Ka’ai Tom
| AB | 109 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .138 |
| OBP | .276 |
| SLG | .229 |
| HR | 2 |
- Full name Blaze Ka'ai Tom
- Born 05/29/1994 in Honolulu, HI
- Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Kentucky
- Debut 04/01/2021
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Drafted in the 5th round (154th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2015 (signed for $250,000).
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A lefthanded hitter with a professional approach at the plate, Tom has hit everywhere he's played. But as a 5-foot-8 left fielder with the power to hit 5-10 home runs at most as a pro, he doesn't exactly profile. That's why Kentucky filmed workouts of Tom taking ground balls at second base, a position he has toyed with playing in the past. Tom has a long way to go to be a refined second baseman, but the Kentucky coaches note that Jason Kipnis tried a little second base during fall ball when he was a freshman at Kentucky and Tom shows as much promise at the position defensively as Kipnis did at a similar stage. Offensively, Tom has a simple lefthanded swing that has little extraneous movement. He is an above-average runner and an excellent basestealer who has stolen bases at an 85 percent clip in his two years at Kentucky.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Tom, a Hawaiian native, comes from a baseball family. Both of his brothers, father and grandfather all played in college. He became the first of the bunch to reach the professional ranks in 2015, when the Indians drafted him in the sixth round after a sterling career at Kentucky. Tom has a simple lefthanded swing that allows him to consistently square balls. Power won't ever be a big part of his game, but he's strong enough to drive the ball into the gaps. Tom primarily played left field at Kentucky and without above-average speed or arm strength, that's where he fits best in the outfield. There has long been talk about trying him at second base, but the move has never advanced past an experimental stage. The Indians could eventually explore a position change, but have kept Tom in the outfield at the outset of his professional career. He's an advanced enough hitter to start his first full professional season with high Class A Lynchburg.
Draft Prospects
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A lefthanded hitter with a professional approach at the plate, Tom has hit everywhere he's played. But as a 5-foot-8 left fielder with the power to hit 5-10 home runs at most as a pro, he doesn't exactly profile. That's why Kentucky filmed workouts of Tom taking ground balls at second base, a position he has toyed with playing in the past. Tom has a long way to go to be a refined second baseman, but the Kentucky coaches note that Jason Kipnis tried a little second base during fall ball when he was a freshman at Kentucky and Tom shows as much promise at the position defensively as Kipnis did at a similar stage. Offensively, Tom has a simple lefthanded swing that has little extraneous movement. He is an above-average runner and an excellent basestealer who has stolen bases at an 85 percent clip in his two years at Kentucky.
