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Which MLB players might actually be Pokemon evolutions of other players?

By Ben Cosman

Next month marks the 20th anniversary of the original Japanese release of Pokemon Red and Blue for GameBoy. It's a good time to reflect on one of the best aspects of the Pokemon phenomenon: the pocket monsters' names. When Pokemon evolve, names tend to get more intricate or intense in a way that signifies a leveling up. Charmander becomes Charmeleon becomes Charizard, for example:

And Abra becomes Kadabra becomes Alakazam:

(Images via Pokemon Database)
It's a good system.
Let's apply the same principle to ballplayers. If you took every MLB roster and uploaded it into Pokemon Red, here are a few evolutions we might see based on names and names alone.
Wade Miley evolves into ...

Drew Smyly.
Matt Sczcur evolves into ...

Max Scherzer.
James Shields evolves into ...

Delino DeShields.
Mike Trout evolves into ...

Anthony Bass.
Greg Bird evolves into ...

Bubba Starling.
Darren O'Day evolves into ...

Brandon Morrow.
And two three-level evolutions:
Bud Norris evolves into ...

Tyler Flowers, who evolves into ... Pedro Florimon.
Jon Gray evolves into ...

Charlie Blackmon, who evolves into ... Clayton Blackburn.
Does this make Blackburn Charizard?

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