Baseball | 12/15/2025 7:30:00 PM


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GREENSBORO — Former North Carolina A&T right-handed pitcher Evan Gates is taking the next step towards his dream of playing Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies recently selected Gates in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft to play on its Triple-A affiliate team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 

Evans now receives roster protection with the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, because of the transaction. In doing so, the move to the Phillies organization may help Evans achieve upward mobility and play on the big stage: Major League Baseball (MLB). A&T veteran head baseball coach Ben Hall called it a fresh start for his former right-hander, who pitched out of the bullpen during his time in Aggieland from 2019-21.

Gates gets this opportunity after a back injury limited his performance during an opportunity with the Sacramento River Cats (Triple-A) in 2024, a time he noted as “one of the toughest moments in [his] baseball career.” 

That chapter reminded Gates to stay level-headed, not getting too high or low with the ebbs and flows of the sport. It’s a piece of advice he took from his collegiate years with Aggie Head Coach Ben Hall. 

Despite the setback, Gates moves forward with the belief that every ounce of work is worth it for this journey. He loves the game and is making the move to Pennsylvania following his fifth year in the minor leagues. He has made stops with different teams each season. 

In 2021, he debuted as a bullpen pitcher with the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Giants Black and has worked his way up through the ranks since then.

This climb includes making multiple jumps in 2022. Gates started the season with the San Jose Giants at the Low-A level, and moved to High-A with the Eugene Emeralds before finishing the season at the Double-A level with the Richmond Flying Squirrels. 

Gates remained with the Squirrels primarily until 2025, the only exception being the brief appearance with the Sacramento River Cats in 2024. In the minors, he has made 173 appearances. He is 16-12 with a 3.52 ERA and 307 strikeouts in 260.2 innings pitched.  

Gates’ dedication extends beyond the mound, though. In 2023, he was awarded the Flying Squirrels Community Service Award for his time spent mentoring youth baseball players, assisting the Childhood Cancer Foundation, and visiting kids at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.