Ryan Thompson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #25 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Thompson went from minor league afterthought to World Series reliever in the span of two seasons. He was a dominating sidearm reliever at Campbell, going 16-3, 1.12 over 70 appearances and 161 innings in two seasons. He missed all of 2018 because of Tommy John surgery. The Rays nabbed him for $24,000 in the minor league phase of the 2018 Rule 5 draft that December. A year and a half later he finished second among Rays pitchers with 25 appearances.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As a pro, Thompson has gotten more athletic in his weight transfer into his rear leg, but he remains the epitome of a sidearm sinker/slider righthander. His plus low-90s sinker has one of the lowest spin rates in the majors, which gives it dramatically more sink than the average two-seamer to go with average run. He gave up only one extra-base hit and three flyball outs off his sinker in 2020. He'll occasionally sneak a low-90s four-seamer up in the zone to try to surprise a hitter. His plus mid-70s slider destroys normal notions of what a slider should be. It has no depth, but it runs away from righties and in on the hands of lefties. Its lack of depth makes it much tougher for lefties to hit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thompson's assortment is unusual, and he marries that with above-average command. He has the tools to be a productive, durable reliever.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thompson went from minor league afterthought to World Series reliever in the span of two seasons. He was a dominating sidearm reliever at Campbell, going 16-3, 1.12 over 70 appearances and 161 innings in two seasons. He missed all of 2018 because of Tommy John surgery. The Rays nabbed him for $24,000 in the minor league phase of the 2018 Rule 5 draft that December. A year and a half later he finished second among Rays pitchers with 25 appearances.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As a pro, Thompson has gotten more athletic in his weight transfer into his rear leg, but he remains the epitome of a sidearm sinker/slider righthander. His plus low-90s sinker has one of the lowest spin rates in the majors, which gives it dramatically more sink than the average two-seamer to go with average run. He gave up only one extra-base hit and three flyball outs off his sinker in 2020. He'll occasionally sneak a low-90s four-seamer up in the zone to try to surprise a hitter. His plus mid-70s slider destroys normal notions of what a slider should be. It has no depth, but it runs away from righties and in on the hands of lefties. Its lack of depth makes it much tougher for lefties to hit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thompson's assortment is unusual, and he marries that with above-average command. He has the tools to be a productive, durable reliever.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thompson went from minor league afterthought to World Series reliever in the span of two seasons. He was a dominating sidearm reliever at Campbell, going 16-3, 1.12 over 70 appearances and 161 innings in two seasons. He missed all of 2018 because of Tommy John surgery. The Rays nabbed him for $24,000 in the minor league phase of the 2018 Rule 5 draft that December. A year and a half later he finished second among Rays pitchers with 25 appearances.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: As a pro, Thompson has gotten more athletic in his weight transfer into his rear leg, but he remains the epitome of a sidearm sinker/slider righthander. His plus low-90s sinker has one of the lowest spin rates in the majors, which gives it dramatically more sink than the average two-seamer to go with average run. He gave up only one extra-base hit and three flyball outs off his sinker in 2020. He'll occasionally sneak a low-90s four-seamer up in the zone to try to surprise a hitter. His plus mid-70s slider destroys normal notions of what a slider should be. It has no depth, but it runs away from righties and in on the hands of lefties. Its lack of depth makes it much tougher for lefties to hit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thompson's assortment is unusual, and he marries that with above-average command. He has the tools to be a productive, durable reliever.