The Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball announced the signing of outfielder Cody Thomas this week. The Octagon client became a minor league free agent at the end of the 2023 season.
An Oklahoma product, Thomas joined the professional ranks in 2016 as a Dodger draftee. Los Angeles traded him to the A’s shortly before Spring Training in 2021. Oakland added him to the 40-man roster after that season to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. Thomas reached the big leagues the following September.
The A’s gave Thomas brief MLB looks in each of the past two years. He made 10 appearances in 2022. Oakland designated the left-handed hitter for assignment but kept him in the organization after he cleared outright waivers. He made it back to the big leagues in July and got into 19 more games. Between the two seasons, he hit .250/.308/.333 with one homer over 78 plate appearances.
Oakland again waived Thomas in late August, sending him to the open market at year’s end. Rather than take a minor league contract, the 29-year-old heads to Japan. The Buffaloes are surely intrigued by the .292/.356/.585 batting line which Thomas has managed in parts of three Triple-A campaigns. Even in a very favorable Pacific Coast League hitting environment, that’s an impressive showing against minor league arms. He’ll look to carry that over against NPB pitching and could reemerge on the MLB radar a year or two from now.
Got me with the Cody again.
“”NPB’s Orix Buffaloes Sign Cody-”
What?!?!?
“-Thomas”
Oh. Carry on.
The most Americans leaving for Asian teams in any season.
Not really the same amount of limited slots are open and most imports are one year deals so teams will take a chance on what may be considered an AAAA player.
But there is money in Japan, not MLB money but life changing.
Remember Roberto Osuna? Baby mom beating Osuna signed a 4 year 26.4 million dollar deal with the SoftBank Hawks.
Isn’t the plural of buffalo just buffalo? Yes I’m aware the real team name is in Japanese and it’s probably a translation thing.
University of Colorado Buffaloes
Thomas had a great Spring Training in 2020 and was a virtual lock to make the Dodgers opening day roster, then the season was postponed. When camps restarted in the summer, he suffered an injury and that was that.
With how pitiful the A’s offense was, I’m surprised they didn’t give him an extended look in the majors. He surely proved he can hit AAA pitching.
Sounds kinda obvious but he is a “Ballplayer”. when the Sox played him he was easily the best player for them I saw. Plays hard and has some good tools