Pirates activate C Yasmani Grandal and send struggling C Henry Davis back to the minors

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Henry Davis will try to work out of his early season funk in the minors.

The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned the former first-overall pick to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday and activated catcher Yasmani Grandal off the injured list.

Davis is hitting just .162 with no home runs and four RBIs in 23 games for Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old, the top selection in the 2021 amateur draft, has struck out 29 times in 83 at-bats.

The Pirates drafted Davis as a catcher but he spent the vast majority of his rookie season in 2023 working in right field and as a designated hitter. He has worked almost exclusively at catcher this season in part because of injuries to Endy Rodriguez and Grandal, who signed a one-year deal in February.

Davis has been passable defensively but the power he showed flashes of last year has vanished. Only three of his 11 hits went for extra bases and his slugging percentage is a woeful .206.