By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
One month from Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies will hold their first full-squad spring training workout in Clearwater, Florida. Among the players in attendance will be outfielder Lane Adams, who on Monday signed a minor league contract with a spring training invitation.
If he makes the club, the 29-year-old would reportedly earn $570,000. Through 117 big-league games in his career — since debuting with the Kansas City Royals in 2014 — Adams has slashed .263/.333/.467 with five doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 26 RBI, a perfect 11-0 stolen base success ratio.
The Talihina, Oklahoma, native recently appeared on the Midwest Swing podcast, and said “fit and pursuit" is what ultimately landed him a contract with the Phillies.
"Philadelphia really pursued me the hardest," Adams said. "There’s other teams out there that were interested, but Philadelphia was the team that was calling every day … for about a month and a half.”
Adams, who has appeared with the Braves in each of the last two seasons — as well as in their minor-league system, the Royals', New York Yankees' and Chicago Cubs' since 2015 — said there is never an "ideal, perfect place" for players like himself at this stage in their respective careers.
"If you’re Bryce Harper, yeah there’s going to be a perfect place for you," Adams said, "but there’s never an ideal situation; there’s pros and cons to all of it."
"At the end of the day, Philadelphia wanted me the most, so that’s where I went."
Adams' podcast segment begins at 27:19
Adams will have tough competition in Phillies camp. Not only will he compete for a fourth outfield spot with fellow non-roster invitees Adam Haseley, Austin Listi, Mickey Moniak and Shane Robinson, but also that of Aaron Altherr, Dylan Cozens, Roman Quinn and Nick Williams already on the 40-man roster.
If the Phillies end up signing Harper, pairing with Andrew McCutchen and possibly Odubel Herrera, it would only lessen Adams' chances to make the club over the eight aforementioned outfielders. Yet, Adams still has confidence he will get an opportunity at some point within the Phillies system.
"I feel like if I can weasel my up to that major league roster, I’ll be utilized more; if I was to go somewhere else, I’d be in ‘up-and-down, DFA limbo’ all year," Adams said. "That’s not really something I want to do. I kind of want a legit chance to lock down a fourth outfield spot."
"I think if I can’t find my way up there on their major league roster, I’ll have the best opportunity there."
