Ka'ai Tom
Tom with the Akron RubberDucks in 2018
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1994-05-29) May 29, 1994
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 1, 2021, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.138
Home runs2
Runs batted in12
Teams

Blaze Ka'ai Tom (born May 29, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. 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.

Amateur career

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]

Professional career

Cleveland Indians

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]

Oakland Athletics

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]

Pittsburgh Pirates

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]

San Francisco Giants

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.

Personal life

His grandfather, Joseph Sr., father, Joseph Jr., and older brothers Jordan and Kainoa each played college baseball.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ka'ai Tom Carrying On the Family Business". 247sports.com. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  2. ↑ Hemminger, Brian (May 1, 2017). "Hawaiian-born prospect Ka'ai Tom's path to MLB has never been easy – Let's Go Tribe". Letsgotribe.com. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ka'ai Tom's journey to Major League debut". MLB.com.
  4. ↑ "BASEBALL University of Kentucky Baseball: Ka'ai Tom Picked in Fifth Round by Cleveland Indians". All Kentucky Sports. June 15, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Kentucky's Ka'ai Tom drafted in 5th round by Cleveland Indians". kentucky.com. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Ka'ai Tom Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  7. ↑ Schudel, Jeff (April 2, 2019). "Mitch Longo 'will give 100 percent' to RubberDucks, says Akron manager Rouglas Odor". The News-Herald. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  8. ↑ correspondent, Fred CayABJ/Ohio com. "Five RubberDucks named Eastern League All-Stars". Akron Beacon Journal.
  9. ↑ correspondent, Brad Bournival ABJ/Ohio com. "RubberDucks report: Ka'ai Tom credits comfort level for big May". Akron Beacon Journal.
  10. ↑ "Baseball News". MiLB.com.
  11. ↑ "Clippers Cruise into the All-Star Break in 1st Place". July 9, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Hawaii's Ka'ai Tom has 'Blazed' through multiple levels of Cleveland Indians organization this season". August 7, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Dynasty: Cleveland Indians' 2020 Preseason Top 50 Prospects". Pitcher List. January 14, 2020.
  14. ↑ Slusser, Susan (December 10, 2020). "A's grab outfielder Ka'ai Tom, former Giants pitcher Dany Jiménez in Rule 5 draft". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  15. ↑ "'This is something that I've been working for all my life," Hawaii's Ka'ai Tom earns spot on Oakland Athletics Opening Day roster". March 30, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Astros rough up A's with 8-1 Opening Night win". April 2, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Hawaii's Ka'ai Tom tosses scoreless inning in MLB pitching debut". April 5, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Dodgers vs. Athletics - Game Recap - April 5, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  19. ↑ Rubin, Shayna (April 20, 2021). "Oakland A's designate Rule 5 pick for assignment, reinstate Stephen Piscotty". Mercury News. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  20. ↑ Gallegos, Martín (April 21, 2021). "A's DFA Tom to make room for Piscotty". MLB.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  21. ↑ Gorman, Kevin (April 21, 2021). "Pirates DFA Anthony Alford among multiple roster moves". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Pirates place Anthony Alford on waivers, claim outfielder Ka'ai Tom". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 21, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  23. ↑ Crouse, Jake (April 21, 2021). "Bucs claim OF Tom off waivers, DFA Alford". MLB.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates activate outfielder Ka'ai Tom". Boxscore World Sportswire.
  25. ↑ Gorman, Kevin (August 16, 2021). "Pirates sign Yoshi Tsutsugo, designate John Nogowski, Ka'ai Tom for assignment". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  26. ↑ Mackey, Jason (August 16, 2021). "Pirates designate Ka'ai Tom for assignment, clear up part of outfield picture". The Progress. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  27. ↑ Gorman, Kevin (August 20, 2021). "Pirates notebook: RHP Chad Kuhl returns from covid list, will work out of the bullpen". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  28. ↑ Persak, Mike (September 20, 2021). "Alongside prospect progression, Pirates place Stallings and Wilson on IL, release Nogowski and Tom". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  29. ↑ Crowley, Kerry (September 24, 2021). "SF Giants sign former A's outfielder to minor league deal". Mercury News. Retrieved December 10, 2021. Republished by the Santa Cruz Sentinel
  30. ↑ "Heliot Ramos, Seth Corry, Sean Hjelle and other prospects the Giants will consider protecting from the Rule 5 draft".
  31. ↑ "Giants' Ka'ai Tom: Promoted to majors". cbssports.com. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Giants' Ka'ai Tom: Sent back to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
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