Fantasy Baseball: Ike Davis

Ike Davis is the Mets' 1b of the future...and the present.

One day after the Mets designated first baseman Mike Jacobs for assignment, prized prospect Ike Davis was recalled from AAA to man the ultra-thin 1B post.

The 23-year-old Davis was the 18^th overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft and was recalled on Monday, after the Mets 4-8 start combined with Jacobs’ lowly .208 average prompted the move.

Davis, a prospect known for striking out quite a bit, has shown more discipline at the plate in the minors this season at Buffalo by drawing nine walks while hitting .364 (12-33) with four RBIs.  In 209 ABs at Double-A ball, Davis only made contact on 29% of the balls he saw and this could become a concern when moving up to the bottom of the Mets lineup.  Davis managed to whiff 112 times in 488 plate appearances in the minors in ’09.

Considering his torrid start, Davis should see an ample amount of playing time, especially as the Mets really don’t have another first baseman. Really? Yes, it’s just Fernando Tatis. As incredible as his diving play was in the stands of the 20-inning marathon game against St. Louis, Alex Cora is not the Mets first baseman. Daniel Murphy is still on the DL with an MCL strain, so Davis could see extended time at first if he produces.

For fantasy purposes, Davis should be considered in deeper NL-only formats until he shows any ability to produce at the big league level. Hitting behind David Wright, Jason Bay and when he returns, Carlos Beltran, Davis would figure to see a lot of good pitches to hit until the league has a better understanding of how to attack the highly touted prospect.  While most fantasy owners won’t be looking to add a 1B or corner infielder at this point in the season, Davis will offer a high power option during his stay in Flushing. His arrival as a prospect on the East Coast is where most of his fantasy value will derive from, as he could be a temptress toward those Mets fans in your league.