Clete Thomas
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2008-2013)
Clete Thomas was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2013 for the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins, a span of 6 seasons. In 249 career games, he hit .233 with 165 hits, 13 home runs, and 65 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 200 lb
- MLB Debut
- 2008-03-31
- Last Game
- 2013-09-29
Full name: Michael Clete Thomas
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 249 | 709 | 95 | 165 | 38 | 4 | 13 | 65 | 6 | 77 | 211 | .233 | .311 | .353 | .664 | -843 |
Career AVG .233 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 10.0% below league average.
Career OBP .311 vs. league average .326 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .353 vs. league average .409 across their career seasons — 13.8% below league average.
Career OPS .664 vs. league average .735 across their career seasons — 9.6% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | DET | AL | 40 | 116 | 7 | 33 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 26 | .284 | .263 (+8%) | .333 (+10%) | .416 (-3%) | .749 (+3%) | 90.6 |
| 2009 | DET | AL | 102 | 275 | 46 | 66 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 39 | 3 | 33 | 77 | .240 | .262 (-9%) | .332 (-3%) | .417 (-8%) | .750 (-6%) | -227.7 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2012 | MIN | AL | 12 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2013 | MIN | AL | 92 | 290 | 39 | 62 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 30 | 92 | .214 | .253 (-16%) | .317 (-9%) | .396 (-23%) | .714 (-16%) | -706.1 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 249 | 709 | 95 | 165 | 38 | 4 | 13 | 65 | 6 | 77 | 211 | .233 | — | — | — | — | -843 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (248 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 127 | 347 | 59 | 90 | 9 | 40 | .259 |
| Away | 121 | 361 | 36 | 75 | 4 | 25 | .208 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-29 | MIN | CLE | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-09-25 | MIN | DET | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-09-24 | MIN | DET | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2013-09-23 | MIN | DET | W | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013-09-20 | MIN | OAK | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013-09-18 | MIN | CHW | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013-09-17 | MIN | CHW | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-09-15 | MIN | TBR | W | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-09-14 | MIN | TBR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-09-13 | MIN | TBR | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 77 |
| Center Field | 74 |
| Right Field | 110 |
| Designated Hitter | 2 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | DET | AL | $481,000 |
| 2008 | DET | AL | $390,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $871,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | 2003, 2004, 2005 |
Clete Thomas: the record in brief
Between the debut on March 31, 2008 and the final game on September 29, 2013, Clete Thomas built the record summarized on this page. By club, Thomas's seasons break down as the Detroit Tigers (2008 through 2012) and the Minnesota Twins (2012 to 2013). Thomas, an outfielder by primary position, batted left-handed and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds. The birth record reads November 14, 1983, in Jacksonville, FL, USA. Thomas's full given name, per the bio, is Michael Clete Thomas.
The batting record for Thomas: 249 games, 165 hits in 709 at bats, and a .233 average, plus 13 homers and 65 runs batted in. The on-base percentage is .311 and the slugging percentage .353, for an OPS of .664. Measured against the leagues Thomas played in, the .233 career average compares with a .259 league average over the same seasons, 10.0% below the league. The OPS comparison is .664 to a league .735, 9.6% below average. The highest hit total in a season was 66, in 2009. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .240 in 2009, did not top the league's .262.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clete Thomas
- What years did Clete Thomas play?
- Clete Thomas played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2013.
- Was Clete Thomas a pitcher?
- No. Clete Thomas was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Clete Thomas hit?
- Clete Thomas hit 13 career home runs with 165 hits.
- What was Clete Thomas's career batting average?
- Clete Thomas batted .233 over his career, with 165 hits in 709 at bats.
- How many RBI did Clete Thomas have?
- Clete Thomas drove in 65 runs in his career.
- Is Clete Thomas in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Clete Thomas has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.