Gators in the Pros: Sterlin Thompson Has Eyes on the Majors with Rockies
Sterlin Thompson continues to climb the ladder in the Colorado Rockies organization.
Now in his fourth season in the minors, the former Florida Gators outfielder is just one step away from the majors at Triple-A Albuquerque. The 6-foot-3 Thompson is the No. 17 prospect in the Rockies organization in MLB Pipeline’s 2025 rankings following a season in which he hit 13 homers with 57 RBIs for Double-A Hartford.
Thompson was selected by Colorado with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft after a standout two-year career in Gainesville. The Ocala, Florida, native had a career year in 2022, hitting.354 with 11 home runs, 51 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Thompson hit a combined .332/.424/.524 in 121 career games for the Gators.
Sports@CJC spoke with Thompson in March at the Rockies’ spring training complex at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona.
1. Sterlin, you were a Florida Gator, how did playing at UF prepare you to for pro ball and play for the Rockies?
Thompson: I mean, it was my dream school. Sully [Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan] developed the program. It was a pro-atmosphere program and I developed a lot of great relationships with my teammates. It was a great experience. There was a lot of talent coming in when I went into campus.
Then that year I got drafted, I was around a lot of talented teammates who got drafted. It was just great environment overall.
2. How would you describe the transition from SEC play to the pros, whether it’s the competition or the coaching?
Thompson: I would say SEC play is like equivalent to High-A to Double-A of professional, but there’s really not much difference. In the SEC, it’s every week you’re facing a top-notch program whether it’s LSU, Arkansas or Mississippi State.
But there’s a lot more freedom, I guess, in pro ball. It’s not so much from the team. You’re on your own plan and it’s kind of just whatever you decide to do with your pro career.
3. Was there a specific piece of advice you got at your time at UF that still sticks with you or that you still think about to this day?
Thompson: Let’s see, I think the biggest thing was the team aspect of it. The best advice was to play together as a team. I think we found success when we played together as a team instead of going and playing for ourselves, and that kind of led to our success my sophomore season in 2022. So I think that’s going to lead into pro ball and up to The Show.
4. What is it like playing against your former Gator teammates in these spring training games and be able to see them in a different uniform across from you?
Thompson: It’s just a cool moment because we had so many intrasquad games at Florida. We had so many at-bats against them. I faced Spro [Brandon Sproat], Tommy [Mace] and Jack [Leftwich]. It was like once every week I was seeing like five Gators and we were playing against a lot of the position players as well. So it’s just a cool moment now because we spent a lot of time together at UF.
5. Knowing where you are now, is there any advice you’d give to your younger self?
Thompson: I would say just keep going. You know, never too high, never too low. Keep working hard and trusting the process. That’s the biggest thing because baseball can be a great night one night and then you can have a really bad day the next day. You just have to be poised and in control at all times and just trust in your abilities right and
6. If you could say one thing to Gator Nation right now, what would you say? Hype them up.
Thompson: I mean, let’s go! Let’s go to Omaha again. Run it back a third time [in a row]. Let’s go every year.
7. But you’re still a little salty that you never got to go, right?
Thompson: Yeah, I never got to go. That was one thing I missed. But it was good to watch them go to Omaha, but deep down that was something I always wanted to do. But I’m glad they’ve got to Omaha two years back to back since I left.
More Gators in the Pros:
* Catching Up with Royals Top Prospect Jac Caglianone
* Wyatt Langford Looking to Take Next Step After Big Rookie Year
* Jonathan India Adjusting to Life With Royals After Trade
* A.J. Puk Starting to Feel Comfortable in Deep D’backs ‘Pen
Category: Colorado Rockies, Gators in the Pros
Tagged: Colorado Rockies Gators in the Pros Sterlin Thompson
