Drafted in the 15th round (444th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 (signed for $125,000).
View Draft Report
Davis established himself as a regular in California's lineup during his sophomore season, when he hit .275/.370/.403 in 45 games for the Bears, with most of his playing time coming in center field. As a junior, Davis has played left field, which is where he'll likely profile in pro ball, and he's had his best offensive season thanks to a career-best 13 home runs through 45 games. The power surge comes after the 5-foot-10 outfielder hit just two home runs in 164 at-bats as a freshman and sophomore. The breakthrough isn't totally unprecedented, however, as Davis also hit nine home runs with a wood bat in the Northwoods League in 2016 before struggling in a brief stint in the Cape Cod League last summer. Davis doesn't have an idyllic swing. There is a lot of movement in his hands during his load, which creates some timing issues, and his balance could improve. He has managed to find the barrel frequently enough for his plus raw power to translate into games, though his approach comes with a high strikeout rate that tracks back to every season and league he's played in since getting to college. Most of Davis' value is tied up in his bat as a corner outfielder, but he hit well early in the season in front of the right people, so a team might take a chance on his power potential and try to clean up the operation a bit in player development.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Track Record: Davis, the son of a jazz pianist and an opera singer, won a starting job in his sophomore year at California and then broke out as a junior, hitting .321/.406/.606 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs to earn first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors. He was just as productive in his pro debut.
Scouting Report: Davis' strikeout rate is high--in a combined 105 professional and college games in 2018, he struck out 134 times--but he showed above-average power to all fields. His stance is upright, but he has good plate coverage and gets his bat through the zone quickly. He has above-average speed and a playable arm. He likely eventually will end up in a corner outfield spot.
The Future: Davis is expected to open next season at low Class A Greensboro. He has to keep hitting to prove he can be more than a solid org player, but so far he's off to a great start.
Draft Prospects
Davis established himself as a regular in California's lineup during his sophomore season, when he hit .275/.370/.403 in 45 games for the Bears, with most of his playing time coming in center field. As a junior, Davis has played left field, which is where he'll likely profile in pro ball, and he's had his best offensive season thanks to a career-best 13 home runs through 45 games. The power surge comes after the 5-foot-10 outfielder hit just two home runs in 164 at-bats as a freshman and sophomore. The breakthrough isn't totally unprecedented, however, as Davis also hit nine home runs with a wood bat in the Northwoods League in 2016 before struggling in a brief stint in the Cape Cod League last summer. Davis doesn't have an idyllic swing. There is a lot of movement in his hands during his load, which creates some timing issues, and his balance could improve. He has managed to find the barrel frequently enough for his plus raw power to translate into games, though his approach comes with a high strikeout rate that tracks back to every season and league he's played in since getting to college. Most of Davis' value is tied up in his bat as a corner outfielder, but he hit well early in the season in front of the right people, so a team might take a chance on his power potential and try to clean up the operation a bit in player development.
Career Transactions
Springfield Cardinals released OF Jonah Davis.
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone