Angels’ Brendon Davis Resurrects Career With New Organization

It took six years, but Brendon Davis is finally fulfilling the potential the Dodgers saw when they signed the shortstop for an over-slot $918,600 deal after selecting him in the fifth round of the 2015 draft from Lakewood (Calif.) High.

The 24-year-old Davis spent two years with the Dodgers before being dealt to the Rangers with Willie Calhoun and A.J. Alexy for Yu Darvish at the 2017 trade deadline.

Davis put up decent numbers at High-A in 2018, but he struggled so much at Double-A Frisco in 2019 that he wasn’t invited to the Rangers’ alternate training site in 2020.

The Angels selected Davis in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft in 2020, and to say the 6-foot-4, 185-pound infielder resurrected his career would be an understatement.

Davis combined to hit .290 with a .922 OPS and 30 home runs in 124 games for High-A Tri-City, Double-A Rocket City and Triple-A Salt Lake, an eye-opening performance that prompted the Angels to add Davis to their 40-man roster in November. That prevented him from becoming a minor league free agent.

Davis has always had a sound righthanded swing with hands that work well at the plate, but with added strength and better pitch recognition, many of the balls he previously hit for doubles are traveling over the fence.

“He’s a good athlete, a high-makeup kid with good baseball aptitude who can play multiple positions,” Angels farm director Joey Prebynski said of Davis before the Dec. 1 lockout. “He really performed well at the plate across three levels.”

Davis, a fluid athlete with sound hands and a strong enough arm to play the left side of the infield, began his pro career as a shortstop but made most of his starts at third base in 2021. He also played shortstop, second base and some left field.

Davis will likely start 2022 at Triple-A, and with his power and defensive flexibility, he will provide a utility option for the Angels.