Brad

Davis

Davis will act as organizational depth at catcher this year for the Friars. He spent all of 2011 in Triple-A.

The deal includes an invite to spring training. Davis, 29, batted .211 in 33 games with the Marlins in 2010 and spent the entire 2011 season at the team’s Triple-A affiliate. He will likely serve as organizational depth.

Davis was acquired from the Marlins in August for cash considerations. Strictly an emergency catcher, he’ll open the 2013 season at the Triple-A level.

Davis, 28, has hit just .212/.294/.303 in 187 plate appearances this season for Triple-A New Orleans. He should pass through waivers quite easily.

With Brett Hayes on the disabled list, the Marlins were in need of another catcher to back up Ronny Paulino. Davis, 27, was batting .289/.350/.463 with eight home runs and 28 RBI over 218 at-bats with Triple-A New Orleans. A seven-year minor league veteran, this is Davis’ first call to the major leagues.

Davis is no longer needed now that Brett Hayes is back to full health. The 27-year-old Davis will return to a .289/.350/.463 batting line at Triple-A. He went 2-for-9 with and RBI in his time with the Fish.

Davis served as the Marlins’ backup catcher a few weeks back when Brett Hayes was on the DL. Now he’ll back up Hayes until John Baker comes off the DL. He was 2-for-9 with a triple and three walks in his first stint with the club.

Incredibly, the slam off Chris Carpenter was the first ever hit by a Marlins catcher. Davis is batting .233 and slugging .452 in 73 at-bats for Florida.

Hayes was injured in Tuesday’s game in a home plate collision with the Nationals’ Nyjer Morgan. He had been getting lots of playing time with John Baker still on the shelf and Ronny Paulino getting suspended. Brad Davis figures to see the bulk of the action with Hayes out.

Evidently he and manager Edwin Rodriguez aren’t on the same page, as Rodriguez said he thought Hayes would be out 7-10 days. Either way, it seems this could put Hayes’ season in jeopardy. Brad Davis and the recently-recalled Chris Hatcher will handle catching duties while Hayes is sidelined.