Coming into 2018 there was disagreement across prospect sources evaluating Mets talent. MLB pipeline called David Thompson the Mets #21 best prospect. Baseball America was much more muted, thinking #29. David, who will be 25 during the 2019 season, is coming off a season where he missed significant time due to hairline fracture in his hand. Further complicating his path: the Mets still have Todd Frazier and they traded for Will Toffey. While Toffey isn’t elite, neither is Thompson right now.
The injury this season was the first health set back for Thompson as a pro. In college he had surgery on his shoulder twice and one for thoracic outlet syndrome (the same situation Harvey was in and Wahl, who the Mets acquired with Toffey).
In 2017 Thompson slashed a .263/.325/.429 in Binghamtom and last year he hit .258/.329/.379.
Last season was mostly a wash for Thompson, and he may be able to use the Mets odd log jam at third base (competing with Toffey, Frazier for a whole season) to his advantage and capitalize on a strong 2019 minors campaign.
He does have two more hurdles. First, what if the Mets sign a third basemen to a long contract this off-season? He could still be called up later as a bench player. Second, and more pressing for Thompson, if the Mets don’t add him to the Rule V draft, he could be picked up by another team in December (which means he would have to make his MLB debut with them or come back to us).
BA gave him a 45 with a High Risk last year. We agree here.
