As of Monday, November 14, 2022
Tahnaj Thomas
#TAHNAJ Thomas’ Arizona Fall League season concluded with a championship title after his Surprise Saguaros rallied to win the longest postseason game in AFL history.
#A walkoff single from Houston Astros prospect Scott Schreiber gave the club a 7-6 win over the Glandale Desert Dogs. It was the first AFL win for Surprise since the 2013 season.
#The Saguaros’ roster includes prospects from the Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros.
#Thomas did not appear in the league finale, but in 8.1 AFL innings pitched, he finished with 10 strikeouts.
#In his last relief appearance on the mound, Thomas allowed a run on a hit, two walks and two strikeouts in an inning of work.
#He is one of several Pittsburgh Pirates prospects who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft unless they are protected and named to the 40-man roster.
#Unprotected players are eligible to be taken by the other 29 teams when the draft takes place at the Winter Meetings on December 7.
#The deadline to add players to a team’s 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft is November 15.
#Thomas began his regular season with the Altoona Curve at the AA level.
#In 37 games this year, he finished with a 5-4 record and three saves.
#He pitched 50.2 innings, with a 3.02 ERA and 52 strikeouts.
#The 23-year-old, 6’5” right hand pitcher, is currently ranked no.29 in the Pirates organisation according to MLB Pipeline and was named to the MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week for July 4-10.
#Following his minor league campaign, he helped Great Britain baseball make history at the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.
#In an 8-1 win in the semifinal of Germany, Thomas closed out the game in the ninth inning and also recorded a strikeout.
#In the finale, Great Britain overcame a five-run deficit to defeat Spain 10-9 in extra innings. Thomas held Spain scoreless in the top half of the 10th inning on the mound.
#Locally, Thomas now shifts his attention to hosting the Elite 9 Baseball and Softball Classic in honour of his late mother, Michelle Thomas.
#The fourth edition event is scheduled to be hosted November 24-28 at the Emera Baseball Park in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
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