RHP Rookie Davis
Even though the focus on the trade was INF Eric Jagielo, Rookie Davis is no slouch for the Reds either. Clearly the second best piece of the trade, Davis was drafted by the Yankees in the 14th round (449th overall) of the 2011 draft. Originally a position player, the Yankees saw his long term potential as better suited for a pitching role. Given this switch, Davis’ development has been slow to this point, as he only reached Double A in 2015, his fourth full season of professional ball.
In 2015, Davis split his time between High-A ball and Double-A. Rookie Davis started 19 games for the Yankees high A affiliate, throwing a total of 97 1/3 innings and finishing with an ERA of 3.70 and a FIP of 2.22. Following his promotion to Double A, Davis pitched in 33 1/3 across five starts (six total appearances) finishing with a higher ERA of 4.32 and FIP of 3.21. Despite a K/9 of nearly 10 and BB/9 of under 1 in High A, Davis struggled to have the same success in Double A. It is clear Davis still needs some seasoning, but at only 22 years old, and with a rebuilding Cincinnati Reds team, he will be given just that.
Best known for his fastball, that routinely reaches the mid-90s with cutting action, Davis also uses a strong curveball as well as a changeup that could end up being a plus pitch long term. Davis has decent enough control over all his pitches, but at times struggles with his command. While he has been used exclusively in starting role to this point, the possibility exists that he would be a better fit for the bullpen in the long term. To this point, the Reds have collected quite a few decent pitching prospects, and Davis adds yet another arm to that list of names.
