DENVER — There’s nothing more important right now to the Pirates than adding talent, the foundation to support a build toward brighter days. There’s no easier way to do that — especially for them — than holding the first overall pick in the MLB draft.
Making that selection for the fifth time in their history and the first time since 2011, the Pirates had their best chance yet to add a premium prospect, a player who should be front and center when the team becomes competitive again.
After much debate and speculation, they drafted catcher Henry Davis first overall on Sunday night at the Bellco Theater in downtown Denver, tabbing the Louisville product to hopefully become a two-way standout behind the plate and play a starring role in their ongoing quest for future success.
“I’m ready to get to work,” Davis said. “I don’t really think too much about expectations. I’m just going to do everything I can every day to get better and keep improving. Hopefully the sky’s the limit, but just excited to get going.”
Davis was viewed as the best college hitter available. In 50 games this past season, the 21-year-old Bedford, N.Y., native hit .370 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and 45 runs scored, producing those numbers in the highly competitive ACC.
Davis earned first-team All-American honors this past season from Baseball America and the American Baseball Coaches Association. He was also a finalist for the Buster Posey Award, which is given out to college baseball’s top catcher.
Experts view Davis as likely to stick behind the plate because of his strong arm, aptitude and work ethic. He will have to refine some parts of his swing and defense, scouts believe; however, the Pirates got the best available player at a glaring position of need.
“We feel good that we’re bringing in a player who’s really a talent and has a chance to be a good big league player, and also someone who wants to be part of something really good and help us in that way, too,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “We’re thrilled to add him and looking forward to 20 more selections.”
This pick has been months in the making for the Pirates, who secured the No. 1 overall selection when they blew a late lead on Sept. 26, 2020, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred subsequently decided to keep the same draft rules in place — where the team with the worst record picks first, and there’s no lottery.
Back then, the presumptive No. 1 pick was Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker, who had seemingly cemented his status by dazzling during the 2019 NCAA tournament, twirling a no-hitter complete with 19 strikeouts. However, Rocker was merely a starting point. The path that led the Pirates to Davis was long and winding.
It went from Rocker to his college teammate and fellow pitcher, Jack Leiter, to a group of four high school shortstops, with California’s Marcelo Mayer most commonly linked to the Pirates. However, when crunch time came, the Pirates chose Davis because they valued how much he wants to learn and the physical tools he brings to the table.
Although Cherington did not say this and they technically still need to sign Davis, it’s also likely that, because of who they chose, they’ll be able to save on the suggested slotted value for the top pick ($8,415,300) and use that money in other areas of the draft.
“We did have a group of players really close together,” Cherington said. “Ultimately Henry was on top of that group. … We haven’t agreed. But we take him with some confidence and hope that we can [sign Davis].”
Perhaps more than anything he did on the field, Davis’ learning mindset and desire to improve resonated with Cherington and other members of the organization.
Davis told a story to Baseball America for its draft preview about viewing his throwing arm as a weakness when he was younger. Having read somewhere that you could hit 90 mph on a radar gun if you could throw a baseball 100 yards, Davis decided to try.
He went to his local football field day after day, extending his tosses a couple yards at a time, until he went from 70 yards to throwing through both goal posts. Now, Davis’ arm is one of his most valuable assets; it’s graded as a 70 on scouts’ 20-to-80 scale.
“You’re obviously betting on talent at the top of the draft,” Cherington said. “You’re also betting on the person. We feel really good about the person.”
Added Davis: “I’m never really comfortable with any part of my game. The potential for improvement really excites me.”
A big part of this process actually started last week in Pittsburgh, when the Pirates invited Davis to PNC Park for a private workout. Davis called the ballpark and the views of the city “beautiful.” He said he loved hearing about the Pirates’ plans for the future, how they’ve revamped their development program and plan to build through younger players.
“Going there and meeting with everybody in the organization, it was clear they’re all chasing the same thing, and they’re chasing greatness for the Pirates,” Davis said. “They see the vision where they can be great, they can win World Series, and just being able to contribute a teeny bit going toward that goal, I’m super excited. I’m ready to go.”
Davis had a feeling there might be a match, and his beliefs were confirmed Sunday afternoon, when he received a call from the Pirates, informing him that they intended to make him their first overall pick.
Davis was alone at the time. His family was out to dinner. So he just started nervously pacing back and forth in his hotel room. He tried to remain calm when they got home and finally let go a little when he got final confirmation — a phone call from Cherington — about an hour before the draft.
“I was a little anxious walking around, but my family was so great with that,” Davis said. “The people around me are amazing, honestly. Can’t say that enough.”
After he was picked, Davis was whisked off into a separate room in the bowels of the theater, where he met former Pirate Neil Walker and the two filmed a short video for social media. The moment was appropriate.
No, Davis isn’t from Pittsburgh — although with his work ethic and manners, he’ll fit in fine. But Walker, drafted in the first round as a catcher, meant something significant to the last Pirates’ push. It absolutely would not have happened without him.
So who better to welcome Davis into the organization for this next push than the Pine-Richland product?
"It fills you up when the team picking first considers you," Davis said. "Then realizing how fired up they were about it and how excited they were and me being the guy, it means a lot. I want to win. They want to win really bad over there, so I’m excited to get going."
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: July 11, 2021, 11:14 p.m.
