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Pirates select Louisville catcher Henry Davis with No. 1 overall pick in MLB draft

The Pittsburgh Pirates have chosen the player they hope will be a cornerstone of their rebuilding efforts, selecting catcher Henry Davis of Louisville with the first overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft.

In passing over Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter and high school shortstop Marcelo Mayer, the Pirates opted for perhaps the best college bat in the country in Davis, a sophomore who hit .370/.482/.663 with 15 home runs and 10 stolen bases in leading the Cardinals to a berth in the College World Series.

A native of Bedford, New York, Davis was a semifinalist for the 2021 Golden Spikes award, which goes to the top amateur player in the country.