College World Series home run record-holder, former Gator Ty Evans retires from baseball
On Saturday, the 22-year-old from Winter Haven, Florida, decided it was time to explore other avenues in life, announcing his decision to hang up the cleats on his social media account. Having used up his collegiate eligibility while going unselected in the most recent draft, the young man finally reached the end of his road.
"Gator Nation, thank you for the four most amazing years of my life. I spent my childhood dreaming of playing Division I baseball, and being able to play at the University of Florida has made that dream come true," Evans' social media post begins. "Being able to wear the orange and blue is something that I will cherish forever. The support that I have gotten from all of you over my time here has been a true blessing. I wouldn't trade any of these moments for the world."
He continues, "To the staff, I can't thank you all enough for everything that y'all have done for me. You guys helped me not only become a better baseball player, but also a better man. Through the ups and downs, y'all stuck with me through it all, and I am forever grateful for that.
"To my teammates, it has been a blessing to play with you all over the last four years. I couldn't imagine going through the grind with any other group of guys. I can't thank y'all enough for all of the amazing memories and for the life-long friendships that were made.
"With that being said, I have decided to move on from my playing career. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have started and finished my career at the University of Florida. Words can't express what this place has meant to my family and me. I can truly say that I gave everything I had to this program and am leaving with no regrets. It's been one hell of a ride."
Ty Evans' accomplishments at Florida
Prior to his arrival in Gainesville, Evans was drafted out of Lakeland Christian School by the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft. His decision to enroll in college rather than starting his professional career in the minor leagues proved to be fortuitous for the Gators.
Evans primarily played right field, batting .270 with 31 home runs and 128 RBIs over the course of his four-year career, which stretched across 174 total appearances. He played in 49 games during his sophomore campaign and hit a record five home runs while making the Men's College World Series All-Tournament Team at the 2023 CWS, which foreshadowed his breakout in 2024.
For his junior season, Evans once again appeared in 49 matchups, batting a career-high .316 while also slashing a .406 on-base percentage and a .580 slugging percentage, adding up to a robust .987 OPS. He tallied 61 hits, 13 home runs, 10 doubles, 44 runs scored and 43 runs batted in.
Unfortunately, an arm injury in the 2024 MCWS ended his breakout effort and may have contributed to his senior decline. In 2025, Evans played in 41 games but saw his slash line regress to .263/.322/.451, though he did set his career high in doubles with 11.
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