Milwaukee Brewers: Zach Davies Earning 2016 Rotation Spot

Nothing about Zach Davies will wow anyone. He is not big. He doesn’t light up the radar gun, but he gets the job done. In six major league starts, Davies impressed enough to help to make his case for a 2016 rotation spot.

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Through every level in the minor leagues, Davies opened eyes. Seeing most of his starts in the Baltimore Orioles organization, Davies posted a 3.55 ERA in 96 minor league appearances (86 starts). He showed that despite being a 26th round draft pick, who weighs just 155 pounds, he can effectively get hitters out with his impressive change-up.

Though he had two rough outings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Davies was able to finish the season strong with three straight quality starts. In his final two starts of the year, he didn’t allow a run in 13 innings of work. By putting together these solid final outings, Davies was able to finish the year with a 3-2 record and a 3.71 ERA in 34 innings.

With the probability of Matt Garza heading back in the rotation and other young arms impressing as well, there are questions whether Davies will be a lock in the rotation on opening day next year, but his impressive start has had to have been enough to at least earn a look. As a ground ball machine that keeps hitters off-balance with his change-up, Davies has shown that he can get the job done at this level. With much different stuff than many major leaguers, he can be an effective piece in the middle of the Brewers rotation for years to come.

Next: Harrison Will Breakout in 2016