Kevin Thompson (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Thompson |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: September 18, 1979 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 3, 2006, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 2007, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .215 | ||
| Home runs | 1 | ||
| Runs batted in | 9 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Kevin Deshawn Thompson, born on September 18, 1979, is a former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder, which means he was one of the players who catch balls hit far into the field.
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Kevin Thompson's Early Life
Kevin Thompson grew up playing Little League baseball in Benbrook. He was a great student and graduated with honors from Western Hills High School. There, he played both baseball and football. Later, in May 2011, he earned a degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Kevin Thompson's Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Kevin Thompson was chosen by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round of the 1998 amateur draft. This is how many players start their journey in professional baseball.
He quickly showed his talent. In 2002, he was picked as an All-Star in the South Atlantic League. The next year, 2003, he became an All-Star in the Florida State League.
Thompson faced some challenges in 2004 due to injuries. However, he worked hard and played very well in the Arizona Fall League. He hit for a .320 batting average and hit 5 Home runs. Because of his great performance, he was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospects team that year.
Playing for the Yankees
In 2005, Thompson won the award for the Yankees' minor league player of the year. He played for two of the Yankees' minor league teams: the Trenton Thunder and the Columbus Clippers.
He made his big league debut on June 3, 2006, with the New York Yankees. In that game, he got his very first major league hit.
2007 Season Highlights
On April 8, 2007, Thompson was called up to the Yankees again. This happened because another player, Hideki Matsui, was injured. In his first time at bat that season, he hit a double that brought in two runs against the Twins.
Later that year, on September 1, the Yankees made a change and Thompson was picked up by the Oakland Athletics on September 7. After that, on October 15, the Pittsburgh Pirates also claimed him.
Later Career Years
2008 and Beyond
Thompson started the 2008 season with the Indianapolis Indians, which is the Pirates' Triple-A team. However, he was released on June 25 because he needed hand surgery.
In 2009, Thompson signed with the Newark Bears. This team plays in an independent league called the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. On September 4, 2009, he signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.
In 2010, Thompson played for the Fort Worth Cats in the American Association. He was released by them on February 10, 2011. For the 2011 season, Thompson joined the Grand Prairie AirHogs, another team in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.
