Thomas Frank La Stella¡Began his collegiate career at St. John¡¯s University and transferred to Coastal Carolina University. He nearly won the Big South Conference triple crown in 2011. Grew up taking batting practice in the basement of his childhood house in Closter, N.J. His father installed a pitching machine in the family home.
2022
The Totals ¨C In 60 games, hit .239 (43x180) with 17 runs, 14 doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI while getting on base at a .282 clip and slugging .350 (.632 OPS)...Starting off Right - Record his first home run of the season in only his second game at Colorado...going 3-for-5 with two doubles, RBI and a walk...On a Roll - Had a 6 game hitting streak in May... batting .280 (7x27) with three doubles and a home run and a walk during that span...recorded a hit in 8 out of the 11 games that month...Month of June - Hit .298 (17x57) with 4 double and 6 RBI and a walk... getting on base at a clip .312 and slugging .368...Injured List - Was placed on the 10-day injured list three times on April 12, July 8 and Oct. 6... he missed a total of 73 games with three different IL stints (missed 34 games with right Achilles inflammation, 16 games with a trip to the Covid IL from July 8-July 26 and he missed the final 23 games from Sept. 11 to the end of the regular season with neck spasms)...Leading the Way - Hit his sixth career leadoff HR (fourth as a Giant) on May 17 at Colorado...the 464¡¯ homer was his longest in the Statcast-era (since 2015).
2021
Appeared in 76 games for the Giants, mostly in the second half after missing 79 games from May 4-Aug. 4 with a left hamstring strain and a right thumb fracture... Hit .257 (39x152) with eight 2Bs, six HRs and 22 RBI after being reinstated from the 60-day IL on Aug. 4 (39 games)... Batted .297 (19x64) with seven extra base hits, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored over his final 21 games of the season... Started 47 games at second base, five at third and one at DH.
POSTSEASON: Appeared in all five postseason games (four starts at 2B), going 3-for-9 with two walks...was dealing with left Achilles tightness throughout the NLDS.
2020
Hit .273 with a .371 on-base percentage in 28 games with the Angels before being acquired by Oakland on Aug. 28 in exchange for Franklin Barreto...Went 0-for-7 over his first two games with the A¡¯s but then hit .311 with a .394 on-base percentage over his final 25 contests...Overall, he hit .281 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 55 games between the Angels and Athletics¡also recorded 27 walks and posted a .370 on-base percentage¡the 27 walks were his most in a season since he had 36 in 93 games in his rookie campaign in 2014 with Atlanta...Struck out just 12 times in 228 plate appearances for a career-best average of 19.00 plate appearance per strikeout¡it was the best mark by a qualifying player since Jeff Keppinger averaged 20.92 plate appearances per strikeout for Cincinnati in 2008...His average of 2.25 walks per strikeout was the best by a qualifier since Barry Bonds in 2004 (5.66)...Batted .303 (44-for-145) with all five of his home runs and 22 of his 25 RBI coming against righthanded pitchers compared to .216 (11-for-51) against lefthanders¡posted a .903 OPS against righties, compared to a .580 OPS against lefties...Hit .306 with runners in scoring position...Made 30 starts at second base (16 with the A¡¯s), 10 at first base, eight at designated hitter (six with the A¡¯s) and five at third base (all with the A¡¯s).
2019
In first year with Angels and sixth in the big leagues, set career highs in hits (86), average (.295), runs (49), home runs (16), RBI (44) and slugging (.486)...Tabbed as an All-Star for the first time in career... First Angels second baseman to be selected to an All-Star Game since Howie Kendrick in 2011... Hit .300 (85/283) with 16 home runs and 44 RBI in the first half...Became 11th Angel infielder with 15 home runs prior to the All-Star break: Doug DeCinces, Darin Erstad, Jim Fregosi, Troy Glaus, Bobby Grich, Jack Howell, Wally Joyner, Don Mincher, Albert Pujols and Mo Vaughn...Tallied first career inside-the-park home run of career June 25th...Was the first inside-the-parker by a Halo since Peter Bourjos in 2011 and the fourth in leadoff fashion in franchise history...Fouled a ball off shin July 2nd and missed the next 72 games with a fractured tibia.
2018
In fifth big league season and fourth with the Cubs, set career highs in games (123), runs (23) and OBP (.340)... Hit .312 (24/77) with a home run, 11 RBI and a .398 on-base percentage as a pinch-hitter...Led the Majors with 24 pinch-hits while his 11 pinch-hit RBI were tied with Justin Bour and Daniel Palka for most in the Majors...Set the Cubs franchise record for pinch-hits in a single season, surpassing the previous marks of Thad Bosley (20 H in 1985) and Dave Clark (20 H in 1997)... Appeared in 26 games at third base, 15 at second base two at DH and one as a pitcher...Made first career pitching appearance July 20 vs. St. Louis, allowing three hits and one run in 1.1 innings.
2017
Tommy split the campaign between the Cubs and Triple-A Iowa, appearing in 73 major league games and 33 minor league contests ... in four stints with the Cubs, he batted .288 (36-for-125) with eight doubles, five homers, 22 RBI and a .389 on-base percentage... Had a .488 OBP as a pinch-hitter with the Cubs, reaching base in 21-of-44 pinch-hit plate appearances ... overall he batted .290 (9-for-31) with four doubles, seven RBI and 10 walks as a pinch-hitter... Played 21 games at second base, 18 at third base and had one appearance at first base... Batted .476 (10-for-21) when leading off an inning... Earned the start in four-straight games, August 26-29 ... went 6-for-14 with two homers and five RBI during that span, including his first-career multihomer game, August 26 at Philadelphia ... went 3-for-5 with two homers, two runs scored and a career-high four RBI in the Cubs' 17-2 triumph... Went 2-for-4 with a double and his first home run of the season, May 12 at St. Louis, helping the Cubs to a 3-2 victory... After entering the game in the second inning due to a Kris Bryant injury, July 19 at Atlanta, he went 2-for-3 with a homer, walk and two runs scored... Went 0-for-2 with a walk in four postseason games.
2016
Started the season strong, batting .356 (16-for-45) with six doubles and two homers in his first 17 contests ... overall, batted .270 (40-for-148) with 12 doubles, a triple, two homers and 11 RBI in 74 games at the big league level ... set career-highs with a .357 on-base percentage and a .405 slugging percentage ... Collected four three-hit games, the most in baseball for any batter with fewer than 150 at-bats ... Hit .299 (35-for-117) as a position player, compared to a .161 mark (5-for-31) in pinch-hit duties ... Was 6-for-19 (.316) against southpaws while batting .264 (34-for-129) against righties ... Batted .364 (12-for-33) with three doubles and a homer out of the leadoff spot, his best batting average in a single batting slot ... Went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, three runs and an RBI, April 24 at Cincinnati, tying single-game career-highs in hits, runs and doubles ... set a career high with eight total bases ... Connected on his first homer with runners on base in his career, a two-run shot off of Washington's Max Scherzer, May 6 at Wrigley Field ... Placed on the disabled list, June 8, with a right hamstring strain ... missed 25 games and was activated, July 6 ... played in six rehabilitation games with Triple-A Iowa, June 27-July 4 ... Optioned to Triple-A Iowa, July 28, and was placed on the temporarily inactive list from August 1-17 ... batted .296 (8-for-27) with two doubles, two walks and four runs scored in eight games between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa beginning August 17 ... was recalled, August 31.
2015
Tommy La Stella batted .333 (14-for-42) in his final 23 games dating to September 2 after missing a majority of the season with right rib cage inflammation ... all told, appeared in 33 games for Chicago, hitting .269 (18-for-67) with six doubles and one homer. His .333 average from September 2 through season's end ranked second on the Cubs, trailing only Starlin Castro (min. 40 at-bats). Played 14 games (11 starts) at second base and 12 games (six starts) at third base ... combined to log a .981 fielding percentage (1 E/52 TC). Batted .375 (6-for-16) off the bench compared to a .235 average (12-for-51) in 17 starts. Connected on his second career home run and first with the Cubs, September 2 vs. Cincinnati, a solo shot in the third inning. Enjoyed a career-high eight-game hitting streak, September 15-23 ... hit .600 (9-for-15) with three doubles and six RBI. Appeared in two games before he landed on the 15-day disabled list, April 14 (retroactive to April 9), with right rib cage inflammation ... made the start at second base, Opening Night, April 5. Began a rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Tennessee, May 15 ... re-injured his side after being hit by a pitch, May 17 vs. Jackson. Transferred to the 60-day disabled list, July 4 ... played in seven rehab games with Tennessee before he was reinstated from the D.L. and optioned to Iowa. Hit .333 (11-for-33) with two doubles, a triple, a home run and six RBI in nine games with Iowa before he was recalled, August 24. Was hitless in 10 at-bats in six post-season games.
2014
Began the season with Triple-A Gwinnett before making his major league debut in late May...Hit .251 (80-for-319) with 22 runs, 16 doubles, one triple, one homer and 31 RBI in 93 games for the Braves...Led N.L. rookies with 36 walks and a .328 on-base percentage (min. 300 plate appearances)...Made his major league debut, May 28 at Boston, going 2-for-4 … recorded his first-career big league hit off John Lackey...Posted 20 multi-hit games, including four three-hit games (last: July 29 @ Dodgers)...Batted .311 (19-for-61) against southpaws compared to a .236 mark (61-for-258) against righties...Hit .300 (21-for-70) with 30 RBI with runners in scoring position...Went 6-for-11 (.545) with the bases loaded...Clubbed his first and only big league homer, August 8 vs. Washington, a solo shot off Stephen Strasburg...In 47 Triple-A contests, hit .293 (49-for-167) with 18 runs, six doubles, one homer and 23 RBI...Drew 25 walks while striking out just 14 times, contributing to a .384 on-base percentage...Batted .328 (19-for-58) when he was behind in the count in the minors.
2013
Opened the season with High-A Lynchburg and hit .555 (11-for-20) with a .690 on-base percentage in seven games before making his Double-A debut following a promotion to Mississippi on 5/6...Claimed Mississippi Braves Most Valuable Player honors after leading the team with a .343 batting average and a .422 on-base percentage...He appeared in 81 games for the club and ranked tied for third in doubles and was fifth with 97 hits...The July Player of the Month for the M-Braves hit .349 (29-for-83) with four doubles, 11 RBI, four stolen bases and nine runs scored. He reached base safely via hit in 21 of his 23 games played in July...Registered a M-Braves franchise record-setting 23-game hitting streak from 7/5-8/5...During the 23-game span, batted .386 (34-for-88) with seven doubles and 17 RBI while posting a .476 on-base percentage...Reached base safely in 76 of 86 contests with Mississippi...In four of the 10 games he did not reach base, he recorded two or fewer at-bats....Logged 31 multi-hit games with MS, including seven three-hit contests...In 31 multi-hit contests: 552 (69-for-125)...With Mississippi, posted a .364 (59-for-162) batting average and a .461 on-base percentage in 51 home games...His average on the road was .348 (49-for-141) with a .425 on-base percentage...Named to the Arizona Fall League's Top Prospects team after hitting .290 (18-for-62) in 18 games with the Scottsdale Scorpions..Logged eight EXB hits and 10 RBI while walking 16 times and tallying just four Ks...His six doubles and 16 walks tied for the Scottsdale team lead, while his .436 OBP ranked fourth and his .290 batting average tied for fifth. His four strikeouts were the fewest among batters with more than 25 at-bats...Enters the 2014 campaign rated as the Braves' No. 9 prospect by Baseball America.
2012
Named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star for the year...Also tabbed a Carolina League mid-season All-Star and Carolina League Player of the Week on 9/4...Led Lynchburg (High-A) batters with more than 100 plate appearances in average (.302) and triples (5)...After the All-Star break, he compiled a .397 average in 23 games, with 10 extra base hits and 16 RBI.
2011
Entered the 2012 season rated as the 28th-best prospect in the Braves organization according to Baseball America...Batted a Club-high .328 (76-for-232) in 63 games for Rome (A)...Garnered both organizational Player of the Month for Rome (.377, 8 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 24 R) and South Atlantic League Player of the Week (8/15-21, 19-for-32, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R) awards for his work during the month of August...In just his third professional game on 6/24 at ASH, clubbed two solo home runs in the R-Braves' 9-6 victory.
