Aaron Thompson
Encyclopedia
Aaron M. Thompson is an American
professional baseball
pitcher
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
of Major League Baseball
.
) High School in 2005. While there, he went 8-3 with two saves and 0.84 earned run average
in 14 games as a senior, with 133 strikeout
s and 35 walks in 66 inning
s.
with Texas A&M, was drafted out of high school by the Florida Marlins
in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft
.
Thompson spent 2006 with Greensboro
(A), going 8-8 with a 3.63 ERA in 24 starts. With that team, he won five consecutive decisions over six starts from May 4 to June 1, while going 5-0 with 0.43 ERA over that span. He allowed no runs in four of the five wins during that streak, including blanking opponents over 13.2 innings in back-to-back starts on May 4 vs. Hickory
(7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 6 SO) and May 11 at Augusta
(6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 8 SO). He also recorded a career-best nine strikeouts in a win on May 21 vs. Kannapolis
. Thompson was organizational Pitcher of the Month for May, going 4-0 with 0.53 ERA in five starts (6 BB, 34 SO in 33.2 IP). Thompson also was Player of the Week from May 15–21, going 2-0 with 0.69 ERA in two starts (13.0 IP, 1 ER, 13 SO, 2 BB). Following that span, he threw a career-high 8.0 innings en route to a win June 1 at Delmarva
, allowing just four hits with eight strikeouts. Thompson represented his club as a member of the South Atlantic League
All-Star Team.
The Nationals acquired him at the 2009 trade deadline for first baseman
Nick Johnson
.
The Pirates claimed Thompson off of waivers from the Nationals on December 24, 2010. He was designated for assignment by the Pirates on June 24, 2011, after recording a 4.97 ERA in 67 innings with the Altoona Curve
in Double-A.
On August 24, 2011, Thompson made his major league debut for the Pirates at PNC Park
. During the game, he held pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings, before being relieved by Jason Grilli
, to shutout the Milwaukee Brewers
2-0.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Early life
Thompson lived most of his adolescent life in Beaumont, Texas but graduated from Second Baptist (Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) High School in 2005. While there, he went 8-3 with two saves and 0.84 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 14 games as a senior, with 133 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and 35 walks in 66 inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
s.
Professional career
Thompson, who had signed a National Letter of IntentNational Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
with Texas A&M, was drafted out of high school by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft
2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
.
Thompson spent 2006 with Greensboro
Greensboro Grasshoppers
The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a minor league baseball team in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA...
(A), going 8-8 with a 3.63 ERA in 24 starts. With that team, he won five consecutive decisions over six starts from May 4 to June 1, while going 5-0 with 0.43 ERA over that span. He allowed no runs in four of the five wins during that streak, including blanking opponents over 13.2 innings in back-to-back starts on May 4 vs. Hickory
Hickory Crawdads
The Hickory Crawdads are a Minor League Baseball team in Hickory, North Carolina, USA. They are a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and have been a farm team of the Texas Rangers since 2009. Previously, they were a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Crawdads play home games...
(7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 6 SO) and May 11 at Augusta
Augusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988...
(6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 8 SO). He also recorded a career-best nine strikeouts in a win on May 21 vs. Kannapolis
Kannapolis Intimidators
The Kannapolis Intimidators are a minor league baseball team in Kannapolis, North Carolina. The team is a Class Low-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and has played in the South Atlantic League under various names and team affiliations since its inception in 1995.-Team history:The Intimidators...
. Thompson was organizational Pitcher of the Month for May, going 4-0 with 0.53 ERA in five starts (6 BB, 34 SO in 33.2 IP). Thompson also was Player of the Week from May 15–21, going 2-0 with 0.69 ERA in two starts (13.0 IP, 1 ER, 13 SO, 2 BB). Following that span, he threw a career-high 8.0 innings en route to a win June 1 at Delmarva
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...
, allowing just four hits with eight strikeouts. Thompson represented his club as a member of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
All-Star Team.
The Nationals acquired him at the 2009 trade deadline for first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Nick Johnson
Nick Johnson
Nicholas Robert Johnson is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.He previously played for the New York Yankees , Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals , and the Florida Marlins...
.
The Pirates claimed Thompson off of waivers from the Nationals on December 24, 2010. He was designated for assignment by the Pirates on June 24, 2011, after recording a 4.97 ERA in 67 innings with the Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
in Double-A.
On August 24, 2011, Thompson made his major league debut for the Pirates at PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
. During the game, he held pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings, before being relieved by Jason Grilli
Jason Grilli
Jason Michael Grilli is an Italian-American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball...
, to shutout the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
2-0.