Charlotte Knights’ Trayce Thompson works on making every day spectacular

It didn’t take long for Knights center fielder Trayce Thompson to show the city of Charlotte why he’s considered one of the Chicago White Sox’ most promising prospects.

It took even less time for him to convince Kyle Drabek.

Just before Drabek’s first start with the Knights, on April 24 in Norfolk, Thompson approached the right-hander, introduced himself, and wished him good luck.

Three batters into the game, Thompson – who the White Sox drafted in the second round (61st overall) in 2009 – scaled the center field wall and brought back a would-be Chris Parmelee home run. Drabek was sold.

“I met Kyle maybe five minutes before I made that play,” Thompson said. “It was pretty funny. It was one of the best plays of my career.”

On the play, Thompson, who is 6-foot-3, was shading the left-handed-hitting Parmelee to pull with the wind blowing out to center. The Tides’ outfielder launched the second pitch he saw from Drabek up into the wind.

“I didn’t think it was going out initially,” said Thompson. “I was in a good spot to get back to the wall and (our right fielder) Engel (Beltre) kind of let me know where I was. … I didn’t get as high as I could have, but it was just high enough to get my glove over the wall and go get it. It was awesome to be able to help the team out like that.”

Others were more straightforward.

Said Knights hitting coach Andy Tomberlin: “It’s only April, but Thompson has already made the defensive play of the year.”

It’s strange not to see Jordan Danks, now with the Philadelphia Phillies organization, patrolling center field for the Knights. But few could have replaced Danks, the Knights’ all-time hits leader, as seamlessly as Thompson has.

At 24, Thompson is drawing rave reviews.

Thompson, whose father, Mychal, was the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, and brother, Klay, is an all-star shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors, has always been known as an elite athlete.

It’s Trayce’s bat, until this season, that has stood in the way of his potential.

Thompson began his 2015 season with a 10-game hitting streak and has continued to swing a hot bat through the team’s first 20 games. The White Sox No. 18 prospect entering this season according to Baseball America, Thompson is hitting .326 with two home runs, three triples and five doubles through Monday’s games.

In the past, Thompson struggled to generate the kind of power the White Sox expected to see when they drafted him out of Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

He finished last season with Class Birmingham hitting .237, but showed flashes of his potential with 16 home runs, six triples and 34 doubles. The average also went up as the season went along. Thompson hit .253 over the final three months.

That improvement caught the eye of White Sox director of player development Nick Capra.

“I’ve heard nothing but positive reports on Thompson,” said Capra. “From what I’ve seen, he’s a completely different hitter at this stage, in a positive way. He’s always had decent years, but we’ve known that there was more in there. Now, we’re starting to see that come out.”

Thompson has been using the entire field, doing a better job of staying balanced and getting his hands in a good position, which has added to his power.

He’s also shown a willingness to jump on pitches earlier in the count.

“I’m just trying to focus day in and day out,” Thompson said. “I feel like the last couple years, if you talk to (White Sox assistant GM) Buddy Bell, or maybe (Capra), they’ll tell you that sometimes I’ve given away at-bats. This year I’m just trying to take every day for what it is, an opportunity for maybe five at-bats. I want to make each one count.”

Thompson has, moving from the bottom of the Knights order to the No. 5 hole.

“He’s got some intensity to him,” said Knights manager Joel Skinner of Thompson. “Obviously he’s got some athletic ability too. He’s what you’re looking for in a young player, so it’s been exciting.”

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Charlotte Knights’ Trayce Thompson works on making every day spectacular."