The Keepers: - #9 - SS - Phillip Evans

9.        SS      Phillip Evans

8-15-11: - Just love this signing. Evans went into draft day as a solid non-signee and every team avoided him. I had him as the 4th top shortstop in the draft. Scouts project him as a second baseman, but he also can catch. 

8-15-11: - .baseballamerica.  - The Mets have signed 15th-rounder Phillip Evans For $650,000. That's the highest bonus ever paid by New York outside of the first two rounds, and represents the equivalent of supplemental first-round money. A shortstop from La Costa Canyon HS (Carlsbad, Calif.), Evans has a line-drive swing and flashes solid tools across the board, along with good instincts. He had committed to San Diego State 

From Keith Law:  Evans is a solid player who lacks star potential but is a potential everyday player in the middle infield who hits for average with a little pop. His weight transfer is good and, combined with solid hip rotation, he'll hit for more power than you'd expect from the slight frame, as well as hitting for average with good hand-eye coordination. In the field Evans is a capable high school shortstop but very likely to end up at second base as he doesn't have the range or lateral quickness to play short in pro ball. He's a ?grinder? who has good at bats and plays with a lot of energy, boosting his stock somewhat, but it's the potential for a solid defender at second who hits that has him likely going in the top-two rounds. 

6-10-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5864    - Phillip Evans (15th round). It's impossible not to enjoy watching Evans play the game, as he's one of the most fundamentally sound players among those eligible for the draft. He's on the smaller side, but plays the game hard and makes the middle infield look effortless. 

7-8-11: - At the just completed  18u WWBA National Championship… SS Phillip Evans (2011 La Costa Canyon HS, Carlsbad, CA) earned tournament MVP honors after going 9-for-22 (.409/.458/.500) with 7 RBIs and 3 SBs . 

4-4-11: - http://www.replacementlevelbaseball.com/2011/04/rlb-2011-mlb-draft-scouting-report-phillip-evans-inf/   = The Overview: La Costa Canyon High School shortstop Phillip Evans has drawn universal praise for his undeniable skill set. The 18-year-old is known for his soft hands and strong on-field presence. With the 2011 Rule IV Draft approaching, Evans continues to draw scouts to his games by the dozens. 

The Physical Attributes: Evans is a physical specimen as far as high school shortstops go. With a 5’11” frame, he is built very thick with large forearms and strong legs. While his frame is not maxed out, it’s tough to see Evans adding more than 5-10 pounds of muscle as he develops. Any more than that and you’d need to be concerned that his body would get soft. Everything that he does on the field is a testament to the hard work and care that Evans shows he puts into his body off the field. Without too much projection left in his frame, Evans’ hitting ability is more likely to develop as he ages rather than his power. Looks and plays very athletic. 

The Hitting: While many will claim defense as Evans’ best tool, his present hitting ability is tough to overlook. With so many raw high school athletes at the top of the draft, Evans offers more polish at the plate than any other non-college player in the country. Mechanically, his swing is beautiful to watch. A short, compact motion that utilizes his legs and shows smooth hip rotation all the way through. Evans poses quick wrists and strong forearms that allow him to protect the inside of the plate, while still covering the outer half. The first three pictures below show a swing he took on a ball inside. As you progress through the pictures, you can see that he was able to bring his hands in close to his body, but then extend his arms out as he followed through. 

The Conclusion: Evans shows you just about everything you’d like to see in a potential first-round pick. He has enough now-tools to prove he can handle professional ball, but still has areas for growth that are attainable due to his high character and focus. If he can learn to dominate the outside of the plate, his quick hands will leave the opposing pitcher without many options unless you can make him chase the ball up in the zone. His commitment to SDSU is strong because of his local ties and his great admiration for SDSU infield coach Mark Martinez. If a team drafts Evans in the first or second round and offers him a chance to stick at short it shouldn’t be difficult to get him out of his college commitment. 

The Ceiling: Evans will never blow you away with raw tools. He has a mature body and already poses advanced hitting and fielding ability. You can dream on his potential and see a 20/20 guy who hits about .280 with great patience at the plate. Best-case scenario: he focuses more on gap-to-gap hitting and becomes a .300 hitter with Gold Glove defense – but more than likely at second base 

8-22-11: - #18 – SS Phillip Evans – I don’t think the Mets fans out there understand what a great sign this is. He’s coming out of high school as the 4th top shortstop in the draft and no one touched him because everyone was convinced he was going to college. DePodesa delivered the check and the Mets have an instant middle infield prospect. He’s a Golden Glove potential, with a bat somewhere around the Ruben Tejada level. It would be tempting to start him in Savannah next spring, but I have him in Brooklyn

9-20-11: - http://www.nctimes.com/sports/article_8da63360-2b6a-58f5-8774-c126796b81d8.html#ixzz1YVtT8erv   - Some people join the Navy to see the world. Phillip Evans signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Mets. A 15th-round draft pick by the Mets in June out of La Costa Canyon High, Evans signed hours before the Aug. 15 deadline for what amounted to a bonus typically given to players taken at the bottom of the first round. Evans, a shortstop, started his pro career in the Rookie Gulf Coast League with Port St. Lucie, Fla., played four games and was promoted to Kingsport, Tenn., of the low Rookie Appalachian League and finally to Brooklyn of the New York-Penn League 

9-24-11 Interview: - 

Mack:    Morning, folks.  We're talking this morning to the 2011 15th round draft pick out of La Costa Canyon (Ca.) High School.  Welcome Phillip and what a pleasure it is to have you a part of the New York Mets. 

Phillip: Thanks Mack,  I'm glad to have been given the chance to be a part of the New York Mets organization 

Mack:   Okay, I have to ask you the same question I ask all you bonus babies.  What's the first thing you bought when you cashed the check? 

Phillip:   I actually haven't gotten my bonus check yet but I'm sure I will buy some nice things for my family once I get it. 

Mack:  Phillip (is it Phil, or Phillip?), jsut for the record, 80% say the first thing bought is a new truck.  You sent all the signs out that you were not going to sign so being drafted late was, I'm sure, not exciting as it could be... but, take us to that day and tell us what it what it was like hearing your name come over the internet site. 

Phillip:  I like Phillip but if somebody calls me Phil that's fine with me. I just wanna give back to my family since they gave me the opportunity to play ball since I was 4 years old, I'm sure I will buy myself something nicer than a truck eventually ha ha. It was still just as exciting for me hearing my name called as I was given the chance to play pro ball for a great organization  

Mack:  So, let's get to the next great moment and that would be your first professional at bat. Was your family there and how did that moment go? 

Phillip:  My family was not there but I just treated it like any other at bat saw a lot of pitches and walked. 

Mack:  Okay...  Phillip, You know I have been tracking you for a couple of years now and had you as the 3rd top middle infielder in the draft.   Thre has been some scouts that project you as a future second baseman.  I'm sure you would say you would play any position it takes to get to the majors, but I'm just curious, other than shortstop, what positions have you played, and played well?

Phillip:  Yeah, I'm pretty sure anybody would play any position to get to the big leagues but I can play anywhere on the field well so wherever they end up putting me I'll play that position hard day in and day out.  

Mack:  Last question, Phillip.  First of all I want to thank you for spending some time here with me.   I wanted to see if thee is anything you want to say to your fans that read Mack's Mets... 

Phillip:  Anytime. Thanks for having me Mack.  I would like to thank all the fans out there and keep supporting through out the years and hopefully all the hard work I'm putting in will give me an opportunity in the big leagues one day. 

10-26-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7132/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-shortstop-prospects    -  Phillip Evans   DOB: 9/10/1992  Birthplace: Carlsbad, CA  Height: 5’10”   Weight: 185  R/R  -  I’m not going to even talk about his stats because they are irrelevant since he only played 9 games. However, he did reach Brooklyn, something Brandon Nimmo did not do. When the Mets snagged him on the signing deadline day, I remember rejoicing that we did not let him go. He’s practically my age and I’m praising him. His frame is pretty much maxed out at this point. It’s impossible to predict growth spurts, but you never know. Evans reminds me of your classic shortstop, who has potential to hit a few homeruns while being a solid gap hitter. He represented the west coast in the 2010 AFLAC All-American game, where he snagged the MVP honors in front of his hometown fans. According to Replacement Level Baseball, they clocked Evans in high school at 4.1 from home to first, predicting that he can be an “admirable base stealer at the next level”. RLP also said that Evans’ arm could be projected at a 65, well above average on the scouting scale. He’s what you want a high school prospect to look like. It’s not going to take him much time to fit into the system because he has the tools to succeed. 

11-7-11: - Evans makes this list based purely on projection, not on any stats. He has a very advanced skill set that doesn’t really compare to anyone else in the organization. His combination of fielding ability, ability to hit for average, ability to hit with power, and leadership skills grade out as someone who should move quickly through the organization. The idea of him making the big leagues sooner than most other players his age is not that much of a stretch. A true indication should come very early next season, when the Savannah Sand Gnats announce their opening day roster. If it were to include a 19-year-old shortstop named Phil Evans, he could be well on his way in no time. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-%e2%80%93-14-phillip-evans-ss.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29    

11-3-11: - http://baseballinstinct.com/2011/11/03/2011-mlb-draft-shortstops-review-part-1   - Phillip Evans, SS New York Mets – (18) – Round: 15 Pick: 462 - Here’s a kid who has good make-up and skill set to be an above average major leaguer.  There was a buzz last year that he could be a 1st round draft pick, but after an up and down spring and a firm commitment to play for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State (not far from home in Carlsbad, CA) his stock dropped like a ton of bricks.  I’m not sure he has the range to stick at SS, but after the Mets moved 8th round pick Daniel Muno from SS to 2B, perhaps the Mets feel differently than I do.  Evans was an August 15th deadline signing and kudos to the Mets for getting this done.   Evans hit .294/.351/.412, which included 2B-4/RBI-4/R-7, and a 5/3 K/BB ratio in 34 at bats spread over quick stops at 3 levels, ending up with Muno with the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York Penn League and that’s likely where he will start the 2012 season as well.  I think he’s a player to watch. 

12-7-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com    – Now this is how you draft, at least in the world of the old CBA. La Costa Canyon HS (CA) SS Phillip Evans (Round 15) was a borderline first round prospect who fell all the way to the fifteenth round and then signed for a fairly reasonable $650,000. A comp that I like for Evans is current Rays infielder Sean Rodriguez, a former third round pick (probably where Evans would have gone on talent alone) of the Angels. 

It isn’t easy finding high school middle infielders who project to second baseman in the pros who are also worthy of first round consideration, but this year’s class has a couple players that fit the bill. With three plus future tools (defense, arm, raw power), Phillip Evans is one of those guys. In addition to those three projected plus tools, Evans can also run and hit a bit. His speed is average at best, but great instincts and exceptional first step quickness help him both in the field and on the bases. I love his approach at the plate, especially with two strikes. I also love his ability to hit for power to all fields. If you’re counting at home, that’s now five tools that Evans possesses with the potential to be around average (speed), above-average (bat), and plus (defense, arm, power).

1-10-12 - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/top-15-prospects-new-york-mets/    - 12. Phillip Evans, 2B/SS: Evans had a chance to go in the first three rounds of the 2011 draft but he slid all the way to the 15th rounds. The Mets got him under contract with a $650,000 bonus. He falls into the “scrappy infielder” category and may top out as a big league utility player. Evans doesn’t have much speed or power, but he could hit for a respectable average and could become an above-average defender at second base, his eventual destination due to a lack of range at shortstop.

1-18-12 - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/01/prospect-pulse-the-2012-savannah-sand-gnats.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29   Phillip Evans (2B) - What is not to like about this kid? He barely got his feet wet in pro ball last year, after being drafted by the Mets right out of high school, but this player has such an abundance of natural talent, that I fully expect him to be able to hold down a starting middle infield spot for the Gnats next season. He has a short, well-balanced, compact swing, with good speed through the hitting zone due to his strong hands and wrists. In the infield he makes all the right moves with his soft hands, quickness, footwork, and solid throwing arm. He even exhibits signs of leadership qualities. Next year will go along way to showing that Evans was an absolute steal in the 15th round of last years draft.