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{{Infobox baseball biography
| name        = Thomas Dillard
| team        = Cleburne Railroaders
| number      = 10
| position    = [[First baseman]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1997|8|28}}
| birth_place = [[Greenwood, Mississippi]]
| bats        = Switch
| throws      = Right
| debutleague =
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| statleague  =
| stat1label  = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat1value  =
| stat2label  = [[Home run]]s
| stat2value  =
| stat3label  = [[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
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| teams       =
}}
'''Thomas Dillard''' (born August 28, 1997) is an American [[professional baseball]] [[first baseman]] for the [[Cleburne Railroaders]] of the [[American Association of Professional Baseball]].
== Amateur career ==
Dillard began his high school career at [[Briarcrest Christian School]] in [[Eads, Tennessee]], before transferring to [[Oxford High School (Mississippi)|Oxford High School]] in [[Oxford, Mississippi]] as a senior, where he was teammates with [[Grae Kessinger]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/04/04/mlb-draft-prospect-thomas-dillard-tear-oxford/82610658/|title = MLB draft prospect Thomas Dillard on a tear for Oxford}}</ref> In the summer of 2015, he played in the [[Under Armour All-America Baseball Game]] at [[Wrigley Field]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usatodayhss.com/2015/mississippi-rising-in-baseball-prospects-perfect-game-under-armour-all-american|title=Mississippi rising in baseball circles for high school stars, prospects|date=August 18, 2015}}</ref> He earned All-USA honors as a senior after batting .438 with 16 home runs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/06/15/ole-miss-signees-dillard-barber-earn-all-usa-honors/85916386/|title = Ole Miss signees Dillard, Barber earn All-USA honors}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usatodayhss.com/2016/american-family-insurance-all-usa-baseball-first-team-thomas-dillard-oxford-miss|title = ALL-USA Baseball First Team: Thomas Dillard, Oxford (Miss.)|date = June 15, 2016}}</ref> He committed to play [[college baseball]] at the [[University of Mississippi]] for the [[Ole Miss Rebels]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2016/06/08/college-or-pro-oxford-draft-prospects-kessinger-dillard-face-decisions-about-future/|title=College or pro? Oxford draft prospects Kessinger, Dillard face decisions about future|date=June 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/ole-miss/2016/06/07/thomas-dillard-grae-kessinger-choosing-between-ole-miss-draft/85546472/|title = Thomas Dillard, Grae Kessinger choosing between Ole Miss, draft}}</ref> Unselected in the [[2016 Major League Baseball draft]], he enrolled at Ole Miss.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2016/06/12/oxfords-kessinger-drafted-going-to-ole-miss/|title = Oxford's Kessinger drafted, going to Ole Miss|date = June 12, 2016}}</ref>
In 2017, as a freshman at Ole Miss, Dillard appeared in 48 games (making 45 starts) in which he hit .206 with four home runs, eight doubles, and 12 RBIs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://omaha.com/sports/cws/mississippis-thomas-dillard-has-switch-hitting-power-but-he-isnt-planning-to-use-it-in/article_c59c619a-bd16-57fb-8cb8-253ee6ee7aa7.html|title=Mississippi's Thomas Dillard has switch-hitting power, but he isn't planning to use it in home run derby}}</ref> As a sophomore, he started 65 games in left field without making an error and batted .310 and led the Rebels with 13 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2018/06/21/oxford-native-thomas-dillard-to-compete-in-college-home-run-derby/|title=Oxford native Thomas Dillard to compete in College Home Run Derby|date=June 21, 2018}}</ref> In 2017 and 2018, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Cotuit Kettleers]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1073789&seasonid=30631 |title=#16 Thomas Dillard - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |access-date=September 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1203314&seasonid=31242 |title=Thomas Dillard - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |access-date=September 23, 2021}}</ref> In 2019, his junior year, he returned to catching, started 68 games, and hit .310 with 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, and set an Ole Miss single-season record with 61 walks.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.djournal.com/oxford/sports/ole-miss/thomas-dillard-catcher-it-could-happen/article_327af0d3-2df1-5c4c-913c-2dc1dc9e1963.html| title = Thomas Dillard, catcher? It could happen {{!}} Ole-miss {{!}} djournal.com}}</ref> Following the season's end, he was selected by the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] in the fifth round of the [[2019 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2019/06/04/thomas-dillard-and-will-ethridge-taken-in-fifth-round-of-mlb-draft/|title = Ole Miss' Thomas Dillard and Will Ethridge taken in fifth round of MLB Draft|date = June 4, 2019}}</ref> He signed for $397,500.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2019/06/12/thomas-dillard-zack-phillips-to-leave-ole-miss-for-professional-baseball/|title = Thomas Dillard, Zack Phillips to leave Ole Miss|date = June 12, 2019}}</ref>
==Professional career==
===Milwaukee Brewers===
Dillard made his professional debut with the [[Rookie-level]] [[Arizona League Brewers]] and was promoted to the [[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers]] of the [[Class A (baseball)|Single–A]] [[Midwest League]] after four games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2019/07/10/brewers-promote-thomas-dillard-to-single-a-wisconsin/|title = Brewers promote Thomas Dillard to single-A Wisconsin|date = July 10, 2019}}</ref> Over 55 games between the two clubs, he hit .249 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/green-bay/news/2021/05/18/rattlers--thomas-dillard-profile|title=Freak injury may have been blessing for Rattlers' Dillard}}</ref> He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="si.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/30/minor-league-baseball-season-canceled-2020-coronavirus|title = 2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled}}</ref>
To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned back to Wisconsin, now members of the [[High-A Central]], and was promoted to the [[Biloxi Shuckers]] of the [[Double-A South]] in early August.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlox.com/2021/08/10/former-ole-miss-star-thomas-dillard-promoted-shuckers/|title = Former Ole Miss star Thomas Dillard promoted to Shuckers}}</ref> Over 105 games between the two clubs, Dillard [[slash line|slashed]] .247/.365/.444 with 18 home runs and 75 RBIs.<ref name="milb.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2021-milwaukee-brewers-organization-all-stars-joey-wiemer-ethan-small|title = Wiemer, Small offer reasons for Brewers' cheers}}</ref> He returned to Biloxi for the 2022 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/biloxi/news/2022-biloxi-shuckers-initial-roster-announced|title=2022 Biloxi Shuckers Initial Roster Announced}}</ref> Over 121 games, he compiled a .233/.364/.391 slash line with 12 home runs, 67 RBIs, 29 doubles, and 14 stolen bases.<ref name=MILBprofile>{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/player/thomas-dillard-666186 | title=Thomas Dillard Stats, Fantasy & News |website=Minor League Baseball |access-date=December 20, 2022 }}</ref> He was released on by the Brewers organization on December 16, 2022.<ref name=MILBprofile/>
===Lexington Counter Clocks===
On April 28, 2023, Dillard signed with the [[Lexington Counter Clocks]] of the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]].<ref>https://www.atlanticleague.com/stats/transactions/</ref> In 125 games for Lexington, Dillard hit .258/.398/.590 with 39 home runs, 100 RBI, and 8 stolen bases.
On December 21, 2023, Dillard signed with the [[Saraperos de Saltillo]] of the [[Mexican League]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 21 de diciembre de 2023|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-21-de-diciembre-de-2023|access-date=December 23, 2023|website=milb.com|language=en}}</ref> However, he failed to make the Opening Day roster and was released prior to the season on April 6, 2024.<ref>{{Cite tweet|user=ClubSaraperos|number=1776756854435053583|title=📜 Comunicado de movimientos en pretemporada de Saraperos de Saltillo 🐉.|date=6 April 2024|language=ES|access-date=9 April 2022}}</ref>
===Cleburne Railroaders===
On April 11, 2024, Dillard signed with the [[Cleburne Railroaders]] of the [[American Association of Professional Baseball]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=2024 Transactions|url=https://aabaseball.com/2024-transactions/|access-date=April 11, 2024|website=aabaseball.com|language=en}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |brm=dillar002tho}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillard, Thomas}}
[[Category:1997 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Ole Miss Rebels baseball players]]
[[Category:Cotuit Kettleers players]]
[[Category:Arizona League Brewers players]]
[[Category:Wisconsin Timber Rattlers players]]
[[Category:Biloxi Shuckers players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Greenwood, Mississippi]]