[ad_1]
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed Henry Davis, the No.1 pick in the 2021 Major League Baseball entry draft, the team announced Sunday morning.
“As we started this search process last summer, it was really important for us to find the best player,” general manager Ben Cherington said at a press conference on Sunday (video link). “We also wanted to find the right person to work with, to help us build a winning team in Pittsburgh.” We are very excited, honored and confident to have found that person in Henry Davis. “
Davis’ deal will pay him a signing bonus of $ 6.5 million, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports. The value of the MLB Slot Machine for the First Pick was just over $ 8.4 million. For some perspective, here are the signing bonuses for every No.1 pick since MLB implemented the current placement system after the 2011 season, by baseball benchmark.
Davis, a receiver from Louisville, placed No. 4 on the CBS Sports Top 50 pre-draft list. Here is what we wrote at the time:
Davis made the jump, hitting 0.370 / 0.482 / .663 this season with 15 homers and seven more walks than strikeouts. The demand for two-way backstops always exceeds supply, which is why the Davis Advantage is intriguing. He combines a low puff rate with a high average exit speed at the plate, and he’s at least a decent defender (with a strong arm) behind him. Some evaluators are concerned that his strength-based swing doesn’t work as well against an advanced pitcher. Okay, but he’s the most accomplished college stick in a class that doesn’t have many, and it’s hard to imagine him slipping way past No.5.
Davis was the fifth No.1 pick in Pirates franchise history, joining Gerrit Cole (2011), Bryan Bullington (2002), Kris Benson (1996) and Jeff King (1986). He now officially joins a promising farming system that includes Oneil Cruz, Quinn Priester, Liover Peguero and Nick Gonzalez, whom the Pirates selected seventh overall in last summer’s draft.
The Pirates are expected to use the financial savings they’ve reaped by taking Davis over Marcelo Mayer, Jack Leiter and Jordan Lawlar to sign some of their other noble picks, including left-hander Anthony Solometo, outfielder Lonnie White Jr. and right-hander. Bubba Chandler. That loot was enough for CBS Sports to consider the Pirates as one of the draft winners.
[ad_2]
Source link