Alek Thomas is here to stay with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since his call up on May 8th, he’s been one of the few rookies who has come in and lived up to expectations right away. He is showcasing his skills both offensively and defensively.
Since Call-Up
Alek Thomas certainly looks like he belongs in the major leagues. Since his call-up, he has appeared in 44 games through Sunday and is hitting .267. He has six home runs and 15 RBI, with 24 runs scored. His defense has been excellent and constant to the point that he has taken over the starting centerfield job.
In the 44 games he has played, he has 135 putouts and has made only one error. He even robbed Joey Votto of a sure home run when he leaped the wall and pulled it back for an out. Later in that same game, he made a diving catch to save more runs for his starting pitcher, Merrill Kelly.
Centerfield Search
For the past few seasons, the Diamondbacks have found themselves in an unusual position, searching for help in centerfield. They have not had a consistent player for that spot since AJ Pollock’s 2018 departure. Unable to find a true player for centerfield, the team converted infielder Ketel Marte into the position for the 2020 and ’21 seasons. Even though Martel played the position well, a move back to second base was needed to ease the stress on his body.
Will Struggle
Every prospect that gets the MLB call-up knows there comes that moment when they have to deal with hitting and even fielding slumps. The good news for Thomas, however, is that his current performance has given him confidence. With that, and the help of the other players and coaches, he should be able to adjust and overcome any slump that tries coming his way.
Chance to be Impact Player
Alek Thomas is here to stay, and is looking at an optimistic future. He has the chance to be an impact player in the Diamondbacks’ outfield for years to come. This is something the Diamondbacks have not seen in the last few seasons—that is, young players coming up and having success. Credit has to be given to the scouts and player development side of the organization for recognizing Thomas’ skills and working to help him be better.
People are Excited
Thomas has come to the big-league club, and excited his teammates coaches, fans and others around baseball. He is one of many young prospects that this organization has been waiting for the last couple of years. As with any rookie, he still has some things to still work—such as being more selective at the plate, and limiting his strikeouts—but he’s proven to be a hard worker and experience can only make him better.
Rookie of the Year Candidate
Alek Thomas is here to stay, and is making an early case for National League Rookie of the Year. The Diamondbacks have never had a player win the award. He is tied for second among NL rookies with six home runs; tied for third with 40 hits; and tied for fifth with seven doubles.
Both his on-base percentage .338 and OPS .789 rank third. His slugging percentage of .451 ranks fourth. On top of that, he also had a 12-game hitting streak earlier this month, second longest of any rookie for the Diamondbacks.
Future Looking Better
The future is looking better for the Diamondbacks organization. They are ranked as high as number four in farm system rankings by mlb.com. They consistently rank in the top ten in other publications. Geraldo Perdomo, Pavin Smith, and Daulton Varsho are already with the big-league club and Jake McCarthy is already seeing time on the roster as well. Soon we could see their top prospect, Corbin Carroll getting called up. Those players, along with Thomas, are giving the fans a glimpse of what looks like a bright future in the desert, especially if all of them hit the ground running as Thomas has.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players Mentioned:
Alek Thomas, Joey Votto, Merrill Kelly, AJ Pollock, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, Pavin Smith, Daulton Varsho, Jake McCarthy, Corbin Carroll
