Justin Thomas

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2005
A-:  3-3-0, 3.81 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 59 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 7.3 K/9

Pitched as a starter and reliever in short season ball and posted decent numbers.

2006
A:  5-5-0, 3.10 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 61 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 7.5 K/9
A+:  9-4-0, 4.10 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 105.1 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 9.5 K/9

Made 11 starts in low A and had a good ERA that was a little better than his other numbers.  The Mariners moved him up to high A and he made 17 starts there.  Most of his numbers got a little worse there, but it was the high-offense California League, so in context his line there wasn’t bad.  He even increased his K rate sharply.

2007
AA:  4-9-0, 5.51 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 119.1 IP, 4.6 BB/9, 7.5 K/9

Still pitching as a starter, Thomas had trouble in AA, with a much higher walk rate and an opponents’ average of .308.

2008
AA:  7-7-0, 4.32 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 118.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 8.0 K/9
AAA:  2-1-1, 3.71 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 17 IP, 4.8 BB/9, 11.1 K/9
MLB:  0-1-0, 6.75 ERA, 2.75 WHIP, 4 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 4.5 K/9

Thomas stayed in AA for most of the season and pitched both as a starter and reliever.  He had a better season, but not an especially good one.  He pitched better in seven games in AAA, six as a reliever, fanning 21 in 17 innings.  He got a September callup and pitched in eight games.

2009
AAA:  2-4-6, 4.48 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 60.1 IP, 6.0 BB/9, 7.9 K/9

Thomas finally moved full-time to the bullpen, although the move didn’t pay any immediate dividends.  He had a lot of control problems.  The Pirates claimed him off waivers in the off-season, but outrighted him to AAA shortly afterward.

2010
AAA:  5-0-4, 2.48 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 54.1 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 8.4 K/9
MLB:  0-1-0, 6.23 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 13 IP, 3.5 BB/9, 3.5 K/9

Opened 2010 in AAA and dominated, showing dramatically improved control and allowing very few baserunners.  Thomas was deadly against LH batters, who hit only .118 against him, although RH hitters managed only .216.  The Pirates added him to the roster and called him up in late June, but seemed to have little interest in actually using him.  He got into only three games in eighteen days and allowed six earned runs over five innings.  The team optioned him back to AAA, but recalled him briefly in early August, then once again late in the month.  He pitched very sparingly in September.  He struggled during his time in the majors, although pitching so sparingly can’t have helped.  The Pirates outrighted Thomas to AAA after the season and he signed a minor league deal to return in 2011.

2011
AAA:  8-2-3, 3.89 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Thomas spent the whole season in Indianapolis and had just a solid season.  He had another large platoon split, with left-handed batters posting a measly .466 OPS against him and right-handed batters .784.

Thomas seems like he’d be useful in the majors as a LOOGY, but the Pirates don’t like the idea of lefty specialists.  You wouldn’t want him facing right-handed batters, so it’s unlikely he has a future with them.  He’ll be eligible for minor league free agency in the off-season and may move on.