Trayce Thompson

Thompson looked to be headed toward a forgettable 2022 campaign when he went 1-for-14 in an early-season stint with the Padres and was consequently designated for assignment. He latched on with the Tigers in May but didn't see any additional MLB action until the Dodgers traded for him in June. The acquisition proved to be fruitful for Los Angeles, as Thompson clubbed 13 homers, slashed .268/.364/.537 and posted a 153 wRC+ over 75 regular-season games with the club. The Dodgers were impressed enough with Thompson to include him in the starting lineup for all four of their playoff games, though he went just 2-for-13 with six strikeouts and three walks. Despite his breakthrough half-season, it's unlikely that Thompson is lined up to become a true late-career Cinderella story given his flaws at the plate -- most glaringly, he registered a 36.5 percent strikeout rate and hit just .174 against southpaws on the campaign. There's a good chance he'll remain with Los Angeles in 2023, but given his lack of sustained MLB success, Thompson's most likely fit is as a fourth outfielder and occasional DH.

This is how Thompson's season started: designated for assignment by the Dodgers in late March, claimed by the Yankees, claimed by Oakland, DFA'd by Oakland, traded to the White Sox. That all took place in a little over three weeks. The brother of Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, Trayce stayed put on the South Side for a while but struggled to a negative-4 wRC+ (yes, negative) and was designated for assignment yet again in late June. He did not return to the major leagues after that. Thompson has flashed exciting tools in the past, but he suffered two back fractures in 2016 and his career has never recovered. At this point, it doesn't look like Thompson will ever make enough contact to shed the Quad-A label (41.8 K% in 2017, 36.5% last season). He will at least get a look with the Indians as a non-roster invitee to spring training.

Thompson was on his way to becoming part of the outfield of the future in Los Angeles before two back fractures cost him the entire second half of the 2016 season. Thompson has hit just .168/.259/.335 since the injury in 66 major-league games. He never regained his form in the minors, either, as he managed just a .632 OPS for Triple-A Albuquerque following a demotion in 2017. The Dodgers are loaded with outfielders even if they don't make a splash with a trade or free-agent acquisition. Thompson's first 41 games of 2016, in which he hit .274/.336/.528 with 13 extra-base hits, suggest tantalizing potential, but with the Dodgers looking to repeat as National League champions in 2018, expect the team to make Thompson prove he has found that form in the minors before he gets another shot at a starting role in the bigs.

Thompson had the look of a difference-maker as an early-season pickup after he compiled a .270/.352/.603 line (.955 OPS) with six homers over 21 games in May, but a back injury suffered near the end of the month lingered through the second half and cut his season short as he did not appear in a game after July 10. Thompson was nearly split neutral in 2016, which bodes well for his chances of carving out a larger role this time around. In addition to the back injury, his rising strikeout rate as the season progressed is a cause for concern, as his hit tool has typically graded out as his worst offering, even though he offers a combination of power and speed necessary to be a valuable fantasy contributor, and the defensive prowess required to maintain a regular role even when he's battling through a slump at the plate. Barring a major change to the depth chart, Thompson will begin the season competing for playing time in the Dodgers' outfield.

When the White Sox recalled Thompson from Triple-A Charlotte, he had a reputation as a glove-first, athletic outfielder who could spell Avisail Garcia in right. So of course he posted an OPS near .900 through his first 40 MLB games and played Garcia into a platoon. Perhaps his emergence should not be too big of a surprise, as he flashed big power in the lower minors before succumbing to the strikeout bug at Double-A in 2013. He got his strikeout rate below 20 percent in 2015, and good things happened. He may not be able to sustain a high average, but his athleticism, power, and defense should make him a valuable fantasy contributor in time. Unfortunately, his path to 2016 playing time now has several roadblocks with the move to Los Angeles as part of a three-team trade in the offseason.

Thompson has become buried in the White Sox's organizational ranks behind newer prospects, but he remains an interesting minor league hitter. That is to say, he will remain interesting if he can ratchet down the strikeouts. He posted a .182 ISO and went 20-for-25 on the basepaths at Double-A Birmingham, but also struck out 151 times in 595 plate appearances. Thompson draws good reports for his defense and baserunning ability, so he could report to Triple-A Charlotte at some point in 2015, even if his batting average never rises.

Thompson's raw power propelled him through the White Sox's organization through his first three years of professional ball, but he hit a wall in 2013 at Double-A Birmingham despite repeating the level. His power/speed combination would be intriguing if he could ever correct his strikeout problem, and he has the potential to hit Chicago in the next season or two, but expect him to spend much of 2014 at Birmingham again, unless the White Sox decide he is ready for Triple-A competition.

Thompson may be the best power hitter coming through the White Sox's minor league system. He finished 2012 at Triple-A Charlotte after hitting 22 home runs earlier in the year at High-A Winston-Salem. His long swing continues to result in too many strikeouts (172 in 2012) to predict much contact at the major league level, but the power may be legitimate. He will have a chance to work on those issues over a full season at Charlotte in 2013.

Thompson exploded for 24 home runs and 36 doubles as a 20-year-old at Low-A Kannapolis in 2011. However, he also displayed some streaky tendencies and struck out 172 times in 519 at-bats. Thompson also had vastly greater success against left-handed pitchers (.951 OPS) than righties (.721), which is something he will have to improve upon as he ascends the minor leagues. He comes from an athletic family and possesses a lot of upside, but he is probably a few seasons away from sniffing the major leagues.