Tacoma’s Rhylan Thomas enjoys stellar spring; Rainiers fall in home opener
Rhylan Thomas remembers the overwhelming relief watching his first big-league hit fall to the turf. The high, slicing drive snuck inside the left-field line and skirted away from Texas’ Wyatt Langford, good for a stand-up double at Globe Life Field last May 2. The 25-year-old outfielder soaked it in.
“I didn’t even know what to do,” Thomas said. “I looked up at my family up in the stands and I saw them going crazy, my friends going crazy.
“That’s what I dreamed of as a kid.”
Thomas had just flown back to Tacoma and unpacked his belongings in the Cheney Stadium clubhouse when he got the life-changing call. He’d be making his debut with the Mariners in Arlington, Texas, an eventual 13-1 win over the Rangers that featured a pair of Cal Raleigh home runs.
Thomas called his parents, and, when the first major-league hit finally came days later, he was sure to give the baseball to Dad.
“It was emotional for me to finally call my dad and say, ‘You’ve got to get on a flight because I might be playing tomorrow.’ That was really cool,” Thomas recalled. “It was a moment I’ll never forget.”
He appeared in three major-league games before the Mariners optioned him back to Tacoma on May 7, but Thomas went on to thrive with the Rainiers. He slashed .325/.380/.411 in 134 Triple-A games and collected a Pacific Coast League-best 178 hits. He struck out just 32 times and drew 46 walks, a savvy contact hitter considered Seattle’s No. 23 prospect this season.
Thomas’ good times keep rolling.
In 19 spring training games throughout February and March, Thomas hit .486 (18-for-37) with two homers, making the most of increased reps with several Mariners players participating in the World Baseball Classic. He called the power stroke an offseason priority.
But Thomas hates to strike out. Sure, every hitter does — but the Rainiers center fielder takes it personally.
He struck out just three times all spring.
“It’s a pride thing for me,” Thomas said at Rainiers Media Day last week. “Growing up, that was one thing that I couldn’t get over, was striking out in games. When I do strike out, I carry it personally.
“I don’t believe any pitcher should be able to strike me out. Now, I know that’s part of the game, but I just take pride in not striking out.”
Thomas started the 2026 season strong, going 5-for-15 (.333) with one RBI and one strikeout in three games at Triple-A Reno. There’s plenty of outfield talent in Seattle — Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone, to name a few — but he’s hoping another PCL-leading campaign could translate to another call-up.
“I just plan on being myself and hopefully impacting the ball a little harder this year,” Thomas said. “Hopefully those results will get me back up there.”
RAINIERS DROP HOME OPENER TO EL PASO
Chihuahuas catcher Rodolfo Duran hit a two-run homer and Triple-A El Paso beat the Rainiers, 6-4, in Triple-A Tacoma’s home opener on Tuesday night.
Duran’s skyscraping blast hugged the left-field pole before crash-landing on the patio of the Michelob Ultra Launch Pad at Cheney Stadium. El Paso led by as many as six runs before a Rainiers rally fell short.
Tacoma put the tying runs aboard in the ninth, but J.P. Crawford struck out, and Colt Emerson grounded out to third to end Tuesday’s series opener in front of a crowd of 4,518.
Tacoma’s 1-2-3 lineup punch of Rhylan Thomas, Crawford and Emerson struggled at the plate, finishing a combined 1-for-13 with a walk. Emerson was also hit by a pitch in the eighth inning.
Crawford, the Mariners’ starting shortstop, began a rehab assignment with the Rainiers after being placed on the 10-day injured list (right shoulder inflammation) ahead of Opening Day last week.
Crawford went 0-for-4 with a walk and a quality defensive one-hop snag in the first inning. It’s possible he rejoins the Mariners as soon as this weekend when Seattle travels to Anaheim for their first road series of the season with the Los Angeles Angels.
Rainiers designated hitter Patrick Wisdom belted a solo homer in the sixth, his Pacific Coast League-leading fourth of the season in as many games.
The Chihuahuas grabbed two runs in the first inning when Sung-Mun Song and Nick Solak each grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice.
Former Rainiers outfielder Samad Taylor extended El Paso’s lead with an RBI single in the third inning, and Duran added an RBI single in the fourth.
Tacoma’s Spencer Packard and Colin Davis delivered RBI singles in the fifth inning before Wisdom’s blast in the sixth.
The Rainiers loaded the bases with the tying runs in the eighth. Second baseman Brock Rodden lifted a sacrifice fly that cut Tacoma’s deficit to two — but Jhonny Pereda’s deep flyout to right field ended the threat.
Tacoma starter Randy Dobnak surrendered six runs (five earned) across 4 ⅔ innings, walking three and striking out one.
El Paso southpaw J.P. Sears threw five solid innings, allowing two earned runs with a walk and two strikeouts.
Tacoma (2-2) continues a six-game series with Triple-A El Paso at 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday night.
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 9:23 PM.
