Daryl Thompson facts for kids

Daryl Thompson is a talented American baseball player. He is known for being a pitcher and a coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds. Daryl was born on November 2, 1985. He is currently a free agent, meaning he can sign with any team.

Daryl Thompson's Baseball Journey

Starting with the Expos

Daryl Thompson began his professional baseball career in 2003. The Montreal Expos picked him in the 8th round of the MLB Draft. He started playing for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Expos. In 2004, he played for the Savannah Sand Gnats. He had 79 strikeouts in 25 games. When the Expos team moved and became the Washington Nationals in 2005, Daryl stayed in Savannah. He continued to pitch well for the team.

Joining the Cincinnati Reds

In 2006, Daryl Thompson was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. This happened on July 13. He moved quickly through the Reds' minor league teams. He played for the Triple-A Louisville Bats. There, he won three games in just four starts.

MLB Debut with the Reds

Daryl was called up to the Reds' main team on June 20, 2008. He had a great ERA of 2.22 in the minor leagues. His first game in MLB was on June 21, 2008. He pitched very well, not allowing any runs in five innings. He also struck out two batters.

Developing in the Minor Leagues

After his first taste of MLB, Daryl was sent back to the Triple-A Louisville Bats in 2009. This was to get more experience. He spent the 2010 season with the Double-A Carolina Mudcats. He had a 3.71 ERA in 12 games. In 2011, he was briefly called back up to the Reds. He pitched in a few games before returning to the minor leagues.

Time with the Minnesota Twins

In November 2011, Daryl signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins. He was invited to their Spring Training. He played for their minor league team, the Rochester Red Wings. He pitched in 9 games before being released by the Twins in June 2012.

Playing for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

After leaving the Twins, Daryl joined the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. This team is part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He pitched very well for them in 2012. He had a 2.94 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 11 games. In 2013, he continued to play for the Blue Crabs. He had a strong record of 10 wins and 5 losses.

Brief Stints with Other Teams

In August 2013, Daryl signed with the New York Mets. He played for their Triple-A team, the Las Vegas 51s. He then played briefly for the Guerreros de Oaxaca in the Mexican League in 2014.

Returning to the Blue Crabs (Multiple Times)

Daryl returned to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for a second time in 2014. He had 99 strikeouts in 22 games. In 2015, he played for the Piratas de Campeche in Mexico. After that, he came back to the Blue Crabs for a third time. He played for them in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. He consistently had good seasons with the team.

Player and Coach

In 2019, Daryl Thompson took on a new role. He became a pitching coach for the Blue Crabs. This meant he was both a player and a coach. He had an amazing season that year. He won 15 games and had 162 strikeouts. He was named the 2019 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year.

Daryl did not play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to the Blue Crabs as a player/coach in 2021. He had another fantastic season, winning 16 games. He was named ALPB Pitcher of the Year for the second year in a row.

In 2022, Daryl re-signed with the Blue Crabs. He continued as a player/coach. He had 15 wins and 119 strikeouts. He was named an Atlantic League All-Star. For the third year in a row, he won the ALPB Pitcher of the Year award. This made him the pitcher with the most Pitcher of the Year awards in the league's history.

Daryl returned for his 11th season with the Blue Crabs in 2023. He also continued his role as player-coach. He pitched in 17 games, earning 6 wins. In 2024, he played his 12th season with the team. He continued as a player-coach. Daryl Thompson was released by the Blue Crabs in February 2025.