Cody Thomas

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #20 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Thomas was a two-sport athlete at Oklahoma and competing with Baker Mayfield for quarterback reps before turning to baseball full-time in 2016, his only full season of college baseball. The A’s acquired Thomas and reliever Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers in a Feb. 2021 trade that sent Sheldon Neuse to Los Angeles. Thomas spent all season with Triple-A Las Vegas and hit 18 homers in its hitting-friendly environment until an Achilles injury ended his season in late July.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluators marvel at Thomas’ raw power, but question how consistently he’ll access it. His 90 mph average exit velocity with Las Vegas ranked among the highest marks in Oakland’s system, although he played in just 59 games. As with several of their most prolific power hitters, the A’s asked Thomas to work on shortening the length of his swing. His heavy pull-side approach and swing-and-miss concerns (36% whiff rate) limit his pure hitting potential to fringe-average. Defensively, Thomas is a capable corner outfielder, although his arm is just average despite his quarterback background.
  
  The Future: The A’s added Thomas to their 40-man roster in November. He draws some comparisons to A’s outfielder Seth Brown because of his age and offensive profile.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #27 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Thomas was a sought-after quarterback prospect in high school, opting to attend Oklahoma and play both football and baseball. He didn’t spend an overwhelming amount of time on the field in either sport, mostly serving as Baker Mayfield’s backup and playing one full baseball season. But Thomas showed enough to entice the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, signing for an above-slot $297,500 bonus. Oakland acquired him in February alongside Adam Kolarek in a trade with the Dodgers, sending Sheldon Neuse and Gus Varland to Los Angeles.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A lack of reps in college coupled with the lost 2020 season means Thomas is much more raw than a typical 26-year-old. But he has shown immense raw left-handed power, hitting 23 homers for Double-A Tulsa in 2019. There’s length to Thomas’ swing that results in a considerable amount of swing-and-miss. The A’s are impressed with Thomas’ combination of athleticism and physicality and believe he can handle all three outfield positions, although his average speed is more likely suited for a corner spot.
  
  THE FUTURE: Consistent upper-level at-bats are needed for Thomas, who fits the mold of a powerful, athletic lefty bat the A’s covet.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #29 prospect in 2017
  Thomas spent more time playing football than baseball at Oklahoma, where he was a backup quarterback who played just one season of baseball. The Dodgers took a chance on him in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, signing him for an above-slot $297,500. They sent him to the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he immediately hit for power (his 16 home runs ranked second in the league) but showed the expected lack of polish for a player who hasn't focused much on baseball. While Thomas is raw for his age, the athleticism, physicality and tool set are all intriguing. He's strong with plus raw power that showed up in games with some help from the hitter-friendly Pioneer League. His pure hitting ability lags behind his power, with length and stiffness to his stroke and trouble recognizing spin, which led to a 33 percent strikeout rate. Thomas' speed and arm strength are both average. He rotated among all three outfield spots in 2016 and is best suited for one of the corners. Despite being a college draft pick, Thomas is unlikely to move quickly given his background. He should start 2017 in the low Class A Midwest League.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #165 prospect in 2013 draft
  Thomas has the classic right-field tools to go in the first five rounds, but his football commitment to Oklahoma makes him all but unsignable. A four-star quarterback recruit, he passed for 4,154 yards and 51 touchdowns last fall. Sooners coach Bob Stoops has compared him to Sam Bradford, who won a Heisman Trophy at the school in 2008 and went No. 1 overall in the 2010 NFL draft. Thomas is still raw on the diamond, but it's easy to dream on his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, above-average lefthanded power potential and strong right arm. He offers average speed as well. Thomas has holes in his swing and in his approach that he could close if he devoted himself to baseball. That's unlikely to happen until at least 2016, though he plans to play both sports for the Sooners.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #14 prospect in 2016
  Thomas has less baseball experience than other prospects his age. He played only one full season of baseball at Oklahoma after spending most of his college career as a backup quarterback (he appeared in 10 games, accounting for 484 yards of total offense). He signed for an above-slot $297,500 as a 13th-round pick and showed loads of natural athleticism and strength packed onto a tall, lean physique. Thomas finished second in the PL in home runs (16) despite starting the summer with seven Rookie-level Arizona League games. His power tool is ahead of his hitting ability. His swing has some pop but also some stiffness, and he needs to improve his pitch recognition in order for the power to play in full-season ball. Spending time at all three outfield positions in Ogden, Thomas projects to be an average defender with an average arm, best suited for an outfield corner. He's an average runner. "I could really see him taking off once he goes through instructional league and spring training," Gemoll said, "when he gets a full year and dedicates it to baseball. He's a pretty interesting guy."

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Thomas was a two-sport athlete at Oklahoma and competing with Baker Mayfield for quarterback reps before turning to baseball full-time in 2016, his only full season of college baseball. The A’s acquired Thomas and reliever Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers in a Feb. 2021 trade that sent Sheldon Neuse to Los Angeles. Thomas spent all season with Triple-A Las Vegas and hit 18 homers in its hitting-friendly environment until an Achilles injury ended his season in late July.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluators marvel at Thomas’ raw power, but question how consistently he’ll access it. His 90 mph average exit velocity with Las Vegas ranked among the highest marks in Oakland’s system, although he played in just 59 games. As with several of their most prolific power hitters, the A’s asked Thomas to work on shortening the length of his swing. His heavy pull-side approach and swing-and-miss concerns (36% whiff rate) limit his pure hitting potential to fringe-average. Defensively, Thomas is a capable corner outfielder, although his arm is just average despite his quarterback background.
  
  The Future: The A’s added Thomas to their 40-man roster in November. He draws some comparisons to A’s outfielder Seth Brown because of his age and offensive profile.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Thomas' development arc is slower than the average 26-year-old after not focusing on baseball full-time in college because he was a backup quarterback at Oklahoma. He's performing well in hitter-friendly Las Vegas this year, posting a 1.028 OPS through 59 games, and shares the same power-over-hit profile of current Athletics 1B/OF Seth Brown and recently-departed OF Greg Deichmann. Thomas' swing-and-miss concerns hamper scouts' optimism on his hit tool, and most see him as another fourth outfield type with some lefthanded pop off the bench.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thomas was a sought-after quarterback prospect in high school, opting to attend Oklahoma and play both football and baseball. He didn’t spend an overwhelming amount of time on the field in either sport, mostly serving as Baker Mayfield’s backup and playing one full baseball season. But Thomas showed enough to entice the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, signing for an above-slot $297,500 bonus. Oakland acquired him in February alongside Adam Kolarek in a trade with the Dodgers, sending Sheldon Neuse and Gus Varland to Los Angeles.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A lack of reps in college coupled with the lost 2020 season means Thomas is much more raw than a typical 26-year-old. But he has shown immense raw left-handed power, hitting 23 homers for Double-A Tulsa in 2019. There’s length to Thomas’ swing that results in a considerable amount of swing-and-miss. The A’s are impressed with Thomas’ combination of athleticism and physicality and believe he can handle all three outfield positions, although his average speed is more likely suited for a corner spot.
  
  THE FUTURE: Consistent upper-level at-bats are needed for Thomas, who fits the mold of a powerful, athletic lefty bat the A’s covet.