Pirates' Henry Davis situation looks worse after Orioles extend top catching prospect

When the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Henry Davis at No. 1 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, they were hopeful he would become their catcher of the future. Four years later, that hope has all but disappeared.

By nearly every key metric – batting average, power production, WAR – Davis has been a disappointment so far, especially for a No. 1 overall pick. His offensive numbers are well below expectations, and though defensively he's showing improvement, he hasn't yet reached a level that compensates for his hitting struggles.

The frustration surrounding Davis' underperformance reached new heights on Friday, when the Baltimore Orioles signed prized catching prospect Samuel Basallo to an eight-year, $67 million extension – the richest contract ever given to a catcher with similar service time. Basallo's deal includes a club option for the 2034 season, as well as incentives and escalators that could allow him to earn up to $88.5 million.

Pirates' situation with Henry Davis looks worse after Orioles extend top catching prospect

The 21-year-old Basallo only just made his Major League debut on Aug. 17. In four games since, he's batted .286/.333/.357 with an extra-base hit and a strikeout in 15 trips to the plate. He began the season at Triple-A, hitting .270/.377/.589 with 23 home runs and 17 additional extra-base hits.

Mind you, four games is a small sample size, but it was enough for Basallo to prove his value to the Orioles. Davis, meanwhile, has had four years to prove his value to the Pirates organization – and he has fallen short by nearly every measure. Over 152 games in the Majors, he has hit just .186 with 12 home runs, 41 RBI and a .575 OPS.

Davis' Major League stats are especially frustrating when compared to his performance in the minor leagues, where he slashed .290/.407/.529 in 189 games across all five levels of the Pirates' farm system. To see a No. 1 overall pick max out as a quad-A player is arguably one of the most disappointing outcomes imaginable, and Pirates fans are watching it happen in real time.

Davis has shown some signs of life, albeit sporadically. If he can string together consistent performance, develop defensively and regain his Triple‑A form in the big leagues, there may still be a path forward. But as of mid‑2025, the verdict is clear: he's underperforming, and that’s fueling nationwide and fan-based frustration.

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