On Sunday night, JD Thompson was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with 59th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The Texas native heads to the Brewers organization after a solid junior season, in which he posted a 4.00 ERA over 90.0 innings pitched. The southpaw assumed the Friday night starting position for the Commodores this year, appearing in 16 games while striking out 122 batters.  

Thompson was a highly touted prospect out of high school, rated as the No. 15 overall and No. 2 LHP recruit in Texas. Holding a 0.27 ERA in his senior year at Rusk High School, Thompson took his talents to Vanderbilt to refine his game. However, he didn’t immediately find his role on the Commodores’ loaded pitching staff. Thompson pitched in limited spurts from the bullpen in his first year on West End, sporting a 5.73 ERA over 22.0 innings pitched.  

He found a bigger role in his sophomore season, eventually slotting into a starting position as the season progressed. He finished the year with a 4.15 ERA over 14 appearances and 52.0 innings pitched.  

Thompson’s junior season was his best since setting foot on campus. He consistently delivered a high number of strikeouts and was never taken out of the starting rotation. Thompson tallied double-digit strikeouts in six games, with a season-high 14 against Georgia on April 17. 

The lefty won’t dazzle fans with velocity, but he’s a true strike-thrower. He relies heavily on his fastball to fool batters at the top of the zone, despite it ranging between 90-93 mph. His heater features a significant amount of vertical break, and he can command it on both sides of the plate. His elite slider is his next most reliable pitch, and it lands in the 77-81 mph range. A changeup and curveball round out his pitch arsenal. He’ll hope to bring his elite skills to the next level with the Brewers. 

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