Atlanta Braves Tucker Davidson: Get to Know Newest Addition to World Series Roster

The Atlanta Braves enter Game 2 in Houston on Tuesday night with a 1-0 lead in the 2021 World Series. However, that Game 1 win on Monday night for Atlanta did not come easily.

Arguably the biggest talking point from the Atlanta Braves 6-2 win Monday night over the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the 2021 World Series was not that the Braves won, but something different.

As you likely know by watching the game, that talking point was in-fact Game 1 starter Charlie Morton, who exited the game with an injury in the third inning. Because of this injury, the veteran right-hander will be forced to miss the remainder of the Fall Classic.

In the corresponding roster move announced on Wednesday afternoon, the Braves have added 25-year-old left-hander and No. 7 prospect Tucker Davidson to the World Series roster. If you’re wondering just where or if you have either heard or seen that name before, it’s because you most-likely have.

Who is Atlanta Braves pitcher Tucker Davidson?

Davidson was originally selected in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Midland College in Midland, TX. Making his Braves organizational debut during the 2016 campaign, Davidson quickly rose throughout Atlanta’s minor league system, and started to gain more national attention as a prospect in 2019.

Splitting the 2019 season between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett, the left-hander wold post a combined 2.15 ERA across 25 starts, and even saw himself rise into Atlanta’s Top 10 overall prospects at seasons end for the first time because of it.

Davidson would go-on to make his major league debut during the shortened 2020 season a year ago, but would only make one appearance before rejoining Atlanta’s alternate training site.

Beginning the 2021 season with Triple-A Gwinnett, Davidson would impress early-on, and earned another big league call-up where he would make a start on May 18 allowing three runs across six innings against the Mets. Rejoining Gwinnett soon after, the left-hander would rejoin Atlanta’s rotation in early-June where he made three more starts, two of which were scoreless combined across 11.2 innings pitched.

Landing on the 60-day IL on June 24 with left forearm inflammation, Davidson did not pitch again until October 3 in Gwinnett where he pitched three innings of one-run ball with one walk and five strikeouts. For the season, Davidson has posted a 3.60 ERA across four starts (20 innings) in the big leagues with eight walks and 18 strikeouts.

As mentioned previously, Davidson is currently rated by MLB Pipeline as the Braves No. 7 prospect. The 25-year-old is major league ready right-now, and has a pitch repertoire that could be successful in this series.

Davidson’s fastball grades out as a 60 on MLB’s 20/80 scale that can reach 96-97 mph on a consistent basis, while the southpaw also uses a curveball and slider that grade as a 50. Davidson also sports an improving changeup, all of which he can command, and has shown an ability to get batters out with a career 8.7 K/9.

While Davidson does not have much major league experience, the left-hander is a big league ready arm with a proven track-record of success as a starter in the minor leagues. While Davidson could potentially start Game 4 if needed, the left-hander could also play a relief role as well, but has not seen regular action out of the bullpen since 2017 with Low-A Rome.