Hubbard’s Thomson has wheels

May 12, 2019 at 12:00a.m.

Speedy senior swipes his way into OHSAA’s

record books with 102 career stolen bases

Jamie Thomson’s thieving ways have earned him a reputation and a place in the state record books.

The Hubbard senior’s speed is well known in high school baseball circles around the Mahoning Valley, but that’s done little to slow him down.

“I hear it all the time when I get up to the plate, ‘He’s got wheels. He’s got wheels,’” Thomson said. “I know if I can just get it on the ground, I know I’ve got a shot at beating it. The pitcher has to think about me and then there’s our No. 2 hitter, Lukas Mosora. He’s left-handed so the catcher can’t see me and he’s worried about me. The pitcher now has to slide-step and everything.

“If I can get into scoring position in one or two pitches, I know Lukas is coming up with the big hit and I’m scoring.”

With 102 steals, Thomson is the 26th player in Ohio high school baseball to reach 100 stolen bases in a career, according to the OHSAA’s records. With at least one more game to play, he needs just one more swipe to become the most proficient base stealer in the Mahoning Valley. That distinction belongs to Brenden Wells of West Branch, who stole 102 bases from 2010 through 2013.

Thomson collected the century-mark steal during a 14-0 win against Jefferson on Thursday. His 35 steals this season are a school record. For the season, he’s batting .367 with 33 hits and 32 runs scored as the Eagles’ leadoff hitter. He’s been the team’s starting center fielder since his freshman season.

“The crazy thing is [he’s 35 for 36]. He was thrown out one time. We were down in Tennessee and let’s just say there was a suspect call,” Hubbard coach John Schiraldi said.

“He’ll get some of these big leadoffs where I’m like ‘oh boy,’ but he just has a knack for it. He’s as fast a kid on the baseball field as I’ve ever seen.”

Other than not chasing bases during lopsided games, Thomson is free to assess situations and decide what’s best.

“I’ve had the green light since my freshman year. If I can get to second, I can score on any base hit to the outfield,” he said.

“If there’s two outs, I’m probably not going to take it. If there’s one down or a count where I know the pitcher is coming with a curveball and I have the tendency picked up, I’m taking it.”

He’s been Hubbard’s Defensive Player of the Year twice so far in his career. Thomson’s penchant to purloin applies to other sports as well. He had four interceptions at safety for the Eagles’ football team last fall. He had 90 tackles to go with the picks, making him an first-team All-Northeast 8 selection.

Schiraldi has seen Thomson execute every variation of a steal, whether it’s taking second and third on consecutive pitches or stealing home.

Thomson’s favorite heist came during his freshman season in a playoff game against Ursuline. At the time, the respective arms of Irish pitcher Vinny Lucente and catcher Drew Potesta — who are both currently playing college baseball — made for an intimidating battery to steal a base against.

In the fifth inning, Thomson hit a chopper off of Lucente to second base for a single. Two pitches later, Thomson stole second, sliding to beat Potesta’s throw. Thomson scored from second to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Hubbard lost the game, 5-1.

“It was because of who the pitcher was, who the catcher was and it was the playoffs,” Thomson said.

“We were against a Catholic school that’s always good at baseball.”

Thomson is going to Youngstown State to study engineering with a minor in sports broadcasting and is exploring walking on to the baseball team.

In the meantime, he’s got bigger plans than a big milestone.

“My goal hasn’t been to get 100 steals, I want to win a district final,” Thomson said.

“That’s been my goal since my freshman season.”