Former MLB outfielder Bubba Thompson is enrolling on the College of South Alabama, stories Creg Stephenson of AL.com. He’s becoming a member of the Jaguars soccer group as a walk-on, Stephenson writes.
Thompson has not formally introduced his retirement from baseball, although he posted a social media video of himself throwing a soccer contained in the South Alabama facility with the caption “we again y’all!” Thompson, a Cellular native, was a quarterback in highschool. (Stephenson notes that he was teammates with future South Alabama receiver Jalen Tolbert, who has spent the final three years with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.) He handed on a baseball dedication to the College of Alabama to signal with the Rangers as a first-round decide in 2017. The toolsy outfielder obtained a signing bonus simply north of $2MM.
The righty-hitting Thompson drew reward from scouts for his athleticism and bat velocity. The longstanding query was whether or not he’d make sufficient contact to be greater than a fourth or fifth outfielder. Thompson by no means actually managed to take action. He fanned in 32% of his 259 MLB plate appearances over the previous three years. He bounced across the league by way of waivers final winter. The Reds succeeded in outrighting him off the 40-man roster in Could. Thompson hit .232/.264/.289 with a 28.5% strikeout fee over 57 Double-A video games. He certified for minor league free company at season’s finish.
If Thompson totally strikes on from baseball, he’ll end with a .232/.273/.295 slash line in 109 video games between Texas and Cincinnati. He was an asset on the bases, stealing 27 baggage in 32 makes an attempt.
