Dillon Thomas’ MLB Debut Was 10 Years In The Making | Nobody’s Doubting Him Now

Dillon Thomas’ MLB Debut Was 10 Years In The Making | Nobody’s Doubting Him Now

by | Jun 10, 2021 | THE LEAD OFF

After ten seasons of professional ball, 2,300 at-bats in the Minor Leagues, three organizations, and independent ball, outfielder Dillon Thomas finally got the call that the Seattle Mariners were picking up his contract from Triple-A Tacoma ahead of Tuesday’s matchup vs. the Detroit Tigers.

Thomas didn’t waste any time flashing the stellar defense that he’s displayed throughout his decade in the minors, robbing MLBbro Niko Goodrum of a potential extra base hit in his Big league debut on Wednesday night.

 

Then, he flexed his prowess with the wood, delivering his first Major League hit and RBI in the 11th inning.

 

The 28-year-old was filled with emotions as he described his big-league call-up to the media, prior to the game.  

He told reporters, “My daughter was playing with her Barbies on the hotel floor, and I just looked at her and a wave of emotions came over me. My girlfriend woke up as she heard me on the phone. I looked at her, we both started crying, and my daughter came up to me and asked, ‘Daddy, what’s wrong?’ I was like ‘daddies going to the big leagues,’ and she got excited and said, ‘Daddy’s a big leaguer.'”

Holding back tears, he added, “My parents were the first call. That’s a moment I thought about for years, and I wanted to share that moment with them. To have them and all my family here is truly a blessing, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”

He played with that same passion in his debut as he manned the Mariners outfield with fellow MLB bro Taylor Trammell.

Before the life-changing call-up, Thomas was raking. 

In 80 at-bats, Thomas accounted for 19 runs batted in, six homers, five doubles, and four bases on balls to average .338 with a .459 on-base percentage, a .625 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 1.084 with the Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers.

 

 

Thomas was selected in the fourth round (138th overall) by the Colorado Rockies during the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Westbury Christian School (TX), where he spent six seasons in the team’s farm system. 

The super athlete had stints with the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2018-2019 season and the Oakland Athletics during the pandemic shortened season before ultimately signing with the Mariners as a minor league free agent on January 14.

 

 

How bad do you want it? How long will you follow the rainbow before you reach that pot of gold? 

During this long and arduous journey, Thomas’s dedication, hard work, patience, and sacrifices proved that his hunger for greatness was more potent than the negativity he received from all the naysayers who told him to give up on his dreams.  

The man is living proof of the saying “Be so good that they can’t ignore you.”

Wednesday night was a great start. Everyone should embrace this Black Knight’s story.