This time a year ago Braxton Davidson was still a high school student and his mentor, Cameron Maybin, was a San Diego Padre. Now, the two friends and Asheville, N.C., natives are outfielders in the Braves’ organization.
Davidson beat Maybin to the punch, when he was drafted by the Braves with the 32nd pick in the first round in 2014. Now he is playing right field for the low-A Rome Braves in his first full professional season.
Davidson was the first to text message Maybin on April 5, when the Braves acquired Maybin as part of the six-player deal that sent Craig Kimbrel to the Padres.
“I told him, ‘Welcome to the family,’” Davidson said. “The Braves are going to treat you right and treat you fair. I’m glad you’re close to home.’ I just told him I was proud of him and hopefully he has a great season.”
Davidson and Maybin already were like family, growing up in Asheville. Maybin, 28, is 10 years older than Davidson, 18, but has known him since he was a little kid. They live a mile apart in Arden, N.C., just outside of Asheville. Their fathers are good friends. They both went to T.C. Roberson High School.
Roberson won the state championship Maybin’s senior year. Davidson was there after the game, taking a photo with Maybin afterward, having just won Most Valuable Player of his Little League team at age 7. Davidson was at Maybin’s draft party shortly thereafter when the Detroit Tigers took him in the first round in 2005.
“I’ve known him since he was a little guy,” Maybin said. “We’ve always had a good relationship, but, of course, the older he’s gotten, we’ve become even closer.”
Maybin used to send care packages to Davidson and some of the other kids from Roberson, full of extra baseball gear. “He kept Braxton in cleats,” Davidson’s mother, Tanya, said. “They wore the same size.”
When Davidson was old enough, the two started working out together in the offseasons. This past winter Davidson and Maybin did the regimen from the Parisi Speed School together.
“He’s a gifted kid with a big strong body,” Maybin said. “He’s got a lot of talent, and he’s an endless worker. He’s one of those guys you’ve got to beat him out of the cage and beat him out of the weight room or he’ll work all day. … But more than anything, he’s always been a really awesome kid, to be so young, very poised, very mature, raised well. One of my favorite things about him is he’s always been a very humble kid to be as good as he has been so for long.”
On May 5, when Rome had an off day, Maybin invited Davidson and one of his Rome teammates, Caleb Beech, down to Atlanta to stay at his house and go to the Braves-Phillies game.
“He’s a great dude,” Davidson said of Maybin, who went 2-for-4 that night. “… Hopefully in two, three years I’m up there and we’re playing side by side each other. That’d be pretty sweet.”
Davidson is one of just two 18-year-olds on Rome’s active roster, along with shortstop Ozhaino Albies. He is in the midst of one of the biggest transitions of his baseball life, going from a high school season to his first full length professional one, where by his account, he’s gone from seeing an occasional 92-95 mph fastball pitcher, to one almost every night.
Davidson got off to a slow start, hitting just .214 in April. But his season average was up to .248 entering this weekend, and he’s made the adjustment in moving from left field to right field, after playing mostly first base in high school. He’s faced the pressures of playing in his hometown of Asheville, striking out three times the first game, but coming through with three hits two nights later.
Davidson is not afraid to use the opposite field either — the first home run of his professional career went over Rome’s scoreboard in left-center. And he has stayed selective at the plate, even when he’s struggling; he entered the weekend tied for the South Atlantic League lead in walks with 38.
“I’m very proud of the way Braxton is improving and going about his business,” Rome manager Randy Ingle said. “We weren’t sure coming out of spring, being a big jump for him, and he’s made some adjustments very well at the plate. He’s got a really good eye at the plate, and he has tremendous power, we know that. He’s strong as a bull. He’s made some really good adjustments.”
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