Crack of the Bat

by Jim McDonald

 

A Tough Choice

 

Khris Davis is on a remarkable run on the baseball field. It is a run, however, that might leave him with a difficult choice that is often faced by high school players as they prepare (if they are good enough) to move on to higher levels. In Davis’ case, these are very high levels: top 20 Division I baseball versus professional baseball.   You might say that Khris, a standout since the first day he picked up a glove, has taken the Arizona high school scene by storm this year. He established himself as the clear top position player in the state in leading Glendale Deer Valley to the 5A Division II state championship with some eye popping numbers. The 6-foot, 180 pound senior is hitting above .600 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs. His on-base plus slugging is approaching 2.000 (an on-base percentage of .740 and a slugging percentage above 1.200), which doesn’t seem possible. Probably most impressive is his 24 walks against just five strike outs in more that 100 at bats. He has used his 6.8 speed in the 60 to steal 14 bases.   It would be an understatement to call Khris a prospect. Last fall – to the great disappointment of most schools in the West – he signed a National Letter of Intent with Cal State Fullerton, where he is expected to quickly play a major role in keeping the Titans at the top of the college baseball heap as they continue to shine in the shadow of  Pac 10 programs at UCLA and USC. Except he may never get there. Davis has attracted the attention of a number of Major League organizations and just might prefer to sign, depending, of course, on the money (including college tuition), the location of the organization and what they think of him as measured by where he is selected in the June draft.

 

“If someone takes me in the top three rounds, I will sign. Later than that, I will go to school,” says Davis. “I want to play baseball for a living, and I am looking for the quickest chance to play in the Big Leagues.”

 

It’s a dream for thousands of players, but Davis might be in a rare position to make it a reality. “He can flat-out hit, he is athletic and he will only get better and better,” says a scout for a Major League organization based in the Midwest. But it is more than talent. Khris has been around the game his entire life and has learned from his father, Rodney, just what kinds of challenges the professional life presents and what it takes to succeed.

 

Rodney is currently a hitting instructor in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He also runs an enterprise called Next Level Athletic Services (www.nextlevelbsbl.com) that specializes in preparing young players for greater opportunities in the game. Previously, he scouted for the Indians and the Mariners after a playing career that included stints at Fresno State and a few years in the Dodgers organization and a coaching career that influenced some of the top talents in Southern California. He coached at Paramount High School at the edge of Compton in the LA area inner city (where he also played against the likes of Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis) and also won six consecutive Mickey Mantle national championships with teams that featured Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Kotsay and Dante Powell (Golden Spike Award winner at Cal State Fullerton), among others.

 

Khris has seen it all, almost, both watching and playing.

 

“At Fullerton, we would be competing as a team to make it to the College World Series. I am sure I would have the time of my life,” says Khris. “In professional baseball, there are individuals competing for the same job. It’s tougher and less nurturing. But I understand, and if the opportunity is right, I am confident that I can handle any situation.”

 

Don’t take him wrong. He is a polite, respectful young man from a great family who has been raised right. He is simply looking for a challenge. He just has to choose the right one.

 

This column represents the thoughts and opinions of the author and are not necessarily those of Perfect Game.