Tom Pittman

Thomas Anthony Pittman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 270 lb.
• High School East St. John High School

• Born December 2, 1979 in Metairie, LA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

1B Tom Pittman was a supplemental 1st round selection by the Montreal Expos in the 1997 amateur draft, out of a high school in Louisiana. A very big man (he was listed at 6' 4", 270 lb.), he was the 45th overall pick that year, and the Expos' 5th of 8 selections in the 1st and supplemental 1st round. His particular pick was compensation for losing Moises Alou to free agency. Out of that wealth of picks, however, the Expos failed to get much return, as only P T.J. Tucker, picked 47th, had anything resembling a major league career, with Bryan Hebson the only other player to even get as much as a cup of coffee in the Show. Pittman was one of the failures from that crop.

Except for one season in the low minors, he was never able to put up the kind of power numbers that were projected for him as a teenager. His first season, with the GCL Expos in 1997, was terrible, with an average of .152, no homers and 2 RBIs in 15 games. In more extended action with the Vermont Expos of the New York-Penn League in 1998, he showed a bit of improvement, but was still nowhere near where a top prospect should be as he hit .212/.274/.324 in 58 games with 2 homers and 30 RBIs. He struck out 67 times, against 16 walks. He moved up to full season ball in 1999 and had the best year of his career with the Cape Fear Crocs of the South Atlantic League as he hit .283/.328/.477 with 22 homers and 97 RBIs in 131 games. Still troubling were the 146 strikeouts, against 25 walks, but he seemed to be on his way to becoming a feared power hitter.

However, he could never reproduce that production. In 2000, moving up the Jupiter Hammerheads in the advanced Class A Florida State League, his power was sapped by the tougher hitting context, and he missed half the year with an injury. As a result he hit just 1 homer in 58 games and drove in 31 runs, while hitting .243/.290/.310. The low slugging percentage was particularly troubling for a player of his type. He returned to the same team in 2001, but he failed to turn things around: in 78 games, he hit .214 with 4 homers and 37 RBIs, once again posting an OBP below .300. His slugging percentage fell even further, to .302. and it was the end of the road for him.