‘You have a superstar’: Franklin outfielder has top-round potential in MLB Draft
Franklin High School outfielder Chase Davis has an arm that could be worth millions in the MLB Draft in June.
He was cited by MLB Pipeline as the prospect with the strongest throwing arm in this year’s draft. He was clocked throwing 99 mph from the outfield last summer.
Take it from former White Sox and Mets manager Jerry Manuel, who has worked with Davis: This kid’s worthy of a top pick.
“Chase at a young age learned how to dominate a game at a high level,” Manuel said “When someone needed to be thrown out, he would throw them out from right field. If we needed a big hit and we were down and we got Chase to the plate, we knew we were going to win that game. He grew to the point of the bigger the situation was the bigger he played. He was that impressive and dominant. He got the big hit in every single championship that we won.”
The success seemingly comes naturally. While he comes from an athletic family — both parents played college sports — Chase Davis says it’s his late-night (or early morning) workouts that have kept him on top of the MLB Draft board.
“I’m running or biking every night at 2 or 3 a.m. to keep in shape,” Davis said. “I like to work out late at night when no one else is. I am finding different people to throw with to keep my arm in shape. I like to throw and long toss a lot because it’s beneficial for my arm strength. It’s important to do that to keep it loose all the time and in that motion of throwing hard. A lot of people don’t really like to long toss but for me, it’s super crucial for my arm strength. I was born with a strong arm but I still have to stretch and take care of it.
“Whenever my arm is as loose as possible, that’s when I throw the hardest. Whenever I throw, my arm has to be 100 percent loose, otherwise I won’t be able to throw as hard as I can. If you don’t stretch before you throw hard, that’s how injuries happen. Everyone wants to throw hard, but you have to prepare it.”
First memories around baseball
Chase’ Davis’ dad, Tommy Davis, can recall a memory when he knew his son had a future in baseball.
“I remember going to Toys ’R’ Us when (Chase) was younger and getting him one of those Fred Flintstone bats,” he said. “I showed him how to hold a bat and told him it was his turn to swing. As soon as I gave the bat to him, he put it on his left side. He was mirroring me because I was right-handed The first ball I pitched to him he hit from the back of the garage to the sidewalk and it rolled down the street. He was smiling after he hit it and I knew from that moment we were on to something.”
Hitting his dad hard was a theme that has been repeated in his development. Chase Davis hit his first home run off his dad when he was in fifth grade.
“I remember it vividly,” Davis said. “I remember going out on a Saturday afternoon with my dad and brother at this Little League park. My dad threw me a fastball inside and I hit a little 210-foot blooper but it was a home run. Right before we got to the field that day, I was complaining to my dad how I would never be able to hit a home run. I remember him slamming on the brakes and him telling me I was going to hit a home run. I was surprised because once I did that, I knew I wanted to play baseball. It gave me a big confidence boost.”
Chase comes from an athletic family
Tommy Davis played baseball during his sophomore and junior seniors at Hogan High School in Vallejo, but his passion was football.
He and his three brothers — Gerald, Michael and Samuel — all played at Contra Costa College in San Pablo before transferring to four-year schools. Gerald played at Sonoma State, Michael played at the University of Cincinnati, Samuel played at Humboldt State and Tommy played at Southern Oregon.
Chase’s mom, Jamille Moens, was a multisport star at Santa Ana High School. Her passion for volleyball is what stood out. Moens played two years at Orange Coast Community College before transferring to Cornell, where she earned all-Ivy League honors as a junior and was named a captain as a senior.
“Maybe a little bit of that rubbed off on him,” Moens said with a laugh.
Davis’ younger brother Jordan also plays baseball. While at Franklin, Chase played center field and his brother played in right.
A helpful hand from a former pro
Chase Davis has a mentor in Manuel, who managed the Chicago White Sox from 1998-2003 and the New York Mets between 2008-10. His son Anthony Manuel is the head baseball coach at Alpha Charter.
Both of them have helped Chase get to where he is today.
“That’s the guy who has given me an opportunity to get drafted,” Davis said of Manuel. “I’m a talented individual but I can’t do everything by myself. He’s like a second dad to me. He’s always been there for me and wants the best for me. He knows how to make someone great. Anytime I need something, he’s someone I can go to. I have so much respect for him and his family.”
Davis was introduced to Manuel and his foundation when he was in eighth grade. Manuel asked Davis to play for him in a national tournament in New York. The team won the championship that week.
“Chase is a game-changer and he could be the face of an organization that a team can build around,” Manuel said.
The mental part of baseball is something Manuel sees as Davis’ strength. Manuel also coached Davis during, “The Breakthrough Series,” which was established in 2008 as a joint effort on behalf of USA Baseball and Major League Baseball. The series aims to give kids from urban areas a chance to play before scouts and get big-league training.
“I’ve seen him rise under pressure,” Manuel said. “There are few guys in this industry who want that shot with the game on the line. He relishes in that shot. I’ve been in Major League Baseball for over 30 years and there’s a handful of guys who relish that spot. He’s a leader. His bat in clutch situations is something I would manage my game for Chase to get that last at-bat.”
Eye on the draft
The MLB Draft is scheduled for June 10, but it could be pushed back as late as July 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The length of the draft could also go from 40 rounds to five.
Davis has signed with the University of Arizona, but that could all change if his name is called in the draft.
“To think that in a few months things could change for me financially is very crazy,” Davis said. “It’s going to hit me harder as the draft gets closer.”
While he’s keen on creating financial security, you can see Davis’ personality shine through when he talks about what he might do with some MLB Draft money — after he meets with his financial advisor.
“I’m a big car guy and my dream car is a Porsche GT3,” Davis said. “It’s a high-end Porsche. You can tell that it’s a car a young guy would drive. I have always had an interest in cars.”
Manuel knows whoever drafts Davis will be getting their money’s worth.
“If they draft Chase out of high school, they will have a foundational piece for their organization that will take them to the next level,” Manuel said. “I’m glad I got to be a small part of his evolution. The man (Chase has become) meets the amount of talent he has. Therefore you have a superstar.”