Chase Davis becomes the 21st Sacramento-area player selected in first round of MLB draft

Chase Davis didn’t have much of a baseball season as a senior at Franklin High School, and neither did most everyone else.

That was the COVID spring of 2020 when schools and teams were shuttered. Though Davis was a highly touted outfielder, he went undrafted in a shortened Major League Baseball draft. He then headed off to Arizona of the Pac-12 Conference and emerged as one of the top players in the country.

On Sunday night, the left-hander was chosen with the 21st pick in the first round of the MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He is the 21st Sacramento-area product since the draft began in 1965 to go in the first round and the fifth in a row out of the Elk Grove Unified School District.

“It’s super exciting and a blessing heading to the Cardinals,” Davis said in a conference call with media. “My mind was going really fast. It was surreal. This hasn’t hit me yet.”

Davis called his freshman and sophomore seasons at Arizona “learning curves” as he worked to cut down on strikeouts. As a junior this past season, Davis hit .362 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI.

“With his arc, Chase is someone we’ve been following since high school,” St. Louis general manager/director of scouting Randy Flores said in a conference call.

Davis can play any of the outfield positions and is highly regarded for his high baseball IQ. He is also a man of high character, earning praise from his prep coach, Bryan Kilby, and his new boss, Flores.

“When you try to get to know someone without being in the dugout with them, people almost unanimously rave about Chase Davis as a person,” Flores said. “They remark on his growth, maturity, love of the game and his tremendous work ethic. I’m so confident he’ll do everything in his power to be the best player possible. After speaking to him and hearing him say, ‘Man, I can’t wait to get to work,’ that was something that I was beyond pleased to hear.”

Said Kilby: “Chase was a tremendous baseball player for us. Phenomenal career in high school. Phenomenal career at Arizona. Now on to the next chapter. Can’t wait to watch him play in the Cardinals organization.

“This young man is a winner. He has won on every team he has been on. Unbelievable baseball player who plays a great outfielder with a cannon for an arm and has one of the best swings you will ever see with tremendous power. He is an even better person. Very well liked by his teammates, coaches and fans. A young man that is easy to root for. Chase Davis is the man.”

The 20-round MLB draft continues Monday with rounds 3-10 and Tuesday for the final rounds.

21 for the show

Here are the 21 players from the Sacramento area who have been selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft, with their draft position:

2023: Chase Davis, OF, Franklin/Arizona, Cardinals, 21st

2022: Cooper Hjerpe, P, Woodland/Oregon State, Cardinals, 22nd

2018: Nick Madrigal, INF, Elk Grove/Oregon State, White Sox, 4th

2016: Matt Manning, P, Sheldon, Tigers, 9th

2016: Dylan Carlson, OF, Elk Grove, Cardinals, 33rd

2014: Derek Hill, OF, Elk Grove, Tigers, 23rd

2009: Tim Wheeler, OF, El Camino/Sacramento State, Rockies, 32nd

2007: Casey Weathers, P, Laguna Creek/Vanderbilt, Rockies, 8th

1998: Tony Torcato, OF, Woodland, Giants, 19th

1995: Geoff Jenkins, OF, Cordova/USC, Brewers, 9th

1993: Derrek Lee, INF, El Camino, Padres, 14th

1983: Ricky Jordan, INF, Grant, Phillies, 22nd

1980: Dion James, OF, McClatchy, Brewers, 25th

1977: Drungo Hazewood, OF, Sacramento, Orioles, 19th

1974: Butch Edge, P, El Camino, Brewers, 6th

1972: Mike Ondina, OF, Cordova, White Sox, 12th

1972: Joel Bishop McClatchy, INF, Red Sox, 16th

1972: Jerry Manuel, INF, Cordova, Tigers, 20th

1971: Taylor Duncan, INF, Grant, Braves, 10th

1967: Andy Finlay, OF, Burbank, Braves, 12th

1966: Leron Lee, OF, Grant, Cardinals, 7th