Former MLB outfielder Bubba Thompson is enrolling at the University of South Alabama, reports Creg Stephenson of AL.com. He is joining the Jaguars football team as a walk-on, Stephenson writes.
Thompson has not officially announced his retirement from baseball, though he posted a social media video of himself throwing a football inside the South Alabama facility with the caption “we back y’all!” Thompson, a Mobile native, was a quarterback in high school. (Stephenson notes that he was teammates with future South Alabama receiver Jalen Tolbert, who has spent the last three years with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.) He passed on a baseball commitment to the University of Alabama to sign with the Rangers as a first-round pick in 2017. The toolsy outfielder received a signing bonus just north of $2MM.
The righty-hitting Thompson drew praise from scouts for his athleticism and bat speed. The longstanding question was whether he’d make enough contact to be more than a fourth or fifth outfielder. Thompson never really managed to do so. He fanned in 32% of his 259 MLB plate appearances over the past three years. He bounced around the league via waivers last winter. The Reds succeeded in outrighting him off the 40-man roster in May. Thompson hit .232/.264/.289 with a 28.5% strikeout rate over 57 Double-A games. He qualified for minor league free agency at season’s end.
If Thompson fully moves on from baseball, he’ll finish with a .232/.273/.295 slash line in 109 games between Texas and Cincinnati. He was an asset on the bases, stealing 27 bags in 32 attempts.
Always love these stories. Never got why Dylan Cozens didn’t do this but instead tried to go straight to the NFL.
Is he sure he wants to retire? With a slash line like that he could be a Yankee in a second.
I really liked the pick when the Rangers snagged him. Hope things work out for him.
Wrong link to B-R – baseball-reference.com/players/t/thompbu01.shtml
Nevermind, they fixed it right when I posted, go figure.
I would think it would be easier to switch from baseball to football than it would be the other way around.
Oh definitely. Just ask Michael Jordan how hard it is to be an MLB pro
Big fish in a small pond. Probably going to creep on college students.
Once you graduate college, that’s what you do. It’s human nature.
So he isn’t a true creep until he graduates. Lol
It’s not human nature to creep on college students after you graduate. When you’re 23-25 fresh out college it makes sense to socialize/date 21-22 yos at bars because it’s in your age group, but creeping on them isn’t normal.
Going to college at 27 as an undergrad makes me think he has arrested development and wants to relive the time he missed going straight to MLB. Which is weird for anyone.
You have weird, creepy thoughts.
Is it fine for him to go to college in his hometown if he doesn’t play football for you?
& is it cool for guys to get out of the military and go to college? or do they have to just go to online school or work a trade?
If they go for an education? Yes. If they just use it as a training camp? No. If they take a roster spot from a young player looking to make the team just because they have some celebrity? No.
He just posted a workout vid. Which makes me think he is just going for football.
Do you think he is looking to stay 3-4 years and finish his degree? Then try to be a 30-31 year old nfl rookie? Sorry, I dont think that.
He’s walking on—so he’s not taking a scholarship spot—to South Alabama, not exactly some powerhouse school churning out prospects. If he’s actually good enough he probably can also go into the draft/NFL after one year since I think the requirement is just three years post high school (might be wrong on that).
In all likelihood, he probably was a two/multi sport star in HS and chose to commit to baseball because of the obvious opportunity he was being given. This is probably just him wanting to “fulfill a dream” of playing football at a higher level so he can say he did it instead of always going “what if”.
His username should enough tell you about who he is as a person. Report and block Jizzrael.
Dang dude not totally uncommon at all. Chris Weinke played Minor League baseball for 6 years then went to college for 4 years and was a 1st round pick in NFL. I believe most kids who are drafted out of HS and sign a contract have in their contract college is paid for if they want to go to school when done playing baseball..
I can imagine the huge money baseball players can get was a hell of an incentive to play as well
It’s a musician, dawg. Report for what? You not liking my opinions? Cry more. Mlbtr seems to not care about reports when it comes to racist posts, but it would make sense if they mute me. That’s what baseball fandom is now.
Lol he didn’t go to college, he’s going to, at home, and play the other sport he was a superstar at… Probably be at class, facility, and off campus/his momma’s house for all I know… But yeah totally normal to jump to seems like he wants to hit on undergrads because he missed that experience, went and signed a first round guaranteed baseball contract at 18 instead… Which coincidentally gives him a 2 mil head start on whatever the heck he wants to do for the next few years he’s an incredibly gifted athlete if he chooses. What a take
Tell me, what’s the cutoff age for a college student to not be “creepy” in your eyes?
Your user name is what’s creepy…
This isn’t the first baseball player to go back and play college football. You just have your mind in the gutter and are talking about yourself when you project this nonsense onto others.
And what have those players done since enrolling? Not much news after that. My mind isn’t in the gutter. The first response to my comment was from the gutter, which kind of supports my argument.
Your first comment literally said “ Probably going to creep on college students.” And your mind isn’t in the gutter how? I went back to school as a non traditional student in my 40’s. Graduated with honors and while doing so became really good friends with a young lady who my wife still refers to as my work wife, because of our close yet professional relationship. However I was forced to curse a few people over the years for making creepy comments like yours. That’s the issue people have.
When I was in college I took mainly night classes for 3 of my 4.5 years because I was working full time during the day to pay for school. Probably more than 50% of my classmates were 20 years older than me. I didnt realize it at the time but now I’m understanding all those 40+ ladies in my class were there to creep on me. You really don’t need to set foot on campus today for classes. I doubt this dude is going to be hitting up frat parties and taking 8am Econ class with freshman with the intention of creeping on the coeds.
You name is literally submerged in the gutter clown
Perfect name for south Alabama.
Wish him well.
Should be the Grand Wizards.
I mean Bubba.
Do you realize Alabama is about 20% african american and a pretty diverse state?
Not really
25% African American
65% White
10% other races
Pretty White still
Most post reconstruction states have a significant black population, wonder why? Also Alabama is not diverse with how redlined it is. That’s like saying St Louis is diverse. Only if you’re a census.
What do you think the demographics are in America?
You are an idiot. African Americans make up 13% of the American population. 25% in Alabama.
Do you just look at the national demographics to judge the diversity of your area? That’s a very simplistic approach.
I believe with the name ‘Bubba’, he’s required by Alabama law to play college football.
Creepy.
If he was decent at football I’m sure he could tryout for the cfl or something. Something weird about going to a small school as a football player at almost 27.
He was born in Mobile, Alabama. The school is in Mobile. It has 14k students and they play D-1 FBS football.
Not like he went to a D-3 school in PA with 2k students.
Just imagining him absolutely jacking up 17 year old twerps. It’s like an adam Sandler movie
Who cares how old the guy trucking you is?
Tom your ignorance is creepy. The median college student age in America is actually 25 years old, which means roughly half of US college students are 26yo or older.
How do you not include his age for this story?
College degree. Gets to live out a dream instead of making pennies as a minor league depth player.
Be really funny to see him and Monte Harrison end up on the same football team down the line.
Weeden!
Good luck to him. He was great to us fans when he played in Omaha.
Good luck to you, Bubba.
Weird how everyone is saying this is creepy as if college attendance isn’t growing in older demographic groups. Yes, that’s less true with sports, but it’s far from unheard of.
Completely agree. There are tons of people much older than him that go to college, and nobody calls them creepy. He’s only 27, so he’s not even going to be that much older than his teammates. Only 3-5 year or so difference.
This. I went back to school later in life and if I was good enough to play ball damn straight I would.
This is just people who spend a lot of time on the internet getting dumber and creepier themselves. Nothing else.
Agree Darkside, anyone jumping to “creepy” is projecting, or they’re a literal kid and think anyone older than 25 is a boomer.
Bubba is 26yo, which is right around the average college student age in America of 25yo. Roughly 40% of US college students are older than Bubba.
There was a guy in the Padres system, Donovan something, did the same thing and quit very quickly in the season for the football team.
This gives me Waterboy vibes.
It’s rad. Love to see anybody doing anything. Kudos and huzzah!!!
Bubba will be 27 when football season starts in 2025
My friend’s cousin had to choose between being a college QB for Miami or a #1 baseball pick. Which would you choose?
With a name like ‘Bubba’, I would’ve guessed he was going to the University of Alabama, not South Alabama. War Eagle!!
Do a shot every time you see the word “creepy” in this thread. Someone should just shut this one down.
On the other hand, good luck to you, Bubba.
Kinda sad but whatever makes him happy
Chris Weinke vibes.
He may be going back to learn how to write in proper English….
The comment section in winter is always a quiz to see which 13 year old are on snow days.