Pittsburgh Pirates Minors: A Day in the Life of a Minor Leaguer with Tahnaj Thomas

For today’s edition of ‘A Day in the Life of a Minor Leaguer’ we talked to one of the fastest rising Pittsburgh Pirates prospects, pitcher Tahnaj Thomas

For the third installment of ‘A Day in The Life of a Minor Leaguer,’ we caught up with the Bahama hurler Tahnaj Thomas. Since coming to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a five player trade on November 14, 2018, Thomas has watched his stock rise. During his time in the Pittsburgh Pirates system he has become one of the team’s top pitching prospects, as well as a top 100 prospect by some publications.

We started off exchanging pleasantries and discussed how we both need sports, more specifically, baseball back in our lives. Like my  two previous guests – Jake Snider and Jasiah Dixon – I wanted to know who exactly Tahnaj was and how he wants people who don’t know him to see him.

“I try to be a leader like in the clubhouse, on the field, off the field, I just try to be a neutral guy who teammates could come talk to at any time even if it isn’t about baseball.”

You always have to ask the tough or loaded questions. I wanted to know if Tahnaj had to describe himself with just one word, what would it be? He pondered for a little bit, and much like his previous answer, he said, “Leader.” For a young 20-year-old pitcher, that is precisely who the Pittsburgh Pirates need him to be.

Growing up in the Bahamas, there wasn’t a whole lot of baseball going on, so I wanted to know who his most significant influences were growing up?

“Definitely my parents and definitely my brother, he was a huge influence on me, so I’d definitely say my family members overall and some of my coaches in high school.”

Like I mentioned before, baseball isn’t huge in the Bahamas, so I wanted to know who made him fall in love with America’s pastime? Without skipping a beat, he adamantly answered, “My dad, he played baseball growing up when he was younger I mean baseball wasn’t really big in the Bahamas, but softball was. My dad was an outstanding softball player and would travel with team Bahamas, so just being around the ballparks made me fall in love with the game.”

Now obviously, we had to face the future and talk about when Tahnaj hangs up the mitt and cleats and what exactly he wants to do with his life when his career is over.

“I want to be a businessman like right now I want to start a gym and I would also like to go to school for sports management. I know in the Bahamas gyms, and stuff aren’t really big. The gyms that we have are more geared towards bodybuilding. I want to start a gym for pure athletes with the right equipment; I know other athletes from the Bahamas that have to work out at home because of the lack of gyms here.”

Sticking with the gym and staying in shape, I wanted to get a feel for how Tahnaj was staying in shape and preparing for when baseball returns.

“It’s hard man for me I work out daily six days a week Monday-Saturday. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I’ll run the beach and workout on the beach in the mornings. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays I’ll work out in my garage me, my brother, and one of my friends we have weighted vests, dumbbells, skipping ropes, and we will do squats and lunges to keep the body in shape.”

“Me and my brother will just throw in the yard from maybe 100 feet or something like that to just keep my arm moving. I’ll bang some weighted balls against the side of the house to stay in shape for baseball.”

I mentioned that his workouts reminded me of a Rocky montage I wonder if he plans on fighting a Russian superpower anytime soon? The one question I wanted to get a gauge on his confidence level as a whole, so I asked him where he saw himself in three years.

“In three years, I see myself in the Majors. Last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, after transitioning from a shortstop to a pitcher, we worked on a lot of stuff, and things began to click; that’s when pitching became a lot more fun for me. I’m trying to learn off the players and coaches where ever they put me and try to have an outstanding season, so personally, I would like to see myself in the big leagues or very close to the bigs.”

Everyone has idols growing up, and we all aspire to be like them. So for Tahnaj, I wanted to know who that person was.

“When I was younger, I loved Manny Machado, and when I started pitching with the Indians, the first person I met was Triston Mckenzie. He was a great guy and took me under his wing and taught me a few things. I tried to model my game between him and Mike Clevinger. Mike is a really good friend of mine. We talk a lot, and he showed me a few things as well.”

When you look at a pitcher, they all have that go-to pitch to get them an out, so what is Tahnaj’s?

“I feel like my go-to pitch is my fastball I love to challenge people I love to get ahead my best command comes from my fastball. If it’s a 3-2 count and the call is a low and away, I have the confidence to say I’m going to get this guy out. Also, my slider is a go-to pitch, as well. I’m comfortable throwing my slider in any count, but overall my fastball is my go-to pitch.”

The difficulties of switching to any position is challenging, but from a shortstop to a pitcher had to have been rough, so I asked how hard it was.

“It was hard. Growing up, I never pitched in the Bahamas everyone wants to hit the ball and play in the outfield or infield. I never knew the potential I could have as a pitcher; it never clicked until my second year with the Indians. Mike Clevenger told me you’re a pitcher now try to forget about playing the field and hitting just focus on pitching and mastering your craft. It was hard to change the mindset, but once I did, it was more fun for me.”

Behind every good pitcher is a good pitching coach, so I asked Tahnaj how his former pitching coach Eric Minshall was and what he taught him.

“He’s a great guy, a high energy guy he’s pretty fun. Good guy to be around I learned a lot from him. He helped me with my mindset on the mound he told me, just let my stuff work and don’t try to be too perfect; just bring your presence on the mound and know that this is your game and he was like one of the teammates, and you could talk to him about anything.”

Rumors were circling around Tahnaj and the potentiality of him being a closer once he goes to the higher levels and I wanted to know where he wanted to be.

“I would like to be a starter, but if being a closer would help me and the Pirates win championships in the big leagues, that would be fine with me 100%.”

The fact that he puts the team needs over himself is a true example of what he wants to be known as, and that is a leader. I know if it were me and I was a highly-touted prospect, I would be checking those MLB Pipeline rankings every day, but not Tahnaj.

“I don’t really pay attention to it honestly; those rankings could change at any time that isn’t my focus. My main focus is to do what I have to do to make it to the big leagues. I put one foot in front of the other and do what I can to make it to the big leagues. If I can get better daily, that’s all that matters.”

I know you can’t hear what I hear, but listening to the young man from the Bahamas, his voice carried a humble, yet confident feel about him. If he can continue to progress and become that leader, he wants to be the Bahama Bomber as I call him can do anything and everything.