Chicago Cubs farmhand Taylor Davis is making a name for himself, but that doesn’t mean the 27-year-old Iowa Cubs catcher is ready for the majors.
Instead of his play, Davis has garnered national attention for his ability to awkwardly glare down cameras.
Whether he’s seated in the dugout, standing during the national anthem, or warming up pitchers in the bullpen, Davis has displayed a rare talent for finding the particular camera that happens to be live at any given moment.
Taylor Davis enjoys using props, such as sunglasses, when he glares into the camera
Even during the national anthem, Taylor Davis leers around, looking for a live camera
He likes to throw in the occasional prop, like sunglasses, and has even been seen blowing kisses with one of his Iowa Cubs teammates.
The Morehead State product is not considered a top prospect for the defending-champion Cubs, but he is having a respectable season in Triple-A.
In addition to posting a .292 batting average with a .351 on-base percentage, he also ranks third among his Iowa teammates with 25 doubles on the season.
Davis told ESPN that he originally began the practice with former teammate and current Arizona Diamondbacks farmhand Kristopher Negrón, but his other muse is comedian and actor Ben Stiller.
Taylor Davis gazes into the clubhouse camera during an off-day
‘”Zoolander”‘ is a big inspiration for me,’ Davis said, referring to the fictional male model and title character portrayed by Stiller in a pair of movies.
Davis said fans have enjoyed his staredowns, but not nearly as much as the relievers in the bullpen, who were he says were ‘losing it’ when he started the gimmick.
‘[T]he camera found me and the camera loves me,’ he added. ‘What can I say?’
Taylor Davis (left) looked to Ben Stiller’s ‘Zoolander’ (right) for inspiration
A trip to the mound is just another chance to glare into the lens of a nearby camera