Eric Jay Phillips is notoriously known around these parts baseball-wise for the damage he can do with the bat.

The former Carrollton High School standout and rising Georgia Southern sophomore never saw a pitch he didn’t like — nor one he couldn’t stroke, for that matter.

And while that really hasn’t changed much since he departed Cole Field, what stands out to John Mayotte is Phillips’ defensive versatility in the infield.

The coach of the Glens Falls Golden Eagles, a team based out of the New York College Baseball League, didn’t hesitate to call Phillips the most valuable player on his 27-man roster made up of college greats from across the country because of his ability to play any infield position on any given day.

“With limited rosters in the summertime, it’s just monumental to have a player not only that versatile, but of that ability of versatility,” Mayotte said.

The longtime coach said Phillips’ capacity to swap spots so smoothly and with such ease is what most stands out about his game.

“He doesn’t have a hang-up when we move him from position to position,” Mayotte said. “Eric’s always like, ‘Hey coach, what position am I playing today?’ You know, most kids have a real hang-up. They’re kind of one-positional-type guys. Not Eric.”

Phillips has primarily been used at shortstop for the Golden Eagles (24-7), leaders of the NYCBL’s East Division.

Offensively, Phillips has been in the No. 3 or No. 4 hole all summer, currently sporting the team’s third highest batting average at .327 to go along with four doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI in 30 games. His nine strikeouts in 110 at-bats is the lowest among the everyday players on the team.

All of this, combined with his stellar glove work, earned Phillips a starting spot at second base on the East Division All-Star team, which won 10-5 on Tuesday night over the West.

Phillips went 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI in the game, delivering what proved to be the game-winning hit, a clutch, two-out, two run single, something that didn’t surprise Mayotte.

Having served as a head coach for 25 years at the NCAA level, including 12 seasons at Troy State, Mayotte said Phillips brings the total package to the plate.

“He’s a clutch hitter. He’s very versatile. He’ll bunt for base hits, he’ll safety squeeze as good as anybody in the league. He’s just an extremely knowledgeable, and not only that, he’s a good player,” Mayotte said.

Phillips said getting to play in the all-star game has been the highlight of his summer thus far, although that could change once the NYCBL playoffs begin in August.

Playing in the all-star game was not only a privilege, but it gave Phillips plenty of extra exposure, as well.

“It was a great experience,” Phillips said. “There was probably 20 scouts at the game. It was good recognition. I got to talk to a lot of the kids that are the best players in the league. It was just a fun time.”

One of the biggest differences Phillips has had to adjust to is hitting with a wooden bat in the NYCBL, although it hasn’t seemed to slow him down much when you glance at his numbers.

The Golden Eagles are currently the No. 18 team in the country among summer programs, something Phillips and his coach would like to see shoot up during the stretch run of the season.

And while the Golden Eagles currently had a 4.5-game lead over second-place Amsterdam in the East Division entering play Saturday night with only a handful of games remaining before the July 28 regular-season finale, Mayotte said a lot can happen between now and then.

“Every day’s a challenge when you play six, seven days a week. You can never let up,” Mayotte said. “Even some of the lower-echelon teams are very good and capable of beating you. So you’ve got to stay healthy.”

With a league championship in his sights, Phillips said he’s had a great time and learned a lot this summer.

“It’s definitely kept me in shape,” Phillips said. “And I’ve got to see good pitching the entire summer. I mean, that’s got to help me because the more pitching you go against, the better you’ll become.”

And you can bet Mayotte is certainly pleased he was able to pick up Phillips before the summer started to help his squad make a run for the league title.

“He’s the type of kid that you have to see play every day to realize just how good a player he is,” Mayotte said. “It’s been a pleasure coaching him. Eric’s a quality kid. When you coach kids in the summer, and I’m a longtime coach, I’ve been coaching for 40-plus years. I do this because my wife and I grew up in (Glens Falls), and what keeps me coming back are kids like Eric.”