Davis homered off Carlos Rodon on the first pitch he saw in college and took him deep again as a sophomore, positioning himself as a potential top-five-rounds pick as an Appalachian State junior in 2015. But he tore the labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder early that spring, ending his season and dropping him all the way to the 24th round and the Twins, who signed him for $50,000. He didn't make his pro debut until 2016 and didn't break out until 2019, when he slammed 36 homers -- 10 in 27 Triple-A games and his first big league blast after the Giants acquired him as part of the Sam Dyson trade in July.
Davis' tool profile and his statistical profile are somewhat at odds. He's very strong and generates at least plus raw power and impressive exit velocities from the right side of the plate, but he doesn't drive the ball in the air consistently and had the fourth-highest ground-ball rate (51 percent) of any Minor Leaguer with 20 or more homers in 2019. He displayed elite sprint speed during his September callup, but he plays closer to average on the bases and in the field, stealing just 34 bases in his first 452 pro games.
That dichotomy won't matter if Davis' power continues to play like it did a year ago. To establish himself in the Majors, he'll need to continue to build on the progress he made with his plate discipline last season. He plays all three outfield positions but has spent the vast majority of his time in right field, where his pop and solid arm fit the profile.
