rico43
<B>Director of Minor League Reports</B>
Is Braxton Davidson stepping back from the brink?
Early in 2018, nothing seemed so inevitable as the end of the line for Braxton Davidson.
Davidson, the Braves first-round pick in 2014 (32nd overall) is all but forgotten since the Braves have since acquired fellow 2014 first rounders in Alex Jackson (6th overall), Sean Newcomb (15th) and Touki Toussaint (16th). But Davidson -- still only 21 years old -- has never given anyone any reason to think he would ever live up to his potential as a smart, patient hitter.
As a rookie signee, he hit .214 with zero homers (not what you want from a 6-2, 230 first baseman, even at age 18). A full year in Rome in 2015 saw him improve to .242 with 10 homers (and 135 strikeouts). That naturally led to a move to the higher Class A club in Carolina, and he spun his wheels with a .224 average, 10 homers and 170 strikeouts. However, he did improve in one key area: 63 RBIs, up from 45.
But he repeated Advanced Class A in 2017, and did not look any better: .213-7-36 with 155 Ks.
That meant another year in Advanced with Florida this season, and he began the year on a 1-for-30 skid. He backed a .128 average in April with a .129 average in May. In the season's first two months, he had 19 hits and 77 strikeouts. Following the game of June 1st, Davidson was hitting .124.
And then ... something changed.
In his last nine games (not counting his big day Sunday!), Davidson has hit .367 (11 for 30) with three homers and nine RBIs. He had 10 strikeouts partially offset by four walks and Davidson hit safely in 7 of 9 games. In the first game of two Friday, Davidson had a game that his promising skills teased as a teenager: 1-1, homer, three walks, three runs, three RBIs. He backed it with an RBI hit in Game Two. His average has gone from a stunning .124 to an almost human .164.
Is Davidson finally turning it around? The Braves are willing to wait and see, and it would be amazing to see him grow into his potential while there is still time.
Davidson turns 22 on June 18.
---------
SUNDAY'S MINORS RESULTS
All Times Eastern
CLASS AAA
Gwinnett 7, Syracuse 1
WP: Sims (3-2) 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 K
Peterson 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Santana 2-4, 2 R, HR (8th), RBI
Ruiz 1-3, 3B, 2 RBI
Franco 2-4, 2B, R
CLASS AA
Pensacola 3, Mississippi 1
LP: Wilson (1-3) 7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Sobotka 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Marlette 1-3, 2B, R
C.Martinez 1-3, RBI
ADVANCED CLASS A
Florida 7, Jupiter 5
SP: Johnston 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
WP: Kelly (2-1) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Cabrera 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K
Graham 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Burrows (Save, 3) 1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Michel 1-2, 2 R, HR (1st), RBI, 2 OF assists
Davidson 2-3, 2B, 3 R, HR (8th), 2 RBI, BB
Cumberland 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR (6th), RBI
Salazar 2-4, 2B, RBI
CLASS A
Kannapolis 4, Rome 1
LP: Mejia (0-1) 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Tarnok 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (0.88)
Deal 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Dyals 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
J. Smith 1-3, 2B, RBI
Contreras 2-4, R
SHORT-SEASON
DSL Braves, idle
Early in 2018, nothing seemed so inevitable as the end of the line for Braxton Davidson.
Davidson, the Braves first-round pick in 2014 (32nd overall) is all but forgotten since the Braves have since acquired fellow 2014 first rounders in Alex Jackson (6th overall), Sean Newcomb (15th) and Touki Toussaint (16th). But Davidson -- still only 21 years old -- has never given anyone any reason to think he would ever live up to his potential as a smart, patient hitter.
As a rookie signee, he hit .214 with zero homers (not what you want from a 6-2, 230 first baseman, even at age 18). A full year in Rome in 2015 saw him improve to .242 with 10 homers (and 135 strikeouts). That naturally led to a move to the higher Class A club in Carolina, and he spun his wheels with a .224 average, 10 homers and 170 strikeouts. However, he did improve in one key area: 63 RBIs, up from 45.
But he repeated Advanced Class A in 2017, and did not look any better: .213-7-36 with 155 Ks.
That meant another year in Advanced with Florida this season, and he began the year on a 1-for-30 skid. He backed a .128 average in April with a .129 average in May. In the season's first two months, he had 19 hits and 77 strikeouts. Following the game of June 1st, Davidson was hitting .124.
And then ... something changed.
In his last nine games (not counting his big day Sunday!), Davidson has hit .367 (11 for 30) with three homers and nine RBIs. He had 10 strikeouts partially offset by four walks and Davidson hit safely in 7 of 9 games. In the first game of two Friday, Davidson had a game that his promising skills teased as a teenager: 1-1, homer, three walks, three runs, three RBIs. He backed it with an RBI hit in Game Two. His average has gone from a stunning .124 to an almost human .164.
Is Davidson finally turning it around? The Braves are willing to wait and see, and it would be amazing to see him grow into his potential while there is still time.
Davidson turns 22 on June 18.
---------
SUNDAY'S MINORS RESULTS
All Times Eastern
CLASS AAA
Gwinnett 7, Syracuse 1
WP: Sims (3-2) 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 K
Peterson 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Santana 2-4, 2 R, HR (8th), RBI
Ruiz 1-3, 3B, 2 RBI
Franco 2-4, 2B, R
CLASS AA
Pensacola 3, Mississippi 1
LP: Wilson (1-3) 7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Sobotka 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Marlette 1-3, 2B, R
C.Martinez 1-3, RBI
ADVANCED CLASS A
Florida 7, Jupiter 5
SP: Johnston 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
WP: Kelly (2-1) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Cabrera 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K
Graham 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Burrows (Save, 3) 1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Michel 1-2, 2 R, HR (1st), RBI, 2 OF assists
Davidson 2-3, 2B, 3 R, HR (8th), 2 RBI, BB
Cumberland 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR (6th), RBI
Salazar 2-4, 2B, RBI
CLASS A
Kannapolis 4, Rome 1
LP: Mejia (0-1) 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Tarnok 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (0.88)
Deal 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Dyals 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
J. Smith 1-3, 2B, RBI
Contreras 2-4, R
SHORT-SEASON
DSL Braves, idle
Last edited:
