Tony Thompson
| AB | 1437 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .258 |
| OBP | .329 |
| SLG | .41 |
| HR | 46 |
- Full name Anthony M. Thompson
- Born 12/19/1988 in Reno, NV
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Kansas
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Drafted in the 6th round (185th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2010 (signed for $125,000).
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Thompson won the first triple crown in Big 12 Conference history a year ago, batting .389 with 21 homers and 82 RBIs. Hopes for an encore were dashed when he fouled a ball off his left kneecap in a February practice, sidelining him for the first 19 games of the season with a hairline fracture. He was overanxious when he returned, chasing too many pitches, but started to look more like himself toward the end of the season. Huge and strong at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, Thompson generates easy power to all fields. His swing can get long at times, but he doesn't strike out excessively like many sluggers do. Thompson's speed and mobility were below-average before he got hurt. While he has the arm strength to play third base, his range and agility are substandard. His regular-season fielding percentage was just .880, a further indication he's destined for first base as a pro. His bat should play well enough there for him to get drafted in the first five rounds.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Thompson became the Big 12 Conference's first-ever triple crown winner in 2009, batting .389 with 21 homers and 82 RBIs as a sophomore. He wasn't able to duplicate that success as a junior after he fouled a ball off his left kneecap in a February practice, resulting in a hairline fracture and knocking him out of Kansas' first 19 games. After a tough start, he recovered to hit .338 for the Jayhawks, though he had just six homers. Oakland grabbed him in the sixth round and signed him for $125,000. While he managed just three homers in his pro debut, Thompson's power remains his carrying tool. He has leverage in his swing and though he utilizes a gapto- gap approach, most of his power is geared to his pull side. His swing will need adjustments if he's going to hit for average, particularly at higher levels, because it tends to get long and he needs to stay through the ball better. Thompson has a strong arm that's suited for third base, but his speed, range and agility are all below average. He led short-season Northwest League third baseman with 21 errors last summer, and most scouts think he'll eventually have to move to first base. The best-case scenario is that Thompson fits the profile of a power-hitting third baseman, but he'll have to answer significant questions about whether he can hit for average and stay at the hot corner when he begin his first full pro season in high Class A.
