Texas Rangers Top 20 Prospects: No. 15

No. 15: Matt Thompson

RHP
6-3 - 210 - 2/10/90
Burleson, TX

Matt Thompson was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the seventh round (213 overall) of the 2008 amateur baseball draft out of Grace Prep Academy in Arlington, Texas. After signing on July 23, he immediately was assigned to the Arizona League Rangers (Rookie) where he pitched in seven games with an 11.88 ERA.

Thompson spent 2009 with the Spokane Indians, going 4-4 with a 4.38 ERA in 15 starts.

Thompson pitched in 28 games, 21 starts, for the Hickory Crawdads in 2010. He went 9-9 with a 4.66 ERA, 123 strikeouts and only 23 base on balls.

 

Jamey Newberg’s profile on Matt Thompson:
Matt Thompson, RHP

Thompson could be in the Pelicans' starting five, coming off a full season with Hickory that started strong before his results leveled off in the summer. A strike-thrower with a power curve that's a true swing-and-miss pitch, the Burleson native fanned 130 South Atlantic Leaguers (fifth-most in the circuit) over 129.1 innings, issuing only 22 unintentional walks all season. He'll need to prove his stamina in 2011, as his ERA's went up every month in 2010 (3.15, 3.24, 4.07, 5.40, 5.82, 18.90).

No. 16: RHP Luke Jackson
No. 17: 3B Christian Villanueva
No. 18: LHP Miguel De Los Santos
No. 19: 3B Mike Olt
No. 20: RHP Omar Beltre