Rangers Top-30 Prospect Sets Stolen Base Record
Bubba Thompson is now the single-season stolen base king for Triple-A Round Rock after the Express’ game Saturday night against Las Vegas.
Thompson stole his 45th base in the game, which ended with the Express defeating the Aviators, 2-0.
Thompson stole the record-breaker in the third inning and became the franchise’s single-season Triple-A leader. Infielder Esteban German set the record of 44 stolen bases during the 2011 season.
Thompson is the Rangers’ No. 27 prospect, according to MLB.com.
The Rangers drafted Thompson No. 26 overall in 2017 and paid him a $2.1 million signing bonus after taking him out of McGill–Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Alabama. Thompson had committed to play baseball at Alabama but was a highly-regarded football recruit as well.
Thompson is playing his first full season with Round Rock. The 24-year-old outfielder is batting .299/.350/.466/.816 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI. He’s struck out 88 times and drawn 20 walks.
At one time in 2019, Thompson was the No. 48 national prospect according to Baseball Prospectus.
In 2019 he was assigned to Class-A Down East and hit .178/.261/.312/.573 with five home runs and 21 RBIs in 57 games as he missed much of the season with injuries. He did play in the Arizona Fall League afterward and was named a Fall League All-Star.
After the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, he hit .275/.325/.483/.808 with 16 home runs, 52 RBI, and 25 stolen bases for Double-A Frisco.
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