Former Bradenton Marauders player gets posthumous nod into FSL Hall of Fame

Former Bradenton Marauders player Evan Chambers is among members of the 2017 Florida State League Hall of Fame class.

Chambers played outfield for the Marauders in 2011 and 2012, prior to his death in 2013. Chambers will be the first Marauder enshrined by the FSL.

Chambers was drafted by the Pirates in the third round of the 2009 amateur draft. He spent the entire 2011 season with Bradenton and played in 61 games for the Marauders in 2012 before earning a promotion to Double-A Altoona. Chambers died in his sleep on Dec. 1, 2013, from an undetected heart defect.

The Chambers family and the Pirates organization have worked to carry on the legacy of community commitment that Chambers displayed at each stop in his baseball career. His parents founded the Evan Michael Chambers L.O.V.E. Foundation to help youth excel in baseball and personal development. The Foundation is active in Polk County, where Evan grew up, and in Manatee County where he spent a large portion of his professional career.

The Bradenton Marauders retired Chambers’ number 53 in 2014. It is displayed prominently on the right field boardwalk at LECOM Park. Celebrations of the life and legacy of Evan Chambers have also been held by the Double-A Altoona Curve, and Chambers’ hometown team, the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

The induction ceremonies will take place on Nov. 15 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort on Clearwater Beach.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Former Bradenton Marauders player gets posthumous nod into FSL Hall of Fame."