JD Davis' first season in Queens was a successful one, but the 24-year old has been working hard to be make Year 2 even better.
Davis excelled at the plate last season, hitting .307 with a .369 OBP and a .527 slugging percentage. Davis slugged 22 home runs and drove in 57, while posting a .913 OPS off of left-handed pitchers.
But Davis, who spent most of the season playing left field, knows he can improve on his defense, whether he's put back in the outfield or at third base, his natural position.
"It was a very good spotlight, but there were a lot of things that I needed to work on and there were a lot of mistakes that may have cost us games or cost our pitching staff runs, or something like that," Davis said at the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner on Tuesday. "In hindsight, I really try to pick up myself or pick up my game to help my teammates or help my pitchers in a way. I'm my biggest critic, and if I have one little error or one little mistake, I'm hardest on myself. There are some thing I know I needed to work on but definitely a lot of positives going into this offseason to then try to get better, and I'm excited."
"Some agility work, defensive work," said Davis when asked about his offseason preparations. "I think I've taken more ground balls than swings this year. I've been pretty adamant about the footwork. I know (Gary) DiSarcina has come out and helped me back in Sacramento to just get better, and reconnecting with Luis Rojas in the outfield probably every two weeks or so. It's been a pretty steady diet of defense this offseason, and I'm excited."
Davis' 2019 performance was so strong that come trade deadline time, other teams came calling to inquire about whether or not Davis was available. But Brodie Van Wagenen and the Mets held on to Davis, placing their confidence on him to be a key contributor moving forward.
"I think it's a huge compliment," Davis said. "Me and Brodie have talked about it. There were some teams that reached out, but again, I think it's a huge compliment. It's even bigger that my own team wants me more than other teams. I've been on the other end of the stick of being traded, so again, I truly am blessed to be back for a second year and be back with these guys, and hopefully we can do a little more damage."
After the Mets stuck with Davis through last year's trade season, Davis wants to come back even better than he was during his first season with the team, and he's got other young hitters to help push him along the way.
"Probably Dom Smith and Pete Alonso," Davis said when asked about who pushed him to be better in the clubhouse. "Todd Frazier was one of them too, just because that Jersey personality came out and he was always trying to be rough on me as a young guy and try to push myself. I think that made us even closer, just wishing for the best for us and continue to strive and get better every day."