Milwaukee Brewers Select JD Thompson with the 59th Pick of the 2025 MLB Draft

With the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Vanderbilt LHP JD Thompson. Thompson was ranked 62nd on our draft board, 61st by Baseball America and 66th by MLB.com. 

Thompson emerged as one of the better college southpaws in the 2025 draft class. Once known for his pitchability as a Texas high schooler, he lacked the physicality and raw stuff to attract pro interest out of high school and instead honored his commitment to Vanderbilt. Three years later, he’s proven himself as the Commodores’ Friday-night starter.

Here's a quick glance at Thompson:

Here's what Jamie Cameron gave as a scouting report prior to the draft:

JD Thompson is yet another name in a deep and diverse array of college left-handed pitchers in the 2025 class. In terms of frame, it's more compact. Thompson stands at 6'0, 185 pounds with good strength and power in his lower half. While Thompson doesn't have a high octane fastball, it's a whiff monster thanks to 18 inches of carry from a lower arm slot. The pitch typically sits in the 91-93 mph range, though he can crank it up to 95 mph. He commands the pitch too, helping it be relatively dominant for the level.

His best secondary is his slider. It sits in the 78-81 mph range with good horizontal movement and ties up left-handed hitters frequently. There's also a curveball and changeup in the mix, too. The changeup, in particular, has flashed above average with some fade and tumble. All of this comes from a delivery that is relatively smooth and repeatable.

Thompson has consistently posted in 2025. Through 90 IP, he has a 3.34 FIP striking out 32.1% of hitters and walking 7.9% against some of the strongest competition in the country. He's set himself up as a day one name in July.

Thompson’s low-effort, repeatable delivery and strike-throwing ability give him a high floor as a potential back-end starter, with room to grow if his fastball effectiveness and breaking ball consistency continue to develop. The Brewers have developed a reputation for maximizing the value of non-flashy arms and Thompson certainly fits the mold. His high IVB fastball, consistent strike-throwing, and advanced feel for sequencing play right into the Brewers’ emphasis on pitch shape and tunneling.

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