It's no secret that SF Giants third baseman J.D. Davis is in the middle of a breakout season. The 30-year-old Elk Grove, California native was one of this year's biggest All-Star snubs. However, while Davis has taken his career to the next level since he was traded to San Francisco last year, he credits former Giants All-Star outfielder Chili Davis, who was his hitting coach in 2019 with the New York Mets, for playing a major role in his development.
“Chili Davis means everything to me,” Davis told MLB.com's Bill Ladson. “He is the pillar of influencing me and helping me spread my wings and be a little more confident, find my footing here in the big leagues.”
While J.D. began his career with the Houston Astros, he did not receive an opportunity as an everyday player until he was traded to the Mets prior to the 2019 season. That year, Chili's guidance helped J.D. hit .307/.369/.527 with 22 home runs in 453 plate appearances.
“He spoke to me very highly. He was oozing me with confidence,” J.D. said about his experience with the former Mets hitting coach. “From there on out, he was really helping me hone in on my strengths and not focusing on my weaknesses. He wanted me to focus on that right-center gap-just staying behind the baseball and hitting it with a little more authority."
Chili Davis was fired by the Mets in 2021 despite the objections of several players, including J.D. Davis, who credit him for helping them take massive steps forward during their careers. During his own professional career, Chili was quite an impressive hitter himself.
An 11th-round pick by the Giants out of high school in 1977, Davis is the last outfielder drafted by the Giants to go on and reach the All-Star Game with the team. In fact, Davis reached two All-Star games with the Giants from 1981-1987, hitting .267/.340/.422 with 101 home runs and 95 stolen bases in 874 games. Following his tenure with the Giants, Davis became a free agent and signed with the Angels. His career spanned 19 big-league seasons and Davis recorded a .274/.360/.451 line with 350 home runs and 142 stolen bases.
More must-reads: