PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The Pirates addressed their biggest need with the first overall pick of the MLB Draft. GM Ben Cherington selected Louisville catcher Henry Davis.
Ranked as the fourth or fifth best prospect in the draft, depending on the scouting service you trust most, Davis hit .370 with 15 HR with 48 RBI, 10 stolen bases, 1.145 OPS and a .482 on-base percentage in 2021. In his career with the Cardinals, Davis had more walks than strikeouts.
There is talk that Davis will eventually play at another position and not catch in the majors. The 6-foot-2, 21-year-old Davis threw out 46% of the runners trying to steal off his last year. The Athletic’s Keith Law told 93.7 The Fan of Davis:
“I’m in a camp that believes he will catch long-term. I will concede there are some scouts that don’t think so. We all agree he’s got a tremendous arm. I think his hands and his footwork are certainly good enough now and it will get better in pro ball.
“He can hit. He has superb hand-eye coordination. His pitch recognition is excellent. He has quite a bit of power. He’s a real student of the game.”
“Drafting for need at the very top of the draft is a bad idea,” MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo told 93.7 The Fan before the draft. “Then you start talking yourself into things. If you are drafting for need, they should go out and get a catcher. I think I’m the third best catching prospect in the system right now.”
It was the first time the Pirates had the top overall pick since 2011 when they selected Gerrit Cole in the first round out of UCLA. Davis probably is a fan of Cole growing up in Bedford, New York a fan of the Yankees.
Other first picks overall-Bryan Bullington-RHP Ball State (2002), Kris Benson-RHP Clemson (1996), Jeff King-SS Arkansas (1986).
Three former first round picks are on the Pirates active roster-Cole Tucker (24th overall, 2014), Kevin Newman (19th overall, 2015) and Ke’Bryan Hayes (32nd overall, 2015).
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