Trayce

Thompson

Thompson never made it to Fenway Park last season after signing a minor league pact with the Red Sox. The 34-year-old journeyman hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since the 2023 season. He should be able to latch on somewhere as emergency outfield depth after hitting .226/.312/.405 with 13 homers and 11 steals in 94 games for Triple-A Worcester this past season.

The 33-year-old Thompson is doing his absolute best to show everyone that the Red Sox don’t need to acquire an extra outfielder with Wilyer Abreu expected to open up on the injured list. He’s hitting a cool .391/.533/1.261 in 30 plate appearances and he’s even 3-for-3 stealing bases. Thompson should be in line to make the team as an early-season stopgap.

Thompson is the first player to get to give homers this spring. A late minor league signing for Boston, he now has a path to making the Red Sox with Wilyer Abreu likely to open up on the IL. Expectations should remain modest, though he was a great surprise for the Dodgers three years ago (.268/.364/.537 with 13 homers in 239 plate appearances).

Thompson, who turns 34 this month, is batting .278/.381/.833 in 21 plate appearances. He doesn’t make any sense for Boston’s roster if everyone stays healthy, but it’s possible he’ll get a spot if Wilyer Abreu needs to go on the injured list. Otherwise, the Red Sox might also be willing to cut him loose if another team wants him at the end of the spring.

The 33-year-old spent all of last season at the Triple-A level between the Mets and Cubs organizations. In total, he hit .233/.315/.471 with 23 home runs and nine steals in 432 plate appearances. Thompson struggled in 2023 in his last season at the MLB level and is just a career .212 hitter with a 32.7 percent strikeout rate. His best bet figures to be organizational outfield depth in Boson.

The 33-year-old outfielder has already reported to Triple-A Iowa and is expected to play on Wednesday. Thompson was cut loose by the Mets on July 4 after hitting .228/.300/.500 with 16 long balls and six stolen bases over 253 plate appearances at Triple-A Syracuse.

Thompson signed a minor league pact with the Mets last December and didn’t end up making it to New York. The 33-year-old journeyman outfielder batted .228/.300/.500 with 16 homers and six steals across 253 plate appearances this season for Triple-A Syracuse. He’s the type of player who could find success overseas in either Japan or Korea, if he opts to go that route.

Thompson came into camp as a non-roster invite and after he slashed .250/.308/.583 with two home runs and six RBI, he’ll stay in the Mets’ farm system as a depth option for the outfield.

Thomspon was terrific in 239 plate appearances with the Dodgers in 2022 (.268/.364/.537) and dreadful in 179 plate appearances with the Dodgers and White Sox last season (.163/.285/.294). He’s now trying to make the Mets as a non-roster player, but it’s probably not going to happen unless an outfielder ahead of him gets hurt.

Thompson strengthens New York’s outfield depth heading into spring training and will be vying for a spot on their season-opening roster in a bench role. The well-traveled 32-year-old outfielder split last season between the White Sox and Dodgers, finishing with a .579 OPS to accompany six homers and two steals across 179 plate appearances. He’s merely extra organizational depth at this stage of his career, but he’s a perfectly capable emergency stopgap.