Henry Davis completes quick Triple-A stint

Former first overall pick heads back to the majors after stay in Triple-A

Photo Credit: Ryan Palencer

When Henry Davis was optioned to Indianapolis on May 3 after hitting just .162 and striking out 29 times in 23 games with the Pirates, regaining confidence at the plate was paramount.

According to Indianapolis hitting coach Eric Munson, Davis hit the ground running from the jump, earning his return to the Pirates nearly a month later.

“Henry is a competitor,” Munson said. “He’s always prepared and is a good worker. We just want to create a good environment and get them back.”

In the same 23-game sample size in Triple-A, Davis smacked seven home runs and seven doubles. He generated an OPS of 1.078. The hard contact was there.

However, the strikeouts were also. He fanned 25 times. The underlying numbers are very similar, but the hard contact has peaked.

For both Davis and Jack Suwinski, who was optioned on May 27, there are physical aspects that need to be ironed out. Munson also pointed out that the mental aspect of trying to correct the physical on the fly is important.

“With anybody really, it’s just trying to keep it simple for them,” Munson said. “There’s generally something to address with the move or the swing, maybe mechanically. It’s just trying to keep it simple and get them back competing, because a lot of times as hitters we can get on our body, thinking about our move and forget about the most important thing - competing in the box and having an approach.”

For Davis, there has to be some encouragement that the power has returned at Triple-A. The underlying poor metrics are still present and won’t be going anywhere. In the last week, Davis struck out 10 times in 21 plate appearances. He also doubled twice and hit a home run.

Davis tore up the minors last year with a better strikeout rate. That has not been the case this season. His approach is not conducive to repeating those numbers. If he hopes to stick in his return to Pittsburgh, the power has to remain because his lack of contact is too much to overcome if it doesn’t.

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