It is common for top-tier players across the world of sports to be dual-sport athletes at the high school, and even collegiate, level. Jeff Francoeur was a baseball star and state champion football player at Parkview High School. Mike Trout earned letters in both baseball and basketball at Millville Senior High School. Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson even played college baseball and football during their time in school. Bubba Thompson is the latest two-sport athlete to make headlines and is hoping to gain success in Major League Baseball.
Bubba Thompson Draft Profile
Overview
Leslie “Bubba” Thompson played both football and baseball at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Thompson was named to the all-state football team for his junior campaign, after which he considered pursuing football collegiately instead of baseball. Instead, Thompson, an outfielder, committed to play baseball at the University of Alabama and could go in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft.
Luckily for Thompson, he does not have to look far to find a successful local athlete. McGill-Toolen is located in Mobile, Alabama, which is the hometown of none other than Hall of Fame outfielder and living legend Hank Aaron.
Strengths
Thompson is listed at 6’2”, 180 lbs. He displays good speed and range in the field, along with an above-average outfield arm. Heading into the second round of the playoffs, Thompson hit .404 with nine home runs, 30 RBI, and 49 runs scored. There is always the concern that high school hitters will not be able to adjust to strong competition at the next level, but Thompson looks like the real deal.
Weaknesses
There are two potential weaknesses for Thompson. The first is a lack of plate discipline. Thompson’s numbers are fantastic across the board, but he has struck out 18 times in his senior season and walked just 15 times. Though this ratio could be worse, it is also an indicator that Thompson will need to develop patience and a better grasp of the strike zone to improve.
The second weakness for Thompson is a lack of elite power. Power is another attribute that can be hard to gauge in a high school player. Either way, Thompson will need to add some weight and increase his power in order to reach his full potential.
