The Cincinnati Reds have bolstered their outfield by acquiring Bubba Thompson from the Kansas City Royals via waivers. This marks Thompson’s third team since the beginning of 2023.
Thompson, a former 1st round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 2017, had been with the organization until mid-August of the past season when he was waived and subsequently claimed by Kansas City. The Royals put him on waivers again recently, and the Cincinnati Reds successfully claimed him. With Thompson’s addition, the Reds’ 40-man roster now stands at 38 players, excluding impending free agents and three players currently on the 60-day injured list, who will be counted after the World Series concludes.
In the last two seasons, Thompson has made appearances in the major leagues. In 2022, he played 55 games with the Texas Rangers, batting .265/.302/.312 and stealing 18 bases. This year, he featured in 37 games with the Rangers, posting a line of .170/.237/.283 with four stolen bases. However, only one of those games came after May, where he served as a pinch runner against San Diego on July 30th.
During the 2023 minor league season, Thompson played 65 games at the Triple-A level split between Round Rock (with Texas) and Omaha (with Kansas City). Omaha’s ballpark favors hitters, while Round Rock’s park is more favorable to pitchers compared to other Pacific Coast League stadiums. Thompson recorded a .260/.338/.395 batting line in his 302 minor league plate appearances, collecting 14 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and successfully stealing 27 bases in 32 attempts.
Thompson is highly regarded for his speed, ranking third in average sprint speed among all Major League Baseball players last season, trailing only Bobby Witt Jr. and Elly De La Cruz. While he hasn’t displayed much power in the big leagues, hitting just one home run in 241 plate appearances, Thompson has shown more pop in the minor leagues, accumulating 51 home runs in 1861 plate appearances.
However, Thompson’s below-average average exit velocity of 84.1 MPH (compared to the big league average of 88.4 MPH) raises concerns about his offensive impact. In Triple-A this season, his average exit velocity was even lower at 83.8 MPH. Additionally, he has struggled with strikeouts, posting a 30% strikeout rate in the majors, which becomes more concerning given his lack of power.
On the positive side, the Reds benefit from Thompson’s favorable service time and options. He remains under team control through 2028 and has two remaining option years available if needed. The Reds will hope to tap into his potential and address the areas of improvement, particularly in terms of plate discipline and power, to maximize his contributions beyond his pinch running abilities.