Malvern Prep's Tague Davis in Carpenter Cup Final. (Photo/ Beavers)
Tague Davis Pitches in Carpenter Cup Final (Photo/Zack Beavers for PSD)
BY MARC NARDUCCI
(PHOTOS/VIDEO BY ZACK BEAVERS FOR PSD)
PHILADELPHIA - He represented Malvern Prep for a final time and the enormity of the situation clearly hit Tague Davis. His final event being associated with this Inter-Ac power, ended like so many in his high school career – with the team hoisting a trophy.
Not just any trophy, but the Carpenter Cup, a reward for winning arguably the best tournament in any sport.
Davis was one of many impressive players who helped lead the Inter-Ac/Independents to its first Carpenter Cup title in the 38-year history of the tournament.
Nothing was easy, but then again, it rarely is in this tourney that includes 16 high school All-Star teams from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Inter-Ac/Independents beat defending champ Jersey Shore, 5-4 in the semifinals at Citizens Bank Park and then completed the deal with another triumph over one of Jerseys’ best, Tri-Cape, 3-2 the next day.
Davis played first base in the semifinal and went 2-for-2 with a double. In the title game, he pitched and allowed one unearned run in three innings., striking out five. (Carpenter Cup rules prohibit pitchers from batting and limit pitchers to a three-inning maximum per game).
Playing two games at the same venue where the Phillies perform is quite a thrill to these high school players. Imagine what winning a championship there feels like.
Davis has been through many big games in his high-profile career, but there he was, standing on the Citizens Bank infield, soaking it all in while representing Malvern Prep one final time.
“It feels great,” Davis said after his teammates celebrated by hoisting the trophy high in the air. “It was a really cool experience. I was here for a couple of games and played a lot with these guys before and keeping this bond was great.”
Davis had missed the first two games, but he had a good excuse. He was among more than 300 prospects, both high school and college, who were invited to the MLB Combine, which took place at Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Many players of Davis’ stature may have preferred to skip the Carpenter Cup, but he has loved being part of the Inter-Ac/Independents and especially enjoyed returning to Citizens Bank Park.
Davis has played in high profile events all around the country, but nothing beats competing in your own back yard.
“It’s a great ballpark, good scenery and as a batter you can see the ball really well and it was great to throw on the mound, so being on a big-league field, there is nothing like it,” said Davis, who was recruited to Louisville to be a two-way player.
While he may indeed end up participating in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, there is the other subject of the MLB draft, where Davis is a candidate to be selected. This year’s draft is July 14-16.
TAGUE DAVIS WENT 2-FOR-2 IN THE SEMIFINAL AND HELPED WIN FIRST CARPENTER CUP FOR INTER-AC/INDEPENDANTS. (VIDEO/ MARC NARDUCCI FOR PSD)
TAGUE DAVIS TALKS ABOUT THE LAST TIME REPRESENTING HIS HIGH SCHOOL. (VIDEO/ MARC NARDUCCI FOR PSD)
TAGUE DAVIS IN CARPENTER CUP FINAL. (VIDEO/ ZACK BEAVERS FOR PSD)
At 6-foot-4 and 210-pounds, he has great power as a hitter and savvy on the mound, where his fastball has touched in the 91 MPH range.
“It’s a win-win either way, college or the draft, I’ve been blessed with that opportunity,” Davis said. “It is just a cool place to be at right now, I am a little anxious for either/or because it is out of my control, so I just have to pray to God to help me out with that, so yes, it will be good.”
Davis doesn’t have to go very far when asking for advice about the draft.
His father Ben, now an accomplished studio and game analyst for the Phillies, was the No. 2 overall selection by the San Diego Padres in 1995 out of Malvern Prep. Ben Davis was a catcher, who played seven years in the Major Leagues for the Padres, Seattle and the Chicago White Sox.
“He is my No. 1 mentor,” Davis said of his father. “He’s been a great baseball dad, but he also balances it out with going hunting and fishing with me and taking my little brother out to hit, it’s just keeping that family thing to a big priority.”
As for participating in the combine, Davis fared well.
On the second day, he had the second best exit velocity, 112.3 MPH, according to MLB.com. He also had the seventh best projected distance, 426.7 feet. As those numbers suggest, his power is real.
“It was pretty hot there, but it was a great time,” he said. “There were college kids, high school kids and it was a good experience talking to everybody.”
MLB teams have asked Davis whether he prefers pitching or playing first base. He has a simple response.
“I kind of want to do both for as long as I can,” he said. “I know that probably won’t be the case, but I want to try it and see how long I can go with it.”
TAGUE DAVIS IN LAST HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PLAYING IN THE 2024 CARPENTER CUP CHAMPIONSHIP. (PHOTO/
The Carpenter Cup was the culmination of an outstanding senior season for Davis, where he was part of one big W after another.
Malvern Prep went 34-3 and won the always difficult Inter-Ac League. The Friars also won their second straight Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) state title.
Davis was the winning pitcher in that title game, a 13-4 triumph over the Perkiomen School. In four innings, he allowed just one run while striking out six. He also went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
As a senior Davis hit. 347 with 6 home runs and 37 RBI and an outlandish 1.124 OPS, according to Max Preps stats. He was 7-1 with a 1.40 ERA, with 62 strikeouts and 15 walks in 50 innings.
“It’s been a movie, I would say it’s been awesome and a great time,” Davis said of his career at Malvern Prep. “It’s more fun and I have enjoyed it with the people I played with, I’ve been blessed with a bunch of great guys.”
The Carpenter Cup officially signaled the end of his high school competition. Now he is on to the next level, whether it is college or pro, where either place, his past experiences as a big-time winner, should serve him awfully well.