Jim Thome’s son, Landon, earned the Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year award for the second year in a row after putting up some gaudy numbers. During the 2025-26 school year, Landon Thome played for Nazareth Academy and set the school record for triples and stolen bases.
During his senior season at Nazareth, the son of MLB Hall of Famer Jim Thome batted .535 with 7 home runs, 29 RBI, 8 triples, 49 stolen bases (he only got caught stealing once), and posted a 1.676 OPS.
Landon Thome’s success also helped his team to success, as Nazareth Academy, as of this writing, has a 28-9 record after defeating Montini Catholic 5-2 in the sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
When his final high school season concludes, Thome will either fulfill the commitment he made to play baseball at Florida State (he de-committed from Tennessee over the winter and decided to be a Seminole), or, should an attractive Major League Baseball team select him early enough in the draft, will go pro.
Either way, the high school shortstop is almost sure to be a Major Leaguer someday soon.
Landon Thome has been named the 2025-26 Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year.
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) June 3, 2026
.535 AVG | 7 HR | 29 RBI | 8 3B | 1.676 OPS | 49 SB@FSUBaseball commit led Nazareth Academy to the Class 3A state tournament and set program records for steals and triples.
🎥: @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/COAkhHqU4y
Landon Thome was almost destined for greatness
“I mean, I feel like baseball’s been in my blood since I kind of came out of the womb, I like to say. I think I started playing around three,” Landon told CBS Chicago in May.
“I used to watch his highlights growing up and I kind of still do. I sent him a video the other day of one of the homers he hit in the playoffs, so that was pretty awesome. I tried to model my game after him even though now I feel like I’m kind of a different player than he was.”
Now, in addition to being Nazareth’s Male Athlete of the Year and the East Suburban Catholic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, he is a two-time Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year winner.
“He’s our leadoff hitter. Every game he goes up and gives our catcher a fist pound, and he shakes the umpires hand,” Thome’s high school baseball coach Lee Milano said. “Like, that’s such a great representation of who he is his family and a great representation of the program,” Milano said. “Yeah, there are some great moment when I see him hit the ball 400 feet. I love that too.”