Atlanta Braves sign veteran minor league 3B Phillip Evans to non-guaranteed deal

The Braves have added a 31 year-old minor league free agent as a depth option for Gwinnett

The Atlanta Braves have signed minor leaguer free agent Phillip Evans to a non-guaranteed, minor league deal. He will report to AAA Gwinnett. 

Evans, 31, was a 15th round pick by the New York Mets in the 2011 MLB Draft out of high school. He made his MLB debut in 2017, playing in 34 games across two seasons with a .241 batting average before being granted free agency after the 2018 season. 

Signing with the Cubs and then Pirates, he didn't make it back to the majors until Pittsburgh dealt with injuries in 2020 and called him up for 11 games, but he made the most of it. Playing mostly third base but also filling in at first, left, and right field, Evans batted .359/.444/.487 across his short 2020 sample, earning him extended run in the 2021 season. 

That 2021 season didn't quite go to plan, though, with Evans batting only .206/.312/.299. Sent to the minors during the season, he eventually caught on with the New York Yankees for 2022 and the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2023, but was unable to break into the big leagues for either team. 

NEWS: The Atlanta Braves have signed 3B Phillip Evans to a minor league deal. Drafted in the 15th round of
the 2011 draft, he's played a career 121 major league games across four seasons and spent 2023 batting .312/.424/.439 with AAA Reno (Arizona Diamondbacks)

— Lindsay Crosby, big baseball guy (@CrosbyBaseball) December 27, 2023

Evans had, by far, the best season of his career with AAA Reno last season, batting .312/.424/.439 with 37 extra base hits and more walks (92) than strikeouts (75). While Reno and the entire Pacific Coast League is known for being great hitter's parks, Evans did show at least league average power, with an 102.8 mph 90th percentile exit velo. 

His contact rate was also very good, making contact at pitches in the zone over 91% of the time (82.3% overall) and chasing only 24.3% (around major league average). 

While he hasn't played shortstop since 2018, Evans does have major league experience at all three bases as well as both corner outfield spots. In the minor leagues, he's played everything but centerfield, even filling in at catcher on occasion. 

Reporting to AAA Gwinnett, Evans appears to be a high floor utility option that can be called up to cover an extended absence if his bat translates to a more normal offensive environment. 

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