GRANITE QUARRY — The only thing harder than stealing second base when East Rowan senior Drew Davis is catching, is getting Davis to talk about himself.
The best advice Davis ever got?
“To stay back,” he says, after considerable thought.
And how does he feel about his recent verbal commitment to accept a baseball scholarship offer from Elon University?
“Satisfied,” says Davis. And then he practically gushes, “Excited. Happy.”
And what does he like about Elon?
“Good coach. Good facilities. Division I.”
Davis, as you can see, is a young man of few words — but many talents.
He’s hit around .400 so often in high school and American Legion ball, thrown out so many baserunners, blocked so many curves in the dirt that area fans thought he might eventually wind up in the ACC.
The chance was likely there — if Davis was willing to wait. He wasn’t.
“Yeah, I got a lot of stuff from N.C. State and Duke,” said Davis. “The thing about Elon is that it plays a big-time schedule. They play Miami (the one in Florida, not Ohio), Georgia Tech, State, Carolina and Clemson.
“At an ACC school, I might have to sit for two years before I got a chance. At Elon, I’ll have that great schedule and the opportunity to play right away.”
Davis says Elon started recruiting him later than schools like UNCC and UNCG but made a lasting impression.
Elon first eyeballed Davis at the State Games, a summer showcase which earned the catcher armloads of correspondence from an army of excited coaches.
“Then Elon’s coach saw me in the Legion playoffs at Burlington and then again when we played Wilmington in Garner,” said Davis. “After that, I got a lot of phone calls. They stayed on it pretty good.”
Davis’ early decision has delighted a lot of people.
Both of Drew’s parents have roots within a line drive of the school.
Davis’ baseball coach, Jeff Safrit, thinks Elon’s a fine choice, a perfect mix of big-time ball and early opportunity. Also enthused are East assistant Guy Wirt , whose son played at Elon, and Catawba assistant Allen Wilson, who spent hours working with Davis on catching skills.
Davis’ football coach Tom Eanes, for whom Drew will play quarterback this fall, might be most pumped up of all. He’s an Elon graduate.
“Drew’s a competitor and a fine young man,” said Eanes.
Besides, “ Eanes added with a laugh, “all God’s children go to Elon.”
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Davis’ march to a Division I scholarship started early. He says he got stuck behind in the plate as a Pee Wee, mostly because the coaches had issues with his glove.
“They didn’t want any grounders hit to me,” laughs Davis. “And there was nowhere else to put me.”
By the time he was 9, though, Davis’ dad had purchased an genuine catcher’s mitt and his kid was turning heads as both a catcher and pitcher. Davis was part of an East package that included fellow headliners Cal Hayes Jr., Julian Sides and Nick Lefko.
That bunch won a couple of state titles. Just missed on a couple more. This year, as seniors, they’ll have one last chance to hang a banner in the East gym.
“That’s one reason I committed early,” said Davis. “The pressure’s off. Now I can concentrate on winning a state championship.”
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It was Safrit who made the pivotal decision prior to Davis’ freshmen year that the kid’s future was brighter behind the plate than throwing fastballs over it.
“It worked out,” said Davis. “As a freshman, I didn’t think I was ready to help the varsity as a pitcher. But I had a chance as a catcher. I’ve never regretted it. I enjoy catching. You’re in the game on every pitch.”
Safrit’s never had cause for regret, either.
“Drew hit like .340 as a freshman and has gotten better every year,” said Safrit. “And as a catcher, he’s as smart as we’ve had. He’s the first one I’ve let call pitches. We might discuss a few of them, but Drew calls ’em.”
Safrit points to a spring afternoon down at Piedmont High School as the day when he knew for certain that Davis would be special. Scott Manshack, now at UNC, was on the mound. He fanned 16 Mustangs, including freshmen named Hayes and Davis three times apiece.
“I’m sure that was the first time either Cal or Drew had struck out three times in a game,” said Safrit. “But Drew’s fourth time up he hit a double off the fence in right-center. You could see him growing up in front of your eyes.
“College pitching’s not going to be as big a challenge for Drew as for some, because he’s faced tough pitchers since he was young.”
Davis does most everything well — receiving, throwing, hitting. He even runs the bases so well that he stole over 20 bags in Legion ball this summer. If there’s a knock on him, it’s that he doesn’t hit homers. But, then, that’s sort of like complaining about that mole on Cindy Crawford.
“He’s not near as good as he’s gonna get,” said Safrit. “Drew’s strong enough to hit homers, so his power numbers could go up in college.”
“I guess I am pretty solid now,” agrees Davis, who checks in at a muscular 5-foot-10, 190 pounds. “But I could always be soldier.”
Don’t worry. He’ll keep working on the weights to become “soldier.”
“His work ethic and desire to play are great,” said Safrit. “That’s what’s surprised me most about him. Kids who have that much natural ability usually don’t work as hard as he has.”
Another thing you have to like about Davis is that he’s never been stuck on himself. You wouldn’t catch many senior stars casually cruising around campus wearing a cut-off T-shirt that says “Erwin Middle School.”
That’s why his teammates like him, respect him.
“He’s been there for me since Little League,” says Sides. “Smart hitter, great defensive catcher.”
“A real good player, real good teammate,” says Hayes.
But, now, about that man of few words thing?
Davis is making headway in that department, too.
Eanes says he can detect a difference in his willingness to take charge this fall.
Safrit says a transformation actually started last season after the Mustangs got off to a horrible start.
“I told Drew if he wanted to be the player he wanted to be and if he wanted us to be the team we wanted to be, that he had to become a leader,” said Safrit. “Yeah, he’s quiet, but a catcher has to be vocal. Has to take charge. Since then, he’s done that for us.”
Still, don’t expect Davis to volunteer for any speeches.
However, you can expect him to be one heck of a player for Elon. His career should make plenty of noise.
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Contact Mike London at 704-797-4259 or mlondon@salisburypost.com
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