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‘Give them a tough choice’: How top prospect Brennen Davis hopes to deliver for Cubs

2 years agoAndy Martinez

MESA, Ariz. — Brennen Davis isn’t afraid to set high standards.

Actually, he makes sure to keep track of his goals and plans by journaling every day.

“Being able to jot down my thoughts and stuff I wanted to improve on really gives me more of a tangible goal that I can like look back on and say, ‘hey I accomplished this,’” Davis said Friday afternoon at Sloan Park.

He’s in big-league camp but isn’t the first name as a potential backup outfielder on the Cubs roster. Still, that’s one of his targets this spring.

“Yeah, I’m not out here not to make a team,” the Cubs’ top-ranked prospect confidently said. “I’m out here to compete and give them a tough choice to make at the end of spring.”

If he can stay healthy — something he struggled to do in 2022 after undergoing surgery for a vascular malformation in his back and suffering a stress reaction during the Arizona Fall League — then Davis should find himself in the big leagues at some point in 2023. After all, he posted an .869 OPS with 19 home runs across three levels in 2021, including ending the season at Triple-A Iowa. He began 2022 in Iowa and seemed primed to debut in the big leagues that summer before the injuries.

“I know when my time is called, I’m gonna be ready,” Davis said. “Whether that’s now or in a month or in two months or whenever. I’m gonna do whatever I can to be the best version of myself.”

What does the best version of Davis look like for Cubs fans?

“It’s pretty good,” Davis said, sporting a million-dollar smile.

Still, he’s using the camp to absorb as much information as he can. There’s plenty of hardware in the Cubs clubhouse — from World Series rings to Gold Glovers to an MVP.

“Being around those guys and seeing how they work, I think I do a good job and they just do a little bit better job, you know?” Davis said. “Being able to take little tips here and there is just gonna make me a better player.”

The Cubs will be keeping an eye on him — they know what kind of player he can be. It’s just about staying on the field now.

“When he’s done that, he’s been really, really good,” David Ross said. “I don’t think it’s something where I’ve gotta look out for much … I know he feels really good, let him continue to get the at-bats, continue to get that seasoning and try to help us in some way this year.”

Right now, for Davis, that means staying grounded. Ultimately, he can only make the Cubs face a tough decision — he can’t make the decision himself.

“Everybody gets a little bit anxious, but it’s about being where your feet are and playing well wherever you are,” Davis said. “That’s something I live by and I’m gonna continue to do that.”

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