PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s been quite a ride for new Pirates outfielder Ka’ai Tom, activated after being claimed off waivers from the A’s. You might say the stretch of good fortune started with his nickname, Blaze.
“My mom came up with the name when my family was in Vegas,” Tom said. “She was pregnant and they were constantly hitting the jackpot in the Blazing Sevens.”
You might also call Tom lucky for growing up in Maui, Hawaii, playing high school football with Marcus Mariota. However it’s been a lot of hard work for Tom to reach this point.
“I remember in high school,” Tom said. “I had nowhere to go. I wasn’t recruited at all. It was to the point where my mom and I wondered if I would even go to college. Luckily enough, Fort Scott Community College in Kansas texted me and from there I worked my tail off.”
From there, after a year where he hit .387 with 11 HR and 57 RBI, he transferred to Kentucky. Where, guided by current Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein, he nearly won the SEC batting crown in 2015, hitting .375 with a .443 on base percentage.
Cleveland took the 5’9”, 185 pound outfielder in the fifth round that season. The journey started with pro ball in Youngstown before combining for 23 HR and 86 RBI while hitting .290 between AA and AAA in 2019.
Tom wasn’t on a major league roster in 2020, but made the majors this year as a Rule-5 pick of the A’s. An oblique injury forced Tom to starting Spring Training on March 15, getting limited time before nine games with the A’s. The lefty-hitter was 1 for 16 in the majors before going on waivers.
Now after a couple of outfielders, including former Oakland lefty Dustin Fowler, flamed out. Blaze gets an opportunity.
“Relief, excitement, joy, like the first time I got claimed as a Rule 5 with Oakland,” Tom said. “Just having a team out here to believe in me thinking I could make an impact to get some wins. Hopefully really contribute to this team.”