Demarcus Evans facts for kids

Demarcus Malik Evans, born on October 22, 1996, is an American professional baseball pitcher. He used to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers. Currently, he is a free agent, meaning he can sign with any team.

Early Baseball Days

Demarcus Evans went to Petal High School in Petal, Mississippi. After high school, the Texas Rangers picked him in the 25th round of the 2015 MLB draft. He decided to sign with the Rangers for a $100,000 bonus. This meant he chose to start his professional baseball career instead of going to Hinds Community College.

Playing in the Minor Leagues

Starting with the Rangers

After signing, Demarcus Evans began his professional journey with the Arizona League Rangers. This team is part of the Rookie-level Arizona League, where new players often start. In his first season, he pitched well.

In 2016, he played for both the AZL Rangers and the Spokane Indians. The Spokane Indians are a Low–A team. He pitched in 14 games and struck out 75 batters in 55 innings.

In 2017, Demarcus continued to play for different teams. He was with the AZL Rangers, Spokane, and the Hickory Crawdads. The Crawdads are a Single–A team.

Rising Through the Ranks

The year 2018 was a great one for Demarcus. He played for the Hickory Crawdads again. He had a very low ERA of 1.77. An ERA shows how many runs a pitcher allows per game. He also struck out 103 batters in 56 innings. Because of his excellent performance, he was named to the South Atlantic League post-season all-star team. He was also recognized as the Texas Rangers' best minor league relief pitcher for 2018.

In 2019, Demarcus started with the Down East Wood Ducks. This is a High–A team. He continued to pitch very well, with an even lower ERA of 0.81. He also struck out 40 batters in just over 22 innings.

Because of his strong performance, he was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders in May. This team plays in the Double-A Texas League. With Frisco, he kept up his amazing pitching, with an ERA of 0.96 and 60 strikeouts. For his outstanding year, he was named the 2019 MiLB Relief Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America. The Texas Rangers also named him their best minor league relief pitcher for the second year in a row.

To protect him from being picked by another team in the Rule 5 draft, the Rangers added Demarcus to their 40–man roster in November 2019.

Major League Baseball Debut

On September 15, 2020, Demarcus Evans was called up to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on September 18 against the Los Angeles Angels. In 2020, he pitched in four games for the Texas Rangers. He had a 2.25 ERA and struck out 4 batters in 4 innings.

In 2021, Demarcus split his time between the Texas Rangers and the Round Rock Express. The Express is a Triple-A West team, which is one step below the major leagues. With the Rangers, he pitched in 26 innings and struck out 33 batters. With Round Rock, he had a 2–0 record and struck out 31 batters.

After the 2022 season, Demarcus became a free agent.

Other Teams

New York Yankees

In December 2022, Demarcus signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. However, he did not play in any games for their organization. He became a free agent again in November 2023.

Charleston Dirty Birds

In 2024, Demarcus signed with the Charleston Dirty Birds. This team plays in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is an independent league. He pitched in four games for the Dirty Birds before being released in May.

Family Connections

Demarcus Evans has a cousin who is also a professional baseball player. His cousin is Anthony Alford, an outfielder.