June 15th, 2013 at 6:00 am 
by Harold Uhlman The Dodgers have been quite successful in developing relief pitchers over the past few years. Paco Rodriguez, drafted in 2012, became the first player in that draft to become part of a major league baseball team roster. Kenley Jansen, now the Dodger closer, made a remarkable transition from catching to pitching. Shawn Tolleson, presently on the DL, ascended very quickly through the Dodger ranks. Chris Withrow, drafted as a starter, has made the transition to relief pitching and has been very successful in the launching pad at Isotope Park. As a member of the 40 man roster he was recently called up to the Dodgers.
There are other relief pitchers of interest moving through the Dodger farm system offering a continuous supply of young arms to the parent team – Steven Ames, Kelvin De La Cruz, Josh Wall, Jose Dominguez, Yimi Garcia, Scott Griggs and others. One of the others, drafted in 2011, has made his way through four levels of professional ball in less than two full seasons. His name is rarely mentioned when potential big league relievers are reviewed as possible Dodgers in waiting. A native of Forest Hill MD, Michael Thomas has pitched predominantly as a left handed reliever following his 2011 season. He was drafted in the 35th round in 2011 out of Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ.
Left-hander Michael Thomas has gone from the Arizona Rookie League to Double-A Chattanooga in only two seasons. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Thomas, 24, did begin his professional career in 2011 as a starter. As a member of the Dodgers in the Arizona League he experienced immediate success with a 2.49 ERA while striking out 34 and walking 4. His early success quickly earned him a promotion to the Pioneer League Ogden Raptors. Perhaps tiring from a long season of pitching with Rider University and the Arizona League Dodgers, Thomas appeared to find the next level more challenging. His ERA was a lofty 7.90 albeit in only 13.2 innings.
The 2012 season started with Michael Thomas on the roster of the class A Great Lakes Loons in the Mid West League. His slow finish to the previous season was replaced with surprising success at the higher level in Midland. In 37 games he pitched 51 innings compiling 63 strikeouts and walking 27. With an ERA of 1.28 Thomas was promoted to the high A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League. Still a bit old for the level he finished his season with 10 appearances with the Quakes although not as a closer. His ERA was a respectable 3.18 in 11.1 innings.
Thomas returned to the Quakes in 2013, this time as a closer. In 11 appearances he garnered 9 saves. His ERA was a very impressive 1.23. In 12.1 innings he struck out 17 and walked only 3 resulting in a minuscule WHIP of 0.892. For the third time in three seasons Michael Thomas was moved to another team in the Dodger system – always in an upward direction. Before his promotion he was selected as the April Dodger Pride pitching winner with the Quakes. This time the promotion took him east to the class AA Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern league. He is not closing with the Lookouts. That position is presently held by his former Loons teammate Yimi Garcia. It could be that Thomas is settling in to a situational lefty position. In 15 innings he has struck out 15, walked 6, has an ERA of 0.60 and made one emergency start in which he pitched 4 shutout innings. Pitching at an age appropriate level, Thomas has caught up to the pack. It would not be surprising to see him make a cameo appearance with the Albuquerque Isotopes before the minor league season ends.
Michael Thomas does have a Dodger connection. His grandfather – George Thomas – was a teammate of Tommy Lasorda in 1950 as a member of the Montreal Royals. George Thomas toiled as a pitcher for 7 seasons in the minors, never pitching at the MLB level. It will not be surprising to one day see Michael Thomas be the first member of his family to pitch at the level not achieved by his grandfather.
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Prior to his promotion to Double-A Chattanooga, Michael was one of several “closer by committee” guys for the Quakes and, as you noted, he did an excellent job.
I happened to catch Michael’s debut late last season with the Quakes (from which the above fuzzy photograph of him was taken) and I was very impressed with him. His delivery reminded me of some guy named Sandy, although not nearly as dominating, of course.
With the state of the Dodger organization in turmoil, I fear that Ned Colletti will pull a Ned Colletti and unload many of the Dodgers better prospects (most of whom are pitchers) to try to acquire some relief help for the Big club rather than giving kids like Thomas a legitimate shot at making it in the Bigs as Dodgers – because that’s what Ned Colletti does.
Good story. I never heard of him, but if he is getting people out at AA he is worth watching.
And Ron is right. I am just waiting for everybody to be back and play without injury. If the varsity is on the field and we are still tubing at the deadline, personally I would think seriously about selling. But knowing Ned, he is more likely to unload the farm for some 30+ veteran that will come to Chavez Ravine and lose his stroke. I sure hope cooler heads prevail. We have 6 weeks before anything has to be done. That’s enough time to move up in the standings and hold on to these young guys.
This a good photo of his over the top delivery. I have seen him pitch some with the Lookouts and I like his mound presence. He does not get rattled and can pitch out of a jam.
He isn’t a MLB closer in waiting, in my opinion, but seems like a good possibility for a middle relief guy who can pitch more than one inning. Somewhat like Paco Rodriguez he can get right handers out. I don’t think he is as good as Paco but definitely think he will pitch in the big leagues.
Very impressive ascension to the higher levels for a 31st round pick. It’s impressive to see how he has excelled at each level. Here’s hoping that Colletti doesn’t spin him off in a trade as Ron said. Heaven knows a guy like Octavio Dotel will be coveted by the Dodger GM.
“Heaven knows a guy like Octavio Dotel will be coveted by the Dodger GM.”
You just had to go there, didn’t you, Evan Let him have it, Harold. 😆