J.D. Davis credits former SF Giants All-Star OF for his offensive development

J.D. Davis has emerged as an All-Star caliber third baseman this season and he wouldn't be here without former SF Giants outfielder Chili Davis.

Marc Delucchi | Jul 14, 2023

J.D. Davis credits former SF Giants All-Star OF for his offensive development /

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San Francisco Giants

It's no secret that SF Giants third baseman J.D. Davis is in the middle of a breakout season. The 30-year-old Elk Grove, California native was one of this year's biggest All-Star snubs. However, while Davis has taken his career to the next level since he was traded to San Francisco last year, he credits former Giants All-Star outfielder Chili Davis, who was his hitting coach in 2019 with the New York Mets, for playing a major role in his development.

SF Giants third baseman J.D. Davis hits a two-run home run during the first inning against the Brewers on May 5, 2023. — SF Giants 3B J.D. Davis hits a two-run home run against the Brewers. (2023) / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

“Chili Davis means everything to me,” Davis told MLB.com's Bill Ladson. “He is the pillar of influencing me and helping me spread my wings and be a little more confident, find my footing here in the big leagues.”

While J.D. began his career with the Houston Astros, he did not receive an opportunity as an everyday player until he was traded to the Mets prior to the 2019 season. That year, Chili's guidance helped J.D. hit .307/.369/.527 with 22 home runs in 453 plate appearances.

“He spoke to me very highly. He was oozing me with confidence,” J.D. said about his experience with the former Mets hitting coach. “From there on out, he was really helping me hone in on my strengths and not focusing on my weaknesses. He wanted me to focus on that right-center gap-just staying behind the baseball and hitting it with a little more authority."

Chili Davis was fired by the Mets in 2021 despite the objections of several players, including J.D. Davis, who credit him for helping them take massive steps forward during their careers. During his own professional career, Chili was quite an impressive hitter himself.

An 11th-round pick by the Giants out of high school in 1977, Davis is the last outfielder drafted by the Giants to go on and reach the All-Star Game with the team. In fact, Davis reached two All-Star games with the Giants from 1981-1987, hitting .267/.340/.422 with 101 home runs and 95 stolen bases in 874 games. Following his tenure with the Giants, Davis became a free agent and signed with the Angels. His career spanned 19 big-league seasons and Davis recorded a .274/.360/.451 line with 350 home runs and 142 stolen bases.

Published Jul 14, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).