Chris Davis

Christopher Lyn Davis (born March 17, 1986), nicknamed "Crush Davis", is an American former professional baseball first baseman.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles.

He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

While primarily a first baseman throughout his career, Davis also spent time at designated hitter, third baseman, and outfielder.

Davis attended Longview High School, playing shortstop on the school's varsity baseball team and pitching as well before graduating in 2004.

He was originally chosen by the New York Yankees as the third-to-last pick of the 2004 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft (1,496th overall in the 50th round).

However, he did not sign and opted to attend Navarro Junior College in Texas instead, beginning in 2005.

At Navarro, he was used as a third baseman and first baseman.

He was once again drafted, by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, in the 2005 MLB draft, however he did not sign.

Davis attended Navarro Junior College and was selected by the Rangers in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB draft.

He was named a preseason JUCO All-American by Baseball America in 2006, earning Region XIV East Zone Most Valuable Player honors.

That year with Navarro, he hit 17 home runs, one of which hit a retail building 100 feet away beyond the 380 sign on the outfield fence.

Davis was then drafted again, this time by the Texas Rangers in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB draft.

Davis was inducted to the Navarro College athletic hall of fame in 2021.

Davis began his minor league career in 2006 with the Spokane Indians of the Single-A short season Northwest League, splitting time between the outfield and first base.

In 69 games, he batted .277 with 70 hits, 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 42 runs batted in (RBI), and 65 strikeouts (eighth).

Early in his minor league career, Davis struggled with his weight.

At one point, he weighed 265 pounds, but he later learned to eat healthier and lost weight.

He ascended quickly through the Rangers' minor league system, getting named their Minor League Player of the Year in 2007.

In 2007, Davis began the season with the Bakersfield Blaze of the Single-A advanced California League.

He tied a California League record by posting a 35-game hitting streak and was selected to the Single-A advanced All-Star Game.

On July 30, he was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, where he spent the rest of the season.

Despite his call-up, he tied for fourth in the California League with 24 home runs and ranked fourth in the league with a .573 slugging percentage, leading Bakersfield in home runs, RBI, and doubles.

He was called up in the middle of 2008 and had a strong start to his major league career.

He was the Rangers' starting first baseman for 92 games in 2009 and hit 21 home runs, but a low batting average and his tendency to strike out left the Rangers dissatisfied with him.

Because of this, the Rangers sent Davis back and forth between the minors and the majors over the next two years and left him off their playoff roster in 2010.

On July 30, 2011, they traded him to the Orioles.

Davis appeared in 31 games for the Orioles in 2011.

In the lineup full-time in 2012, he hit 33 home runs while batting .270 and helping the Orioles reach the playoffs for the first time since 1997.

In 2013, his 53 home runs led all MLB players and set a new Orioles single-season franchise record.

Davis also had 138 runs batted in (RBIs), was selected to the All-Star Game, and finished third in American League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) voting.

In September 2014, Davis was suspended for 25 games for testing positive for amphetamine; he asserted that he tested positive due to the use of Adderall, for which he previously had a "therapeutic use exemption".

Davis missed the Orioles' seven postseason games in 2014 due to his suspension.

From 2015 through 2018, Davis led all major league players in strikeouts-per-at-bat.

In 2018, he set the MLB record for the lowest batting average ever for a qualified player when he batted .168.

In 2019, he set the MLB record for the most consecutive at bats by a position player without a hit, going 0-for-54, yet he still managed a run batted in on a bases-loaded walk during that span.

Davis announced his retirement on August 12, 2021.

Davis was born in Longview, Texas.

He has an older sister, Jennifer.

While he was in high school, his parents divorced.