OnlyBucs

There isn't much top catching talent in our system, says Captain Obvious. What is far less obvious is where Henry Davis will begin his Pirate career. The only other top 30 catching prospect is Endy Rodriguez, who has performed very well at Bredenton and probably earned a mid-season promotion to Greensboro.



Problem is, that's probably the best place to start Henry Davis, and it's where BC started Nick Gonzalez. I suppose we could all hope for a quick Davis signing followed by a slight delay in Rodriguez' promotion, then see Davis in Altoona and Rodriguez in Greensboro by August. There certainly isn't anyone in Altoona blocking Davis.



Will the Bucs fast-track Davis and send him straight to AA? That clears a path for Rodriguez at High A, and even allows pleasant catching surprise Eli Wilson more playing time in Bradenton.



I haven't had enough experience with BC to predict what he'll do here. I could have predicted that Neal would have taken the slow and cautious path, but isn't the new regime moving a little faster?



Your thoughts on this topic are most welcome!

It'll be interesting to see what happens in these reduced minor leagues. They might figure 200 at-bats with a team might not be as valuable as 200 per week at the complex.

I would start him at high A and hope he quickly proves overqualified. Then move him up to AA in a couple weeks if warranted. I think that's better than risking starting him out at AA if he isn't ready.

103D30212637206063520 wrote: I would start him at high A and hope he quickly proves overqualified. Then move him up to AA in a couple weeks if warranted. I think that's better than risking starting him out at AA if he isn't ready.


yeah, it is better to be safe than sorry with these guys. Hopefully he can do well at first level he is placed and earn a promotion. Somewhere along the line he is going to struggle in minors.

Good question, which got me thinking about a question I've always wondered.



Every draft, teams take a whole bunch of guys. The ones they sign, have to go play somewhere. They get assigned to wherever.



When that occurs, do the same number of players have to pack their bags and go?



Just always kind of wondered what happened to all these folks. And now there's fewer spots for them. But then, last year was 5 rounds of a draft, and this year 20 I believe. In the past wasn't it like 40-50 rounds?



Just always wondered that, but never followed up on my curiosity.

4B6D6A7F767A6D7B73180 wrote: Good question, which got me thinking about a question I've always wondered.



Every draft, teams take a whole bunch of guys. The ones they sign, have to go play somewhere. They get assigned to wherever.



When that occurs, do the same number of players have to pack their bags and go?



Just always kind of wondered what happened to all these folks. And now there's fewer spots for them. But then, last year was 5 rounds of a draft, and this year 20 I believe. In the past wasn't it like 40-50 rounds?



Just always wondered that, but never followed up on my curiosity.
Teams have "extended spring training" where they keep many recent signees in Florida without assigning them anywhere. They work out daily and set up a schedule to play teams from other organizations' extended spring training squads.  It's informal and they can keep as many there as they want. I watched them work out at Pirate City a few years ago. The late round picks usually go there along with amateur free agent signees until the Pirates can decide what minor league level, if any, they fit in at. So when someone (like a high draft pick) is assigned to a team, there is a trickle down effect as a player displaced on the roster can be demoted to a lesser level until the guy being displaced at the lowest league level can be released or sent to extended spring training. But mostly likely they would be released if they were demoted from the lowest league level.

Thanks Bobster!

7C5A5D48414D5A4C442F0 wrote: Thanks Bobster!
In some ways it's a money making venture for the Pirates. I spoke to a couple players there and one of their fathers. The father said his undrafted son was there because the Pirates offered a chance to come to extended spring training and show what he had. They weren't paying him and if he didn't find off site housing he had to pay the Pirates for R & B at Pirate City. Those who were there as draft picks had free R & B but most guys there were just living out a dream after HS or college baseball and would never make it through the minors. But the Pirates were only too happy to work them out for free and collect R & B. One guy I talked to was Scooter Hightower, a 15th rd pick in 2015, who didn't have to pay R & B and would later make it as far as Altoona before washing out.

Like others, I think he'll start in GBO but only after spending a bit of time at Pirate City. I don't think it would be the worst thing having Davis and Endy both in GBO. There are extra ABs in the DH spot.

Davis is making his debut in the Florida League today, and has hit a double and a homer. That is a very good start !