Josh Thole

Born: 10/28/1986 in Breese, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 2009-09-03 | Final Game: 2016-09-21

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Joshua Michael Thole

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Biography

Josh Thole, born in 1986, was a professional baseball catcher whose career spanned from 2009 to 2016. Known for his adeptness behind the plate and his ability to handle pitching staffs, Thole played a total of 478 games in Major League Baseball. He made his debut with the New York Mets, where he quickly became recognized for his strong defensive skills and game-calling abilities. Over the course of his career, Thole accumulated 323 hits, including 9 home runs, and drove in 111 runs, while maintaining a batting average of .242. Thole was part of a generation of catchers who emphasized defense and game management in an era that increasingly valued offensive production. Although he had modest offensive numbers, his contributions to the teams he played for, particularly during his time with the Mets and later with the Toronto Blue Jays, were significant. His experience in the league allowed him to mentor younger players and provide stability behind the plate during critical moments. Thole's career, while not marked by overwhelming statistics, highlighted the essential role of catchers in building team success through leadership and skill. He retired from professional baseball in September 2016, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable and respected player in the league.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
478	1336	99	323	53	3	9	111	2	135	214	0.242	0.313	0.306	0.620	-3072.3

Career AVG .242 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 5.4% below league average.

Career OBP .313 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .306 vs. league average .404 across their career seasons — 24.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.620 vs. league average 0.725 across their career seasons — 14.5% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
2009	NYN	NL	17	53	2	17	2	1	0	9	1	4	5	0.321	.262 (+22%)	.332 (+7%)	.417 (-5%)	.750 (avg)	-10.9
2010	NYN	NL	73	202	17	56	7	1	3	17	1	24	25	0.277	.257 (+8%)	.325 (+10%)	.402 (-9%)	.728 (-1%)	58.0
2011	NYN	NL	114	340	22	91	17	0	3	40	0	38	47	0.268	.255 (+5%)	.320 (+8%)	.399 (-14%)	.719 (-4%)	-138.0
2012	NYN	NL	104	321	24	75	15	0	1	21	0	27	50	0.234	.254 (-8%)	.318 (-8%)	.405 (-29%)	.724 (-19%)	-1116.6
2013	TOR	AL	45	120	11	21	3	1	1	8	0	12	25	0.175	.253 (-31%)	.317 (-20%)	.396 (-39%)	.714 (-30%)	-602.3
2014	TOR	AL	57	133	11	33	4	0	0	7	0	14	25	0.248	.251 (-1%)	.313 (+2%)	.386 (-28%)	.700 (-15%)	-273.6
2015	TOR	AL	18	49	5	10	2	0	0	2	0	3	9	0.204	—	—	—	—	-246.9
2016	TOR	AL	50	118	7	20	3	0	1	7	0	13	28	0.169	.255 (-34%)	.321 (-21%)	.417 (-47%)	.738 (-36%)	-742.1

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	2	0	9	0	1	0
C	439	375	2687	171	17	15

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2009	NYN	C	16	15	72	3	1	0
2010	NYN	C	61	51	341	29	3	2
2011	NYN	C	102	91	657	44	2	4
2012	NYN	C	100	90	690	50	6	3
2013	TOR	1B	2	0	9	0	1	0
2013	TOR	C	39	34	253	13	2	2
2014	TOR	C	53	41	295	11	1	3
2015	TOR	C	18	15	87	3	1	0
2016	TOR	C	50	38	292	18	1	1