Exactly. Some players react different at different levels. He looked like a major leaguer & a pretty good one at that.

 

I could be completely wrong but to label him Brian Anderson is just rough.

 

Not really. Brian Anderson was an accomplished college player and a mid first round pick. He tore through the minors with big numbers and was a top 50 prospect in baseball. As a prospect he had it all speed, power, plate discipline, and gold glove defense.

 

People are saying some players save their best for MLB, but who are they? Who else spent 6 years in the minors with pretty poor offensive minor league numbers and then went on to be a good MLB player?

 

What is easy to show is players who had a good 150 at bat stretch and then reverted back to the player they always were.

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by shakes

All Thompson has to do is perform as he has all the way up the ladder. If he hits .235, 15HR and draws some walks, plus above average defense in CF and you have a good player.

I think he's a very good 4th OF/a below average starter. I wouldn't be trading Eaton or Melky to make room for him.

People are saying some players save their best for MLB, but who are they? Who else spent 6 years in the minors with pretty poor offensive minor league numbers and then went on to be a good MLB player?

I too am waiting for these examples. I'm sure there are some, but they're few and far between.

 

That said, Trayce is still ahead of Avi on my depth chart without a second thought.

I have a feeling Trayce is the new Brian Anderson. Just going to keep hearing about that defense and how he just needs a chance...

 

I'd be more than happy to admit I'm wrong though. If Trayce can figure out how to stick as a (decent) major league hitter it would be a huge boost for the franchise.

Not really. Brian Anderson deserved every shot he could get. He raked in the minors, played elite defense in CF, was widely regarded as a top prospect, and deserved an extended shot.

 

Hopefully Thompson is the inverse of Anderson and steps up his offensive game from the transition. He has the talent and potential to do so and also as the ability to be an elite defender. Of course I've always loved Trayce. I'd also say their is a good shot we see serious regression, but his defensive value alone (along with his ability to hit for some pop) help him, especially if you have him in centerfield (and his defensive proves to truly be elite).

Not really. Brian Anderson was an accomplished college player and a mid first round pick. He tore through the minors with big numbers and was a top 50 prospect in baseball. As a prospect he had it all speed, power, plate discipline, and gold glove defense.

 

People are saying some players save their best for MLB, but who are they? Who else spent 6 years in the minors with pretty poor offensive minor league numbers and then went on to be a good MLB player?

 

What is easy to show is players who had a good 150 at bat stretch and then reverted back to the player they always were.

 

I was speaking more about the hype he's getting from fans rather than the actual play on the field. Should have clarified that

 

The funny thing is that he didn't even have a good 150 AB stretch. It was more like 30 ridiculously good AB's followed by 90-100 bad ones. He managed to save his overall slash with his last 30 or so AB's, but take away his fluke start and he hit right around what you would expect a player with his minor league resume to hit. But I guess it's easier to ignore that part of the story.

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by TheFutureIsNear

People are saying some players save their best for MLB, but who are they? Who else spent 6 years in the minors with pretty poor offensive minor league numbers and then went on to be a good MLB player?

 

What is easy to show is players who had a good 150 at bat stretch and then reverted back to the player they always were.

 

Thomson had a .744, .743 his past two minor league seasons. That's not earth shattering, but I wouldn't call it poor either. There are quite a few players (for better or worse) who have roughly the same stats in the majors as they did in the minors. If even that applies to Thompson, with his defense, that's awfully damn close to Alex Gordon. The same Alex Gordon that's about to get paid.

 

But you wanted specific examples of players who improved offensively from the minors to the majors, and I guess I'm going to be the one who finds them.

 

- AJ Pollock's last full minor league season he posted a .780 OPS, last two major league seasons he's been at .851 and .865

 

-Michael Brantley posted a .711 OPS his last year in the minors before his debut. His last 4 seasons have been at .750, .728, .890, .851

 

-Austin Jackson had an OPS over .750 once in his minor league career, 2nd full year in the majors had an .850 OPS.

 

-Torii Hunter never had an OPS over .800 over a full minor league season. He was in the minors for 6 years. He has had 9 seasons of .800+ OPS out of his 13 total seasons in the majors.

 

That's just outfielders. Probably not even a comprehensive list of them. I could keep going but I'm tired of it.

Thomson had a .744, .743 his past two minor league seasons. That's not earth shattering, but I wouldn't call it poor either. There are quite a few players (for better or worse) who have roughly the same stats in the majors as they did in the minors. If even that applies to Thompson, with his defense, that's awfully damn close to Alex Gordon. The same Alex Gordon that's about to get paid.

 

But you wanted specific examples of players who improved offensively from the minors to the majors, and I guess I'm going to be the one who finds them.

 

- AJ Pollock's last full minor league season he posted a .780 OPS, last two major league seasons he's been at .851 and .865

 

-Michael Brantley posted a .711 OPS his last year in the minors before his debut. His last 4 seasons have been at .750, .728, .890, .851

 

-Austin Jackson had an OPS over .750 once in his minor league career, 2nd full year in the majors had an .850 OPS.

 

-Torii Hunter never had an OPS over .800 over a full minor league season. He was in the minors for 6 years. He has had 9 seasons of .800+ OPS out of his 13 total seasons in the majors.

 

That's just outfielders. Probably not even a comprehensive list of them. I could keep going but I'm tired of it.

 

Nice list! Thanks for taking the time to do that. I agree that nobody should be saying Thompson was a poor minor league hitter. +.700 OPS from a CF with great defense, speed, improving plate discipline, and extremely athletic is nothing to scoff about.

I think the best thing about Trayce's appearance up here was his eye at the plate. From what I saw he really was either a tremendous guesser or he could just see the ball better than almost anyone on our club.

Nice to hear that teams are higher on Trayce than many around here.

Not really. Brian Anderson deserved every shot he could get. He raked in the minors, played elite defense in CF, was widely regarded as a top prospect, and deserved an extended shot.

 

Hopefully Thompson is the inverse of Anderson and steps up his offensive game from the transition. He has the talent and potential to do so and also as the ability to be an elite defender. Of course I've always loved Trayce. I'd also say their is a good shot we see serious regression, but his defensive value alone (along with his ability to hit for some pop) help him, especially if you have him in centerfield (and his defensive proves to truly be elite).

Do you ever wonder if there was something else going on with Anderson? Personal "demons" type stuff, w/o getting into specifics...

I too am waiting for these examples. I'm sure there are some, but they're few and far between.

 

That said, Trayce is still ahead of Avi on my depth chart without a second thought.

 

Before you posted some examples were given. Iglesias, Randal Grichuk, Brandon Crawford & Omar Vizquel and since you posted Pollock, Brantley, Hunter, Austin Jackson. I personally haven't looked any of those up except Iglesias so I presume you can check yourself and quibble about the examples given whether it's injuries, or length of time in the minors compared to Thompson. Again I am sure there are others but with limited research a few have been found.

Torii Hunter and Trayce have a lot in common. Not saying Trayce is a borderline HoF player by any means, but the blueprint is there.

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by Alexeihyeess

I think the best thing about Trayce's appearance up here was his eye at the plate. From what I saw he really was either a tremendous guesser or he could just see the ball better than almost anyone on our club.

 

Couldn't agree more with you about his approach at the plate. Seemed he didn't get himself out for a large portion of his at bats. That's a huge difference between him and Avi. Towards the end of the year, Trayce seemed to struggle a bit with change-ups. There is really no doubt in my mind that Trayce would put up a higher WAR than Avi would for a full season.

I just want to see him play in a Sox uniform. If he sucks, oh well he sucks. I just don't want him thrown into some package to get Todd Frazier or some other bum that will do us exactly the way Dunn and LaRoche did.

 

I really think there's superstar potential locked in there somewhere.

I just want to see him play in a Sox uniform. If he sucks, oh well he sucks. I just don't want him thrown into some package to get Todd Frazier or some other bum that will do us exactly the way Dunn and LaRoche did.

 

I really think there's superstar potential locked in there somewhere.

 

Superstar is a bit of a reach. We're talking about a career .247 hitter in the minors. I like Thompson, but I don't see him as anything more than the White Sox version of Drew Stubbs. If the Sox have a good offer on the table for him, I would not mind selling high on him. Although I like the idea of keeping him on the team to play CF and shifting Eaton to one of the corners.

Comparisons of Brian Anderson are....misguided.

 

Given a roster spot, and his defence, all he has to do is get on base three times out of ten to be useful.

 

This is what it's come to.

Even with a limited sample size, Brian Anderson never had the success in PA that Thompson did.

I would trade Tim Anderson before i consider dealing Trayce Thompson. Trayce came up and made all the other outfielders on this team look below average to adequate defensively. He also impressed with the bat, yet it was a small sample size and Robin kept benching him for some reason?

 

I'm not saying a want to trade Anderson, but IMO Trayce is going to be a special outfielder!

Trayce is probably a .720 OPS CF with good defense.

 

And that is a valuable player.

 

Be prepared for a drop off, but don't crucify him for it.

Trayce is probably a .720 OPS CF with good defense.

 

And that is a valuable player.

 

Be prepared for a drop off, but don't crucify him for it.

 

That's about where he was in September, when he had a .233 average. If he can hit .250, he'll likely be a .750 OPS CF with great CF defense, which, as you said, is a valuable player.

I'm sure its been cited already, but steamer projects: 240/300/423 (723), 96 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR.

I could see Thompson being a right handed equivalent to Kevin Kiermaier if he reaches his full potential.

I could see Thompson being a right handed equivalent to Kevin Kiermaier if he reaches his full potential.

 

Yeah not amazing with the bat but a great defensive option in center. As of right now though, I think he's the platoon partner with LaRoche (Melky DH'S against lefties, Eaton moves to left, Trayce in center).

Yeah not amazing with the bat but a great defensive option in center. As of right now though, I think he's the platoon partner with LaRoche (Melky DH'S against lefties, Eaton moves to left, Trayce in center).

I think they are going to give Trayce every opportunity to make Avi the 4th/5th outfielder if they add no free agents