June 23, 2004
(NOTE: Some information provided by the Atlanta Braves and Richmond Braves Websites.)
Former Catamount outfielder and Asheville native Charles Thomas was called up from Triple-A Richmond to the Atlanta Braves Wednesday afternoon. Thomas, who arrived at Miami late due to a delayed flight, pinch hit versus the Marlins, marking his first Major League appearance.
Also announced today, Thomas and Richmond pitcher Matt Whiteside were elected to the International League All-Star Team that will participate in the Triple-A All-Star Game at Pawtucket's McCoy Stadium on July 14. International League front office personnel, field managers, and media representatives selected the club, which will meet all-stars from the Pacific Coast League in the 17th annual mid-season classic.
Thomas, a 25-year-old outfielder who was selected by the Braves in the 19th round of the 2000 draft, was called up after Dewayne Wise was placed on the disabled list. The International League leader with a .358 batting average, he will now be get the opportunity to start in left field in most games against right-handed starters. He was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup because his flight into the Miami area landed approximately one hour before the scheduled first pitch.
"He's basically a line-drive hitter and can run a little bit for you, too," said Braves second baseman Nick Green, who played with Thomas at Double-A Greenville and again at Triple-A Richmond for the first six weeks this year.
Thomas' four-hit performance this past Tuesday night for Richmond further improved the impressive stats he's accumulated after getting off to a slow start. Since May 1, he was hitting an impressive .382 (68-for-178). In addition to leading the International League in batting, Thomas paces the league in on-base percentage (.416) and is tied for seventh on the circuit in triples (4).
While he compiled a .238 batting average during his first two full minor league seasons (2001 and '02), these type of impressive offensive statistics didn't seem to be in Thomas' future. But since being promoted from Class A Myrtle Beach midway through last season, he's established himself as a consistent threat at the plate.
"From what I hear, he's a plugger," Atlanta Braves manager Booby Cox said of Thomas. "He's a guy that's just gotten better, better and better."
While at Western (1998-2000), Thomas was a first team All-Southern Conference pick in 1999, leading the league with a .406 batting average that season. His 99 hits in 1999 ranks fourth on the WCU single-season list, three shy of the school's single season mark. In addition, he led the Catamounts in batting in 1998 (.364) and 2000 (.349), while pacing the Cats in hits (75), runs (44) and stolen bases (10) in 2000. In his three years at WCU, Thomas' .374 batting average ranks fifth all time, while adding 39 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 101 RBI and 38 stolen bases for his career.
Thomas is the sixth Catamount to reach the Major League, joining Jerry Reed (Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox; 1981-90), Wayne Tolleson (Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees; 1981-90), Paul Menhart (Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres; 1995-97), Jason Beverlin (Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers; 2002) and David Pember (Milwaukee Brewers; 2002).
