Why this under-the-radar pitcher could flourish with Brewers

Pitchers who have had success with the Brewers after struggles elsewhere include Trevor Megill (1-3, 2.72 ERA in 2024), Bryan Hudson (6-1, 1.73 ERA) and Aaron Civale. 

Civale exemplifies Milwaukee's success in this area more than most. After battling to find consistency with the Tampa Bay Rays — posting a 4-9 record and a 5.17 ERA in 27 starts — he was acquired by the Brewers in a midseason trade and blossomed into a reliable starter. In 14 starts with Milwaukee last season, Civale went 6-3 with a 3.53 ERA and tossed three hitless innings in the postseason. 

Thomas, a 26-year-old left-hander, spent the past four seasons in Triple-A with the Memphis Redbirds (and elsewhere), consistently showing promise but unable to secure a spot on St. Louis' big-league roster.

In 2023, Thomas had his best season to date, finishing with a 2.89 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 146.2 innings and becoming an Arizona Fall League All-Star. His ability to limit walks and induce weak contact makes him intriguing.

One of the most notable features of Thomas' game is his pitch mix, which includes a fastball, changeup, slider and cutter. According to FanGraphs, Thomas' cutter is graded at 55, the highest among his pitches.

Over the years, the Brewers have had success with pitchers who have a good cutter, a pitch that often keeps hitters off balance and leads to weak contact. Milwaukee's Tobias Myers serves as a prime example. In 2022, the season before joining Milwaukee's organization, Myers struggled mightily (1-15 record and a 7.82 ERA in 23 Triple-A starts). But after signing with Milwaukee, Myers’ career took a dramatic turn. 

Starting the season in Double-A, he went 10-5 with a 5.03 ERA. His success earned him a promotion to Triple-A, where he dominated with a 1.45 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. By June, Myers was in the majors, and by season's end, he had turned his career around, posting a 9-6 record with a 3.00 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 138 innings. He also made an impact in the postseason, tossing five shutout innings and allowing only two hits.

Thomas’ situation mirrors Myers' in some ways. Though he has been in the Cardinals’ system since 2017, Thomas has found it difficult to break into the team's deep big-league rotation. But the Brewers have built a reputation for getting the most out of pitchers like Thomas, especially those with excellent command. Thomas has a particularly strong command of the strike zone, which is graded at a stellar 65 by FanGraphs.

Though Thomas has his challenges, the Brewers are betting that his pitch mix and command will be enough to make an impact at the major league level. 

With Milwaukee's proven track record of developing pitchers in need of a fresh start, it’s easy to understand why they selected Thomas in the Rule 5 Draft. Whether or not he will follow in the footsteps of other successes in Milwaukee, one thing is certain: The Brewers are adept at unlocking the potential of overlooked talent, and Thomas could be the next success story.