Prospect Watch: Glynn Davis

   There are a few players in every organization that are known best for their speed. They are also sometimes the best athletes in the entire system. The Orioles have a player that fits under this description very well. Glynn Davis has started off the 2012 season hot, and is speeding his way to the majors.

   Davis, 20, is a local kid from Baltimore whom played at Catonsville Community College before signing on as a free agent with the Orioles. At ~6'2" 170 lbs, Davis has a unique build which could hint that there is still a chance he could potentially grow enough to fill out his frame while still being an excellent runner. As of now, Davis is quickly proving himself as a guy to watch. At this point in his career, the statistics are probably not the most important factor in determining his talent and worth. However, his pure speed is absolutely relevant and easily noticed by looking at his numbers.

   Thru 375* PA, Davis has 29 SB. That equates to roughly 39 SB on a scale of 500 PA. As a 20 year old in only his second professional season, I would consider that above average. He has been caught 11 times also, but he is obviously still learning the art of base running.
*As of 4/19/12

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2011	19	3 Teams	3 Lgs	A--Rk-A+	69	317	282	38	80	16	0	2	16	24	10	29	57	.284	.351	.362	.713
2011	19	Orioles	GULF	Rk	6	27	23	4	10	2	0	1	2	1	1	4	3	.435	.519	.652	1.171
2011	19	Aberdeen	NYPL	A-	62	286	255	34	69	14	0	1	14	23	9	25	53	.271	.337	.337	.674
2011	19	Frederick	CARL	A+	1	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.250	.250	.250	.500
2012	20	Delmarva	SALL	A	12	58	47	9	17	0	0	0	3	5	1	6	10	.362	.429	.362	.790
2 Seasons					81	375	329	47	97	16	0	2	19	29	11	35	67	.295	.363	.362	.725

   Even though it's generally not a good idea to look at low level statistics, the trend is certainly good in Davis' aspect. He really couldn't have started the 2012 season off any better. As you can see from above, he does not offer much in the power category. His ISO at Aberdeen last year was .067. Thru 58 PA in 2012, his ISO is .000 (that's not a typo). So don't exactly expect Davis to be a surging HR hitter. However, I do think once he puts a little muscle on his frame, he could surprise. I highly doubt he's ever going to be slapping 20 HR, or even 10, but there is always the possibility that a little pop shows up in his game down the road. The thing I do like about Davis is that he has good discipline and seems to understand the game at the current level he is playing on. Check out what a few people in the industry had to say about him before the 2012 season started:

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus:
Ranked Davis 17th
"Glynn Davis, OF: Burner with some idea at the plate, but quite raw."


Marc Hulet of Fangraphs:
Ranked Davis 12th
"Glynn Davis, CF: Davis has the chance to be a very interesting story after being signed in 2011 as a non-drafted free agent out of a small junior college. The speedy outfielder plays a solid center field and had a decent debut with the bat. He has plus speed and stole 23 bags in 32 tries" 

Orioles Nation:
 "Quick hand speed & short swing with good gap power potential. Solid rotation and weight transfer in the lower half helps maximize power out of his frame. Good awareness of strike zone; shows extensive plate coverage with ability to get the bat head out in a hurry, but needs to compact swing. Should add 20-30 lbs. which will bring some more pop. Plus-plus speed and true 80 runner. Can turn routine ground balls into infield singles. Good instincts on the base. Average arm. Defense is above-average, but needs to take better routes and rely less on speed in the outfield."

   I would suspect that Davis plays the full season at Delmarva. There is always the possibility he moves up to Fredrick, and in reality it would not be much of a surprise. He has played at a high level in Delmarva, albeit only a short time thus far. In the future, Davis is absolutely one to watch.

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