The D-backs Late-Game Secret Weapon: Alek Thomas

Hear from Arizona Diamondbacks centerfielder Alek Thomas on his ability to hit late in games and his potential breakout season.

Apr 12, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas (5) beats the tag of Milwaukee Brewers third base Oliver Dunn (15) for a triple during the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

It's been a terrific stretch of play to have witnessed from Arizona Diamondbacks centerfielder Alek Thomas. He's putting on the show at the plate that prospect evaluators, fans, and the D-backs have known all along he was capable of doing.

It just took a little bit longer than expected for all the skills to come together and unite on full display. Now that it is, he's exhibiting the kind of All-Star and clutch hitting potential that could soon make him the team's full-time centerfielder, especially against right-handed pitchers.

Thomas has been making clutch hits consistently this season as he's come up late in games and delivering when the pressure is on him the most. This has been a persistent theme of his young career, especially when one remembers 2023.

In October of 2023, one of the possibly greatest homers in team history was when Thomas hit a two-run shot in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies to even the game up and give Arizona the momentum to win.

This came up again Saturday evening when Thomas came up to the plate with a runner on first, down four, and one out in the 9th inning. Thomas and his extremely steady heart rate obliterated a baseball to the absolute deepest part of Chase Field.

It was hit 419 feet, pounding off the right centerfield home run porch and spraying back into the heart of the outfield. The ball was hit with an exit velocity of 106.6 mph and allowed Thomas to triple. He drove in the team's first run and jumpstarted their offense, giving them the momentum once again to overcome large odds and win. It was a home run in 25 other ballparks.

Thomas spoke about what he was looking for in that at-bat and what was on his mind during it below.

" I was just ready for a fastball over the heart of the plate, trying to get something hard somewhere around there and put a good swing on it. It was placed exactly where I wanted it to be, which was right down the middle, a little up, and I put a good swing on it."

Asked how it felt that he was unable to get it out because Chase Field is just such a large park, Thomas said, "I mean, just playing here, I feel like any time you hit it good and it's to the middle of the ballpark, it's like alright, it's probably not going to be home run, it's going to either get caught or hit the base of the wall somewhere that's not a home run but still in play. It's pretty tough, but it is what it is."

It's well known, as mentioned above, that Thomas has a knack for staying calm at the plate in the big moments. He did it again on Sunday with a hit in the 8th inning for a two-run RBI single that gave the D-backs plenty of cushion. Thomas reflected on that ability and whether he has a slow heartbeat or if it's just how the game works out.

"I don't know. I think I would say probably in the middle of games, or like in the beginning of games, I feel like I probably have a faster heart rate and get a little bit more excited or more not slowing things down."

"Then whenever I get settled into the game is normally whenever I feel a little bit more comfortable and a slower heart rate, and I wish I could feel that way throughout the whole game and specifically the beginning of the game, but I think that's just me and being how I play the game."

"The first couple of innings, I'm like alright, I'm excited, I'm trying to do something. Once I get settled into the game, I'm able to just feel a lot more comfortable, It's just something that towards the end of the game, end of the night, I feel a little bit more at ease."

Of course, the ability to hit calmly and impressively late in the game has not gone unnoticed by manager Torey Lovullo who had nothing but great things to say about Thomas and has plenty of belief in him.

"I think his natural heartbeat is very steady. I know there's excitement in every type of ballplayer, and we all remember those times, right? You get on the field, you get through those first few plays, there's a little bit of anxiety, there's a little bit of excitement, and then you hear people say it all the time after the first two pitches...it kind of settles in."

"He knows how to settle in. I think he's a very heady, calm player and I always appreciate that part of him. I'm sure there's times where things are jumping around internally but he also manages that. He doesn't have a tell that things are unraveling and he's nervous or uptight. That's a great strength of his."

Asked if that's hard managing a player who doesn't have a tell, Lovullo said, "Sometimes, I'm always looking for certain tells...I know I'll always get the lie that I feel great and I can but there are times where you know a player's tired...players will tell you also when they're fatigued and need time off but Alek is very steady and I appreciate that."

Thomas might very well be in the midst of a breakout year albeit it's tough to say after a small sample size, but that sample size is extremely good.

Not only is he hitting .344 with an OPS of .920 over 32 at-bats and 11 games, but he has two doubles, two triples, and 10 RBI. He's walked twice to only six strikeouts as he's done an excellent job of making contact and putting the ball into play.

The advanced metrics back up a lot of what Thomas is doing which lends a lot more belief that this could be the start of a major breakout year for Thomas.

His expected batting average is .318, which ranks in the 91st percentile across all of MLB. Meanwhile, his xSLG is .523 and sits in the 80th percentile. He's hitting the ball on the button with a Squared-Up% of 34%, which is in the 91st percentile. He's got numerous other accolades that are certainly red on his baseball savant page.

Alek Thomas is slowly fulfilling all of the promise he exhibited when he was younger and putting it all together in his age-25 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. If this continues, they might just have one of the next franchise cornerstones. Regardless, they already have one of the best hitters to have up late in games.

Check out the Snakes Territory Podcast as well for further discussion on Thomas and all things D-backs