Ka'ai Tom | |
---|---|
Outfielder | |
Born: Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. | May 29, 1994|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 1, 2021, for the Oakland Athletics | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 29, 2022, for the San Francisco Giants | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .138 |
Home runs | 2 |
Runs batted in | 12 |
Teams | |
Blaze Ka'ai Tom (born May 29,1994) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft by the Cleveland Indians. He made his MLB debut in 2021. He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics,Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants.
Tom graduated from Saint Louis School in Honolulu,Hawaii,where he played baseball and football,in 2012. [1] He was teammates with future Heisman Trophy winner and NFL first round pick Marcus Mariota. [2] After going undrafted in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft,he enrolled at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott,Kansas,where he played college baseball. As a freshman in 2013,he batted .387 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs. [3] After his freshman year,he transferred to the University of Kentucky and joined their baseball team. In 2015,as a junior,he batted .375 with five home runs,51 RBIs,15 doubles,and 16 stolen bases. [4]
Tom was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fifth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. [5] He signed with Cleveland and made his professional debut that same season with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers where he batted .283 with three home runs and 29 RBIs in 66 games. He played in only 28 games in 2016,with the Lake County Captains,due to a left shoulder injury. In 2017,he played with the Lynchburg Hillcats where he slashed .254/.340/.418 with ten home runs,65 RBIs,and 23 stolen bases in 126 games,and in 2018,he played for the Akron RubberDucks,batting .245/.329/.399 with 12 home runs and 64 RBIs in 121 games. [6] Tom returned to Akron to begin 2019, [7] with whom he was named an Eastern League All-Star [8] as well as the Eastern League Player of the Month for May after hitting .333 with seven home runs in 26 games during the month. [9] [10] He was promoted to the Columbus Clippers in July with whom he finished the year. [11] [12] Over 132 games between Akron and Columbus,Tom hit .290/.380/.532 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs. [13]
On December 10,2020,Tom was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the Rule 5 Draft. [14] In 2021,Tom made Oakland's Opening Day roster after batting .321 over 28 spring training at-bats. [15] [3]
On April 1,2021,Tom made his major league debut as a pinch runner for Mitch Moreland. [16] On April 4,Tom made his first career pitching appearance,pitching a scoreless ninth inning for the Athletics in a 9–2 loss against the Houston Astros. [17] On April 5,Tom collected his first MLB hit,an RBI single,off of David Price of the Los Angeles Dodgers. [18] On April 19,2021,after batting .063 for Oakland,Tom was designated for assignment by the Athletics. [19] [20]
On April 21,2021,Tom was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates. [21] [22] [23] He was activated on April 27. [24] In 39 games for the Pirates,primarily as a left fielder,Tom hit .152 with two home runs and 11 RBIs.
On August 16,Tom was designated for assignment by the Pirates. [25] [26] On August 20,Tom cleared waivers and was assigned outright to the Indianapolis Indians,with whom he batted .190/.299/.310 over 23 games. [27] On September 20,the Pirates released Tom. [28]
On September 24,2021,Tom signed a two-year minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants. [29] He was assigned to the Sacramento River Cats with whom he batted .130/.167/.217 over six games. [30]
Tom was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento to begin the 2022 season. On April 29,2022,Tom was selected to the active roster after Brandon Belt and Steven Duggar tested positive for COVID-19. [31] Tom went 0-for-1 in his only game before he was returned to Triple-A the following day. [32] Tom appeared in 78 games for the River Cats on the year,slashing .239/.339/.414 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI before he was released on August 7,2022.
His grandfather,Joseph Sr.,father,Joseph Jr.,and older brothers Jordan and Kainoa each played college baseball. [3]
Jason Drew Michaels,nicknamed "J-Mike",is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies,Cleveland Indians,Pittsburgh Pirates,and Houston Astros.
Brandon Douglas Moss is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,Pittsburgh Pirates,Philadelphia Phillies,Oakland Athletics,Cleveland Indians,St. Louis Cardinals,and Kansas City Royals.
Rajai Lavae Davis is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,San Francisco Giants,Oakland Athletics,Toronto Blue Jays,Detroit Tigers,Cleveland Indians,Boston Red Sox,and New York Mets. He is currently employed by MLB in the Baseball Operations department.
Joshua Joel Rodriguez is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Matthew Hagerty McBride is an American former professional baseball first baseman and catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and Oakland Athletics.
Michael Blair Choice is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Choice played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers,and in the KBO League for the Nexen Heroes.
Robert Edward Grossman is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros,Minnesota Twins,Oakland Athletics,Detroit Tigers,Atlanta Braves,Texas Rangers,Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals. After attending high school in Texas,Grossman was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth round in 2008. He made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2013. He won the 2023 World Series with the Rangers.
Gregory Polanco,nicknamed "El Coffee",is a Dominican professional baseball right fielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and in NPB for the Yomiuri Giants.
Stephen Edward Piscotty is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Oakland Athletics.
William Landis McKinney is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees,Toronto Blue Jays,Milwaukee Brewers,New York Mets,Los Angeles Dodgers,Oakland Athletics,and Pittsburgh Pirates. McKinney was a first-round draft pick of the Athletics in 2013. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2014,and the Yankees in 2016. He made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2018,and was traded to the Blue Jays during the season,with whom he played for until 2020.
Cole Bryson Tucker is an American professional baseball shortstop and outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels.
Anthony Joseph Alford is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates. He has also played in the KBO League for the KT Wiz.
Dustin Ryan Fowler is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 195 pounds (88 kg),he bats and throws left-handed. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees,Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Greg Lomack Allen is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians,San Diego Padres,New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ramón Laureano Jr. is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Guardians.
Jordan Thomas Luplow is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Cleveland Indians,Tampa Bay Rays,Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,and Minnesota Twins. He was drafted by the Pirates in the third round of the 2014 MLB draft,and made his MLB debut with them in 2017.
Skye Michael Bolt is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. The Oakland Athletics selected Bolt in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft,and he made his MLB debut with them in 2019. He has also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants.
Mark Andrew Mathias is an American professional baseball second baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers,Texas Rangers,Pittsburgh Pirates,and San Francisco Giants. Mathias played college baseball at California Polytechnic State University,San Luis Obispo,and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the third round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. He made his MLB debut in 2020.
John Francis Nogowski is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association of Professional Baseball. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 34th round of the 2014 MLB draft. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Trenton Brooks is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2024 for the San Francisco Giants.
{{cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (help){{cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (help)