Charged Battery: No. 1 overall picks Henry Davis, Paul Skenes in spring training spotlight

BRADENTON, Fla. — Henry Davis and Paul Skenes wanted to treat the first official workout of spring training for Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers and catchers as just another day, considering they spent much of the offseason training together here at Pirate City.

As No. 1 overall draft picks who are batterymates, however, they represent a rarity in baseball that’s impossible to ignore.

Only seven catchers were drafted with the top pick before the Pirates picked Davis first overall in 2021. Skenes became the 19th pitcher and 14th right-hander selected No. 1 overall this past July.

They could become the first such duo to be 1/1 picks who are batterymates on the same team, but that comes with a catch: Both need to be on the Pirates’ roster and still playing the same positions.

This marks their first big-league camp together, one that offers an inkling of the idea that Davis could be behind the plate when Skenes makes his major-league debut, just as Pirates fans have dreamed.

As much as Derek Shelton expressed excitement about seeing Skenes pitch and Davis catch against major-league opponents in Grapefruit League games this spring, the Pirates’ fifth-year manager is ready to put talk of rebuilding and the seasons of last-place finishes that were rewarded with high selections behind him as soon as possible.

“I’m ready to not have No. 1 picks,” Shelton said. “I think we’ve transitioned away, but I’m really excited about the two guys we have taken in that spot and what their future is going to hold and the fact that they are Pirates.”

Pirates manager Derek Shelton on getting to see 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes pitch at Pirate City and in Grapefruit League games this spring. pic.twitter.com/3ScTe2keEE

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) February 14, 2024

The focus is on the future. Davis made his major-league debut as a right fielder last June and has caught only two innings in a Pirates uniform. Skenes, a two-way player who also was a catcher at Air Force before concentrating on pitching at LSU, threw only 6 2/3 innings over three levels in the minors last summer.

But seeing the 6-foot-6 Skenes standing on the mound and the chiseled-from-granite Davis crouching behind the plate makes the future feel tangible. Even so, both did their best to downplay the dynamic of their draft pedigree and redirect the attention to their teammates.

“Yeah, I think it would be better if we win more games,” Davis said in a defiant deadpan. “I don’t think they really care where we’re picked if we win more games.”

The Pirates made a 14-win improvement last season but know that their chances of becoming a playoff contender depend largely on the development and success of Davis and Skenes and other homegrown players. Nearly $16 million in signing bonuses was spent on those two alone — Davis for a below-slot $6.5 million, Skenes for a draft-record $9.2 million — so their success in the majors is vital to that investment.

“It’s cool, but I don’t think we’re the only ones, either, in terms of being high-profile,” said Skenes, regarded as the best pitching prospect by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. “We’ve got a lot of really talented players here. They all have something to offer in terms of knowledge. Bits and pieces I can take from them, and hopefully they can take from me. As cool as it is to be here with Henry, there’s a lot of other cool guys to be here with also.”

Pirates RHP Paul Skenes, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, on how he handles the fanfare of being considered the top pitching prospect in baseball. pic.twitter.com/N0vo8n8akt

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) February 14, 2024

With Endy Rodriguez out for the season following elbow surgery, Davis enters camp with a chance to win the starting job at catcher. But he’s an underdog, given the combination of his inexperience, the signing of 12-year veteran Yasmani Grandal and the return of backup Jason Delay.

After trimming down to play right field at 210 pounds, Davis bulked up to 225 this offseason to become stronger and more durable behind the plate. He worked extensively with Pirates third base coach Mike Rabelo, a former major-league catcher, while trying to improve his pitch blocking, framing and receiving in bullpen sessions at Pirate City.

“He’s gotten better,” Shelton said of Davis. “That’s the one thing, the one challenge that we gave to Henry at the end of the year last year. We said, ‘You’re going to come into camp, and you’re going to catch,’ and he’s taken that full throttle. He’s been down here. He’s been working. He and Rabs have continually been working together but very pleased with the progress that he’s made.”

After dominating college baseball while relying almost exclusively on his 100 mph fastball and sweeping slider, Skenes is working to incorporate his sinker, changeup and curveball to complete a five-pitch arsenal while adjusting to the demands of going from starting every six or seven days in college to every five days as a pro.

Davis is impressed by the seriousness of Skenes’ approach, believing he’d be harder to hit than he is to catch.

“He’d be a tough at-bat. I didn’t get to face him, but it’s definitely up there with some of the guys I faced this year,” said Davis, who became the first player to homer off two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani twice in one game last July. “He has good command, so not necessarily (hard to catch) but the life on it is what would make it different. It’s not something you can just close your eyes and catch, but he can put it where he wants to.”

Pirates catcher Henry Davis (2021) discusses what it was like to work out this offseason with a fellow No. 1 overall pick in RHP Paul Skenes (2023). pic.twitter.com/PyihBZgMOi

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) February 14, 2024

Davis is attempting to avoid the fate of a pair of former No. 1 overall picks at catcher who converted to other positions. The San Diego Padres took Mike Ivie first overall in 1970, but he played first base in the majors. The Milwaukee Brewers selected B.J. Surhoff with the top pick in 1985, and he played catcher for six seasons before later bouncing to third base, first base and the outfield.

The Pirates previously had success in converting a first-round pick at catcher when they moved Neil Walker, the No. 11 overall pick in 2004 out of Pine-Richland, to second base. He spent 12 seasons in the majors, winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2014.

Although the Pirates value Davis’ power at the plate, they want to give him an extended look at his natural position. Skenes said it was “awesome” to throw to Davis, emphasizing that “he can catch.”

“He’s the type of catcher you want to throw to also because he likes to talk and think the game (through), that kind of thing,” Skenes said. “It’s a learning experience for both of us, which is nice because we can accelerate the process that for a lot of people that would start now, but we got to do it earlier in the offseason.”

And, the Pirates hope, become No. 1 batterymates for seasons to come.