Blaze on with Ka’ai Tom

I could go into a sappy intro like the other profiles I’ve done where I build up to something grand and astonishing like some classic 80’s movie, where the good guy gets dealt a bad hand and ultimately succeeds in the end. Don’t get me wrong, that’s exactly the case with OF Blaze Ka’ai Tom, but it would be an injustice to give it all away so early.

Tom was brought up in the paradise of Hawaii, surrounded by baseball. His grandfather, father, and both brothers all played baseball, each to the college level. In high school, Tom was a force to be reckoned with, and into college that same blazing force continued. In 2014 he hit a .328 with 40 runs, 3 homers, 13 doubles, and 41 RBI for a first team All-SEC Wildcats. He also had a streak of reaching base safely over 24 consecutive games, while also having 12 game hitting streak early on that year through April-May. Before being drafted by the Indians, Ka’ai hit a snag in life that he has since used as a springboard to only keep pushing him forward.

He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft out of the University of Kentucky and from the get go proved that he had something they would want. Yes, his stature isn’t exactly the most appealing at 5’9” on a good day, especially for an outfielder, however he has made it work. In his first season starting with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Tom came to the field locked and loaded. From left and center, Tom showed he had a potential cannon for an arm. There were times where accuracy posed as an issue. His range was impressive, based off of a good feel for the ball and a highly confident glove.

His bat was even more impressive and looked to need less work. In 66 games, Tom was tied for first in runs scored (38), second in doubles (18) and RBI (29). He was fun to watch from a scout’s seat and just the same as a fan’s, both knowing full well what he was capable of.

At one point in late July he went 13 for 27 with 6 RBI leading him to the New York Penn Player of the Week title. A few short weeks later, he got hot again with a 13-game hitting streak. His confidence oozed, but did not shake him or his ego off his base.

In his second season with the Indians organization, Tom suffered an injury to his shoulder in Spring Training that put a potential halt on any promotion that was expected. He is the type of player who will go the extra mile and shove the bounds out of his way in order to give his team every chance possible. With this in mind, Tom slid fast and wrong, trying to stretch a base hit. It wasn’t until the last week of spring that the Indians decided to start him in extended spring then promote him to Lake County about a week into their season.

When finally touching ground in Ohio, Tom’s mindset for the game didn’t skip a beat. It was freezing cold and his jersey was just a few sizes too big, but he was ready and just wanted to play. He would only play 28 games in 2016, putting up a good .323 BA, 11 RBI, 21 BBs with a .446 OBP. He contributed to the best of his ability before being moved to the DL, to get surgery that June that would end the rest of his year.

Going into his third year, hoping that the third season might be the charm, Tom comes in more ready than ever, making it to the next level up in the minors, with the high-A Lynchburg Hill Cats. To date he’s at 16 ABS, with a .241/.318/.310 slash, 6 RBI, 5 BBs, and 4 stolen bases. It’s potentially his first full season since being drafted if the OFer can stay healthy through the year, and if he can I image some steady and solid progress from him. He has the potential to be a team’s trusted fourth OFer, which is no knock on him. He’s a workhorse that can drop everything and play his best baseball whenever he’s called to do so and has proven already that he can stay sharp between gaps in his play time. He’s an asset to any team he plays for.

In a sea of outfielders within the Indians minor league system, like Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen just in front of him, he has the ability to hold his own. Across his career, Tom has proven that very little, if not pure force, will stop him. He has put the belief and love from his family and more than anyone, his father, behind him as a positive push towards his goals. He can play ball with a passion that one has to be born and bred with. He is a great ball player, with a solid head on his shoulders that any fan could hope for in someone to look up to. It has been a pleasure to be able to see him at every step of his professional career and watch him overcome every challenge and I advise anyone who has the chance to see him play, the get ready for a show.