Dodgers Minor League Coach Continuing Career After Father Helped With Life-Saving Surgery

Hooks manager Joe Thon talks to a pitching coach John Kovalik before the exhibition game against Texas A&M-Kingsville at Whataburger Field on April 4, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. | Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League coaching staffs for the 2026 season included a blend of continuity from a year ago and new additions, including just-retired MLB players David Dahl and Michael Hermosillo.

With the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, Scott Hennessey is returning for his second year as manager. Dahl is among those new to Hennessey's staff for this season, along with bench coach Joe Thon. He also is known as Dickie Joe Thon.

Thon is in his second season with the Dodgers organization as he spent last year in the same bench coach role for High-A Great Lakes. Prior to that, he managed in the Houston Astros Minor League system from 2022-24 between the Single-A and Double-A levels.

Thon began coaching in the Minors in 2021 after spending time doing so in the collegiate ranks with the University of Houston.

Thon was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB Draft and received a $1.5 million signing bonus. His Minor League playing career spanned seven seasons despite being diagnosed with kidney disease in 2011.

Dickie Thon donates kidney

Thon is in position to continue coaching thanks to his father, Dickie Thon, a former MLB All-Star with the Astros.

Dickie Thon saved Joe Thon's life by donating his kidney in a decision he felt was easy to make, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

“I didn’t even think about it,” he said. “I just feel like that I wanted to do it and I needed to do it. And he has a lot of potential, so, to me, it was very rewarding.”

Accepting the kidney donation wasn't quite as seamless for Joe Thon, considering he's 34 years old compared to his father being 67.

“I didn’t want to put him in a tough spot, either,” Joe said. “But the doctors assured me that everything was good. It wouldn't really take too much of a toll physically, but you hate to put somebody in a spot like that. But it was best for me and my family, too. Dad was really adamant he wanted to do it.”

The surgery was performed at Houston Methodist Hospital in the middle of December and completed without any complications for father or son. Both were released from the hospital less than one week after the operation.

Dickie Thon played 15 seasons but appeared in just five games in 1984 due to suffering a fractured orbital bone as a result of being hit by a pitch. He played nine more years but wasn't able to replicate success from a 1983 All-Star season.