Michael Clete Thomas… Married, wife's name is Susie; has one son, Brooks (1/30/10)… 2002 graduate of Mosley High School (FL)… Attended Auburn University from 2002-05… Signed by: Jerome Cochran.
2013
Went to spring training with MIN as a non-roster invitee...Began the season with Rochester (AAA)...Had his contract selected on 6/3...Collected a career-high 4 hits, 6/12 vs PHI...Stole home, 8/3 vs HOU, marking the 13th time in MIN history (8th different player).
2012
Began season with Detroit and appeared in three games for Tigers before being designated for assignment April 12. ... Claimed off waivers April 14 and homered in second at-bat for Twins April 15 vs. Texas. ... Played in 12 games, striking out 16 times in 28 at-bats before being designated for assignment May 4; reported to Triple-A Rochester. ... Batted .232 (91-for-393) with 22 doubles, five triples, 12 home runs, 47 RBI and 47 runs scored in 109 games for Red Wings.
2011
Spent the entire 2011 season with Triple A Toledo, hitting .251 in 113 games...Collected a season-high six RBI on April 18 at Columbus...Batted .284 (19x67) with three doubles, two home runs and 13 RBI in 23 games during July...Sidelined August 20-September 1 with a left finger fracture...Registered a season-best four hits on September 3 at Columbus...Batted .309 (38x123) following the all-star break...hit .221 (54x244) prior to the all-star break...Hit .323 (32x99) with runners in scoring position.
2010
Limited to 21 games with Triple A Toledo during the 2010 season before landing on the disabled list for the remainder of
the season on May 13 with left knee inflammation.
...Sidelined April 15-25 with a left hamstring strain.
...Belted a season-high two home runs on May 8 at Norfolk.
...Underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee on June 4, a procedure performed by Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail,
Colorado.
2009
Split the 2009 season between Triple A Toledo and Detroit, seeing action in 102 games during his two stints with the
Tigers...Recalled by the Tigers from Toledo on May 5 -- hit .368 (14x38) with three doubles, a triple and five RBI over his first
nine games with the Tigers May 5-15...Equaled a career high with three hits on May 5 versus Minnesota -- matched the high with three hits on May 15 versus
Oakland, May 30 at Baltimore, July 12 versus Cleveland and August 30 versus Tampa Bay...Belted two home runs on May 30 at Baltimore to establish a career high...Connected for his first career grand slam on June 7 versus the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim -- entered the game as
a pinch-runner in the fourth inning before hitting the game-winning grand slam in the eighth inning...according to the
Elias Sports Bureau, he became just the fifth player since 1970 to hit a go-ahead grand slam in a game he entered as
a pinch-runner...he joined Kansas City's Rey Palacios (1990), Montreal's Moises Alou (1992), Milwaukee's Darrin
Jackson (1998) and Boston's Rico Brogna (2000) in accomplishing the feat...Optioned to Toledo by the Tigers following the game against the White Sox on June 11 at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field...Batted .529 (18x34) with six doubles and five RBI over an eight-game hitting streak with Toledo June 19-26...Collected a season-high four hits for the Mud Hens on June 23 versus Durham...Hit .373 (25x67) with eight doubles and seven RBI in 17 games during June -- second in the International League with
a .373 batting average during the month...Recalled by the Tigers from Toledo for the remainder of the season on July 8...Established a career high with five RBI on July 12 versus Cleveland...Batted .341 (15x44) with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and 11 RBI in 16 games for the Tigers during July...Belted his first career walk-off home run on August 3 versus Baltimore, a solo shot in the ninth inning off Danys Baez...Hit .268 (34x127) in 37 games prior to the all-star break...batted .216 (32x148) in 65 games following the all-star break.
2008
Saw his first major league action after making the Tigers Opening Day roster out of Spring Training in 2008...Made his major league debut on March 31 versus Kansas City as a defensive replacement in left field in the ninth inning -- doubled off Joakim Soria in the 11th inning for his first major league hit...Established a career high with three hits on April 4 versus the Chicago White Sox -- matched the career best with three hits on April 20 at Toronto and June 27 versus Colorado...Optioned to Triple A Toledo by the Tigers on April 23...Hit .323 (20x62) over a 16-game stretch with Toledo May 10-27, scoring 13 runs and collecting five doubles, four home
runs and 15 RBI...Recalled from Toledo by the Tigers on May 30...Sidelined June 4-20 with a sprained right ankle -- assigned to Toledo as part of an injury rehab assignment on June 13
...batted .211 (4x19) with a double, home run and four RBI in five games during the injury rehab assignment...Drew two bases-loaded walks on June 26 versus St. Louis -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first major league player to do so since Boston's Julio Lugo on July 28, 2007 at Tampa Bay...Hit .435 (10x23) in 11 games for the Tigers during June...Connected for his first major league home run on July 13 versus Minnesota, a two-run shot off Nick Blackburn...Optioned to Toledo by the Tigers on July 15...Belted a grand slam on July 19 at Pawtucket -- finished with a season-high five RBI for Toledo...Batted .360 (18x50) with three doubles, a triple, home run and 10 RBI in 13 games during July for Toledo...Sidelined for the rest of the season with Toledo after landing on the disabled list on August 29 with a right elbow sprain...Fared better against righthanded pitchers with Toledo, batting .258 (54x209)...hit .220 (18x82) against lefties...Batted .368 (7x19) against lefties with the Tigers, compared to .268 (26x97) with righties on the mound...Hit .353 (18x51) in 17 games at Comerica Park...batted .231 (15x65) in 23 games on the road with Detroit...Underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on his right elbow on September 11, a procedure performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL...Named the best defensive outfielder and rated as possessing the best outfield arm in the Tigers organization following the season by Baseball America.
2007
Spent the season with Erie (AA)...Led the Eastern League in runs (97) and finished 2nd in AB (528), T-2nd in games (137), T-4th in hits (148) and T-5th in triples (6)...Batted .330 (34-103), 9 2B, HR, 7 RBI in 27 June games.
2006
Spent the season with Lakeland (A)...Finished 3rd in the Florida State League in AB (529) and T-5th in SB (34)...Hit safely in his first 12 games, 4/6-19.
2005
Began his pro career with Oneonta (A)...Earned New York-Penn League Player of the Week honors, 6/27-7/3 (.458, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 9 RBI)...Transferred to West Michigan (A) on 7/12.
