Did Latest Minor League Stint Unlock Former Pirates Top Pick Henry Davis?

Henry Davis is back with the Pirates in his latest attempt to live up to the hype that comes with being a former No. 1 overall pick.

Pittsburgh recalled the catcher ahead of this week’s series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The club does so after watching Henry make the most of a trip to Triple-A Indianapolis where he went after starting the big league season hitting just .162 (11-for-68) with no home runs and just three extra-base hits to go along with four RBIs in 23 games.

To his credit, Davis made the most of his time in Indianapolis.

Davis hit .296 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 23 games with the Indians, posting a 1.078 OPS in the process.

“Obviously, there was a difference in results,” Davis told reporters, per the Post-Gazette. “Focusing on what I’m good at and not really worrying about my swing or all the little things that can complicate the process. Just going out, looking for something that I want over the heart of the plate and being on time.”

There’s obviously a long line of professional baseball players for whom that mindset was a lot easier to apply in Triple-A than the majors. He’ll need to hit the ball in the air more than he did in his first big league stint this season where his fly-ball rate was just 39%. In Triple-A, that number shot up to 48.2%, which goes a long way in helping someone like Davis — who has seemingly unlimited pop — to find his power potential.