. They value his defense, which has improved dramatically since he entered professional baseball. He had eight defensive runs saved in just 83 games last season.
It is clear Davis will not be the offensive force the Pirates projected when drafting him. Still, they need him to contribute with the bat.
With help from biomechanics, Davis reworked his swing over the winter. He now stands upright and no longer rests the bat on his shoulder, believing the changes have helped even if they aren’t showing up on the stat sheet.
“I feel the best I’ve had in my at-bats,” Davis told reporters at the Pirates spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla. “I’m swinging at the right pitches and hitting the ball hard. Early in camp, I was popping up too much, but getting used to the new stance and catching the ball more out in front just takes a bit of time.”
“I’m glad I haven’t chased the results, which haven’t been good. I really believe in what I am doing.”
Davis and Joey Bart are the two catchers likely to make the opening-day roster, but Bart is struggling this spring with a .107 average over 10 games and 28 plate appearances.
The poor performances by Davis and Bart have given Endy Rodriguez an opportunity to make the team. Rodriguez has returned strongly from his second elbow surgery in three years, hitting .308 (8-for-26) with two home runs over 10 games in Grapefruit League play.
Bart is out of minor-league options. The team would need to pass him through waivers to send him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Davis has two options remaining, which could make him the odd man out if Rodriguez is on the opening-day roster.
With the season opener just nine days away on March 26 against the Mets in New York, Davis remains focused on his revamped approach at the plate.
“I think I’m in a really good spot right now,” Davis said. "I’m swinging at the right pitches and not chasing bad ones. I’ve got plenty of pop. I just need to get my timing so I can catch balls out in front of the plate. I feel I’m doing that."
The 26-year-old Davis knows it’s a results-oriented business, regardless of a player’s process.
“All the work I’m putting in is to produce,” Davis said. “That’s the goal as players. That’s how we keep our jobs.”