Vanderbilt outfielder Isaiah Thomas has transferred to the University of Oregon, a source confirmed to the Daily Emerald Monday. Thomas’ college is also listed as the University of Oregon on the roster for the Springfield Drifters, his new summer team.
Thomas is the second SEC outfielder to transfer to Oregon this offseason, joining former Alabama outfielder Owen Diodati.
The right-handed hitter batted .303/.357/.585 over three seasons for Vanderbilt. He stepped away from baseball in 2022 due to mental health reasons and publicly called out the Vanderbilt baseball program.
“I’m happy to announce I will be stepping away from my last year in the program,” Thomas wrote in an Instagram post last year. “After years of relationships, they choose their beliefs over the well-being of mental health and took advantage of that sensitive aspect in my life. That is all there is to share publicly at the moment. My teammates, this is not about you; it’s for me.”
With the Ducks possibly losing both Anthony Hall and Tanner Smith next year, Thomas is the second power-hitting outfielder they’ve brought in. Thomas has shown an ability to hit for average and power, though he carries a miniscule walk rate of just 3.7%.
With him taking 2022 off, there will likely be some rust to work through. Thomas recently joined the Springfield Drifters, a local collegiate summer team that plays in the West Coast League. The Drifters’ roster includes current Ducks Christian Ciuffetelli and Jace Stoffal, former Duck Taylor Holder (who recently entered the transfer portal) and three Oregon recruits: Dominic Hellman, Mac Moyer and JT Rican.
