Red Sox sign brother of NBA All-Star to minor-league contract

Red Sox

Trayce Thompson spent the 2024 season playing for the Triple-A affiliates of the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

Klay Thompson made Celtics fans miserable in the summer of 2022 when the Warriors beat the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals. 

But the five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion might have to root for the Red Sox moving forward. 

The Red Sox announced on Monday that they signed Thompson’s younger brother, Trayce, to a minor-league contract, inviting the 33-year-old outfielder to spring training in the process. 

Trayce Thompson spent the 2024 season playing for the Triple-A affiliates of the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs, batting .233 with 23 home runs and 66 RBI over 107 total games. 

Thompson has not played in the big leagues since the 2023 season, where he made appearances with both the White Sox and Dodgers. In 72 total games between Chicago and Los Angeles, Thompson hit just .163 with six home runs and 17 RBIs in 72 games.

Thompson — originally a second-round pick by the White Sox in 2009 — has bounced all over pro baseball in his career. He has played for five different MLB franchises across parts of seven seasons, batting .212 with 45 home runs and 126 RBI over 369 career games. 

His best season came during the 2022 season with the Dodgers and Padres, with Thompson batting .268 with 13 home runs and 39 RBI over 74 games with Los Angeles.

The 6-foot-2 Thompson may not boast the same shot beyond the arc as his older brother, but Trayce should serve as added depth further down in Boston’s farm system this season. 

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.