Tuesday Rockpile: What does Jared Thomas bring to the Colorado Rockies?

Colorado Rockies news and links for Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Last Sunday with the 42nd pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies drafted 1B/OF Jared Thomas from the University of Texas.

Mac Wilcox provided our initial draft coverage here, but I wanted to build on his early analysis as we continue to examine the Rockies’ draft choices.

Sounds like a plan. What can you tell us about Thomas?

The 6’2”, 190-lb. lefty is a native of Waxahachie, Texas.

As Perfect Game points out, in high school, Thomas played first base and the outfield — and he pitched. (More on that in a minute.) In 2022, he graduated from Waxahachie High School, but went undrafted, so he headed down I-35 to Austin where he played for the University of Texas Longhorns.

In 2024, he completed his sophomore season and entered the draft.

For those keeping track at home, he turned 21 earlier this month. So, Thomas is a youngster.

How are the skills?

They’re good.

This year, Thomas showed his speed and power, hitting leadoff, a roster spot he occupied for all 60 games. He hit 16 homers, 15 doubles, and stole 18 bases. (Get this: He was never thrown out.)

As a Texas A&M Former Student, it pains me to share this particular highlight with you, but here goes:

The hit tool is for real.

In 2024, Thomas slashed .349/.434/.635, and he had a hit in 47 of UT’s 60 games and scored at least one run in 41 of them.

For most of his (admittedly short) career, Thomas has been a contact hitter rather than a power guy. He just didn’t seem to barrel the ball much. However, that changed in 2024. His K% increased, but so did his power.

He projects, according to MLB Pipeline, as a 15-20 home run hitter, but add to those a bunch of potential doubles and some on-base speed, and Thomas starts to look like a quintessential Coors Field hitter.

Then there’s the defense.

Thomas spent his freshman season at first, but as a sophomore split his time between first base and center field with an occasional stint in left. In 2024, he earned a .990 fielding percentage with only four errors.

And here’s a pretty sweet defensive gem.

(Why can I only find clips from UT’s series against the Aggies?)

The Rockies see his future, primarily, in the outfield.

“I wouldn’t say he was wasted at first base, but he’s a better athlete than being at first base (exclusively),” said Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Scouting Danny Montgomery. “This will be something we’ll discuss once he comes into our mini camp and we get a feel for him. He’ll probably end up having two gloves.”

Short version: There’s a lot to like in Jared Thomas.

Can you tell us something interesting?

I can do that — two things, actually.

Turns out, Thomas can pitch . . . some

He made his NCAA pitching debut back in April in a 17-9 loss to UT-Rio Grande Valley. Thomas lasted 1¹⁄₂ innings, allowing one hit and two runs, striking out one, issuing one walk, and hitting two batters.

So not awesome.

However, he was quite successful as a pitcher in high school. As a junior, he earned a 0.86 ERA over 69.1 innings, including back-to-back no hitters. However, his pitching was limited as a senior due to a broken wrist.

The Longhorns’ decision to try him in the starting rotation came early in the season as coach David Pierce was still trying to sort out his available pitching.

“JT is a good pitcher, I’m telling you,” Pierce told the Austin American-Statesman after the game. “It wasn’t perfect, but we’ve got a lot of baseball to play after that. I’d much rather have done it tonight to start versus his first time in a leverage situation. He has toughness, he has grit and he’ll figure things out.”

Thomas, then, is probably not the next Shohei Ohtani, but it’s good to know he’s got that in his toolkit.

But, wait! There’s more.

When I was researching for this piece, I ran across this tweet:

All you Ray Wylie Hubbard fans, this one’s for you.

Turns out, Thomas experimented with “Snake Farm” as his walk-up song. And then, as Danny Davis explains, it stuck:

Thomas recently explained that “Snake Farm” is part of a playlist that UT special assistant Philip Miller plays at most practices. The song got stuck in his head and he found himself singing it around the ballpark one day. As he walked by the office of Carli Todd, Texas’ director of player development stopped him and told him that was his new walk-up song. Eminem’s “Cinderella Man” was out. “Snake Farm” was in.

“It fits him,” teammate Jack O’Dowd said. “He’s JT. He’s a little dirty, he’s a little grimy, just like a snake is. I’m glad he changed his walk-up song because it fits him very well.”

After adopting “Snake Farm” as his walk-up song, Thomas’ game picked up, and, well, you know how baseball players are about these things.

That is the most Austin thing ever (complimentary), and I, for one, am very here for “Snake Farm” pounding on the speakers at Coors Field.

(“Your Love,” step aside.)

Closing thoughts

The Rockies announced on Sunday evening that they signed all 21 of their 2024 draft picks, including Thomas for $2,000,000. (The slot value for the 42nd pick was $2.2 million.)

The snake farm has arrived.

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This week on the internet

Old friend Connor Joe shared this awesome news on Instagram last week:

Yeah, he’s still the greatest Rockie ever.

(If you’re interested, I caught up with him a few weeks ago when the Pirates visited Coors Field, and here’s what he had to say.)

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Trade Deadline Smash or Pass: Brendan Rodgers | Over the Monster

Given that the Red Sox are in town, this seemed timely. Over at our Red Sox sister site, Maura McGurk pondered whether Brendan Rodgers would be a good fit for the Red Sox. (She thinks so — if a pitcher is included.)

Top trade candidates the Colorado Rockies will shop at the deadline | Just Baseball

Patrick Lyons details the Rockies’ options at the trade deadline.

Now we wait to see what the front office has in mind.

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