For Jared Davis, becoming a professional baseball player wasn't always the plan.
The Orlando native grew up playing both basketball and football, looking to athletes such as Kyrie Irving and Tavon Austin as players he wanted to emulate. Baseball, meanwhile, wasn't something Davis took particularly seriously until he was 16 years old.
What began as a later introduction to the game eventually led Davis to Virginia Tech, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), and ultimately to the Athletics, who selected him in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Now, as the 2026 season winds down, Davis has found himself in Lansing, bringing a new energy to the Lugnuts while making the most of another opportunity to showcase what he can do.
After spending time with the ACL Athletics earlier this season, Davis arrived in Lansing with a simple mindset: take advantage of the opportunity in front of him.
The transition to the Lugnuts was relatively seamless. Many of the players on the roster were already familiar faces from spring training, giving Davis an immediate sense of familiarity when he joined the club.
Through his first six games and 19 at-bats with Lansing, Davis has quickly made an impression at shortstop while bringing an infectious energy to the team.
For Davis, though, his time in Lansing represents more than just another stop in professional baseball. It's another chance to show what he's capable of and continue working toward where he ultimately wants to be.
One of Davis' biggest motivations comes from someone who understands the journey firsthand: his brother, Austin.
Austin is an outfielder for the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association of Professional Baseball, meaning the two brothers are pursuing their own professional baseball dreams.
Having his brother chasing the same goal has provided Davis with someone who understands the challenges that come with the game, but it has also given him another reason to keep pushing forward.
Davis hopes his own journey can serve as inspiration for players who are still working their way through the lower levels of professional baseball. Not everyone gets their opportunity at the same time, and for those still waiting for theirs, Davis wants to be an example of what can happen when you continue to fight for it.
His path to professional baseball wasn't necessarily the traditional one, making the opportunity that much more meaningful.
Away from the baseball field, Davis' interests offer another glimpse into who he is.
His decision to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Virginia Tech speaks to an interest that extends well beyond the ballpark. That perspective has also shaped the way he views his career as a professional athlete.
One of the most important lessons Davis took from his father was to remember that, at its core, baseball is still a game.
It's an easy perspective to lose once baseball becomes a profession. Statistics, contracts, roster moves and the business side of sports can all become part of the equation. But Davis believes it's important not to lose sight of the reason he—and so many others—started playing in the first place.
For him, keeping the game a game means maintaining perspective and remembering to enjoy the opportunity in front of him.
That perspective seems fitting for Davis' current chapter in Lansing.
He may have arrived late to baseball compared to many of his peers, but his journey has already taken him from Orlando to Virginia Tech, to the Athletics organization and now to the Lugnuts.
Along the way, he's had the support of his family, the example of his brother and the lessons instilled by his father to help shape the way he approaches the game.
Now, with another opportunity in front of him, Davis is focused on making the most of it.
And while fans will get to know him for what he does at shortstop, his story offers a reminder that there's much more to a player than what shows up in the box score.