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Jun 04, 2012 - Jun 06, 2012     
TBD - ,
D.J. Davis
OF 6-0 170   L/R
FB
60
40
OF
IF
1B
C
Pop
Range
CB
SL
CH
Split
Knuckle
4/30/12: Fast rising centerfield prospect D.J. Davis hails from Wiggins, Mississippi, a town of approximately 3,900 citizens about half way between Biloxi and Hattiesburg in the southeastern part of the state. There are a significant number of similarities between the feet footed Davis and fellow top prospect Byron Buxton that go beyond just speed and athleticism. Buxton lives in Baxley, Georgia, population 4,300. A scout recently related the story that Davis comes from such a small town background that he’s only flown on a plane two times and that the destinations might have been the East Coast Pro Showcase last summer and the WWBA World Championships last fall, the only two major scouting events that Davis has attended. Whether that story is factually accurate is unknown. There was a day not too far in the past when small town players such as Davis and Buxton could have slipped through the scouting cracks and not been nationally known players. That day has definitely passed. Scouts from the Assistant GM/Scouting Director level on down have been learning where Wiggins is located this spring as Davis’ has established himself as one of the two top impact speed players in the draft (along with Buxton) and a potential first round candidate. Davis ran 6.38 (hand timed) at the East Coast Pro and was clocked just above 3.8 seconds from the left side on a ground ball at the WWBA World Championships. He has instantaneous acceleration on the bases and scouts can’t be faulted if they compare Davis to minor league base stealing sensation Billy Hamilton (Reds, 2nd round, 2010), who came from the even smaller Mississippi town of Taylorsville (population approx. 1,400). But the biggest excitement from scouts hasn’t come from Davis’ speed, which is a given at this point, but from the improvement he’s shown with the bat, especially with his power. Davis is not a slash-and-run hitter and takes a full, aggressive swing at the ball and is looking to drive pitches. He’s also proven to be a very patient hitter who is willing to wait for his pitch and take a walk, a very valuable skill for a baserunning threat. Davis hit .364-6-25 with 22 walks in 26 games this spring for Stone County High School. He saved his best performance for his last regular season game on April 14 when, in front of a huge crowd of crosscheckers, he blasted two home runs. High school statistics can be deceiving at best but it’s worth noting that Davis had the only six home runs that his Stone County (15-11) team hit all season, and the Stone County pitchers only allowed two home runs themselves. Either the ball doesn’t travel well in southeast Mississippi, the fields are extra big or Davis’ home run numbers are a strange statistical anomaly. Davis’ speed in the outfield is obviously a huge asset as far as range in centerfield is concerned. His throwing arm is playable but not a plus. His floor as a prospect would appear to be on the level of a Ben Revere/Brett Gardner type of player, with the potential to move up from there if his power develops as he has flashed this spring. His chance of going in the first round will certainly not be hurt by the fact that he doesn’t have a college commitment to a Division I school to fall back on and would attend Meridian CC if he didn’t sign.




Oct 20, 2011 - Oct 24, 2011   Royals Baseball Club  17
Roger Dean Complex - Jupiter, FL
D.J. Davis
OF 6-0 170   L/R
FB
60
40
OF
IF
1B
C
Pop
Range
CB
SL
CH
Split
Knuckle




Aug 01, 2011 - Aug 04, 2011     
Joker Marchant Stadium - Lakeland, FL
D.J. Davis
OF 5-11 170   L/R
FB
60
40
OF
IF
1B
C
Pop
Range
CB
SL
CH
Split
Knuckle