"Awful reflection on this organization" - Pirates insider blasts GM Ben Cherington's plans for No. 1 draft pick catcher

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Henry Davis could be one of the team’s worst moves, insider Dejan Kovacevic believes. In Monday's edition of DK’s Daily Shot of Pirates, Kovacevic explored the blunders Pirates’ general manager Ben Cherington has made in building the Pirates’ roster.

In particular, Kovacevic honed in on selecting Henry Davis as the number-one overall pick in the 2021 draft.

While Kovacevic believes Davis is a talented player, Cherington didn't make the right move in taking a player who has been unable to hit in the majors.

Specifically, Kovacevic pointed to Davis’ .192 career batting average in the majors. Davis also shows eight home runs and a -2.0 WAR in 329 plate appearances at the big league level, according to Baseball Reference.

The most perplexing part of the matter is that Davis is a solid hitter in the minors. Last season, Davis hit .307 with 13 dingers a 43 RBIs at AAA Indianapolis in 254 at-bats.

This situation has prompted Kovacevic to label Davis’ poor development as an:

“Awful reflection on this organization. And, what an awful reflection specifically on baseball ops.”

Kovacevic concluded by saying:

“They got the player everyone thought they should get and then it just blows up in their face.”

Looking at the Pirates catching situation in 2025

Dejan Kovacevic underscored how Henry Davis projects as the team's backup catcher this upcoming season. That situation does not bode well for Davis, considering first-round pedigree.

According to FanGraphs, Joey Bart is projected as the starting catcher.

In 253 at-bats last season, Bart hit .265 with 13 homers and 45 RBIs. Those numbers make Bart the incumbent behind the plate. Unless Davis has a tremendous spring, it’s unlikely Davis, or anyone else wrestles the catching job away from Bart.

Interestingly enough, FanGraphs shows Jason Delay as the backup catcher. If that’s the case, Henry Davis likely start the season in the minors. While Davis could get a call-up at some point in 2025, he likely heads to the minors for Opening Day.

If an experienced catcher became available for the right price, the Pirates may be compelled to pull the trigger.

In the meantime, Davis projects as the team’s catcher of the future with Bart and Delay sharing the workload this upcoming season.