Chicago Cubs: Phillip Evans, 2B/3B
This last one on the list could come as a surprise with many people. The Cubs signed Phillip Evans to a minor league deal before this season, and while he is 26 years old and it is difficult to see a spot for him with the big league club in the future, Evans should be someone the team keeps around.
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The reality is that Evans has barely sniffed the Show. In 32 games, Evans is a career .241/.328/.278 hitter with a below-average wRC+. With that said, the stocky infielder has found success in Triple-A with the Iowa Cubs in 2019.
In 128 games with the Triple-A squad, Evans has managed to put together a very solid .281/.369/.466 line with 17 home runs and 61 RBI. Evans has also posted a very respectable .359 wOBA and 104 wRC+ which is on par of where he was in 2018 before he joined the Cubs’ organization.
Evans is a pure contact hitter, managing to keep his strikeout rate down to 13.5 percent and his walk rate to 10.5 percent. Evans’ contact rate on pitches inside the strike zone is a whopping 89.7 percent. Evans’ most active position by far is second base, which is one reason why the Cubs should consider holding onto him when free agent hits. In 100 innings at second this season, Evans has just one error.
With Evans, it is a long shot that the club decides to hold onto him this winter, however, if they do he could profile as a potential option next spring with the infield especially if other prospects such as Nico Hoerner and Vimael Machin are not ready for the big time. Adding Evans to the list is a stretch on all accounts, but he has shown enough to warrant staying power.