- Full name J.J. Davis
- Born 10/25/1978 in Glendora, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 250 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- Debut 09/04/2002
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Nationals were familiar with Davis before new general manager Jim Bowden traded for him. Manager Frank Robinson skippered him on Team USA in the fall of 2003 (before Davis bowed out with a right hamstring injury), and scouting director Dana Brown was a Pirates area scout when Pittsburgh drafted him in 1997. Davis never could crack the Pittsburgh lineup, totaling 80 big league at-bats over the last three seasons and missing almost all of 2004 with injuries to his right pinky and right hip flexor. His tools are obvious, starting with plus power, speed and arm strength. But he's an undisciplined hacker who struggles against breaking balls, and he can look awkward in right field. Davis had a strong winter in the Mexican Pacific League, and he'll compete for a reserve role in Washington this year. -
Just when his career had all but flamed out, Davis put together fine back-to-back seasons in 2002 and 2003. He led the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in slugging last year and would have played for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament had he not injured his right hamstring. He had lobbied the Pirates to convert him into a pitcher in 2001, then changed his attitude and saw his production increase markedly. Davis has plenty of tools, most notably a power bat. He has learned to use the entire field the last two seasons and is now capable of hitting the ball out to any part of the park. Davis also has a strong arm and began learning how to turn his above-average speed into basestealing success in 2003. He's still averse to taking walks but is doing a better job of cutting down on his strikeouts. Despite his athleticism, Davis sometimes looks awkward in the field and doesn't always take good routes to fly balls. He's out of minor league options, so he'll almost certainly make the big league club in 2004. The Pirates want to ease Davis into the majors and figures to platoon in right field, playing him primarily against lefthanders. -
Davis was highly regarded as a pitcher and hitter in high school, and the Pirates took him as an outfielder. He was considered an underachiever until a heart-to-heart talk with Altoona manager Dale Sveum last May turned his career around. By September, Davis made his major league debut. Davis has plenty of tools, most notably a power bat and a cannon arm in right field. Eastern League runners quit trying to take extra bases on him last year. He has above-average speed, though he's awkward on the bases. Davis needs a better understanding of the strike zone and discipline in chasing bad pitches. He tends to get late jumps and takes bad routes on fly balls. Davis' future has never been brighter after he adjusted his attitude and quit lobbying for a switch to the mound. A good Triple-A season would put him in position to give Pittsburgh much-needed power in the outfield in 2004. -
The Pirates have waited a long time for Davis to blossom into a power hitter since making him their first-round draft pick in 1997. However, he hit just four homers in Double-A as a fifth-year pro last season, when he was hobbled by a strained hamstring. Davis threw 96 mph in high school but the Pirates drafted him as a hitter. He wanted to go to instructional league at the end of last season to be converted into a pitcher, but the Pittsburgh didn't go for the idea. Davis looks the part of a cleanup hitter. He's tall with long arms and a thick trunk. He also still shows a good arm in the outfield despite having elbow surgery in 1999. Davis never has learned to use the whole field as a hitter. He tries to pull everything and therefore can be worked away by pitchers. He also struggles to make consistent contact. He has a tendency to put on weight and needs to work on his conditioning. Davis will go back to Double-A this year, when his goal once again will be to turn his tools into production. The Pirates are losing patience with him, and perhaps the time has come to grant Davis his wish and try him on the mound. -
Davis was a standout pitcher and first baseman in high school, compared to Dave Winfield for his two-way ability. The Pirates drafted him as a right fielder. Davis generates great power with his 6-foot-6 frame and a body he started building up two years ago through weight training. He also runs well for a big man, especially once he gets his large body in motion. But he strikes out a ton. The strikeouts are a result of his struggles to recognize breaking pitches, which he sees frequently. Davis has an above-average arm in right field. He also made 18 errors last season, many of them careless mistakes on bobbles or ground balls that got through his legs. He is still unpolished but has as much raw ability as anyone in the system. He likely will get his first taste of Double-A this season, and it will be instructive to see how he fares against better pitching. While he may take a while to reach the majors, the Pirates are intrigued by the potential payoff of 40 homers a season. -
Background: Davis was a pitcher/first baseman in high school, but the Pirates shifted him to the outfield soon after drafting him. Strengths: Davis is a Pirates specialty--a tools player with plenty of raw ability. In addition to his power potential, he is expected to hit for average as he gets older. He also has a strong arm from right field, which falls in line with his pitching pedigree. Weaknesses: Davis's talent is unrefined. He is still learning the nuances of the game, like working the count in his favor and recognizing breaking balls quicker. He also has only average speed and his routes on fly balls are shaky. His work ethic has been questioned, but Pirates officials expect the problem to be solved as he gains experience. The Future: Former Pirates scouting director Leland Maddox projected Davis to be in the majors by 2001. That was optimistic. The Pirates will take it slowly with Davis, moving him a level at a time with 2003 a more likely estimated time of arrival.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Early last season, Davis wanted to scrap hitting and pursue a career as a pitcher. Fortunately for both parties, the Pirates wouldn't let him. The best power hitter in the Pittsburgh system, Davis led the PCL in slugging (.554) and smacked his first big league homer off Rheal Cormier in September. More than just a slugger, Davis is a 6-foot-5, 250-pound athlete with prototypical right-field tools. He has a strong arm, speed and body control. He'd rank higher on this list if PCL observers were convinced he could survive against offspeed stuff in the majors. -
The Pirates used the eighth overall pick in the 1997 draft to select Davis because they liked his strong right arm. They liked his bat even more, which is why they converted the 6-foot-6 righthander into an everyday player. It took a couple of seasons for Davis to adjust to using a wooden bat--and professional curveballs--but he’s beginning to prove that the switch to right field was worthwhile. His arm is just as menacing in right as it was on the mound, and the Pirates also like his speed. But what makes Davis special is his ability to swing the bat. He has a tendency to strike out, but when he hits the ball, amazing things generally happen. "He's the best power hitting prospect in the league," Garber said. "He has the potential to hit 35 to 40 homers in the bigs." Part of Davis' development as a power hitter has been learning to recognize breaking pitches and resisting the temptation to swing at stuff out of the strike zone. That hasn't been easy, but Davis has made strides in both areas. -
Davis looks more like a first baseman or a pitcher; he was both in high school. But with power and athleticism there's also a fine arm and good instincts. Davis' transformation to power-hitting right fielder was right on schedule with lots of upside, with season-ending elbow surgery the only negative. "It seemed like at the beginning of the year he wasn't doing much, but the more he played the more scarier he became," Eppard said. "You have to like the overall strength, size and presence."
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
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The Pirates used the eighth overall pick in the 1997 draft to select Davis because they liked his strong right arm. They liked his bat even more, which is why they converted the 6-foot-6 righthander into an everyday player. It took a couple of seasons for Davis to adjust to using a wooden bat--and professional curveballs--but he’s beginning to prove that the switch to right field was worthwhile. His arm is just as menacing in right as it was on the mound, and the Pirates also like his speed. But what makes Davis special is his ability to swing the bat. He has a tendency to strike out, but when he hits the ball, amazing things generally happen. "He's the best power hitting prospect in the league," Garber said. "He has the potential to hit 35 to 40 homers in the bigs." Part of Davis' development as a power hitter has been learning to recognize breaking pitches and resisting the temptation to swing at stuff out of the strike zone. That hasn't been easy, but Davis has made strides in both areas.