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The amazing thing about Davis' swing is that he has almost no follow-through.  It's like a golfer hitting a wedge and trying to get serious action on it.

Thanks for the Herz article, Tico!  Tremendous! 

I loved the part in which he described learning the new grip that has worked so well for him ("This thing is money!")

Herz had a fantastic season and, IF he continues to develop AND avoid significant injury (BIG ifs), he may have a chance to be a TOR pitcher!

That he's LH won't hurt his chances!

Tico, I've read that Herz was a 3-sport athlete in high school, so he was quite raw and young when he got to the Cubs.  I've also read that he's made massive improvements in his mechanics because he's both an excellent athlete and a smart guy who is very focused on improvement.

Crossfire delivery typically renders major command/control issues; however, if he can work hard to continue to refine his lead foot strike point AND avoid injury, a crossfire would enable him to hide the ball better than most.  That may be a key part of the reason his strikeout rate is so high.  Other reasons may be a LH mid-90s FB and a change up he's comfortable throwing in any count, a combination A-level guys haven't seen lots of.

2,500 RPM spin on the change up is amazing.

Arizona Fall League rule changes

Automated balls and strikes
15-second pitch clock
Two pick-off attempts per plate appearance
Infielders must be on the dirt, with two players on each side of second base
Larger bases

AZ:

1. Tyler Schlaffer: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 3/3 GO/AO, 48 pitches (39 strikes)
2. Drew Gray: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K, 50 pitches (29 strikes)

Cubs 2021 2nd round draft pick James Triantos clobbered a line-drive solo HR over the LF fence and into the backyard of a house on the north-side of 8th Street

Cubs 2020 4rh round draft pick 6'8 220+ LHSP Luke Little threw mainly a 93-97 FB with an occasional CV and CH mixed-in but pitched mostly from behind in the count, issuing two walks, hitting a batter, and throwing a WP (and surrendering a towering three-run HR) in 2.1 IP of work, LHP Angel Rodriguez was able to throw strikes with a 90-91 MPH FB, CH, and CV mix, but was pounded to the tune of five singles, a double, and a triple in just 2.2 IP, Cubs 2021 14th round draft pick RHRP Frankie Scalzo featured a 93-95 MPH FB but sometimes hung his SL and was hit hard and allowed a HR and five singles, and Cubs 2020 2nd round draft pick LHRP Burl Carraway had very poor command of both a 92-93 T-94 FB and a CV (he threw only 44% strikes and labored to complete his one inning of work).

Gray, very fun.  8K in 2.2 innings? 
-Schlaffer has had a collection of nice outings lately, I'm interested in him, too. 
-The legend of Triantos grows and grows...  I saw a bad video clip from a bad angle on his HR, but it looked like a pretty down-the-middle pitch, and he had another simple, uncomplicated swing.  Doesn't look to be a big load or leg-kick or anything much. 


Feel kinda bad for poor Burl.  Now he not only has zero control, but if he's also now only throwing low-90's, where's the buzz?  In retrospect it's kinda funny that during the week after the draft, people were talking about him being really close, maybe ready to help last year, etc.  Now 15 months later he's looking more like just an average-velocity wildman struggling hard in instructs. 


Might be a real case of pitch-lab work needed, and hopefully able to help.  But yeah, being on the Maples-esque end of the wildman continuum, he might be in the hurt-bag.  Patience, Craig, patience...