Steve Evarts Stats & Scouting Report

IP	97
ERA	3.711
WHIP	1.371
BB/9	3.155
SO/9	6.866

Full name Steven Michael Evarts
Born 10/13/1987 in Pordenone, Italy
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School T.R. Robinson
Drafted in the C-A round (43rd overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2006 (signed for $800,000).

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Not unlike his high school coach at Robinson High, 10-year minor leaguer Sal Urso, Evarts has made a name for himself thanks to an excellent changeup. He emerged as the top prep lefty in Florida, surpassing Carmine Giardina and Justin Edwards when his fastball climbed from the mid-80s last summer to 88-92 mph, bumping 93 this spring. He has a good feel for pitching and throws strikes. He can cut his fastball and uses it effectively to set up his changeup, which grades as a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale. He uses an unconventional grip that gives it late tilt, diving away from righthanded hitters with screwball-like break. He throws it for strikes and in any count. Evarts' breaking balls are barely usable. He tried out a slider later in the season that showed promise, but he needs to improve its break. His arm works well and he has an athletic, repeatable delivery. Evarts should be drafted in the third- to fifth-round range, and he's expected to sign rather than attend junior college.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The 43rd overall pick in the 2006 draft, Evarts continued to impress last year with his ability to pound the strike zone. After a strong pro debut, he overcame some legal problems to post an impressive follow-up at Danville, where he had a 34-4 K-BB ratio and didn't allow a homer in 37 innings. Evarts has an excellent feel for pitching, throws strikes with three pitches and consistently stays ahead in the count. His velocity was a little down last summer, as his fastball sat at 87-89 mph compared to 89-91 mph in 2006, but Atlanta has no concerns in that regard. A changeup that acts like a screwball is his best pitch. He's the quintessential lanky lefty with smooth mechanics and the ability to repeat his delivery. The biggest thing he's working on is keeping his arm slot consistent, especially staying on top of his slurvy breaking ball instead of dropping down, which tends to flatten the pitch. Some scouts questioned Evarts' makeup prior to the draft, and he was charged with criminal mischief in December 2006 after police said he damaged a vehicle with a baseball bat. However, the Braves believe he has made strides with his overall maturity. Evarts has the ability to become a No. 3 starter, and he'll take the next step in low Class A this year.
Evarts put together an impressive spring to emerge as the top high school southpaw in Florida last year. Taken by the Braves with the 43rd overall pick, he signed for $800,000 and made a seamless move to pro ball. He had the best combination of stuff and feel on a talented Rookie-level Gulf Coast League pitching staff that featured five other members of this top 30 list. Evarts is a projection project with an immature, lanky build and a loose, lively arm. He throws strikes with his smooth mechanics and his ability to repeat his easy delivery. He has an average fastball that sits consistently around 90 mph and touches 93 with plus life and late movement, particularly when he cuts it. His best pitch is a nasty changeup that breaks much like a screwball. Evarts throws the change with an unusual grip and will use it at any time in the count. It has the potential to carry him into the upper levels. His breaking ball is well below-average. He showed some promise in developing a hard slurve in the GCL and worked on a slider during instructional league. He was arrested in December in Tampa and charged with criminal mischief, a felony. Police said he damaged a vehicle with a baseball bat, and the incident highlights questions scouts had about his makeup. Evarts needs innings, which he'll get as one of the younger starters in the South Atlantic League in 2007.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Braves strongly considered sending Evarts to low Class A as a 19-year-old, until police arrested him last December and charged him with damaging a car with a baseball bat. Suspended for the first part of the Appy League season, he pitched well once he joined Danville in mid-July and had no further makeup issues. Locke has better present stuff, but Evarts has a more projectable frame at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds. He pitches at 88-89 mph and reached 91 with his fastball, which has good tailing action. He also throws a slurvy breaking ball and a changeup that has screwball action. Evarts has good command control, as evidenced by the fact that he allowed no homers and just four walks in eight outings. He drew some Al Leiter comparisons from league observers.
Evarts emerged as the top high school lefthander in Florida this spring, and as the best southpaw on a Braves pitching staff that also featured fellow 2006 early-round draftees Jeff Locke and Chad Rodgers. He had the best mix of stuff and feel for pitching of that GCL group. Evarts' bread and butter is a filthy changeup that has screwball-like break. It's a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale. His fastball sits near 90 mph, touching 93, and he likes to cut it. His breaking ball is well below-average, though he began to show some feel for a hard slurve as the season progressed. He's athletic and repeats his delivery well, giving him plus command.