SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Noah Davis had been planning out his first major league pitch for a few years.
Perhaps he should have thought out the rest of his first sequence too.
Davis, who debuted in the last game of the 2022 season against the Dodgers, threw a slider for a strike, exactly like he intended it to be. His second? Also a slider. But this one Cody Bellinger belted into the outfield seats. He ended up giving up two runs and three hits in his first major league game last fall.
"My debut didn't go exactly how I would have written it up, but I was really pumped to get in there and get that taste of the big leagues," Davis said from his locker at Salt River Fields.
After his debut in game 162 last year, Davis didn't want his season to be over. So he flew straight to Arizona and started training, splitting his time between the Rockies' complex and Drive Line facility. His goal was to be in midseason form at the start of the season, and his preparedness was rewarded with the first start of spring training on Saturday.
He wasn't his best — giving up a run in 1 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks — but this time of year is all about working out the kinks.
"He was a little erratic," manager Bud Black said. "I thought his stuff was fine, just a little too variable in and out of the strike zone."
Davis is working on a cutter, trying to get something harder in terms of movement and speed in between his fastball and slider. That cutter sits about three to four miles per hour slower than his fastball, with the hope that he'll eventually be able to get it to sit between 87 and 89 mph. Davis is building up as a starter, but the Rockies see a scenario where he could be used in the bullpen.
Bryant on solid ground
Kris Bryant got the start on Saturday as the designated hitter, reaching on a fielder's choice in the first inning and singling in the second. More importantly, he was able to go from first to home, showing off a little bit of speed.
"I felt fine running, I just felt slow," he said. "I think today was super successful for me."
Bryant, who signed a seven-year, $182 million contract last March, played in only 42 games last season due to a back strain and plantar fasciitis.
Veen shows off power
Top prospect Zac Veen showed off some power on Saturday, hitting a first-pitch home run and a double. Veen, who can play all three outfield spots, is not expected to make the team out of camp but could debut sometime this season.
"I'm here to show who Zac Veen is," he said. "That's plain and simple. I'm here to help the team win and I want to be a part of it."
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