Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40

Thompson was a solid prospect as a Florida high schooler, landing in MLB Pipeline’s Top 200 in 2020. He wasn’t taken in the shortened five-round Draft that summer and he headed to Florida with the scouting industry knowing he’d be eligible again in two years. He put up solid numbers as a freshman with the Gatos then hit well in a brief stop in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a trend that’s continued this spring, allowing him to move up Draft boards.

Thompson has long shown a good feel to hit from the left side of the plate with a very good approach. He can use the whole field and drive the ball to the gaps, rarely missing a fastball, though he struggles a bit more with softer stuff. The question in terms of his offensive profile comes in trying to project how much power he’ll have. There’s plenty of raw pop there and a sense there will be strength gains in his 6-foot-3 frame, but he has more of a hit over power approach.

A shortstop in high school, Thompson played right field with Florida as a freshman and saw time there and at third this past fall, but most scouts feel an outfield corner is his best long-term home at the next level. Wherever he plays, it’s his left-handed bat that will carry him and potentially get him drafted in the top three rounds.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

In two years at the University of Florida, Thompson established himself as one of the best pure hitters in Division I baseball. After hitting .354 with a 1.006 OPS in his Draft-eligible sophomore season with the Gators, the Rockies drafted him No. 31 overall in 2022 with a compensation pick they got for losing Trevor Story to the Red Sox via free agency. Though he missed more than a month with an elbow injury in his first full season, Thompson still established himself as the best pure hitter in the system, mashing his way to Double-A and finishing by hitting .338 in the Arizona Fall League.

The left-handed-hitting Thompson has a nice package of approach, gameplan, pitch recognition and swing mechanics that have led to success pretty much wherever he’s been. He likes to use the whole field, showing extra-base thump and consistently hard contact. He definitely has the bat speed and strength to eventually forecast 15-20 homers a year without selling out for power.

Thompson has bounced around quite a bit defensively since joining the Rockies. He's manned both outfield corners, as well as third and second base, and he’s even tinkered a little bit at first. He’s probably at his best and most athletic in an outfield corner if he were to settle into one spot, but there have been times when he’s been capable, albeit less than smooth, at making plays at second. The keystone and the outfield corners will probably be his focal points moving forward, but there’s comfort in knowing there’s some flexibility as to where they can get his bat into a big league lineup when he’s ready.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

After not being selected in the shortened 2020 Draft, Thompson headed to Florida knowing he’d be able to start his pro career two years later as a Draft-eligible sophomore. He hit well in both springs as a Gator, and he cemented himself as one of the better pure college hitters in the 2022 class after posting an OPS north of 1.000. The Rockies gave him full slot value, $2.43 million, as the No. 31 overall pick in the Draft, and he hit over .300 in his 26-game pro debut.

It's hard not to like Thompson’s setup and swing from the left side of the plate. He has a very solid approach and sticks to his gameplan with conviction. He’s always been a hit-over-power type, one who hunts doubles and not home runs, but there’s plenty of extra-base authority for him to tap into. He’s never going to sell out for power, but 15 or more homers a year in the big leagues isn’t unreasonable.

Thompson was a shortstop in his prep days, and while the Gators gave him some time at second base, he mostly manned right field. He likes playing on the dirt, and the Rockies worked third base back into his game late in the year, thinking he has the actions and more than enough arm for it. He’ll keep up versatility by playing a corner outfield and third, giving the Rockies options to get his advanced bat into the lineup.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

Thompson was a solid prospect as a Florida high schooler, landing in MLB Pipeline’s Top 200 in 2020. He wasn’t taken in the shortened five-round Draft that summer, but he headed to Florida with the scouting industry knowing he’d be eligible again in two years. He put up solid numbers as a freshman with the Gators, then hit well in a brief stop in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. That trend continued this spring, as he moved up Draft boards and was taken by the Rockies at No. 31 overall after finishing with a .354/.443/.563 line. 

Thompson has long shown a good feel for hitting from the left side of the plate with a very good approach. He can use the whole field and drive the ball to the gaps, rarely missing a fastball, though he struggles a bit more with softer stuff. The question in terms of his offensive profile comes in trying to project how much power he’ll have. There’s plenty of raw pop there and a sense he'll gain strength with his 6-foot-3 frame, but he has more of a hit-over-power approach.

A shortstop in high school, Thompson played right field with Florida as a freshman and saw time there and at third this past fall, then played right and second base last spring. Most scouts feel an outfield corner is his best long-term home at the next level. Wherever he plays, it’s his left-handed bat that will carry him up the Rockies’ ladder.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2023

NWL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/07/2024	Colorado Rockies Prospects activated OF Sterlin Thompson.
	02/01/2024	Colorado Rockies invited non-roster OF Sterlin Thompson to spring training.
	11/03/2023	National League Fall Stars activated OF Sterlin Thompson.
	11/03/2023	OF Sterlin Thompson assigned to National League Fall Stars.
	09/22/2023	Salt River Rafters activated OF Sterlin Thompson.
	08/08/2023	OF Sterlin Thompson assigned to Hartford Yard Goats from Spokane Indians.
	08/08/2023	Hartford Yard Goats activated OF Sterlin Thompson.
	05/03/2023	Spokane Indians placed OF Sterlin Thompson on the 7-day injured list retroactive to May 2, 2023.
	04/02/2023	OF Sterlin Thompson assigned to Spokane Indians from Fresno Grizzlies.
	04/02/2023	Spokane Indians activated OF Sterlin Thompson.
	03/04/2023	OF Sterlin Thompson roster status changed by Colorado Rockies.
	03/04/2023	OF Sterlin Thompson assigned to Colorado Rockies.
	08/30/2022	OF Sterlin Thompson assigned to Fresno Grizzlies from ACL Rockies.
	08/04/2022	OF Sterlin Thompson assigned to ACL Rockies.
	07/27/2022	Colorado Rockies signed OF Sterlin Thompson.
	06/11/2022	College Workout activated OF Sterlin Thompson.
	06/11/2022	SS Sterlin Thompson assigned to College Workout.