For the second consecutive year, a Binghamton outfielder was selected in the MLB amateur draft. Bearcat star outfielder Jake Thomas was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 27th round of the draft, held June 8-11, as the 812th overall selection.
“I had heard from a bunch a teams [about a possible selection], but it was weird, I hadn’t heard from the Blue Jays probably until two months before the draft,” Thomas said. “It was a little surprise from the Blue Jays, but it was a great opportunity and I couldn’t thank them enough for selecting me.”
Thomas was a four-year starter for the Bearcats and was instrumental in BU’s back-to-back America East titles in 2013 and 2014. Thomas’ best season came as a sophomore in 2013, when he led the conference with a .371 batting average, 45 walks, a .522 slugging percentage and a .517 on base percentage. In the America East tournament that season, Thomas delivered seven hits in 15 at-bats while scoring three runs to lead Binghamton to its first America East championship since 2009.
Thomas had another excellent season as a senior in 2015. He led BU with a .352 batting average and a .478 on base percentage while driving in 29 runs. However, the Bearcats finished 17-24-2 and failed to capture their third consecutive AE title. Thomas believes the motivation to win the crown for a third time kept him distracted from the nerves of potentially being drafted.
“The only thing I had my eye toward during the season was just winning the third championship,” Thomas said. “But that was what helped me keep my mind off the whole draft experience, just focusing on what I could do to help the team win the third championship in a row.”
Thomas was a three-time selection to the America East first team during his time as a Bearcat. He finished his career ranked in the top 10 of every offensive category and he set program records in career on-base percentage (.453) and walks (132).
Thomas is the fourth player in the last four years to be drafted from the BU program. BU outfielder Bill Bereszniewicz was selected by the Dodgers last year in the 28th round, while right handed pitchers Mike Augliera and Lee Sosa were drafted in the fifth and 26th rounds, respectively, of the 2012 draft. Thomas is the highest position player to be selected out of Binghamton since 1990, when catcher Dan Gray was picked in the seventh round.
“[Being drafted] was something that I have been dreaming about since I was a little kid,” Thomas said. “Every other ball player who has played the game has had the same dream. To have it happen was an absolute surreal moment.”