NEWS NOW: Pittsburgh Pirates catcher assign at Triple-A Indianapolis upon coming off the injured list
On Wednesday, Henry Davis, the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher and 2021 MLB Draft’s top pick, started a stint at Triple-A Indianapolis as part of his return from injury. His performance this season has been underwhelming, with a batting average of just .153, an on-base percentage of .267, and a slugging percentage of .235. He has hit one home run, driven in five runs, and posted a 47 OPS+. Once his rehabilitation assignment concludes, he is expected to remain in Indianapolis.
Davis had been sharing catching duties with Yasmani Grandal before landing on the injured list on June 15. However, his roster spot was more out of necessity than performance merit. Sent to Indianapolis on May 3 to refine his hitting, Davis was recalled to Pittsburgh on June 4 due to limited options following injuries to catchers Joey Bart, Endy Rodríguez, and Jason Delay. The Pirates opted to promote Grant Koch over Davis initially, a move that proved ineffective as Koch struggled in the majors with a lifetime .202 minor league batting average, going 0-for-7 with six strikeouts.
Pirates Should Keep Davis in Triple-A After Rehab Assignment
Joey Bart, who has been on a rehab assignment since June 21, is expected to rejoin the Pirates soon, likely displacing Henry Davis from his current role. Bart has been performing exceptionally well with a batting line of .267/.362/.517, hitting four home runs, driving in 12 runs, and boasting a 150 OPS+ in 22 games. His impressive stats, including the third-best batting average on the team, position him as the clear choice for the Pirates’ primary catcher role. The team is undoubtedly pleased with Bart’s contributions thus far.
Since Henry Davis went on the injured list, Yasmani Grandal and Jason Delay have been handling the catching duties for the Pirates. Grandal, batting just .181/.216/.276, is a 35-year-old veteran praised for his game-planning skills and mentoring of younger catchers. However, some Pirates fans, still remembering Austin Hedges’ struggles last season, are cautious about overly optimistic assessments of the team’s catchers.
Meanwhile, Delay, who has been shuttling between the minors and majors for three years, holds a 3-for-15 record after hitting two doubles in Cincinnati on Wednesday. He’s established himself as a reliable backup catcher but hasn’t shown much beyond that role.
Decisions Looming
As of Wednesday’s games, the Pirates are 2 ½ games behind the second wild card spot in the National League, presenting a promising opportunity. Their starting pitchers Mitch Keller, Paul Skenes, and Jared Jones are highly regarded across baseball. However, the team’s offense has been inconsistent, highlighted by scoring 20 runs in three games in Cincinnati after struggling with just 13 hits in a three-game series at home against the Tampa Bay Rays. This inconsistency reflects their position near the bottom in several offensive categories in the National League, despite occasional bursts of performance.
Regarding Henry Davis, there’s a clear case to move forward with Joey Bart as the primary catcher once Davis completes his rehab assignment. While the Pirates showed patience with Rowdy Tellez earlier in the season, Tellez had a proven track record in the majors, unlike Davis. The decision should prioritize Bart’s impressive performance and potential, rather than Davis’s draft status or Yasmani Grandal’s salary. How the Pirates handle this position will be a telling sign of their commitment to contending seriously in the near future.