Thomas Hatch Bio
John Thomas Hatch, known professionally as Thomas Hatch, is an American professional baseball pitcher. Born on September 29, 1994, he is currently a free agent after several seasons across Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. Over the course of his career, Hatch has appeared in the major leagues for the Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and Minnesota Twins, and spent time in Japan with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. He is recognized for his journey from a high school standout in Oklahoma to a multi-country professional career.
Thomas Hatch Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
After being selected by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2016 MLB draft, Hatch signed with the organization and received a $573,900 signing bonus. He did not pitch in 2016 following the signing, but made his professional debut the following season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League. In 26 starts for Myrtle Beach, he posted a 5–11 record with a 4.04 earned run average (ERA), gaining valuable innings as a developing starter.
Hatch spent the 2018 season with the Tennessee Smokies of the Class AA Southern League, where he earned Southern League All-Star honors. He compiled an 8–6 record with a 3.82 ERA in 26 starts, establishing himself as a reliable mid-rotation arm. He returned to Tennessee to begin 2019 before being traded midseason.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2019–2023)
On July 30, 2019, the Cubs traded Hatch to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for reliever David Phelps, and he was assigned to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to finish the year. Over 27 starts split between Tennessee and New Hampshire, he pitched to a 6–13 record with a 4.12 ERA. After the season, Toronto added him to the 40-man roster, and on July 26, 2020, Hatch made his Major League Baseball debut. In 17 appearances during the shortened 2020 campaign, he posted a 3–1 record with a 2.73 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 26.1 innings.
Injuries interrupted his progress in 2021, when right elbow inflammation led to a stay on the 60-day injured list beginning April 22. He was activated in July and made only three MLB appearances, spending most of the year with Triple-A Buffalo. The 2022 season saw Hatch make 28 appearances, including 22 starts, for Buffalo, posting an 8–7 record and 4.67 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 131 innings. His lone MLB start that year was a difficult outing in which he allowed 10 runs on 12 hits and two walks in 4.2 innings. He was optioned to Buffalo to begin 2023 and made six appearances for Toronto before being designated for assignment on August 4, 2023.
Pittsburgh Pirates and Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2023–2024)
Two days after being designated for assignment, the Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Hatch off waivers on August 6, 2023. In 12 games for Pittsburgh, he registered a 4.03 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 22.1 innings. Following the season, Pittsburgh released him on November 30 so he could pursue opportunities overseas.
On December 3, 2023, Hatch signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball. He made five appearances for the Carp in 2024, struggling to a 0–3 record and 7.46 ERA with 18 strikeouts over 22 innings. On November 8, 2024, the Carp announced they would not retain Hatch for the 2025 season, returning him to free agency.
Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins Era (2025)
After signing with the Doosan Bears of the KBO League in November 2024, Hatch saw the contract voided on December 18 due to physical concerns. He returned to North American baseball on February 7, 2025, signing a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals selected his contract on June 5, adding him to the active roster, though he went unused in the first game of a doubleheader and was designated for assignment prior to the second. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Omaha on June 8, returned to the active roster on July 29, and was designated for assignment again on August 2 after allowing two runs in one inning during his only appearance back with the club.
On August 4, 2025, Hatch was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins. In 11 appearances for the Twins, he posted a 2–1 record and 5.45 ERA with 21 strikeouts across 33 innings. On November 6, the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster and sent him outright to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints; he rejected the assignment and elected free agency.
Early Life and Background
Thomas Hatch grew up in Oklahoma and attended Jenks High School, where he developed into a prominent pitching prospect. As a junior, he recorded a 7–2 win–loss record with a 1.60 earned run average, drawing early attention from scouts. He went unselected in the 2013 MLB draft and chose to attend Oklahoma State University, where he pursued a degree in accounting while pitching for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
During the summer of 2014, Hatch played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League, a renowned developmental league. A sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow kept him off the mound in 2015, though the injury did not require surgery. He returned healthy in 2016, his junior year, going 9–3 with a 2.14 ERA in 19 starts as Oklahoma State reached the 2016 College World Series, and he won the Big 12 Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Year Award.
Path to Baseball
Hatch’s path to professional baseball began in earnest with the 2016 MLB draft, when the Chicago Cubs selected him in the third round with the 104th overall pick. His performance as a junior at Oklahoma State, combined with his recovery from injury, helped cement his status as a top-tier draft prospect. After signing with the Cubs, he began working his way through the minor league system, building the foundation for a career that would eventually span multiple organizations and countries.
Thomas Hatch Career Wins
Across his major league appearances with the Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and Minnesota Twins, Thomas Hatch compiled a series of relief outings and spot starts. His strongest big-league stretch came during the 2020 season with the Blue Jays, when he posted a 3–1 record and 2.73 ERA in 17 appearances.
Thomas Hatch Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Thomas Hatch’s family background is limited. He grew up in Oklahoma and attended Jenks High School, where he began his rise as a pitcher, but further details about his parents and upbringing are not widely documented.
Personal Life
Hatch pursued a degree in accounting during his time at Oklahoma State University, reflecting an academic focus alongside his athletic development. Detailed information about his marital status, spouse, or children is not publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a year of transition for Thomas Hatch, marked by several roster moves across organizations. After his KBO deal with the Doosan Bears collapsed in December 2024, he signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals in February and bounced between Triple-A Omaha and the major league roster through the summer. Brief stints with the Royals in June and July–August produced limited results, including one appearance that ended in a quick designation for assignment.
Claimed by the Minnesota Twins off waivers on August 4, 2025, Hatch found a more extended opportunity in the final months of the season. In 11 appearances for the Twins, he posted a 2–1 record and 5.45 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 33 innings, giving him his most sustained major league workload of the year. On November 6, the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster and sent him outright to the St. Paul Saints, an assignment he rejected in order to elect free agency.
Heading into the offseason, Hatch is a free agent with experience across four major league organizations and one NPB club. His 2025 numbers reflect a pitcher capable of providing innings out of the bullpen or in spot starts, and he is likely to attract interest from clubs seeking depth heading into the 2026 season.