Lane Thomas

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #9 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 45. Power: 50. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Acquired from the Blue Jays for international bonus pool space in 2017, Thomas has been productive when healthy but has had trouble staying on the field. He led the Cardinals system with 27 home runs in 2018 and had a loud big league debut in 2019, but it was cut short by a right wrist fracture. His 2020 season was derailed when he tested positive for Covid-19 amidst the teamwide outbreak. He missed almost all of August and looked overmatched when he returned in September.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thomas has some of the best tools in the system. He’s a plus defender in center field, a plus-plus runner, has an above-average arm and average power. His only below-average tool is his fringy hitting ability. He expands his zone too much and is prone to over-aggressiveness, but when he focuses on line drives his power ensures that some of those drives clear the fence. Thomas’ tools don’t always add up to be the sum of his parts. His speed hasn’t led to many stolen bases and he has concentration lapses in the outfield. He he has the range to play center field and the arm for right.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thomas has all the attributes teams look for in a fourth outfielder. He needs to stay healthy in order to gain a regular role.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #10 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Thomas failed to advance past high Class A in four seasons with the Blue Jays after they made him a fifth-round pick in 2014. The Cardinals acquired him for $500,000 in international bonus pool money in July 2017, and he promptly broke out with his new organization. Thomas led the Cardinals' system with 27 home runs in 2018 and made his major league debut in 2019, homering in his first career at-bat. He spent most of August in the majors before suffering a season-ending right wrist fracture.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thomas has an intriguing blend of strength, speed and instincts. He takes a simple approach at the plate and stays within the strike zone. When he connects he makes consistent, hard contact, and he has learned to elevate to make the most of his average, line-drive power. He is prone to swinging and missing in the zone. Thomas is a plus runner who makes better use of his speed in center field than on the bases. He positions himself well, gets good jumps and runs down balls in every direction to be a borderline plus defender with an above-average arm. Staying healthy has been an issue for Thomas. He has played a full season just once in five years.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thomas is a major league-ready fourth outfielder. If stays healthy, he could be more.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #7 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Thomas signed with the Blue Jays for $750,000 as a fifth-round pick in 2014 but stalled in the low minors. Needing money for an international class headlined by Eric Pardinho, the Blue Jays sent Thomas to the Cardinals for $500,000 in bonus pool space on the first day of the 2017 international signing period. Thomas suffered a broken wrist in 2016 and a broken foot in 2017, but full health in 2018 led to a breakout year. He led the Cardinals' system with 27 home runs--he'd hit 18 in the previous four seasons combined--and advanced from Double-A to Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Thomas combines solid tools with a natural feel for the game. Strong and athletic in his 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame, he takes consistent, competitive at-bats and drives home runs out on a line with a sound swing. Thomas has some plate coverage issues and will swing and miss, but he works counts and makes hard contact when he connects. Defensively, he's an above-average center fielder with plus instincts. He positions himself well, gets good jumps and is a plus runner underway, nabbing anything hit in his zone. His above-average arm is another weapon.
  
  The Future: The Cardinals envision Thomas as a sort of Harrison Bader-lite, albeit with more power. He is in line to make his major league debut in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #19 prospect in 2015
  Thomas, whose father is a professional drag racer, helped USA Baseball's 18-and-under team win the 2013 World Cup in Taiwan, then was a BA High School All-American who signed for $750,000 as a fifthrounder in 2014. He has an intriguing combination of tools, athleticism and natural feel for the game with strong baseball makeup. He has natural feel for the strike zone and could become an average hitter with a quick, line-drive stroke. He flashes average raw power, though his power projects to play closer to 10-12 home runs annually. He's a plus runner who saw most of his time in high school in center field, but he split his time between center and third base in Rookie ball in 2014. He transitioned to second base during instructional league and has the hands, lateral quickness and above-average arm strength to remain in the dirt. He had a strong debut and advanced to Rookie-level Bluefield, where he could begin in 2015.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #172 prospect in 2014 draft
  The high school talent is down in Tennessee this year, with Thomas, who played for USA Baseball's gold medal-winning 18-and-under national team last summer, as a notable exception. Thomas, whose father Mike is a professional drag racer, is a good athlete with a strong build and well-rounded skill set, a plus runner under way with a chance to be a legitimate center fielder. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Thomas has a quick stroke and the ability to create lots of hard contact, and he could develop average power. He drives the ball primarily to the pull side. Although he has rarely played shortstop this spring, he takes plenty of ground balls and some teams think his skill set plays better in the dirt with his above-average arm and athleticism. Scouts have split views on him depending up on how they view his defensive profile and bat. Some teams value him as high as the third round, while others think he is likely to reach campus at Tennessee.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #17 prospect in 2019
  Thomas carried his breakthrough 2018 into 2019, emerging as one of Memphis’ top offensive threats and making his major league debut in April. He homered in his first major league at-bat and spent most of the second half with the Cardinals before fracturing his wrist at the end of August. Thomas swings and misses a tad much, but he often finds the barrel and does damage. He combines line-drive power with plus-plus speed to create extra bases, and he has the power to send balls out to all fields. Thomas is an above-average center fielder with an above-average arm. His well-rounded game gives him a secure major league role.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 50. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Acquired from the Blue Jays for international bonus pool space in 2017, Thomas has been productive when healthy but has had trouble staying on the field. He led the Cardinals system with 27 home runs in 2018 and had a loud big league debut in 2019, but it was cut short by a right wrist fracture. His 2020 season was derailed when he tested positive for Covid-19 amidst the teamwide outbreak. He missed almost all of August and looked overmatched when he returned in September.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thomas has some of the best tools in the system. He’s a plus defender in center field, a plus-plus runner, has an above-average arm and average power. His only below-average tool is his fringy hitting ability. He expands his zone too much and is prone to over-aggressiveness, but when he focuses on line drives his power ensures that some of those drives clear the fence. Thomas’ tools don’t always add up to be the sum of his parts. His speed hasn’t led to many stolen bases and he has concentration lapses in the outfield. He he has the range to play center field and the arm for right.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thomas has all the attributes teams look for in a fourth outfielder. He needs to stay healthy in order to gain a regular role.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 50. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Acquired from the Blue Jays for international bonus pool space in 2017, Thomas has been productive when healthy but has had trouble staying on the field. He led the Cardinals system with 27 home runs in 2018 and had a loud big league debut in 2019, but it was cut short by a right wrist fracture. His 2020 season was derailed when he tested positive for Covid-19 amidst the teamwide outbreak. He missed almost all of August and looked overmatched when he returned in September.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thomas has some of the best tools in the system. He’s a plus defender in center field, a plus-plus runner, has an above-average arm and average power. His only below-average tool is his fringy hitting ability. He expands his zone too much and is prone to over-aggressiveness, but when he focuses on line drives his power ensures that some of those drives clear the fence. Thomas’ tools don’t always add up to be the sum of his parts. His speed hasn’t led to many stolen bases and he has concentration lapses in the outfield. He he has the range to play center field and the arm for right.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thomas has all the attributes teams look for in a fourth outfielder. He needs to stay healthy in order to gain a regular role.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thomas failed to advance past high Class A in four seasons with the Blue Jays after they made him a fifth-round pick in 2014. The Cardinals acquired him for $500,000 in international bonus pool money in July 2017, and he promptly broke out with his new organization. Thomas led the Cardinals’ system with 27 home runs in 2018 and made his major league debut in 2019, homering in his first career at-bat. He spent most of August in the majors before suffering a season-ending right wrist fracture.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thomas has an intriguing blend of strength, speed and instincts. He takes a simple approach at the plate and stays within the strike zone. When he connects he makes consistent, hard contact, and he has learned to elevate to make the most of his average, line-drive power. He is prone to swinging and missing in the zone. Thomas is a plus runner who makes better use of his speed in center field than on the bases. He positions himself well, gets good jumps and runs down balls in every direction to be a borderline plus defender with an above-average arm. Staying healthy has been an issue for Thomas. He has played a full season just once in five years.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thomas is a major league-ready fourth outfielder. If stays healthy, he could be more.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thomas failed to advance past high Class A in four seasons with the Blue Jays after they made him a fifth-round pick in 2014. The Cardinals acquired him for $500,000 in international bonus pool money in July 2017, and he promptly broke out with his new organization. Thomas led the Cardinals' system with 27 home runs in 2018 and made his major league debut in 2019, homering in his first career at-bat. He spent most of August in the majors before suffering a season-ending right wrist fracture.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thomas has an intriguing blend of strength, speed and instincts. He takes a simple approach at the plate and stays within the strike zone. When he connects he makes consistent, hard contact, and he has learned to elevate to make the most of his average, line-drive power. He is prone to swinging and missing in the zone. Thomas is a plus runner who makes better use of his speed in center field than on the bases. He positions himself well, gets good jumps and runs down balls in every direction to be a borderline plus defender with an above-average arm. Staying healthy has been an issue for Thomas. He has played a full season just once in five years.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thomas is a major league-ready fourth outfielder. If stays healthy, he could be more.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Thomas carried his breakthrough 2018 into 2019, emerging as one of Memphis’ top offensive threats and making his major league debut in April. He homered in his first major league at-bat and spent most of the second half with the Cardinals before fracturing his wrist at the end of August. Thomas swings and misses a tad much, but he often finds the barrel and does damage. He combines line-drive power with plus-plus speed to create extra bases, and he has the power to send balls out to all fields. Thomas is an above-average center fielder with an above-average arm. His well-rounded game gives him a secure major league role.