Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ATL | LHP | 9 | 45 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | SL | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 55 | 45 | 50 | 50/40 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Jake Boes
Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 19
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster
Physical Description: Fairly average frame with no projection remaining; sloped shoulders with long arms. Wide hips with thick, muscular thighs and legs; NBA-sized feet. Shows athleticism on the mound; has a prep background in football. May have lost around 20 lbs recently--seems true to 215 list currently. Frame similar to former MLB pitcher Jorge De La Rosa.
Delivery & Mechanics: High 3/4 slot bordering over-the-top with high effort; stretch exclusively with a high leg kick and strong lower half engagement. Leg kick and extension yield moderate deception. Nearly crossfires delivery; settles back foot on the edge of the first base side of the rubber. Hitter gets a look at the ball on reachback, but the arm is quick enough to prevent pitch tipping. Hard fall to the third base side. Delivery is mildly violent.
Fastball: 91-93 t94 with cutting action running in on opposite-sided hitters. Induces weak contact when located; can be tough to barrel when it's thrown on the corners. Heavy usage that will get thrown in any count; high trust and conviction with the offering. Pitch plays best in the upper third of the zone. Loses life at the bottom of the plate. Grade: 55
Curveball: 75-77 with 12/6 break; slow breaker with average spin. Used almost exclusively to same-sided batters. Will freeze hitters with big break; slows the arm on occasion. Casts the pitch at times, giving proper rotation without desired bite. Overall, a fringy offering with little projection remaining Grade: 45
Slider: 86-88 with average, slurvy action; flashes plus but sits average with late bite. Predictable locations; gets too much plate at times. Under-utilized pitch especially when ahead. Could be used as a chase more. Grade: 50
Control and Command: Average control with below average command; fills the zone and will live and die with the fastball; highly predictable sequencing and locations may hinder his ability to skate by shortcomings with location. Well-repeated delivery has helped limit free passes. Control: 50 | Command: 40
Overall: Davidson's high fastball usage and the lack of trust with his curveball present significant reliever risk to the profile. His firm fastball from the left side is encouraging, but the relentless use with the pitch may prevent him from making it through an order multiple times. There is a possibility for a backend starter long-term, but I don't see enough to warrant that as a likely outcome. Most likely, Davidson is a middle relief arm or long man out of the pen on a competitive club long-term, where his fastball/slider combination may play up.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Low Leverage Reliever
Risk: Moderate
