Landon Thome is trying to turn a familiar last name into his own path to the major leagues, and he is doing it with some unusual help in the batter’s box. The 18-year-old prospect is projected as the No. 33 player in the 2026 MLB Draft and is spending many mornings working on his swing with his father, Jim Thome, in a batting cage in the Chicago-area backyard.
That setup comes with a pretty strong résumé attached. Jim Thome is a Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star who hit 612 home runs over a 22-year career, and Landon Thome knows exactly how valuable that is. As he put it, having a Hall of Famer and former big leaguer as his hitting coach gives him a lot of knowledge to keep in his back pocket.
A baseball upbringing with real perspective
Landon Thome grew up around the game, although he did not remember much of his father’s playing career because he was 4 years old when Jim Thome finished playing. Even so, the family connection has still shaped his path, from an early trip to Cooperstown, N.Y., for Jim Thome’s Hall of Fame induction in 2018 to meeting Ken Griffey Jr. and Cal Ripken Jr. there with his sister, Lila.
Now, the family story is tied to something more immediate: draft stock. This weekend, Landon Thome is looking to become an early-round selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, and he is also training at Bracey Performance in Chicago with current major leaguers. That combination gives him both the benefits of high-level instruction and the chance to keep sharpening the details that matter most to scouts.
Why the setup matters
Jim Thome’s value in this process is not just that he is a famous name. Landon Thome said his father notices small things in the game that most other dads cannot see, and that kind of eye can matter for a young hitter trying to turn 25-homer power into a long professional career. Jim Thome called the experience special, which fits the moment for a father-son combination that is now tied directly to the 2026 MLB Draft.
For Landon Thome, the goal is simple even if the road is not. He wants to be a major leaguer as long as he can, and with the draft approaching, his next step could be the first big one.
