Mason Thompson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #17 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Thompson had Tommy John surgery in high school and pitched only one inning his senior year. The Padres still drafted him in the third round in 2016 based on his pre-surgery success. Injuries continued to afflict Thompson in pro ball—he had biceps tendinitis and shoulder inflammation in 2017, a triceps strain in 2018 and elbow issues in 2019—and have contributed to a career 5.08 ERA. But Thompson used the 2020 shutdown to get healthy, and he turned heads at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson has filled out his 6-foot-7 frame and now sits 94-98 mph on his fastball in short stints. His main secondary is a power slider at 88-90 mph that gets swings and misses. Thompson's 12-to-6 curveball and fading changeup each flashed above-average in the past, but they've taken a back seat to his fastball and slider. Thompson can only locate pitches to his glove side, but that's enough to dominate righthanded batters in 1-2 inning bursts. Lefties see him better and present a difficult matchup.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thompson is likely a reliever moving forward. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to pitch in middle or late relief.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #25 prospect in 2018
  Evaluators considered Thompson a potential first-round talent as a prep underclassman, but Tommy John surgery wiped out his junior year of high school and limited him to one inning as a senior. The Padres were impressed enough by his workouts to draft him in the third round and sign him for an over-slot $1.75 million. Injuries continued to plague Thompson in his first full season in 2017. He made just three starts at low Class A Fort Wayne before missing a month with biceps tendinitis, made four more appearances and then was shut down for good in July with shoulder inflammation. When healthy Thompson intrigues as a lanky, projectable righthander with a well-rounded arsenal and a feel to pitch. He'll sit 92-93 mph and touch 95 with his fastball, though his velocity drops off around the third inning, and he shows feel for an above-average 12-to-6 power curveball. His changeup is a potential plus pitch with fade and deception, and he commands his offerings down in the zone despite his 6-foot-7 frame and long levers. Evaluators see the ingredients for a potential midrotation to back-end starter in Thompson, but his injury record is increasingly concerning. Staying healthy will be his primary goal in 2018.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #26 prospect in 2017
  Thompson was considered a first-round talent as a prep underclassman but blew out his elbow as a junior and had Tommy John surgery in March 2015. He pitched only one inning as a senior, but the Padres liked his upside enough to draft him 85th overall and sign him away from a Texas commitment for $1.75 million. Thompson impressed in his five outings in the Rookie-level Arizona League, sitting in the low 90s with his fastball and touching 94 mph. He also showed feel for an above-average power curveball and a potentially plus changeup with fade and deception. He also added a slider to his repertoire the Padres feel can eventually be an average pitch. Thompson is long-levered at 6-foot-7 and not expected to have better than average control, but the overall quality of his stuff should generate swings and misses regardless. He also has plenty of room to add strength to his ultra-lean frame to add more velocity. Thompson must prove he can stay healthy to reach his mid-rotation ceiling. He will begin 2017 in extended spring training as the Padres monitor his workload.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #105 prospect in 2016 draft
  One of the biggest wild cards of the draft is Thompson. Two years ago, he was the considered by many the top pitching prospect of this class in Texas, ahead of Kyle Muller and Forrest Whitley. Thompson was the ace of the USA Baseball 15U team, beating Cuba in the final game to clinch the gold medal at the COPABE Pan American Championships in 2013. Thompson has shown easy low-90s velocity with a feel for spinning a power curveball and a changeup with fade and deception. The Texas signee is a big (6-foot-6), athletic righthander with a quick arm. But Thompson blew out his elbow as a junior and has had to stick to hitting for his senior season. He has yet to be cleared to throw in games, but teams comfortable with his recovery could be enticed by his combination of feel for pitching and significant upside.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Thompson was the Padres No. 15 prospect and made his major league debut this season. The 6-foot-7 righthander was a starter in the lower levels, but frequent injuries and poor control caused the Padres to move him to relief in instructional league last year. Thompson's fastball sits at 94-96 and touches 98 mph out of the bullpen and his 88-90 mph slider is an above-average weapon against righthanders. Lefties see Thompson well and he doesn't have an effective pitch against them. He held righthanded batters to a .685 OPS at Triple-A El Paso this season but surrendered an .892 OPS against lefties. Thompson's two-pitch mix, lack of a pitch for lefties and long injury history – he had Tommy John surgery in high school and has had separate injured list stints for biceps, triceps, shoulder and elbow injuries as a pro – will keep him in the bullpen moving forward, likely as a matchup specialist against righties. He should join the Nationals bullpen at some point during the season, if not immediately following the trade.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thompson had Tommy John surgery in high school and pitched only one inning his senior year. The Padres still drafted him in the third round in 2016 based on his pre-surgery success. Injuries continued to afflict Thompson in pro ball—he had biceps tendinitis and shoulder inflammation in 2017, a triceps strain in 2018 and elbow issues in 2019—and have contributed to a career 5.08 ERA. But Thompson used the 2020 shutdown to get healthy, and he turned heads at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson has filled out his 6-foot-7 frame and now sits 94-98 mph on his fastball in short stints. His main secondary is a power slider at 88-90 mph that gets swings and misses. Thompson's 12-to-6 curveball and fading changeup each flashed above-average in the past, but they've taken a back seat to his fastball and slider. Thompson can only locate pitches to his glove side, but that's enough to dominate righthanded batters in 1-2 inning bursts. Lefties see him better and present a difficult matchup.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thompson is likely a reliever moving forward. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to pitch in middle or late relief.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Thompson had Tommy John surgery in high school and pitched only one inning his senior year. The Padres still drafted him in the third round in 2016 based on his pre-surgery success. Injuries continued to afflict Thompson in pro ball—he had biceps tendinitis and shoulder inflammation in 2017, a triceps strain in 2018 and elbow issues in 2019—and have contributed to a career 5.08 ERA. But Thompson used the 2020 shutdown to get healthy, and he turned heads at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson has filled out his 6-foot-7 frame and now sits 94-98 mph on his fastball in short stints. His main secondary is a power slider at 88-90 mph that gets swings and misses. Thompson's 12-to-6 curveball and fading changeup each flashed above-average in the past, but they've taken a back seat to his fastball and slider. Thompson can only locate pitches to his glove side, but that's enough to dominate righthanded batters in 1-2 inning bursts. Lefties see him better and present a difficult matchup.
  
  THE FUTURE: Thompson is likely a reliever moving forward. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to pitch in middle or late relief.