Bubba Thompson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	18
AVG	.111
OBP	.111
SLG	.167
HR	0

Full name Leslie A. Thompson
Born 06/09/1998 in Mobile, AL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 197 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Mcgill-Toolen Catholic
Debut 08/04/2022
Drafted in the 1st round (26th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2017 (signed for $2,100,000).

View Draft Report

On the high school showcase circuit, Thompson fit more into the "projectable athlete" category; he was an accomplished quarterback.Thompson has made progress this spring in terms of translating his elite athleticism into baseball skills. He's a righthanded hitter with a projectable, broad-shouldered frame and a high-waist. Thompson flashes plus bat speed and has shown plus raw power this spring. His 70-grade speed gives him a chance to develop into a base-stealing threat and stay in center field; his reads and reactions in the outfield are raw, but he has the speed necessary to make up for his mistakes and he made some highlight-reel caliber plays this spring. Thompson will turn 19 a few days prior to the draft, making him old for the high school class. While he showed flashes of hitting in games on the showcase circuit, he was not seen as a premium hitter for average. He's hit well against inferior competition this spring. Thompson has drawn interest from teams in the first round, with the Dodgers and Yankees being two of the teams that have shown some of the most interest. He is committed to Alabama but is expected to sign.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: The 26th overall pick in 2017, Thompson endured a 2019 to forget at high Class A Down East. A broken hamate bone knocked him out for two months, then he missed another month after running into an outfield wall and hit .178 in 57 games. He bounced back somewhat in the Arizona Fall League after the season and spent the final month of 2020 at the Rangers alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: A football standout in high school, Thompson is the best pure athlete in the Rangers system. He has big power, plus-plus speed and is a plus defender in center field. The question is if Thompson can hit. He is a well below-average hitter with way too many swings and misses and little consistency from at-bat to at-bat. He needs to clean up his swing path and is trying to do that by staying connected. The Rangers want Thompson's swing on a better plane and for it to stay in the zone longer to create more margin for error. The good news is that he wants to be great and is willing to work for it.

THE FUTURE: Thompson has ability, but he needs to make significant improvements as a hitter to project as even a major league reserve. He'll try to do that in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: An all-state quarterback who could have played Division 1 football, Thompson took his athleticism to the Rangers instead, signing for $2.1 million out of high school. Still an elite athlete, Thompson is also raw and missed significant development time in 2019 having surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand, then after returning missed a month after running into an outfield wall.

SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson is an athletic center fielder and a plus-plus runner underway. His reads and routes still need work, but he has good range and closing speed to go with an average arm. Thompson has fast hands and slightly above-average pop that has a chance to be plus. However, Thompson's swing and approach will need significant adjustments. He will have to shorten up his stroke to close holes and cut down on his chase rate, all of which contributes to too many empty swings.

THE FUTURE: Thompson's athleticism and raw tools stack up among the best in the system, with a shot as a dynamic power/speed threat, but he will need to iron out a lot at the plate to reach that upside.
Track Record: Thompson was an all-state quarterback who had offers to play Division I football, but he opted to sign with the Rangers for $2.1 million as the No. 26 overall pick in 2017. Thompson was old for his high school class--he turned 19 right before the draft--and has shown promising physical upside and considerable risk as a pro.

Scouting Report: Thompson fits a familiar profile for Rangers draft picks as an explosive athlete with loud tools and raw baseball skills. His best tool is his plus-plus speed, which makes him a threat to steal 30 bases and is an asset for him in center field. His defense is unrefined--his first-step reads and routes will need to get better--but his closing speed helps him make up ground. His arm is average. At the plate, Thompson has quick hand speed and a tick above-average raw power that could be a plus tool as he gets stronger. Thompson's swing and plate discipline leave him with holes, with chase tendencies that led to a 29 percent strikeout rate.

The Future: Thompson's raw tool set is as good as any player's in the organization, giving him a has a ceiling to rival any player in the organization--if he can improve his approach to make more contact. Scouts highest on Thompson believe he has the athleticism to help make those adjustments and turn into an above-average regular in center field.
In a move that shouldn't surprise any Rangers fan, the team drafted a raw, premium athlete out of high school, selecting Thompson with one of their first-round picks, No. 26 overall, in 2017 and signing him for $2.1 million to pass up an Alabama commitment. At 19, Thompson was among of the oldest high school players drafted, and he held his own in his first taste of the Rookie-level Arizona League. Thompson was a standout quarterback in high school who is now committed to baseball full-time. With broad shoulders and a high waist, Thompson is a plus-plus runner with a plus arm who projects as a center fielder, although his reads and routes off the bat need improvement. Thompson has plus bat speed and average raw power, but he has a lot of work to do to smooth things out at the plate. He has an aggressive approach and will swing and miss, though he kept that manageable in his pro debut. Thompson probably won't fly through the system, but he has some of the best tools in the system at a premium position if everything clicks. He has a chance to see low Class A Hickory in 2018.

Draft Prospects

On the high school showcase circuit, Thompson fit more into the "projectable athlete" category; he was an accomplished quarterback.Thompson has made progress this spring in terms of translating his elite athleticism into baseball skills. He's a righthanded hitter with a projectable, broad-shouldered frame and a high-waist. Thompson flashes plus bat speed and has shown plus raw power this spring. His 70-grade speed gives him a chance to develop into a base-stealing threat and stay in center field; his reads and reactions in the outfield are raw, but he has the speed necessary to make up for his mistakes and he made some highlight-reel caliber plays this spring. Thompson will turn 19 a few days prior to the draft, making him old for the high school class. While he showed flashes of hitting in games on the showcase circuit, he was not seen as a premium hitter for average. He's hit well against inferior competition this spring. Thompson has drawn interest from teams in the first round, with the Dodgers and Yankees being two of the teams that have shown some of the most interest. He is committed to Alabama but is expected to sign.

Minor League Top Prospects

Thompson reported to Hickory at the start of May and stood out in all facets. He hit .289/.344/.446 with eight home runs and 32 steals. He showed plus power potential, plus speed and the bat speed to continue to hit for average. The 2017 first-rounder gave reminders that he split time between baseball and football as an amateur and remains raw. His strike zone expands, the load in his swing needs to be cleaned up and he sometimes struggles to hit velocity—but despite it all, his first full season was a success. Despite his over-aggressiveness, Thompson puts together good at-bats because he has good timing and hand-eye coordination to go with his bat speed. Thompson's bat is ahead of his defense. His plus speed plays well in center field, but he must work to clean up his routes and reads.
A multi-sport prep athlete from Alabama, Thompson came into pro ball with the expectation that he'd be less refined than other high school outfielders, compounded by the fact that he missed valuable playing time early in his Rangers career due to an ongoing knee injury. But few AZL prospects showed as much improvement throughout the second half of the season. A high-waisted athlete with room to get stronger, Thompson showed more feel for the game than expected to go with plus bat speed and plus speed in the outfield. A natural center fielder, he covers the gaps well with a long stride. He still has trouble going back on balls but shows good defensive instincts, and his average arm is enough for center field. His power started to emerge with more reps. The good reads he gets on the bases allows his speed to play up even more. "Bubba improved daily," Rangers manager Matt Siegel said. "His hit tool is very good. It surprised some people as far as how advanced he is (with his) pitch recognition . . . He does a great job making consistent contact."

Best Tools List

Rated Best Athlete in the Texas Rangers in 2020
Rated Best Athlete in the Texas Rangers in 2019
Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Texas Rangers in 2019
Rated Best Athlete in the Texas Rangers in 2018
Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Texas Rangers in 2018

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: The 26th overall pick in 2017, Thompson endured a 2019 to forget at high Class A Down East. A broken hamate bone knocked him out for two months, then he missed another month after running into an outfield wall and hit .178 in 57 games. He bounced back somewhat in the Arizona Fall League after the season and spent the final month of 2020 at the Rangers alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: A football standout in high school, Thompson is the best pure athlete in the Rangers system. He has big power, plus-plus speed and is a plus defender in center field. The question is if Thompson can hit. He is a well below-average hitter with way too many swings and misses and little consistency from at-bat to at-bat. He needs to clean up his swing path and is trying to do that by staying connected. The Rangers want Thompson's swing on a better plane and for it to stay in the zone longer to create more margin for error. The good news is that he wants to be great and is willing to work for it.

THE FUTURE: Thompson has ability, but he needs to make significant improvements as a hitter to project as even a major league reserve. He'll try to do that in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: The 26th overall pick in 2017, Thompson endured a 2019 to forget at high Class A Down East. A broken hamate bone knocked him out for two months, then he missed another month after running into an outfield wall and hit .178 in 57 games. He bounced back somewhat in the Arizona Fall League after the season and spent the final month of 2020 at the Rangers alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: A football standout in high school, Thompson is the best pure athlete in the Rangers system. He has big power, plus-plus speed and is a plus defender in center field. The question is if Thompson can hit. He is a well below-average hitter with way too many swings and misses and little consistency from at-bat to at-bat. He needs to clean up his swing path and is trying to do that by staying connected. The Rangers want Thompson's swing on a better plane and for it to stay in the zone longer to create more margin for error. The good news is that he wants to be great and is willing to work for it.

THE FUTURE: Thompson has ability, but he needs to make significant improvements as a hitter to project as even a major league reserve. He'll try to do that in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: An all-state quarterback who could have played Division 1 football, Thompson took his athleticism to the Rangers instead, signing for $2.1 million out of high school. Still an elite athlete, Thompson is also raw and missed significant development time in 2019 having surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand, then after returning missed a month after running into an outfield wall.

SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson is an athletic center fielder and a plus-plus runner underway. His reads and routes still need work, but he has good range and closing speed to go with an average arm. Thompson has fast hands and slightly above-average pop that has a chance to be plus. However, Thompson’s swing and approach will need significant adjustments. He will have to shorten up his stroke to close holes and cut down on his chase rate, all of which contributes to too many empty swings.

THE FUTURE: Thompson’s athleticism and raw tools stack up among the best in the system, with a shot as a dynamic power/speed threat, but he will need to iron out a lot at the plate to reach that upside.
TRACK RECORD: An all-state quarterback who could have played Division 1 football, Thompson took his athleticism to the Rangers instead, signing for $2.1 million out of high school. Still an elite athlete, Thompson is also raw and missed significant development time in 2019 having surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand, then after returning missed a month after running into an outfield wall.

SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson is an athletic center fielder and a plus-plus runner underway. His reads and routes still need work, but he has good range and closing speed to go with an average arm. Thompson has fast hands and slightly above-average pop that has a chance to be plus. However, Thompson's swing and approach will need significant adjustments. He will have to shorten up his stroke to close holes and cut down on his chase rate, all of which contributes to too many empty swings.

THE FUTURE: Thompson's athleticism and raw tools stack up among the best in the system, with a shot as a dynamic power/speed threat, but he will need to iron out a lot at the plate to reach that upside.
Track Record: In a move that shouldn't surprise any Rangers fan, the team drafted a raw, premium athlete out of high school, selecting Thompson with one of their first-round picks, No. 26 overall, in 2017 and signing him for $2.1 million to pass up an Alabama commitment. At 19, Thompson was among the oldest high school players drafted, and he held his own in his first taste of the Rookie-level Arizona League. Scouting Report: Thompson was a standout quarterback in high school who is now committed to baseball full-time. With broad shoulders and a high waist, he is a plus-plus runner with a plus arm who projects as a center fielder, though his reads and routes off the bat need improvement. Thompson has plus bat speed and average raw power, but he has a lot of work to do to smooth things out at the plate. He has an aggressive approach and will swing and miss, though he kept that manageable in his pro debut. The Future: Thompson probably won't fly through the system, but he has some of the best tools in the organization at a premium position--if everything clicks. He has a chance to see low Class A Hickory in 2018.