Youngstown State University

    YSU pitcher Justin Thomas had an outstanding three-year career for the Penguins and pitched for four different teams in the Major Leagues from 2008-12.
    Thomas, a native of Oregon, Ohio, was a left-handed pitcher for YSU from 2003-05. He posted a 19-13 record while appearing in 44 games and making 37 starts. He threw nine complete games and totaled 253.1 innings pitched. He had a career ERA of 4.48 and struck out 250 batters. Impressively, he had 80-plus strikeouts in all three seasons, becoming the first pitcher in YSU history to accomplish the feat.
    He ended his career ranked second in strikeouts, third in innings pitched and fourth in starts. He pitched six-plus innings in 27 of his 37 career starts while striking out at least six batters on 25 occasions.
    As a freshman, Thomas was a part-time starter as he appeared in 16 games and started nine while being named second-team All-Horizon League. He had 75.2 innings pitched and posted a 4.88 ERA. Thomas struck out 80 hitters after making his collegiate debut against Missouri on March 1, 2003. He won his first career game against Ohio on March 8 and made his first start on March 19 against Duquesne.
    He had eight outings of more than six innings during his freshman season, highlighted by two seven-inning appearances. Against Butler he struck out a season-best 11 hitters while not surrendering an earned run in seven innings of work. He had nine strikeouts against Detroit and eight against Marshall. He struck out six-or-more hitters in six contests.
    Later in the year he earned the lone save of his career, pitching 3.2 innings against Milwaukee at the Horizon League Championships.  
    As a sophomore, he pitched a career-best 93.1 innings and posted a strong 7-3 record to be named first-team all-league. He started 14 games and had four complete-game performances. Of his 14 appearances, he pitched six-or-more innings 12 times. He had 82 strikeouts and a 5.11 ERA for the season. He struck out six-or-more hitters in eight outings.
    Down the stretch, Thomas was the Penguins’ ace. He struck out a season-high 11 batters against Detroit and followed that performance with a nine-strikeout effort vs. UIC. In the must-win round of the Horizon League Tournament, he pitched a gritty eight innings against Butler to keep the Penguins close as they rallied for a 4-3 win in the ninth. YSU went on to win the tournament and advance to the NCAA Regionals.
      Thomas got the start in the NCAA opener against Texas and pitched six innings while striking out five Longhorns.
      As a junior in 2005, he was named the Horizon League’s Pitcher of the Year and was a first-team all-league honoree. He had a career-low 3.42 ERA and a career-best 88 strikeouts. Thomas was 7-5 for the season making 14 starts and finished with four complete games. In 10 of his starts he had six-or-more strikeouts and pitched six-plus innings on eight occasions.
      On April 8, Thomas struck out 15 in a dominating complete-game performance against Cleveland State. On May 20 in his final home start, he went the distance against Milwaukee and had 10 K’s.  
    Following his impressive YSU career, he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 MLB Amateur Draft by the Seattle Mariners. He made his Major League debut with the club on Sept. 1, 2008. That season he pitched in eight contests and struck out two in four innings of work.
    In 2010, he appeared in a career-high 12 contests for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 13 innings of relief work he had five strikeouts and finished two games. In 2012, Thomas pitched for both the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. He pitched in seven games for the BoSox and four appearances with the Yanks. He had seven strikeouts between the two teams. He also signed Free Agent contracts with the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels.
    In his Major League career he appeared in 31 games pitching 24.2 innings and striking out 14.
    This past season he was a starting pitcher for the Uni-President Lions of the CPBL in Taiwan.
    Justin, his wife Theresa, have two children, Ella and Ruby.