When the Los Angeles Dodgers announced non-roster invitees to 2020 Spring Training, much of the focus went to well-known prospects Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray. There was also attention on top prospects Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, among others.
Meanwhile, Cody Thomas was largely an afterthought and one of the many outfielders who were going to be in camp at Camelback Ranch. But that quickly changed as the former Oklahoma Sooners backup quarterback flashed his athleticism and power early into Cactus League play.
“He’s an interesting guy,” Dodgers manager Dave Robert said. “Football player, quarterback. The body is great, skill set is really good.”
The praise came the day Thomas hit a home run and took one away in a 2-2 tie against the Chicago White Sox. Although the Dodgers’ spring was abruptly cut short due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Thomas made a strong impression.
And with that, Dodgers farm director Will Rhymes noted the organization remains bullish over Thomas’ ability to still improve, per Zach Buchanan of The Athletic:
“There still is this sense that there’s a lot of upside yet, that there’s a lot of room for him to continue to improve,” said Dodgers farm director Will Rhymes. “That’s even more impressive considering he’s actually been really good so far.”
The Dodgers selected Thomas in the 13th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. His professional debut came that summer with the Arizona League Dodgers, and Thomas finished the season playing for Rookie-level Ogden.
The following year saw Thomas spend the entire season with Low-A Great Lakes, and he was with High-A Rancho Cucamonga for all of 2018 before playing in the Arizona Fall League. Thomas kept with the trend of spending a full season with one affiliate in 2019 as he joined Double-A Tulsa.
He had a solid showing in the Texas League, batting .236/.308/.443 with 17 doubles, six triples, 23 home runs and 76 RBI over 130 games for the Drillers. Thomas set a career high in home runs and was one short of tying his best mark for triples, which came with the Quakes.
Thomas appeared in 12 Cactus League games, hit .318/.333/1.091 and led the team with five home runs and 11 RBI. Kiké Hernandez and Max Muncy were among those to rave about Thomas during Spring Training.
If and when the 2020 season begins, Thomas figures to report to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he should flourish at the plate in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram! It’s the best way to see exclusive coverage from games and events, get your questions answered, and more!
