His fastball is the pitch everything else is built on
Thompson's sinker averages 89.3 mph, and has touched 92.2.
410 thrown, 62.7% of his pitches.
The angle he throws from is unusual, and hitters notice
Thompson releases the ball from a submarine slot, about -13 degrees above horizontal and 3.6 feet to the third-base side of the rubber.
654 tracked release points, averaging 3.6 feet off the ground.
When he falls behind, hitters know exactly what is coming
Behind in the count Thompson throws a fastball 86.4% of the time, against 47.4% when he is ahead.
140 pitches behind in the count, 209 ahead.
He pitches around the zone once runners are on
Thompson throws 34.3% of his pitches in the zone with a runner in scoring position and 43.7% with the bases empty.
70 pitches with a runner in scoring position, 126 with the bases empty.
He works one part of the zone far more than the rest
Thompson lives at the bottom of the zone: his average pitch crosses at 2.03 feet, against a zone that runs 1.5 to 3.5.
654 located pitches in 2026.
This is the pitch he goes to when he needs the out
With two strikes Thompson goes to the slider: 45.3% of his two-strike pitches, against 28.6% the rest of the time.
179 two-strike pitches in 2026.
He gets by without much velocity, and it costs him
Thompson averages 86.3 mph across his arsenal, 12th percentile in the league.
196 pitches in 2026. 12th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 474th in MLB.
One pitch of his runs sideways more than almost anyone's
Thompson's slider moves 14.7 inches toward the first-base side, the biggest horizontal move in his arsenal.
217 thrown, averaging 77.9 mph.
His pitches move in ways that fit together
Thompson works with 2 pitches: Sinker and Slider. The sinker is 62.7% of everything he throws.
654 classified pitches in 2026.
He cannot find the zone often enough
Thompson works off the plate, with only 40.3% of his pitches in the zone, 23rd percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 23rd percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 412th in MLB.
His ball is straighter than it should be
Thompson's stuff spins at 2,070 rpm, 15th percentile in the league.
196 pitches in 2026. 15th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 459th in MLB.
The contact he allows should not turn into many hits
The quality of contact against Thompson projects a .289 average, 82nd percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 82nd percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 96th in MLB.
How much of the zone he uses depends on the count
Thompson puts 58.6% of his pitches in the zone when he is behind and 35.4% when he is ahead.
140 located pitches behind, 209 ahead.
He lives on the edges rather than over the middle
15.1% of Thompson's pitches land in the middle third of the zone, well below what most pitchers give away.
99 of 654 located pitches.
There is one pitch of his that keeps getting hit
Contact off Thompson's sinker leaves the bat at 88.4 mph, against 83.9 off his slider.
410 and 217 of them thrown.
Almost nothing hit off him is hit well
Only 32.6% of the contact Thompson gives up is hit hard, 80th percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 80th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 106th in MLB.
He gets ahead early and pitches from in front all night
Thompson throws a strike on the first pitch 66.1% of the time.
183 plate appearances started in 2026.
The gap between his pitches is what makes them work
11.4 mph separates Thompson's sinker from his slider, 89.3 against 77.9.
410 and 217 of them respectively.
He gets so far down the mound the ball arrives early
Thompson releases the ball 6.7 feet down the mound, so the ball arrives sooner than the radar gun suggests.
597 tracked pitches in 2026.
He saves one pitch for one side of the plate
Thompson throws the slider 38% of the time against right-handers and 26.3% against left-handers.
384 pitches to right-handers, 270 to left-handers.
One pitch of his moves in a way hitters rarely see
Thompson's sinker carries 8.6 inches of drop against a spinless ball, the biggest vertical move in his arsenal.
410 thrown, averaging 89.3 mph.
When hitters connect off him, they hit it hard
Hitters average 89.1 mph off the bat against Thompson, 39th percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 39th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 327th in MLB.
One pitch exists only to make the hitter think
Thompson has thrown 27 4-seam fastballs this season, 4.1% of his pitches, at 91.3 mph: a look rather than a weapon.
654 classified pitches in 2026.
One pitch of his spins more than almost anyone's
Thompson's slider spins at 2,295 rpm, the highest in his arsenal.
217 thrown in 2026.
Show more
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
His fastball is the pitch everything else is built on
Thompson's sinker averages 89.3 mph, and has touched 92.2.
410 thrown, 62.7% of his pitches.
His pitches move in ways that fit together
Thompson works with 2 pitches: Sinker and Slider. The sinker is 62.7% of everything he throws.
654 classified pitches in 2026.
There is one pitch of his that keeps getting hit
Contact off Thompson's sinker leaves the bat at 88.4 mph, against 83.9 off his slider.
410 and 217 of them thrown.
The gap between his pitches is what makes them work
11.4 mph separates Thompson's sinker from his slider, 89.3 against 77.9.
410 and 217 of them respectively.
He saves one pitch for one side of the plate
Thompson throws the slider 38% of the time against right-handers and 26.3% against left-handers.
384 pitches to right-handers, 270 to left-handers.
One pitch exists only to make the hitter think
Thompson has thrown 27 4-seam fastballs this season, 4.1% of his pitches, at 91.3 mph: a look rather than a weapon.
654 classified pitches in 2026.
One pitch of his spins more than almost anyone's
Thompson's slider spins at 2,295 rpm, the highest in his arsenal.
217 thrown in 2026.
Show more
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
The angle he throws from is unusual, and hitters notice
Thompson releases the ball from a submarine slot, about -13 degrees above horizontal and 3.6 feet to the third-base side of the rubber.
654 tracked release points, averaging 3.6 feet off the ground.
He gets so far down the mound the ball arrives early
Thompson releases the ball 6.7 feet down the mound, so the ball arrives sooner than the radar gun suggests.
597 tracked pitches in 2026.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
When he falls behind, hitters know exactly what is coming
Behind in the count Thompson throws a fastball 86.4% of the time, against 47.4% when he is ahead.
140 pitches behind in the count, 209 ahead.
This is the pitch he goes to when he needs the out
With two strikes Thompson goes to the slider: 45.3% of his two-strike pitches, against 28.6% the rest of the time.
179 two-strike pitches in 2026.
How much of the zone he uses depends on the count
Thompson puts 58.6% of his pitches in the zone when he is behind and 35.4% when he is ahead.
140 located pitches behind, 209 ahead.
He gets ahead early and pitches from in front all night
Thompson throws a strike on the first pitch 66.1% of the time.
183 plate appearances started in 2026.
The numbers behind these live in Matchups.
Take me there
He pitches around the zone once runners are on
Thompson throws 34.3% of his pitches in the zone with a runner in scoring position and 43.7% with the bases empty.
70 pitches with a runner in scoring position, 126 with the bases empty.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He works one part of the zone far more than the rest
Thompson lives at the bottom of the zone: his average pitch crosses at 2.03 feet, against a zone that runs 1.5 to 3.5.
654 located pitches in 2026.
He lives on the edges rather than over the middle
15.1% of Thompson's pitches land in the middle third of the zone, well below what most pitchers give away.
99 of 654 located pitches.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He gets by without much velocity, and it costs him
Thompson averages 86.3 mph across his arsenal, 12th percentile in the league.
196 pitches in 2026. 12th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 474th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
One pitch of his runs sideways more than almost anyone's
Thompson's slider moves 14.7 inches toward the first-base side, the biggest horizontal move in his arsenal.
217 thrown, averaging 77.9 mph.
One pitch of his moves in a way hitters rarely see
Thompson's sinker carries 8.6 inches of drop against a spinless ball, the biggest vertical move in his arsenal.
410 thrown, averaging 89.3 mph.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He cannot find the zone often enough
Thompson works off the plate, with only 40.3% of his pitches in the zone, 23rd percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 23rd percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 412th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
His ball is straighter than it should be
Thompson's stuff spins at 2,070 rpm, 15th percentile in the league.
196 pitches in 2026. 15th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 459th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Spray Chart.
Take me there
The contact he allows should not turn into many hits
The quality of contact against Thompson projects a .289 average, 82nd percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 82nd percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 96th in MLB.
Almost nothing hit off him is hit well
Only 32.6% of the contact Thompson gives up is hit hard, 80th percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 80th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 106th in MLB.
When hitters connect off him, they hit it hard
Hitters average 89.1 mph off the bat against Thompson, 39th percentile.
196 pitches in 2026. 39th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 327th in MLB.
Diamondbacks
Career team 2023 to 2026