A first-round MLB draft pick in 2017, Bubba Thompson will trade his glove for a helmet and some shoulder pads as he gets ready to join the South Alabama Jaguars football team.
He will join the team as a walk-on for spring practice, South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite told AL.com. He posted a video on his Facebook page in which he threw a football at the school’s football field.
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Reds center fielder Bubba Thompson steals third base against the New York Mets at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 7, 2024. (Katie Stratman-USA Today Sports)
“We’re rooting for you guys,” he captioned the clip.
Thompson, 26, has experience online. He played football while attending McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Alabama, leading the school to a state title game in 2017.
He then committed to the University of Alabama to play baseball. However, he never enrolled in the college. Instead, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2017 with their no. 26 overall pick and decided to pursue a Major League career.
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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Bubba Thompson rounds third during a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona on February 24, 2024. (Kareem Elgazzar-USA Today Sports)
Thompson did not emerge as a superstar. A speedster on the basepaths, he recorded 18 stolen bags in 55 games in 2022. He was with the Rangers in 2023 and played in 37 games. He then joined the Cincinnati Reds last year and appeared in 17 games.
Because he never enrolled in college, he has five years of eligibility. Rivals rated him as a two-star quarterback coming out of school.
South Alabama was 7-6 last season in Applewhite’s first year. They finished the year with a victory in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
South Alabama Jaguars head coach Major Applewhite celebrates with his team during the Salute to Veterans Bowl at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama on Dec. 15, 2024. (Jake Crandall/The Advertiser/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Gio Lopez and Bishop Davenport quarterbacked the Jaguars last season.
