Cincinnati Reds Re-Claim Former Rangers Prospect Bubba Thompson Off Waivers From Twins

Former Texas Rangers top prospect Bubba Thompson is headed back to the Cincinnati Reds after a brief stint on the Minnesota Twins' 40-man roster.

The Cincinnati Reds have claimed outfielder Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Minnesota Twins, the team announced Tuesday.

Minnesota designated Thompson for assignment on Feb. 7 as part of a six-man roster shakeup. In order to make room for Thompson on their own 40-man roster, Cincinnati has designated right-handed pitcher Levi Stoudt for assignment.

The Reds had Thompson for a brief stretch earlier this offseason, initially claiming him off waivers from the Kansas City Royals in October. The Royals, meanwhile, had added Thompson off waivers from the Texas Rangers in August.

Thompson lost his spot with the Reds when they signed veteran relief pitcher Buck Farmer in December. After spending three weeks with the New York Yankees and two with the Twins, Thompson is now on his way back to Cincinnati.

The #Reds today claimed OF Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and designated for assignment RHP Levi Stoudt.

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) February 13, 2024

A first round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, Thompson was once one of the Rangers' most hyped assets. He was pegged as a top-five prospect in Texas' farm system in both 2018 and 2019 before falling all the way to No. 29 by 2022.

Thompson made his big league debut that year, batting .265 with a .613 OPS in 55 games. When he returned to the majors in 2023, Thompson hit .170 with a .520 OPS in 37 games.

Left-handed pitchers have limited Thompson to a .165 batting average in the majors, compared to his .285 average against righties. Thompson has at least managed to flash his above-average speed at the MLB level, stealing 22 bases on 27 tries for his career.

The 25-year-old has averaged 20 home runs, 81 RBI and 58 stolen bases per 162 games throughout his career in the minors. As recently as 2022, Thompson hit .304 with an .829 OPS in Triple-A.

Cincinnati already has a handful of promising sub-30-year-old outfielders on its roster in Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl, Will Benson, Jake Fraley and Stuart Fairchild. It is unlikely the Reds carry a sixth outfielder on their roster heading into Opening Day, but Thompson now has a chance to prove himself in Spring Training and earn a more steady gig within the organization.

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