While there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the Pirates’ hot start, there’s even more to look forward to down on the farm.
Just ask Henry Davis, who earned his first career multihomer game and accounted for three RBIs in Double-A Altoona’s 5-4 victory. MLB’s No. 51 prospect went yard against both a righty and a lefty -- his first dinger against a southpaw this season and just his fourth in 17 career home runs.
Over his first two seasons, Davis has only had three games where he’s collected three or more RBIs. After Sunday’s effort, he has two such performances through 13 contests in 2023.
When visiting Bowie jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after the first half inning, Pittsburgh’s No. 3 prospect wasted no time getting his team back in the game. Davis took a pitch down low before jumping all over an offering right down the middle, sending the ball to left field off righty Garrett Stallings for a solo blast.
The 23-year-old reached base a second time with a seven-pitch walk in the third, but it wasn’t until the sixth that he would get on the board again. Lefty Antonio Velez relieved Stallings in the bottom of the frame, and Davis gave him no room for error. He sent the first pitch he saw over the fence in left-center to give his squad a 3-2 lead.
In the very next inning, the Curve found themselves with runners on first and second in a one-run game … with Davis coming to the plate. Of course, he delivered, lining an RBI single to left field to give Altoona some much-needed insurance.
Two frames later, Lolo Sanchez lofted a walk-off sacrifice fly to seal the win.
Davis’ bat may have made a lot of noise, but that wasn’t the only impact he had on the game. Against a Baysox lineup featuring four of the Orioles’ Top 30 prospects, the backstop helped to hold Bowie to just three hits after the Baysox singled three times in the first frame.
The No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 Draft is off to a great all-around start in 2023, collecting 12 hits in 13 games with four homers, a double, a triple, 10 RBIs and more walks (13) than strikeouts (10).
Wrist injuries limited Davis to just 76 games last season -- 59 in the regular season and 17 in the Arizona Fall League, where he slashed .260/.435/.440 with only one dinger. With high hopes for playing a full Minor League slate this season, the Louisville product is starting off on the right foot.