Ben Davis Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Mark Christopher Davis
Born 03/10/1977 in West Chester, PA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Malvern Prep
Debut 09/25/1998
Drafted in the 1st round (2nd overall) by the San Diego Padres in 1995 (signed for $1,300,000).

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Malvern (Pa.) Prep's Davis stands at the top of everyone's list for catchers. He has excellent defensive tools and projects as at least a decent switch-hitter with power from both sides.

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Background: Davis has been burdened by high expectations since being drafted second overall in 1995. He reached San Diego ahead of schedule, catching two innings of a late September game last year. The callup was a reward for a strong season that saw Davis named the Southern League's No. 3 prospect. Davis' older brother, Glenn, was the Dodgers' 1997 first-round pick and is ranked No. 7 on their Top 10. Strengths: Davis has Gold Glove quality defensive skills. He led the minor leagues by gunning down 57 percent of would-be baserunners (47 of 83). Offensively, Davis has succeeded in shortening and quickening his swing, dramatically increasing his ability to make contact and drive the ball to all fields from both sides of the plate. Weaknesses: Davis' hands are so smooth he sometimes relies on them instead of shifting his body to block pitches. He will need to continue to get stronger to fulfill his power potential. The Future: The Padres re-signed catcher Carlos Hernandez to a three-year contract, in part to keep pressure off rushing Davis too quickly. He will begin 1999 in Triple-A and gradually work his way into a starting role in 2000.

Every manager agreed that Davis has been one of the best defensive catching prospects in baseball since he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1995 draft. But for the third season in a row, the 22-year-old made rapid improvement at the plate. Davis hit .300 for the first time in his career, and probably would have set career highs in home runs and RBIs if he wasn't promoted to the Padres after just two months with the Stars. This was Davis' first taste of Triple-A. "Ben just needed to be consistent hitting the ball this year," said Las Vegas manager Mike Ramsey. "Defensively, we knew he was going to be the real deal."