The Cincinnati Reds claimed outfielder Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday and designated right-hander Levi Stoudt for assignment in a corresponding move. Thompson has been passed around this offseason but will return to the Reds after they cut him two months earlier. The 25-year-old former first-rounder played in 92 games for the Texas Rangers the last two years and hit .242/.286/.305 with only one home run, 13 RBI, 22 stolen bases and 28 runs scored in 241 plate appearances. Thompson is mainly attractive for his defense in the outfield and his speed, but he won't be on the fantasy radar at all and will most likely open the 2024 season at Triple-A Louisville given the Reds' stacked position player roster.
Twins Claim Bubba Thompson Off Waivers From Yankees
The Minnesota Twins claimed outfielder Bubba Thompson off waivers from the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Thompson is on his fifth different team since last August. The 25-year-old former first-round pick in 2017 by the Texas Rangers has played in 92 games the last two seasons with the Rangers and has gone 54-for-223 (.242) with one home run, 13 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 241 trips to the plate. The 25-year-old will give the Twins some center field depth with Byron Buxton (knee) coming off yet another injury-plagued season in 2023. Speed is Thompson's greatest asset, and he can also play all three outfield positions. He's going to need to show better discipline at the plate when he gets chances in Minnesota so that he can get on base more often to utilize his excellent speed.
The New York Yankees designated outfielder Bubba Thompson for assignment on Friday to make room on their 40-man roster for the addition of right-handed Luke Weaver, who was previously signed to a one-year major-league deal for the 2024 season. Thompson could remain with the organization if he's not claimed off waivers by another club. The 25-year-old former first-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2017 hasn't panned out after hitting .242 (54-for-223) with a home run, 13 RBI and 22 stolen bases the last two years for the Rangers in 92 games played. In 37 games this past season, he went 9-for-53 (.170) with no homers, four RBI and 16 strikeouts in 60 plate appearances. Thompson hit .256/.334/.391 in 302 trips to the plate at Triple-A Round Rock.
The New York Yankees have claimed outfielder Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. It's the second time he's been claimed this offseason as the Reds claimed him from the Texas Rangers but recently designated him for assignment after they re-signed reliever Buck Farmer. The former first-round pick has appeared in the big leagues in each of the last two seasons, combining to hit .242 with one homer and 22 stolen bases across 241 trips to the plate. Clearly, Thompson offers plenty of value on the basepaths as he also stole 27 bags across just 65 games between the Triple-A teams of the Royals and Rangers in the 2023 campaign. He has shown some pop in the minors but that has yet to translate to the big-league level.
Bubba Thompson Called Up, Making MLB Debut Thursday
The Texas Rangers are expected to promote outfield prospect Bubba Thompson to the major league roster on Thursday, according to a source. Thompson will make his MLB debut on Thursday against Chicago White Sox right-hander Johnny Cueto, starting in left field and batting ninth in the lineup. The team's No. 27 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was hitting a strong .304/.355/.474 with 13 home runs, 48 RBI, 77 runs scored and a whopping 49 stolen bases in 80 games for Triple-A Round Rock before the call-up. Despite the speed, there are questions about whether Thompson can be a regular at the MLB level because of his 95:22 K:BB in the minors this year. Because of the speed alone, the 24-year-old is worth a pickup in deeper fantasy leagues.
Bubba Thompson
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Reds
