Henry Davis is on his way back to Pittsburgh. The Pirates will be catcher Joey Beard on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, reports Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. To replace Bart on the active roster, the team will bring back former top prospect Henry Davis from Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates are expected to announce those transactions before tomorrow’s game against the Cubs at PNC Park.
Davis, 24, was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft and was considered a top-100 prospect for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, he struggled in the major leagues last year, posting a .213 batting average with a .653 OPS in 62 games during his rookie season. Drafted as a catcher, he also struggled to adjust to his new role in right field, posting -6 Outs Above Average (OAA) and -9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in just 417 1/3 defensive innings.
The Pirates returned Davis to his original position in 2024, but his at-bat results were no better early in his second season. He hit so poorly in the first month of the season (.486 OPS in 23 games) that he was sent down to Triple-A in May. Although he turned things around immediately in the minor leagues, hitting .296/.436/.642 in 23 games, Davis struggled again after being promoted to the major leagues, hitting 2-for-17 in six games in June. His bad luck continued when a concussion forced him onto the IL, and after he was eligible to play again, he was sent back down to Triple-A, largely because Bart was doing so well.
In fact, Bart, 27, has been nothing short of outstanding for the Bucs in 2024. The Pirates traded him in April after he was designated for assignment by the Giants. He missed most of June with a thumb injury, but other than that, he’s been one of the team’s best hitters all season. In 63 games, Bart has a .272 batting average with 12 home runs and an OPS of .844. His defensive numbers behind the plate are below average, but not terrible, and that’s more than acceptable considering how he hits the ball. The Pirates hope his hamstring injury doesn’t prove too serious.
With Bart out, Davis gets another chance to prove himself against big league competition. It’s already clear he has nothing left to prove in Triple-A. As usual, he was in top form during his last stint with Indianapolis, posting a .314 batting average with six home runs, seven stolen bases and an OPS of .881 in 34 games since coming off the IL. Experienced backstop Yasmani Grandal has pitched well for the Pirates in the second half (.906 OPS in 14 games — not to mention his walk-off home run this afternoon), but Pittsburgh, now eight games back in the NL Wild Card race, has little incentive not to give Davis the bulk of the playing time while Bart is on the mend.
