CF Matt Evans commit keeps Canadian pipeline flowing
Nebraska baseball continues to utilize their connection to the Great Lake Canadians baseball organization, and former Husker Adam Stern, to add potential talent to their roster.
Class of 2023 center fielder Matt Evans announced his decision to play for the Huskers on twitter Monday evening. Evans will be following previous GLC products Core Jackson and Caleb Clark to Lincoln in future seasons.
He resides in the town of Tillsonburg which is in Ontario, Canada. The Nebraska coaching staff became aware of Evans at the PBR 2021 Futures games in Georgia this summer.
"I gave Lance Harvell a call a couple weeks after that futures tournament and he shot me an offer then," Evans said. "Last Friday, I confirmed accepting an offer from them, and then yesterday we announced it.
"Seeing the two guys who are going there from the same program, Core and Caleb, they are really good guys. I've known them since I got into Great Lake Canadians, and they've had nothing but great things to say about Nebraska.
"And then, obviously, Stern talked well about them as well, and that gave me and my family quite a large comfort and respect for the University of Nebraska."
The 6-foot, 160-pound Evans, who throws/right and bats/left, has been told by the Husker staff that they project him to be a top of the order hitter in their lineup, and to man one of the outfield positions.
"The way they see me fitting in is that they have three groups in the way they coordinate their offense," Evans relayed. "The way Lance (Harvell) explained it to me was, they have speed guys who lack power, power guys who lack speed, but I was in the middle as a speed guy with some power potential.
"They expect me to put on more weight and to have more power [in college]. That's something I agree with. Speed is definitely my best tool, and I am a 1-2 guy in the lineup. I can definitely get ahold of a ball and hit for power. So, I can lead the game off with a bunt or a first pitch home run."
At this time, Evans believes his defensive skill set is ahead of his offensive production, even though he is currently batting .380 and he stole 52 bases two years ago in a pre-COVID season.
"I'd say, right now, that I am definitely a better fielder that I am a hitter. I would say that my fielding is quite elite, but the hitting will definitely progress and be an even match."
Nebraska was the only scholarship offer to date for Evan, but he was also being recruited by Saint John's, Illinois State, Stony Brook and Arkansas-Little Rock.
Evans also participates in track and field for his high school by doing the long jump, high jump and some sprint events.
If he is able to navigate through the COVID travel restrictions, Evans and his family would like to travel to Nebraska for the first time in October to attend baseball and football games during the same weekend.