Phil Pohl competed at Cooperstown Dreams Park with four different teams. In 2001, he was with the Cooperstown All Stars (NY) during Week 10. In 2002, he was on the following teams – Burton Youth League (OH) in Week 5, Team Kodak (USA) in Week 10, and Team Pepsi (USA) in Week 11.

Phil continued his baseball career at Cooperstown High School (Cooperstown, NY) where he graduated in 2008. A four-year letter winner for baseball and two-time for football, Phil was named Louisville Slugger and Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior year (2008). As a junior (2007), Phil hit .509 with five home runs, 39 RBI, and 41 steals to earn him the honor of State Class C Player of the Year. Additional accolades included four-time member of the Center State All-Star team and team MVP. Phil was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 44th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Amateur draft. Instead of making the transition to professional baseball, Phil decided to honor the commitment he made to Clemson University (Clemson, SC)..

Phil started at catcher 20 out of 40 games for Clemson during his freshman season (2009) and was behind the plate for 17 starts his sophomore year (2010). During the summers in 2009 and 2010, he played for Chatham A's in the Cape Cod League. Back at Clemson for his junior year (2011), Phil was a team co-captain, recording a .333 batting average with 43 runs, a team-high 22 doubles, four home runs, and 33 RBI. Phil earned a Second-Team All-ACC selection, the Dedication Award for outstanding work in the strength training room, Tiger Baseball Award, Clemson Regional All-Tournament team, and Third-Team Academic All-American by CoSIDA (first Academic All-American since 1995). Phil returned to the diamond for his senior year (2012), again as team co-captain. He was named to the pre-season first-team All ACC team by CollegeSportsMadness.com, was an All-ACC Academic selection, and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award First-Team..

Phil capped his collegiate career as a 28th round selection of the 2012 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He began his professional career that summer with the AZL Athletics in the Arizona Rookie League. He then went to play in the Class A short season with the Vermont Lake Monsters (Burlington, VT).