Phillip Evans could have spent this spring playing baseball at San Diego State. Instead, after signing with the Mets last year out of high school, the 19-year-old shortstop spent the spring in Port St. Lucie, taking part in extended spring training at the Mets’ facility.
Even after spending the past three months playing daily in the sweltering Florida heat, Evans is happy to have made the decision to turn pro.
“I think I definitely made the right choice,” he said last night before starting at shortstop and going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored for the Brooklyn Cyclones in their 2-0 season-opening win over the Staten Island Yankees at MCU Park in Brooklyn. “Pro ball is awesome.
“Extended’s definitely a grind, don’t get me wrong. But I got through it, everyone got through it, and we’re just excited to be here now, and for the season to get started.”
The Mets took Evans, rated as the 20th best middle infield prospect in the 2011 draft by Baseball America, in the 15th round, and gave him a $650,000 signing bonus to get him to forego his commitment to San Diego State and turn pro.
Because of that, the Mets have high hopes for Evans, who already has impressed Cyclones manager Rich Donnelly.
“I do have a lot of faith in him, and like we tell him all the time, we expect a lot from him,” Donnelly said. “We think he can handle it, and we’re gonna see if he can.’’ We have confidence in him, and I think he’s the type of kid that can be a leader. I don’t care how old you are, they don’t ask if you’re a good leader, and we think he has the qualifications to be one”
Evans, a Carlsbad, Calif., native, grew up rooting for the San Francisco Giants and said his favorite player growing up was Barry Bonds. But he modeled his game after another Bay Area native: Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
“He plays the game hard, his ability to swing the bat, his glove is awesome,” Evans said. “He plays the game … the right way, and that’s how I try to approach the game.”
Even though Evans enjoyed his time in Florida this spring, he’s excited for the chance to play in Brooklyn this season, after making a brief cameo appearance during last year’s playoffs.
“It feels great,” Evans said. “Sleeping in every day, getting to the field a few hours before the game, getting work in. … It feels to be great to be here in Brooklyn in front of all of the great fans here.
“I’m just excited to start the season, and hopefully we can start it off on the right foot.”
tbontemps@nypost.com
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Phillip Evans, Brooklyn Cyclones, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, San Diego State, the Mets, extended spring training, Port St. Lucie, Staten Island Yankees, San Francisco Giants
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