Evan Carter
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2002)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Evan Carter
|caption = Evan Carter
|image = Evan_Carter,_Texas_Rangers_9,_Tampa_Bay_Rays_3,_Tropicana_Field,_St._Petersburg,_Florida_(53626731523).jpg
|team = Texas Rangers
|number = 32
|position = Left fielder
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|8|29}}
|birth_place = Elizabethton, Tennessee, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = September 8
|debutyear = 2023
|debutteam = Texas Rangers
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = 2024 season
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .223
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 10
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 27
|teams =
- Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2023}}–present)
|awards=
- World Series champion ({{wsy|2023}})
}}
Evan Jason Carter (born August 29, 2002) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Amateur career
Carter was born and grew up in Elizabethton, Tennessee and attended Elizabethton High School. He was an All-Conference selection in baseball in all three seasons he played. He committed to play college baseball at Duke after his sophomore year.{{cite web|url=https://www.wjhl.com/sports/high-school-sports/elizabethton-cyclones-baseball-player-evan-carter-signs-with-duke/|title=Elizabethton Cyclones baseball player Evan Carter signs with Duke|first=Kenny|last=Hawkins|website=WJHL-TV|date=November 13, 2019}} As a junior, Carter batted .324 with four homers and 27 RBIs and was 10–2 with a 1.34 ERA and six complete games as a pitcher.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/55e8c2c86508e09d6d8a31c323278617|title=Rangers sign top 2 draft picks who wait to see where they go|work=Associated Press|date=June 19, 2020}} Carter appeared in just 3 games before his senior season was cancelled due to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Newberg |first=Jamey |date=June 25, 2020 |title='A dagger to the heart': The college coaches who lost out on four Ranger picks |url=https://theathletic.com/1892080/2020/06/25/a-dagger-to-the-heart-the-college-coaches-who-lost-out-on-four-ranger-picks/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=The Athletic}}
Professional career
=Minor leagues=
The Texas Rangers selected Carter in the second round, with the 50th overall selection, of the 2020 MLB draft and he received a $1.25 million signing bonus.{{cite web|url=https://www.wjhl.com/sports/evan-carter-signs-contract-with-the-rangers/|title=Evan Carter signs contract with the Rangers|date=June 19, 2020}} MLB.com had not considered him a top-200 prospect and Baseball America had not rated him one of its top 500 prospects.{{cite web|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article243486021.html|title=Too early to judge Texas Rangers' draft despite criticism|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=June 14, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2020/06/11/rangers-continue-history-of-risky-second-round-picks-with-evan-carters-selection/|title=Rangers continue history of risky second-round draft picks with Evan Carter's selection|work=The Dallas Morning News|date=June 11, 2020}} Carter spent the 2021 season with the Down East Wood Ducks of the Low-A East, hitting .236/.438/.387/.825 with 2 home runs, 12 RBI, and 12 stolen bases over 32 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rangers-set-2021-minor-league-rosters|title=Where will Rangers' top prospects begin '21?|author=Kennedi Landry|website=MLB.com|date=April 30, 2021|access-date=May 8, 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Landry |first=Kennedi |date=March 9, 2022 |title=Surprise 2020 Draft pick Carter has 'all the ingredients' to succeed |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/evan-carter-justifying-where-rangers-took-him-in-mlb-draft |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=MLB.com}} In June 2021, Carter suffered a stress fracture in his lower back, which caused him to miss the remainder of that season.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/rangers-prospects-evan-carter-tekoah-roby-miss-significant-time-with-injuries|title=Rangers Prospects Evan Carter, Tekoah Roby To Miss Significant Time With Injuries|author=Chris Halicke|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=June 28, 2021|access-date=July 10, 2021}} Carter split the 2022 season between the Hickory Crawdads of the High-A South Atlantic League and the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, hitting a combined .295/.397/.489/.885 with 12 home runs, 73 RBI, and 28 stolen bases.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Jeff |date=September 19, 2022 |title=Evan Carter: Rangers 2022 Minor League Player Of The Year |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/evan-carter-rangers-2022-minor-league-player-of-the-year/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Baseball America}}{{Cite web |last=Landry |first=Kennedi |date=October 19, 2022 |title=These Rangers prospects are on the rise |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rangers-top-prospects-update-end-of-2022-season |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=MLB.com}}
Carter was named the Texas Rangers 2022 Tom Grieve Player of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Bigley |first=Zach |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Former Riders sweep 2022 Rangers MiLB awards |url=https://www.milb.com/news/former-riders-sweep-2022-rangers-milb-awards |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=MiLB.com}} He also received a 2022 minor league Rawlings Gold Glove Award.{{Cite web |last=Avallone |first=Michael |date=November 22, 2022 |title=Here are 2022's MiLB Gold Glove winners |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2022-minor-league-gold-glove-award-winners |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=MLB.com}} Carter was ranked as the 26th overall prospect in baseball by Baseball America, the 41st overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, and the 53rd overall prospect by The Athletic{{'}}s Keith Law during the 2023 off-season.{{Cite web |title=2023 Top 100 Prospects |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2023-top-100-prospects/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Baseball America}}{{Cite web |title=Top 100 Baseball Prospects |url=https://www.mlb.com/prospects |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=MLB.com}}{{Cite web |last=Law |first=Keith |author-link=Keith Law (writer) |date=January 30, 2023 |title=Keith Law's top 100 MLB prospects, with Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll at No. 1 |url=https://theathletic.com/4132943/2023/01/30/top-100-mlb-prospects-2023-keith-law/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=The Athletic}}
Carter received a non-roster invitation to major league spring training in 2023 and returned to Frisco to open the season.{{Cite magazine |last=Postins |first=Matthew |date=January 28, 2023 |title=Rangers Invite Top Prospects to Spring Training |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/jack-leiter-kumar-rocker-texas-rangers-spring-training-invitation |access-date=2023-02-01 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}} Carter missed three weeks in June due to multiple arm injuries. Over 97 games for Frisco, he hit .284/.411/.451/.862 with 12 home runs, 62 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.{{Cite web |title=Texas Rangers Top Prospect OF Evan Carter Joins Express Roster |url=https://www.milb.com/news/rel-2023-8-29-texas-rangers-top-prospect-of-evan-carter-joins-express-roster |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=MiLB.com}} Carter was promoted to the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League on August 29.{{Cite web |last=Landry |first=Kennedi |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Rangers promote Carter to Triple-A on top prospect's birthday |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/evan-carter-promoted-by-rangers-to-triple-a-round-rock |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=MLB.com}} Over 8 games, he hit .353/.436/.382/.818 with 3 RBI and 3 stolen bases.{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=2023-09-07 |title=Elizabethton's Evan Carter to make MLB debut with Texas Rangers |url=https://heraldcourier.com/sports/elizabethtons-evan-carter-to-make-mlb-debut-with-texas-rangers/article_2220be35-a137-5322-911b-313828ff3b42.html |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=Bristol Herald Courier}}
=Major leagues=
On September 8, 2023, Texas selected Carter's contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time for his MLB debut that night versus the Oakland Athletics.{{Cite web |last=Landry |first=Kennedi |date=September 7, 2023 |title=Rangers to call up top prospect Evan Carter |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/evan-carter-rangers-prospect-callup |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=MLB.com}} Carter's debut included his first career walk, stolen base, and hit, a single off of Paul Blackburn.{{Cite web |last=Landry |first=Kennedi |date=September 8, 2023 |title=Rangers unable to stop skid despite Carter's impressive debut |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rangers-top-prospect-evan-carter-gets-first-mlb-hit-vs-a-s |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=MLB.com}} Carter hit his first major league home run on September 11 versus the Toronto Blue Jays Chris Bassitt.{{Cite web |last=Glaser |first=Kyle |date=2023-09-12 |title=Prospect Report: Evan Carter Hits First Major League Home Run |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/prospect-report-evan-carter-hits-first-major-league-home-run/ |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=Baseball America}} In 23 games in 2023, he batted .306/.413/.645 with five home runs, 12 RBI, and three stolen bases.{{Cite web |last=Snyder |first=Matt |date=2023-10-30 |title=Rangers' Evan Carter was in Double-A two months before World Series, here's how he earned his spot in Texas |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/rangers-evan-carter-was-in-double-a-two-months-before-world-series-heres-how-he-earned-his-spot-in-texas/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=CBSSports.com}}{{Cite web |last=Pleskoff |first=Bernie |title=Major League Scouting Report: Texas Rangers' Evan Carter |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/berniepleskoff/2023/11/06/major-league-scouting-report-texas-rangers-evan-carter/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Forbes}} Carter excelled for Texas in the 2023 postseason, hitting .300/.417/.500 with one home run, six RBI, and three stolen bases in 17 games as their starting left fielder. He recorded 9 doubles, a record for a single MLB postseason.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-02 |title=Evan Carter, the Rangers' 'Little Savior' made everyone a believer in World Series run |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2023/11/02/evan-carter-the-rangers-little-savior-made-everyone-a-believer-on-run-to-world-series/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Dallas Morning News}} Carter and the Rangers won the 2023 World Series, the first championship in franchise history.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-03 |title=21-Year-Old World Series Champ Evan Carter is Still Floating |url=https://www.gq.com/story/evan-carter-world-series-interview |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=GQ}}
Carter began the 2024 campaign with Texas, hitting .188 with five home runs and 15 RBI across 45 games. He was placed on the injured list with lower–back tightness on May 28, 2024,{{Cite web|title=Rangers' Evan Carter: Dealing with back tightness|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rangers-evan-carter-dealing-with-back-tightness/|access-date=July 30, 2024|website=cbssports.com|date=May 28, 2024 |language=en}} and was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 29.{{Cite web|title=Rangers Make 11 Roster Moves|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/rangers-make-11-roster-moves.html|access-date=July 30, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=July 29, 2024 |language=en}}
Carter was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Playoff hero Carter to start in Triple-A after shaky spring|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/evan-carter-to-start-season-in-triple-a-for-rangers-2025|access-date=March 28, 2025|website=mlb.com|language=en}}
Personal life
He is married to Kaylen Carter. He is a Christian.{{cite web |last1=Mercer |first1=Kevin |title=Rookie Evan Carter has been huge spark for Rangers as he declares 'Jesus won' |url=https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/baseball/2023/10/03/evan-carter-spark-rangers-jesus-won/ |website=Sports Spectrum |date=October 3, 2023 |access-date=4 October 2023}} Evan shadowed an Endodontist for a year during high school, which inspired him to become a dentist.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=694497|espn=4917921|br=c/carteev01|fangraphs=27790|brm=carter000eva|retro=C/Pcarte001}}
{{Texas Rangers roster navbox}}
{{2023 Texas Rangers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Evan}}
Category:People from Elizabethton, Tennessee
Category:Baseball players from Tennessee
Category:Major League Baseball outfielders
Category:Texas Rangers players
Category:Arizona Complex League Rangers players
Category:Down East Wood Ducks players
Category:Hickory Crawdads players
Category:Frisco RoughRiders players