Texas A&M Baseball: Evaluating the Lineup Before the Start of SEC Play

2016 Stats

In a reserve role for some of last season, Joel Davis had 123 at bats in 37 starts. He held a slash line of .293/.376/.504. Davis had 14 walks to 25 strikeouts. He hit 9 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs and collected 22 RBI. He went 2-for-2 in stolen bases attempts.

2017 Stats

Davis, like Shewmake, also has 18 starts, although one of those came at DH. He has 71 at bats, 10 walks, 13 strikeouts and currently has a slash line of .310/.430/.479. He’s driven in 18 RBI and has 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs. He has been successful twice on four stolen base attempts.

How He Fits

Joel Davis is a gritty guy. Last year he fought for at bats in a crowded outfield. This season he’s made the transition to first base without voicing any complaints. He hasn’t been perfect at first so far this season, but the effort has never been questioned.

Long term I could see him shifting to the DH spot. His limited experience at his new position does show. He’s not a terrible fielder, but defensively he’s got some work to do picking balls out of the dirt. Offline throws have caused some issues early on this year.

He’s one of the most capable, veteran bats that the Aggies have. They’re going to need him in the heart of the order come April and May. A core battery of Foster, Shewmake, and Davis is going to scare every team the Aggies face this year.