Should the Pittsburgh Pirates consider trading Henry Davis?

The Pittsburgh Pirates might have to consider trading Henry Davis before most of his trade value runs out. His potential is endless, but at the end of the day, it's still just potential.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently in an odd space where they have enough talent to fill an MLB roster, but not enough talent to make the postseason. The Pirates need a few more additions to make a playoff run, but they have a glut of players at multiple positions.

The Pirates' main interest has been to upgrade the rotation and possibly acquire another outfielder. The current outfield consists mainly of Jack Suwinski, Bryan Reynolds, Joshua Palacios, and some depth bench pieces. They have previously attempted to try Henry Davis in the outfield, but he simply doesn't have the range of an outfielder.

The St. Louis Cardinals have reached the same problem with one of their top prospects in Jordan Walker, who has the potential to be a great hitter like Davis, but they both are getting blocked at their native position. The Pirates and Cardinals have respectfully decided to move both of them to the outfield, but neither has worked out because their defensive abilities aren't capable.

Davis finally has a shot to prove himself at catcher with the injury of Endy Rodriguez, but when Rodriguez returns, no one is certain what the future will be for both of them. Davis is a really good hitter with some of the best bat-to-ball skills and reaches base so much. The problem is that he can't find much playing time, so many suggest that he and Rodriguez, when healthy, should split time behind the plate and first base.

Davis is a very good hitter, but he isn't an outfielder. If he doesn't work out as a catcher, most of his trade value will dissolve right away. At best, if that happens, he would have to play 1B/DH, which doesn't hold the most value unless he can become the next Pete Alonso or Matt Olson.

In 2023, Davis didn't impress at the plate or in the field. If you look at his Baseball Savant page, it's full of blue with a bit of red. He has always had a strong arm and been able to walk, but besides that, his 2023 season was forgettable. If the right trade comes around for a player with around three or four years left on their contract who has proven themselves, the Pirates should accept it.

Davis has so much potential, but in this farm system, it often isn't seen at the next level. However, the Pirates won't trade him because it would look too bad to end up trading the future and a former 1st overall pick in 2021.