Interview With Bubba Thompson | The Former QB Is Bringing Next Level MLBbro Speed To Texas Rangers

Interview With Bubba Thompson | The Former QB Is Bringing Next Level MLBbro Speed To Texas Rangers

by | Aug 15, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

Bubba Thompson was once committed to play quarterback for the University of Alabama, now the 2022 Triple A stolen base leader is looking to have an impact on winning for Texas.

 

 

Bubba Thompson came into this season as one of the Texas Rangers highest ranked prospects.

They drafted him 26th overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, in large part due to his perfect speed grade of 70 and an above average arm which was rated at 60.

He collected a franchise record with 49 stolen bases this season for the teams Triple A affiliate in Round Rock, however his game on offense is not limited to just speed.

 

 

He hit 13 home runs, 12 doubles and four triples with 48 RBI and had a .304 batting average in 80 games.

Thompson was called up to the Majors on August 4th.  Had he not been brought up this season, he could have been selected by any other team in this off-season’s Rule 5 Draft.

His first career hit came by way of a bunt single, during which Thompson registered a sprint speed of 30.1ft/second, the fifth highest home-to-first sprint speed in the Majors this season.

“That’s what I was blessed with, to be fast,” said Thompson when I asked how his speed affects the game.  “I try to bring it every time to the field.  I want to get good jumps and put myself in scoring position for my team.

The next day in his second game he stole the first two bases of his career. He is still searching for his first career homer, which should have come off of two-time Cy Young award winner and former American League MVP Justin Verlander in the 9th inning of a game vs the Astros.  

Although the ball cleared the wall, because it hit a fan and bounced back on the field it was ruled just a double after instant replay.

Thompson was rated as a three-star quarterback for the class of 2017 at McGill Toolen high school in Mobile, Alabama.

He held offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, and Tennessee before committing to Alabama prior to a senior year in which he threw for 3,173 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading McGill Toolen to the 7A state championship game along with current Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Jalen Tolbert.

“Marcus Mariotta was a guy I watched a lot of, but Cam Newton was my favorite player,” said Thompson.

“Playing quarterback helped me be a leader.  As the quarterback, you have to know everything, just like in baseball, if you play all three (outfield) positions  you have to know where to be.  It helps a lot on the competition side of things.”

Thompson’s bid at an every day spot in the lineup for the remainder of this season and into 2023 continues this week with a four-game series against the Oakland Athletics.