Keegan Thompson
Keegan Thompson | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Chicago Cubs – No. 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pitcher | ||||||||||||||||||||
Born: Cullman, Alabama | March 13, 1995||||||||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | ||||||||||||||||||||
MLB debut | ||||||||||||||||||||
May 2, 2021, for the Chicago Cubs | ||||||||||||||||||||
MLB statistics (through 2021 season) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 3–3 | |||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 3.38 | |||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 55 | |||||||||||||||||||
Teams | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Keegan Cole Thompson (born March 13, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021.
Amateur career[]
Thompson attended Cullman High School in Cullman, Alabama.[1] As a sophomore in 2011, he was named Alabama's Gatorade Player of the Year after finishing the season with a 9–2 record and a 1.70 ERA along with batting .433 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs.[2] He won the award once again as a senior in 2013 after going 9–2 with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 124 batters in 72.2 innings pitched, along with hitting .420 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs.[3] Undrafted out of high school, he enrolled at Auburn University where he played college baseball for the Auburn Tigers.[4]
In 2014, as a freshman for the Tigers, Thompson appeared in 14 games (with 12 being starts) in which he compiled a 5–3 record with a 2.01 ERA, earning him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.[5] As a sophomore in 2015, he pitched to a 7–3 record with a 3.10 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) in a season that was shortened due to elbow issues.[6]
He underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2015, and was forced to miss the whole 2016 season.[7] Despite not pitching in 2016, he was still drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 33rd round of the 2016 MLB draft, but did not sign.[8] He returned to Auburn in 2017 as a redshirt junior, compiling a 7–4 record and a 2.41 ERA in 15 starts.[9]
Professional career[]
Thompson was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[10] He signed with the Cubs for $511,900.[11] After signing, Thompson made his professional debut with the Eugene Emeralds where he was 1–2 with a 2.37 ERA in 19 innings pitched. He began 2018 with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, with whom he was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week twice.[12][13] After compiling a 3–3 record with a 3.19 ERA in 12 starts, he was promoted to the Tennessee Smokies in June.[14] He spent the remainder of the season with the Smokies, going 6–3 with a 4.06 ERA in 13 starts.[15]
Thompson returned to Tennessee to begin the 2019 season.[16] He experienced elbow soreness.[17] He was placed on the injured list in April with an elbow injury,[18][19] and only made two rehab appearances during the remaining months of the season. He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox following the season.[20] There, he was 1-1 with a 4.62 ERA in seven starts.[21]
Thompson did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] The Cubs added him to their 40-man roster after the 2020 season.[23]
On May 1, 2021, Thompson was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[24] He made his MLB debut the next day, pitching a shutout inning of relief against the Cincinnati Reds. On May 8, he recorded his first win after pitching three innings of relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates.[25] He was put on the 10-day injured list at the end of the season with right shoulder inflammation and soreness.[26]
References[]
- ^ "Former Bearcat Thompson shines on mound in Birmingham". The Cullman Tribune. July 24, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ Times, Stan VeitchThe Cullman. "PREP BASEBALL: Cullman High sophomore wins Gatorade Alabama Player of Year". The Cullman Times. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Alabama Baseball POY: Keegan Thompson". usatodayhss.com. May 28, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Keegan Thompson, Auburn Tigers, Starting Pitcher". 247Sports. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Keegan Thompson named to SEC All-Freshman Team". Auburn University Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ Vitale, Josh. "Keegan Thompson pitches gem as Auburn shuts out Holy Cross". OANow.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Auburn's Keegan Thompson returns from Tommy John surgery to make opening day start". AL.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Four Tigers selected in MLB Draft Saturday". Auburn University Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "A look at where Auburn players stack up in MLB Draft". AuburnUndercover. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs draft Auburn's Keegan Thompson in 3rd round". AL.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Former Auburn ace Keegan Thompson signs with Chicago Cubs". AL.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Thompson named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ Timmers, Josh (June 22, 2018). "Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 21". Bleed Cubbie Blue. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs: Former Auburn pitcher Keegan Thompson is throwing strikes for Smokies". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ "Keegan Thompson Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
- ^ "2019 Chicago Cubs Affiliate Preview: Tennessee Smokies' Starting Pitchers Look to Impress". April 2, 2019.
- ^ Times, Robert Martinez | Special to The. "BASEBALL: Thompson's journey to MLB takes former Bearcat through Arizona Fall League". The Cullman Times.
- ^ "Cubs call up 2017 3rd-round draft pick Keegan Thompson". RSN.
- ^ "Where are Auburn's pro baseball players?". al. May 29, 2019.
- ^ Norris, Josh. "2019 Arizona Fall League Rosters Announced". www.baseballamerica.com.
- ^ "Keegan Thompson College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Adler, David (June 30, 2020). "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
- ^ Gonzales, Mark (November 20, 2020). "Chicago Cubs add 3 to their 40-man roster, leaving 3 spots open for free-agent signings or trade acquisitions". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
- ^ "Major League Baseball Transactions". Major League Baseball.
- ^ "Pirates 2, Cubs 3 (Final Score) on MLB Gameday". MLB.com.
- ^ "Next steps for Keegan Thompson after being placed on the injured list". Marquee Sports Network - Television Home of the Chicago Cubs. September 29, 2021.
External links[]
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Auburn Tigers bio
- 1995 births
- Living people
- Arizona League Cubs players
- Auburn Tigers baseball players
- Baseball players from Alabama
- Chicago Cubs players
- Eugene Emeralds players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Mesa Solar Sox players
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans players
- People from Cullman, Alabama
- Tennessee Smokies players
- United States national baseball team players