A New Thome Goes Pro

Every morning before school, Landon Thome made sure he woke up early enough to have breakfast with his dad. While sipping orange juice and eating his mom’s egg-and-turkey-bacon on brioche sandwiches, they’d watch the MLB Network, breaking down a player’s swing or analyzing an impressive play.

That kind of morning talk is especially valuable when your dad is Jim Thome, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after a stellar 22-year career. That journey included a 13-year stint in Cleveland where he became the franchise’s all-time home run leader — a legacy honored in 2014 with a bronze statue of him in front of Progressive Field.

“Having that time was really special to me,” Landon says.

On July 11, Landon took his first major step toward building his own legacy when he was chosen 34th overall by the Chicago White Sox — a full-circle moment as Jim smashed 134 home runs on the South Side during the late-2000s and remains deeply tied to the organization.

Now, Landon is kicking off his professional career nearly 2,000 miles away from home, playing in the Arizona Complex League while Jim, in his long-held role as special assistant to the general manager, flies back and forth between Arizona and his suburban Chicago home. So when Landon — who was named the Gatorade Player of the Year at Nazareth Academy — is taking an at-bat against a pro-level pitcher, it’s comforting to see his dad nearby.

“Having him as a resource — he’s the first guy I turn to when I have something to ask,” Landon says.

Despite the talent displayed in his early teen years, neither his mom Andrea nor Jim took anything for granted — or even assumed that Landon would continue to play ball just because his dad did.

“It really became real maybe a year ago when he was invited to some of these showcases, and he was fortunate,” Jim says. “You never truly know until you hear your name called on draft day. You never assume anything. You kind of just take it step by step, and that’s what we did.”

And when Landon’s name was called, it was almost surreal.

“Landon’s face was pure joy,” Andrea says, noting that his first hug went to his older sister, Lila. Jim describes the moment as a “dream” and a “blessing.”

As for Landon, it’s all still sinking in. 

“I think, honestly, I really blacked out in that moment,” he says. “All the emotions kind of flooded me all at once. It was such a special feeling, and I got to spend it with all the people I love.”

Just four days later, Landon was on a plane to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a few days of rookie orientation, followed by another flight to Glendale, Arizona, where he’s been “playing in 115-degree heat and loving every moment,” says Andrea.

Scouts described Landon as a slick-fielding shortstop with a dangerous left-handed bat. During his senior year, he batted a staggering .532 and stole 59 of 60 bases. Yet, those statistics aren’t what set him apart.

“The love of playing is something that’s a gift,” Jim says. “Genuinely wanting to play and practice. As his dad and coach, that’s what I see the most.”

Add to that everything Landon learned from his dad, and you understand why he went so early in the draft. “His baseball IQ is just off the charts because of that,” Andrea notes.

The flip side of that, of course, was the expectations that fell on Landon’s shoulders. While Jim was a 13th-round pick coming out of a junior college in Illinois, Landon received a $2.5 million signing bonus and was all over the White Sox’ social media on draft day.

Andrea remembers times when opposing teams would chirp at Landon, using his famous name against him, if an at-bat didn’t go his way.

“Landon never let it bother him,” she says. “Any time there was any kind of adversity he let it drive him.”

Longtime Cleveland baseball fans who were around back then know that Jim’s legendary status was built as much on his blue-collar humility as his 612 home runs. Around town, stories still circulate about the time he tipped $50 on a pizza delivery or dropped off his UPS package himself, chatting with the manager like he had all the time in the world. He constantly frames his family’s opportunities not as anything earned, but as “gifts.”

And Landon, at 18 with precious little media experience, sounded just like the “Jim twin” his mom says he is. He begins and ends our interview by thanking Cleveland Magazine for the opportunity. In the middle, he talks about looking up to fellow Sox draftees picked far below him, including — in a fun twist of fate that mirrored his dad’s own draft position — 13th-round pick Grayson Fitzwater. “He’s an awesome guy,” Landon says. “He kind of took me under his wing.”

That, says Jim, is what baseball is all about, whether you’re drafted late on the second day, are in the middle of a legendary career, or are helping coach after your last at-bat.

“Oh my gosh, friendship,” he says. “Wonderful, amazing friends in my life.”

He sees the same thing happening for Landon in Arizona. “They’re just at the lowest level, trying to identify who they are. They’ve had this great high school or college career, and then you see them all become a brotherhood. They all root for each other. When one of them gets a hit, it’s like all of them do.”

Jim’s advice to every player is the same: Baseball is a game of failure; more than 70% of the time, you don’t get a hit. That’s why you have to think of the sport like a basket and make a point of mentally adding something to it every day, whether it’s a stolen base, a clean catch in the outfield, or even just doing your best to support your teammates.

“We always talk about putting something in that basket,” Landon says. “It’s pretty cool having my dad along on this journey."

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