The Oakland A’s are starting to be forced to let go of interesting players. Such is the case with Cody Thomas.
He was the A’s roster casualty when Trevor May was brought on board, being designated for assignment to open a spot on the 40 man roster. Considering that Thomas is already 28 years old and has just 32 plate appearances in the majors, it is not a surprise that they would move on.
Cody Thomas worth Oakland A’s bringing back
On the surface, Thomas would seem to be just another guy in the A’s system. He had struggled in his major league debut, with eight hits and two walks in his 32 plate appearances, striking out 12 times. However, he also missed most of the 2022 season due to surgery to repair his Achilles’ tendon, sapping the raw power that made him an interesting piece in the first place.
He showed that potential in 2021. While he had just 245 plate appearances over 59 games in Triple-A, he still showed his potential by hitting 18 homers and 20 doubles. His swing and miss tendencies were a problem as he struck out 78 times, but Thomas also drew 25 walks. There is certainly the potential that he can be a viable major league option.
His power potential is something that the A’s are in desperately short supply of. At the same time, the A’s need outfielders as their outfield situation was a disaster last year. If Thomas is healthy and can show the power he displayed in Triple-A, he might be able to force his way back onto the A’s roster. But that all comes down to whether or not he is able to pass through waivers.
Cody Thomas would appear to be just another player for the Oakland A’s. However, his potential makes him worth keeping around.