Bubba Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bubba Thompson |
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Thompson with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2023
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: June 9, 1998 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 4, 2022, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 4, 2024, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .232 | ||
| Home runs | 1 | ||
| Runs batted in | 13 | ||
| Stolen bases | 27 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Leslie Arnold "Bubba" Thompson (born June 9, 1998) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bubba played for the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds. The Rangers picked him as the 26th overall player in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft.
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High School Sports Star
Bubba Thompson went to McGill–Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Alabama. He was a talented athlete, playing both baseball and American football.
In baseball, during his junior year, he was a great hitter. He hit for a .469 batting average and stole 19 bases. As a senior in football, he was a star quarterback. He led his team to the Class 7A state championship game. He threw for 3,173 yards and 38 touchdowns that season. One of his teammates was Jalen Tolbert, who later played in the NFL.
Bubba first planned to play college baseball at Auburn University. But in 2017, he changed his mind and decided to go to the University of Alabama. He was also a top football recruit. He received offers to play college football from schools like the University of Tennessee and the University of Mississippi.
Because of his skills, Bubba was seen as one of the best young players for the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. The Texas Rangers chose him as the 26th player picked overall in the first round.
Playing Professional Baseball
Starting with the Texas Rangers
Bubba Thompson officially joined the Rangers shortly after the draft. He started his professional journey in the minor leagues.
- In 2018, he played for the Hickory Crawdads. He hit .289 and stole 32 bases.
- In 2019, he was with the Down East Wood Ducks. He broke a bone in his left hand, which limited his playing time. Even with the injury, he was named an All-Star in the Arizona Fall League.
- In 2020, he did not play because the Minor League Baseball season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- In 2021, he played for the Frisco RoughRiders. He hit 16 home runs and stole 25 bases.
- In 2022, he started with the Round Rock Express. He hit .304 and stole an amazing 49 bases in 80 games. This set a new record for Round Rock.
Making it to Major League Baseball
On August 4, 2022, the Texas Rangers called Bubba up to the big leagues. He made his MLB debut against the Chicago White Sox. In his first game, he got his first hit, a bunt single. On August 30, he hit his first career home run. It was a solo shot against Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez.
In 2022, playing for the Rangers, he hit .265. He also stole 18 bases. His success rate for stealing bases was one of the best in the American League. He was also known for being one of the fastest players in Major League Baseball.
In 2023, Bubba played in 37 games for the Rangers. He was later moved off the team's main roster in August 2023.
Moving to Other Teams
After leaving the Rangers, Bubba Thompson was picked up by other teams.
- On August 13, 2023, the Kansas City Royals claimed him. He played for their Triple-A team, the Omaha Storm Chasers. He hit 4 home runs and stole 11 bases there.
- On October 26, 2023, the Cincinnati Reds claimed him. He was later claimed by the New York Yankees and then the Minnesota Twins. Finally, the Reds claimed him again in February 2024.
- He played in 17 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2024. On May 23, he was moved off the team's main roster again. He then chose to become a free agent in November.
Retirement and New Path
On January 12, 2025, Bubba Thompson announced he was retiring from baseball. He decided to go back to college at the University of South Alabama. He plans to try out for the football team there as a walk-on player.
