Bubba Thompson: ‘Stealing is What I Want to Do’
Texas Rangers prospect Bubba Thompson talked about his approach to stealing bases in a Prospect Q&A with MLB.com earlier this week.
Thompson, who is one of the Rangers’ Top 30 prospects as ranked by MLB.com, has developed a reputation for stealing bases while at Triple-A Round Rock.
Last week, Thompson became the single-season stolen base king for the Express as a Triple-A franchise when he stole his 45th in a 2-0 win over the Las Vegas Aviators.
Thompson stole the record-breaker in the third inning and replaced Esteban German as the franchise’s single-season Triple-A leader. German stole 44 stolen bases in 2011.
Thompson said he knows who to talk to as he’s put together his approach to stealing bases.
“Just going through the years and talking to guys here and there and picking their brains,” Thompson said. "(Stealing) is what I want to do when I get on the basepaths. And just getting on the basepaths and just learning. All the reps you can. And then it just comes natural to you.
"But really, just getting out there and going, man. Not thinking, just getting out there and going. Knowing how far I need to get, knowing the situation I need to steal here, but at the end of the day, use my athleticism and what I've been doing all my life and just doing it.”
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, Ala. Thompson had committed to play baseball at Alabama and 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 close to .300 for the season.
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 RBI 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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