Tommy Troy: ‘Felt like a long time’ before D-backs came calling, Stanford time helped discipline

Tommy Troy, 24, was born more than three months after the Arizona Diamondbacks captured their first and only World Series title, but his youth didn’t affect how long it felt before making his MLB debut.

After three years at Stanford (2021-23), the versatile fielder played in 268 minor league games in the D-backs’ farm system before getting the phone call he’d been waiting for on May 22.

“It felt like a long time,” Troy told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday. “The minor leagues is long, dude. It was a grind. I mean, especially in 2024 where I was hurt for most of the year. That felt like a really long year where I hurt my hamstring, and I was rehabbing here for almost three months.”

Troy had just played for Triple-A Reno against the Oklahoma City Comets, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, and was told by assistant of player development Miguel Montero to meet him in their hotel lobby to review film. Little did he know that meeting was never going to be about his 2-for-5 outing.

“I called my dad right away. He was pretty pumped. Keep in mind, it’s like 1:00, 1:30 in the morning. I was in Oklahoma City, so it was a little bit better of a time for them in Arizona,” Troy explained.

“My girlfriend was currently on a night shift. She’s a nurse. So, she was currently on her shift and I let her know. She was freaking out. … Then I called my mom, sister, all that. I pretty much got no sleep for the rest of the night until my flight at 9:00 in the morning.”

The 5-foot-9 former first-round draft pick by Arizona didn’t get his first big league at-bat until the Colorado Rockies series finale. He made it a significant one, however, as Troy doubled off Jose Quintana and finished 2-for-4 as the D-backs won 9-1.

As for where his ball is from his first career hit?

“The ball is in my locker right now. It’s going straight to my dad,” Troy said.

Then, in just his 21st at-bat on Monday against the Dodgers, Troy walloped his first MLB home run off Emmet Sheehan, a solo shot to left field that got the D-backs on the board.

In a postgame TV interview, Troy said he wasn’t greeted with the usual silent treatment from a dugout after a player’s first career home run. Having just gotten swept against the Seattle Mariners and taking on a National League West rival, the stakes were too high for that unwritten tradition.

T as in Troy’s first Major League home run. pic.twitter.com/TJkorj7Sof

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 2, 2026

Originally from San Jose, California, Troy said his childhood team was the San Francisco Giants and he “never hated the Dodgers.” But going deep off any arm rostered by the two-time defending champions will be a memory to cherish forever.

 

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The home run also doubled as Troy’s first career RBI. And he followed the long ball with a professionally executed bunt to finish 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

He is slashing .318 (7-for-22)/.400/.545 through eight games.

While Troy has gotten each of his MLB reps in left field, the 24-year-old actually has the least minor league experience (18 games) at the position. He said he is most comfortable at second base — which Troy has 131 minor league starts at — but because he wasn’t an “everyday guy” even at Stanford, that meant he had to show versatility to get on the field. Troy has taken reps at shortstop (72 games), center field (27) and designated hitter (22) as well.

“I’m loving left field so far and I’ll play wherever they need me to play,” Troy said.

Choosing Stanford, college baseball route was invaluable for Tommy Troy

Rather than completely forgo college, Troy said he “felt like that was something I needed early on.”

“In high school, I didn’t have the most discipline. I worked hard with baseball, but on the school side of things I was not like strict. But I mean, my parents really pushed me to go a school that would have good education and stuff like that,” Troy said.

“I’ll never forget my first AP class that I took in high school. It was like AP European history and I was struggling deep in that, and I remember the teacher wanted to transfer me out. But I stuck through with it. I needed to get a certain GPA to even get an offer from Stanford for baseball and I finally did it. I was super proud of myself and then just kept going on from there.”

Troy started 143 games and slashed .338/.411/.603 while a Cardinal, as he was a two-time Pac-12 Conference champion (2022-23) and the Stanford Regional MVP in 2023.

He was pursuing a degree in science, technology and society, which Troy said would have led him to a career in data analysis. Though he never graduated, Troy said he has the goal of completing what he started. It may be a difficult task, however, as Stanford graduates must attend in-person classes.

Yes, a framed Stanford degree might be in his future, but Troy is seeking to frame a few more balls, bats and jerseys while he can.

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