Catcher Henry Davis, who was selected first overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, will make his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs Monday, June 19 in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
By Julian Guilarte
World Baseball Network
The Pittsburgh Pirates have called up 23-year-old Catcher Henry Davis from their Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians.
The news was first reported by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Jason Mackey. Pirates’ manager Derek Shelton announced the move as well.
Derek Shelton said Pirates catchers Austin Hedges and Jason Delay will remain on the active roster. Davis spent half of his games in right field in Triple-A. The Pirates could play him in the outfield or as a designated hitter in some games.
“He deserves to be here I think he’s shown that,” Shelton said. “Our two catchers will still be staying so we’ll be using him in different ways.”
Davis hit one home run, drove in three runs and had an OPS of .946 in 10 Triple-A games for the Indians, and collected 10 hits with a batting average of .286 during this span. Davis was the Pirates’ first overall pick in the 2021 draft, and he has now made the big club in less than two years. Davis is the Pirates third-ranked prospect and is ranked 44th on MLB Pipeline’s list of top 100 prospects.
Davis put together a great offensive season after starting in Double-A with the Pirates affiliate, the Altoona Curve. His combined numbers across 51 games in the minor leagues include 11 home runs, 30 RBI, 10 stolen bases and an OPS of .974. Davis has played in the Pirates’ minor league system since 2021. In 118 games, his career numbers are 24 home runs, 79 RBI.
The Pirates currently rank 18th in the Majors with a wRC+ of 98. Their catching position ranks 27th with a wRC+ of 61. Davis could provide a necessary offensive spark for the Pirates.
The Pirates lost 5-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 18 and are 2.5 games out of first place in the NL Central and four games out of the last Wild Card spot in the National League.
Davis will make his debut with the Pirates on Monday, June 19 against the Chicago Cubs at 7:05 p.m. at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
