Bubba Thompson makes BA’s Prospect Hot Sheet

Texas Rangers outfield prospect Bubba Thompson, the team’s 1st round pick in the 2017 draft, made the Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet that came out today, cracking the list at #10. Thompson made the list after slashing .417/.481/.792 last week, and BA praised his arm and speed.

Thompson has had a solid year for low-A Hickory, as he has put up an overall .284/.340/.446 slash line while getting good reviews for his defense in center field. Thompson is one of those toolsy, raw athletes that the Rangers love, and while he’s a little old for a 2017 high school draftee — he turned 20 in June — he was also a two-sport athlete in high school, and so only for the last 14 months has he focused exclusively on baseball.

Thompson does have a fair amount of swing-and-miss right now, but for his first taste of full season ball, and given his overall tool set, this has been an encouraging year for Bubba. While Baseball America didn’t have him among their top 10 prospects for the Rangers in their mid-season update, I think the consensus is that he probably belongs in the 5-10 range in the system.