Tahnaj Thomas to start on the mound opening night

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TAHNAJ Thomas will have an opportunity to make an immediate impression on the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation and their lofty expectations for him this season as he progresses to the Appalachian League.

According to Tim Hayes of the Bristol Herald Courier, Thomas will be the opening night starter on the mound for the Bristol Bucs when they face the Burlington Royals tonight at Devault Memorial Stadium in Bristol, Virginia.

Thomas is currently the No.16 ranked player in the Pirates organisation and No.5 among pitchers, according to MLB Pipeline.

The Appalachian League is comprised of teams in the regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee.

The league’s season starts in June and concludes in September. Along with the Pioneer League, the Appalachian League is classified as rookie league but is slightly higher than the Gulf Coast and Arizona leagues.

Thomas was traded to the Pirates from the Cleveland Indians alongside Erik Gonzalez and Dante Mendoza in exchange for Jordan Luplow and Max Moroff.

With a move to the Pirates organisation, the 19-year-old right hand pitcher saw his preseason ranking increase with his new farm system.

Last season, Thomas appeared in eight games (six starts) in the Rookie League, recording a 4.58 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 27 strikeouts in 19.2 innings. He was assigned to the AZL Indians 1 in the Arizona Rookie League.

Thomas was previously listed as the No.30 rookie prospect in the Indians organisation.

“Very much a raw project, he threw just 58 total innings in two pro summers before he was sent to the Pirates,” his analysis said.

“At 6-foot-4, Thomas is an extremely athletic and projectable right-hander who has a long way to go before fulfilling his potential, considerable as it might be. His fastball in 2018 clocked in the 92-96 mph range with life up in the zone and it’s much more control over command with it right now -- he’s around the strike zone with it, but not putting it where he wants it at all times.

“His low-80s slider flashes plus with good biting action to it.

“He hasn’t shown much of a change-up, showing one around 85-87 mph the few times he’s thrown it, another area of focus as he moves forward.

“Thomas is the epitome of a long-range project, but the feel for his stuff and his athleticism give him a chance to eventually get there as a starting pitcher,” according to his analysis.