Justin Thompson

Justin Ray Thompson (born March 8, 1973) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1996 to 1999 and the Texas Rangers in 2005.

Career

Thompson was drafted out of high school in the first round of the 1991 MLB draft and started his career in Detroit Tigers minor league system. Thompson started his pro career with the rookie class Bristol Tigers of the Appalachian League in 1991. Thompson moved up to class "A" the next year joining the South Atlantic League's Fayetteville Generals in 1992. In 1993 Thompson split time in A and AA, playing with the Lakeland Tigers of the Florida State League and the Eastern League's London Tigers. He made his Major League debut in 1996. He was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1997, at the age of 24, during a 15 win, 11 loss season, in which he also finished fifth in the league with a 3.02 ERA. Injury problems, however, sent him to the minor leagues soon after his start.

Thompson was traded by the Tigers to the Rangers in an eight player trade after the 1999 season which involved Juan González being sent to Detroit. He spent six seasons in the Minors with the Rangers organization, including a missed 2001 season due to a torn rotator cuff suffered in 2000, before playing in the Majors again for two games in 2005. Thompson elected free agency after the 2005 season and subsequently signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in December 2005. In May 2006, he retired after playing eight games for the Brewers's Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds.

Justin Thompson (soccer)

Justin Thompson (born January 9, 1981 in Prince Rupert, British Columbia) is a retired Canadian soccer defender who played professionally in the United States, Canada and England. He was a member of the Canada U-20 men's national soccer team at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Career

College

Thompson played college soccer for Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut from 2001 to 2003, where he captained the Stags during his final two years. In 2002, the NSCAA selected him as a Regional All-American.

Professional

Thompson started his career with Bury in England, and spent the next few years bouncing backward and forward from the UK to North America across the summer and winter seasons, from Vancouver Whitecaps to Hornchurch to Virginia Beach Mariners to Worcester City. In two seasons with Worcester City, Thompson made 73 league appearances. In total, he made 97 appearances in all competitions. Thompson joined USL First Division side Portland Timbers in April 2007. On 3 December 2008, he returned to the Vancouver Whitecaps. On 31 March 2010, Thompson played his first game for West Van FC in the Imperial Cup.