Thomas McIlraith

Thomas James McIlraith

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 220 lb.
• School Midland College, University of Oklahoma
• High School Tascosa High School

• Born February 17, 1994 in Amarillo, TX USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Thomas McIlraith was drafted by the New York Mets in the 20th round of the 2015 amateur draft, out of the University of Oklahoma. He got off to a great start in professional baseball with the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League in 2015, going 6-1 with 1.71 ERA in 12 games and 58 innings. He couldn't quite duplicate this success in future years, but did make it to AA with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, for which he pitched both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the minor leagues in 2020. Originally a starter, he was converted into a full-time reliever with the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League in 2018. In 2021 with Binghamton, he was just 1-2, 6.23 in 14 games and was let go by the Mets.

Not ready to call it a career, Thomas moved on to the Independent Leagues, spending 2022 with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association, going 5-5, 4.14 with 19 saves. The following winter, he pitched for the Naranjeros de Hermosillo in the Mexican Pacific League, posting a superb ERA of 0.38 in 23 games to earn a job with the Algodoneros del Unión Laguna in the Mexican League in 2023. He had another strong season, going 4-1, 2.97 with 14 saves in 34 appearances. The Algodoneros made it all the way to the Liga finals, where they played the Pericos de Puebla. In Game 6 on September 15th, he was tasked with preserving a 4-2 Union Laguna lead ion the bottom of the 9th that would have sent the series to a decisive Game 7, but Puebla managed to score three runs off him and Jesse Ibarra to win the game and the series.

He returned to Hermosillo for the 2023-24 winter league season and did not allow a run in five appearances. Back with Union Laguna in 2024, he had another excellent year, going 6-1, 2.28 with 19 saves in 40 games. He led the Mexican League in saves after being one off the lead, held by Jonathan Aro, in 2023.

Related Sites

• University of Oklahoma bio