Rich Thompson Makes Debut with Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
25th Australian to Play in MLB
1st Graduate of the MLB Australian Academy to make debut
Rich Thompson, a 23-year old right-handed pitcher from St Ives, NSW became the 25th Australian to play Major League Baseball when he made his debut with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday (US time).
Thompson entered the game in the 8th inning with the visiting Texas Rangers leading 7-3. He faced 4 batters – striking out two, allowing a double and ending the inning with a ground out. That gives Thompson a 0.00 ERA to start his big league career.
Thompson is in his 7th year of professional baseball and is the first graduate of the Major League Baseball Australian Academy program to make his MLB debut. Earlier this season Thompson was the sole Australian representative at the Futures All-Star game played during the Major League Baseball All-Star week and pitting the USA’s best minor league players against the rest of the world.
Until his call up Thompson split his season between Triple-A Salt Lake City and Double-A Arkansas. In his combined minor league stats for the season he went 5-3 with a 2.01 ERA over 38 appearances, he had 85 strike outs in 76 innings.
Other Australians who have played or are currently playing in the Major Leagues are: Grant Balfour, Shayne Bennett, Travis Blackley, Cameron Cairncross, Trent Durrington, Mark Ettles, Justin Huber, Mark Hutton, Graeme Lloyd, Damian Moss, Peter Moylan, Mike Nakamura, David Nilsson, Chris Oxspring, Luke Prokopec, Joe Quinn, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Craig Shipley, Chris Snelling, John Stephens, Phil Stockman, Brad Thomas, Jeff Williams and Glenn Williams.
There are over 100 Australians playing under contract to Major League Baseball clubs, the Japanese and Korean professional leagues, or in the independent leagues of North America.
25th Australian to Play in MLB
1st Graduate of the MLB Australian Academy to make debut
Rich Thompson, a 23-year old right-handed pitcher from St Ives, NSW became the 25th Australian to play Major League Baseball when he made his debut with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday (US time).
Thompson entered the game in the 8th inning with the visiting Texas Rangers leading 7-3. He faced 4 batters – striking out two, allowing a double and ending the inning with a ground out. That gives Thompson a 0.00 ERA to start his big league career.
Thompson is in his 7th year of professional baseball and is the first graduate of the Major League Baseball Australian Academy program to make his MLB debut. Earlier this season Thompson was the sole Australian representative at the Futures All-Star game played during the Major League Baseball All-Star week and pitting the USA’s best minor league players against the rest of the world.
Until his call up Thompson split his season between Triple-A Salt Lake City and Double-A Arkansas. In his combined minor league stats for the season he went 5-3 with a 2.01 ERA over 38 appearances, he had 85 strike outs in 76 innings.
Other Australians who have played or are currently playing in the Major Leagues are: Grant Balfour, Shayne Bennett, Travis Blackley, Cameron Cairncross, Trent Durrington, Mark Ettles, Justin Huber, Mark Hutton, Graeme Lloyd, Damian Moss, Peter Moylan, Mike Nakamura, David Nilsson, Chris Oxspring, Luke Prokopec, Joe Quinn, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Craig Shipley, Chris Snelling, John Stephens, Phil Stockman, Brad Thomas, Jeff Williams and Glenn Williams.
There are over 100 Australians playing under contract to Major League Baseball clubs, the Japanese and Korean professional leagues, or in the independent leagues of North America.
