Cleveland Indians 2017 top prospects: No. 23, Ka’ai Tom

Coming in at number 23 on our Cleveland Indians 2017 top prospect countdown is the Hawaiian native, outfielder Ka’ai Tom.

Who is Ka’ai Tom?

One of the best names in the system, Ka’ai Tom‘s full name is “Blaze Ka’ai Tom.” He was drafted out of the University of Kentucky by the Cleveland Indians in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, signing for $250,000.

The 22-year-old Honolulu, Hawaii native stands a mere 5-fee-9 inches tall. He’s a left-handed hitting outfielder who spent the season at Class-A Lake County. Sadly, a shoulder injury in May cost Tom the rest of the 2016 season. He was on our “Just Missed” list a year ago but moves up quite a bit despite the lack of playing time.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Tom spent two years at the University of Kentucky where he played mostly outfield though he did also play a bit of second base as well. He is very athletic and comes from some good baseball bloodlines. He was a third generation collegiate ball player as both his dad and grandfather played major college baseball.

Offensively, Tom has a knack for hitting and getting on base. In 2015, his final season at Kentucky, he hit .375/.443/.528 while playing against the tough competition of the Southeastern Conference. He picked up right where he left off after signing with the Tribe, hitting .283/.374/.403 in 66 games with Mahoning Valley. He got off to an even hotter (blazing?) start in 2016, batting .323/.446/.434 in 28 games with the Lake County Captains.

Most impressive has been his ability to draw walks. He walked 11 percent of the time in 2015 and an outstanding 17.1 percent in 2016. Not only does he walk but he limits his strikeouts as well.

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He walked more than he struck out in college and has struck out just 59 times in 94 pro games (to 54 walks). He has yet to show much power, hitting just four home runs but has 24 doubles and three triples. He has a nice swing that many feel could develop power as he matures.

Defensively, he’s played exclusively the outfield since joining the Indians, spending most of it in left field. He did play seven games in center field this past season and that’s what he was listed as when drafted. He has good speed and a decent enough arm to play right field even if needed.

There was some early talk he could play second base like Jason Kipnis does, though that has yet to happen. He’s a threat on the bases as well, stealing 29 bases in 2015 between Kentucky and Mahoning Valley.

Where does he go from here?

The key for Tom in 2017 will be simply getting playing time. He’s an advanced bat so the lost season shouldn’t hurt him too much but the Indians will need to see if there are any lasting effects from the shoulder injury. It didn’t seem major but as we’ve all seen with Michael Brantley, shoulder injuries can be way trickier (and scarier) than first thought.

The Indians probably will play it safe with Tom and start him at Class-A Lake County again or possibly even extended spring training. He should be at Advanced-A in short order if he proves healthy and he could possibly start there.

“Blaze” is one of my favorite prospects in the lower levels and not just because of his cool name. He has a great feel for the hitting zone and enough tools to think that he has what it takes to play at the next level.

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The injury can’t be ignored but he has a bit of a Shane Victorino–type feel to him at this point (similar size) or possibly even a Kipnis-type. He’s a gamer that can do a bit of everything. If healthy in 2017 I expect him to be even higher on this list in 2018.