Pirates Facing Major Decision on Former No. 1 Pick

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mike El-Far | Last updated Mar 23, 2025 8:44 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently at a crossroads in their organization.

They last made the playoffs a decade ago, and have had multiple losing seasons in that time. Since 2015, they have picked No. 1 overall in the draft twice. Recently, Jared Jones has experienced elbow pain and will start the season on the injured list.

While superstar Paul Skenes has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since his debut last year, their other first round pick has not had the same success.

Henry Davis was recently optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. The former first overall pick from the University of Louisville has struggled to find his footing in the big leagues, while also trying to maximize his playing time at both catcher and outfield positions.

Davis has spent parts of two seasons in Pittsburgh, posting a measly .191 average with only eight home runs. Looking at the rest of the first round, young stars like Jackson Merrill and Colton Cowser have produced highly at the MLB level.

Davis could soon be running out of time in Pittsburgh. This is the second consecutive year he will be optioned to Triple-A, meaning he only has one more minor league option before having to be removed from the 40-man roster.

The NL Central has only gotten stronger this offseason, with the Cubs adding Kyle Tucker and the emergence of Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz. The Pirates desperately need to get back to winning baseball, and if Davis can find his game in Indianapolis the culture could shift in Pittsburgh.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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