Lane Thomas

Thomas took another improbable step forward last season, finishing as one of 19 MLB players to go 20-20 in 2023 while also surpassing the century mark in runs scored. It all added up to just a 109 wRC+ and 2.7 fWAR across 682 plate appearances, as Thomas' middling on-base percentage and defensive metrics dinged him. Traded twice earlier in his career, including in exchange for Jon Lester in 2021, Thomas was a popular name at the trade deadline, but Washington surprised many by holding onto the outfielder. While last season may very well go down as his career year, the Nationals clearly believe in the late bloomer's production. His low walk rate and issues with same-side pitching could catch up to him in time, but Thomas should be expected to be in the lineup every day under manager Dave Martinez to begin 2024.

Thomas revitalized his career in Washington with an .853 OPS in 45 games after he was acquired at the 2021 trade deadline, and he followed up with a solid campaign last year. He saw significant playing time in all three outfield spots and posted a 96 wRC+ with 17 home runs, 52 RBI, 62 runs and eight steals in 146 games. Thomas' numbers don't jump off the page, but he was a decent lineup piece for a Nationals team that is now in a full rebuild after shipping Juan Soto to the Padres. The RBI and run totals are likely to be stunted by Washington's weak lineup, but Thomas could be a depth option for fantasy managers in 2023, as he should receive plenty of playing time if he continues to put up similar numbers.

A fifth-round pick by Toronto in 2014, Thomas was traded first to St. Louis for international cap space and then to Washington last July in exchange for Jon Lester. He enjoyed a nice run with the Nationals following the move, slashing .270/.364/.489 with seven homers and four steals in 45 games. Because it was such a small sample, Thomas won't pop up on any leaderboards, but his Statcast hard-hit rate was pushing 50% after the trade. Many late bloomers have tempted us but failed to achieve sustained success, and Thomas may very well fit into that category in time, but the plate discipline was strong last year to go with the batted-ball profile. Plus this was not completely out of the blue; Thomas enjoyed a similar hot stretch at the major-league level with the Cardinals in 2019. This is not a bad flier to take if you need five outfielders, but know Thomas is still finding his footing in the big leagues.

It was reported in August that Thomas had tested positive for COVID-19. He returned to a reserve outfielder role at the end of the month, but Thomas simply could not provide the Cardinals with production, leaving the team little choice but to send him back to the alternate site Sept. 16. Thomas did not rejoin the club, but after a full offseason, he should be ready to compete for a roster spot in camp.

Thomas is one of 118 players in the history of MLB to hit a home run in their first major-league at-bat. He joined the St. Louis organization after being dealt from Toronto in exchange for international cap space. As Thomas has worked his way up the chain, he has positioned himself as the next candidate for Cardinals Devil Magic to strike where a seemingly average player performs at a higher level than his projections say he will. He doesn't have a great offensive profile, but will accept his walks and use his speed to take extra bases and swipe bases. The depth chart in front of him got a little less crowded after a couple outfielders were traded to Tampa Bay this offseason. There could eventually be an opportunity for Thomas to show what he can do with semi-regular work. He is a potential 15-20 steal guy with enough playing time.