Twins claim Thompson off waivers from Yankees
The Twins added some speed to their roster Wednesday when they claimed outfielder Bubba Thompson off waivers from the New York Yankees.
Thompson, 25, has bounced around the waiver wire this winter. After finishing last season with the Kansas City Royals' Class AAA team, he was claimed by the Cincinnati Reds in October and the Yankees on Jan. 4. He was designated for assignment by the latter two clubs after they signed free agents.
A first-round pick in the 2017 MLB draft, Thompson has played in 92 career major league games with the Texas Rangers. He hit .170 with no homers, four doubles and four RBI in 37 games after he made the Rangers' Opening Day roster last year.
Thompson, a righthanded hitter, has mostly played left field in his big league career, but he does carry some experience in center field. His standout skill is his speed, where he ranks among the fastest in the league. Cincinnati's Elly De La Cruz and Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. were the only players, according to StatCast, with a quicker sprint speed in 2023.
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He stole 18 bases in 21 attempts for the Rangers in 2022 before MLB instituted rule changes on pickoff attempts, and he swiped four bases in six attempts last year. He added 27 stolen bases in 32 attempts in the minor leagues last season.
Thompson is the second waiver claim who has taken a spot on the Twins roster this winter, joining reliever Ryan Jensen. The Twins have 39 players on their 40-man roster.
