SEATTLE – Former Kansas catcher and current Philadelphia Phillies manager, Rob Thomson, will manage the 2023 National League All-Star team in Seattle at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday evening. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be televised by FOX.
Thomson, who led the Phillies to the World Series last season for the first time since 2009, was a catcher at KU from 1983-85 and posted the best hitting season in program history in 1984 with a .443 batting average.
Thomson was named the interim manager for the Phillies on June 3, 2022 following the dismissal of Joe Girardi. Thomson had the interim tag removed from his title on October 10, 2022 and was given a two-year contract extension. He took over the club with a 22-29 record and led the Phillies to an 87-75 regular-season record and a trip to the postseason.
The World Series managers from the National League and American League are awarded with managing their respective leagues all-star teams the following season.
Thomson was a career .369 hitter during his three seasons at KU, which is tied for the fifth-highest career batting average in program history (minimum 200 at-bats). He also ended his career with the sixth-best slugging percentage at .570 and ninth-highest on-base percentage at .448. Following the 1984 and 1985 seasons, Thomson was awarded the Gib Francis MVP Award as voted on by his teammates.
He went on to be drafted in the 32nd round of the 1985 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. Following a short playing career with the Tigers, Thomson transitioned into coaching and has spent more than 30 years working in various positions with the Tigers, New York Yankees and now the Phillies.
Thomson spent 27 years in the Yankees organization in the front office and as a coach. He was the bench coach for the 2009 World Series Champion New York Yankees. Thomson helped coach Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez during his time in New York and was in the organization for five World Series Championships.
Thomson is believed to be the first Kansas player to manage an All-Star Game and the second KU baseball alumni to participate in the event. He joins Bob Allison who was an all-star in 1959, 1963 and 1964.