Davis bids goodbye to Evansville

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Evansville Otters announced Friday the trade of infielder J.R. Davis to the Gastonia Honey Hunters of the Atlantic League.

“First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Davis said. “Without him, none of this would have been possible. Jesus deserves all the glory, not me. Also, I want to thank the coaching staff for taking a chance on me and helping me not only develop as a player but as a man. Thank you to the Bullocks for opening up their home to me and treating me like a son. [Team Chaplain] Pastor Tyrone Edwards helped me a lot along the way as well, I appreciate you for that.”

Davis returned for his second season with the franchise in 2022, originally signing with the Otters in May 2021. With the Otters, Davis batted .296 with 98 runs, 34 doubles, six triples, 14 home runs, 112 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 180 games played. Davis was named a 2021 Frontier League Postseason All-Star. Davis earned his 500th professional hit milestone against his former team, the Washington Wild Things on August 31, 2022.

“J.R. has been a tremendous member of this team both on and off the field,” Evansville Otters Field Manager Andy McCauley said. “We are excited to see what the next chapter of baseball has in store for him.”

Davis, from Vallejo, Calif., played for the Washington Wild Things in 2019, where he hit .273/.310/.373 through 150 at bats. Davis spent four years in affiliated ball, after the St. Louis Cardinals drafted the Oklahoma State University product in the 15th Round of the 2016 first-year player draft. In 2019, while in the Seattle Mariners organization, Davis had the opportunity to play a game at the AAA level with the Tacoma Rainiers and collected a base hit. In his Junior Year at Oklahoma State University, Davis hit .347/.422/.438 with 13 doubles and 32 RBI through 256 plate appearances.

“It truly was a blessing to play in Evansville for the last two years,” Davis said. “The fan base was amazing and I will miss my best buddy, Nick Drake. Keep screaming and cheering on the Otters, Nick!”

The 2023 season is right around the corner. For information on season tickets, call 812-435-8686. Group and single-game tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.

The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.

The Otters play all home games at historic Bosse Field, located at 23 Don Mattingly Way in Evansville, Ind. Stay up-to-date with the Evansville Otters by visiting evansvilleotters.com, or follow the Otters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.