Alek Thomas had a 2024 season to forget with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Dealing with a hamstring injury that cost him several months, Thomas, a Mt. Carmel High School grad, felt like he didn’t play as well as he could have with the big-league club.

But, he wasn’t going to linger on the struggles.

He would try and get back on track as soon as possible.

Thomas was back in town June 23-25 as the Diamondbacks played the White Sox in a three-game series, taking 2 of 3 games.

“I definitely learned a lot about myself and the way things are when you get hurt,” Thomas said. “It’s the first time that ever happened to me. It’s a lot to learn mentally as well. It’s more mental than anything. There’s a lot to learn from last year.”

Thomas was a star player for the Caravan in a standout high school career. He was drafted in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Diamondbacks and quickly went to work through the team’s minor league system.

Thomas eventually made his MLB debut on May 8, 2022.

But, after two solid seasons in 2022 and 2023, Thomas was hit by the injury bug early in the 2024 campaign. He suffered a strained left hamstring that caused him to miss three months of action from April into July.

Even battling a slump at the plate lately, Thomas is always chipping away at getting back in rhythm.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs, at least for me,” Thomas said. “Hopefully we can get things back up and on the good side of things. I have a lot to be grateful for considering the season I had last year with an injury and didn’t play well. Everything’s good. I can’t complain.”

Thomas played in 39 games in 2024, finishing with 3 home runs and 17 RBI.

This season, he’s hit .239 with 4 home runs, 25 runs and 22 RBI with 5 stolen bases.

On June 7 against Miami, Thomas blasted a 2-run home run in a 9-8 home loss to the Marlins.

Mt. Carmel Coach Brian Hurry said Thomas is built to handle the tough times and come out for the better.

“Alek has always handled adversity well,” Hurry said. “Baseball is a hard sport to play at any level, but succeeding at the MLB level is almost impossible. He has such an even-keel personality, which I feel helps him through the ups and downs that naturally come with playing baseball. He’s also mentally tough and a great competitor. He always has been.”

The recent trip to Chicago wasn’t his first as a big leaguer, but he always enjoys a chance to come back home.

Much of his fiance, Kayla’s, family was at the White Sox series. The couple is getting married in December in Mexico.

As well, he doesn’t miss a chance to get a sausage pan pizza at Ricobene’s in Bridgeport.

For Thomas, baseball has always been a part of his life.

His dad, Allen, was the Sox’s longtime strength and conditioning coach, so Thomas literally grew up in a big-league clubhouse.

Making the jump from touted high school star to high draft pick to consistent professional has been a journey, but one he’s definitely enjoyed.

“It’s great playing in the big leagues,” Thomas said. “It’s a lot harder than people think. It just depends on what kind of perspective you have. For me, I’m super-grateful to be a MLB player and be out here and play. You want to have fun all the time, which is hard sometimes. It’s also a business. You want to have fun and not take it too seriously. If you do, you’ll be in a good spot.”

Thomas hit a big game-tying home run against the Phillies in the 2023 National League Championship Series, a breakout moment for him on a national stage.

The Diamondbacks eventually lost in 5 games to the Texas Rangers in the World Series.

And while he’s working toward finding that consistent bat, his defense has been as strong as ever in center field, including some impressive plays against the White Sox.

“To me, Alek is one of the best defensive center fielders in the game today,” Hurry said. “He made two spectacular plays against the White Sox. Both plays were a huge part of the Diamondbacks winning that game.”

Through the Marlins series, the Diamondbacks were 41-42 overall and 5 games back in the Wild Card standings.

The Diamondbacks have recently dealt with a long list of injuries, including star right fielder Corbin Carroll, but Thomas knows the team has all the potential to make the playoffs.

“For us, we’ve got to continue to be together and play for one another,” Thomas said. “Pick up guys who have fallen or gotten hurt. We have a lot of guys who are super positive and very spirited. That will continue to push this team along. It’s the next guy up mentality and scratch wins across however we can.”