The Hot Stove has simmered quite a bit following Yoshinobu Yamamoto inking a deal with the Dodgers, but we did get a smaller move as the Braves and Phillip Evans agreed on a minor league deal, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
The former 15th-round pick will likely be invited to Spring Training but will have a lot of competition. The Braves already have David Fletcher and Vaughn Grissom competing for a bench spot, so it’s unlikely that Evans ever sees significant playing time unless injuries spread in the locker room like wildfire.
Evans made his MLB debut in 2017 but didn’t carve out a long-term role until the 2021 season, where he struggled. He slashed .206/.312/.299 in 247 plate appearances across 76 games, which eventually led to the Pirates releasing him.
Evans went on to sign with the Yankees on a minor league deal, but the struggles continued. He didn’t reach the majors at all during the 2022 campaign, and that trend continued last season with the Diamondbacks.
Though he didn’t reach the majors with Arizona, Evans’ struggles at the plate ended. He ended up with a .312/.424/.439 slash line in 590 Triple-A trips to the plate last season, but it was only good for a 117 wRC+ because of the Pacific Coast League’s inflated offense.
With a somewhat respectable offensive pedigree, most of his value stems from his positional versatility. He’s made at least one professional appearance at every position on the diamond except for centerfield.
The Braves continue to bolster the depth of the roster with this move.
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