Sterlin Thompson Is Ready To Rock For The Gators #OcalaPowerCompany Slugger

“My baseball journey started very competitively,” Thompson said. “At age 7, I played up (above his age) on the Ocala Raptors for three years. Ocala has a lot of talented players to compete against and has good coaches to develop those players.”

Sweet-swinging Sterlin Thompson hopes for a big year. (UAA Photo)

By KYLE CURTIS

GatorBait Intern

Sterlin Thompson recalls playing catch with his dad as a toddler, seeing him throw the ball as high as the eye could see, until it plopped into his glove. That is where his love for baseball began.

Now that toddler is one of the premier hitters in college baseball and has positioned himself as a possible future first-round draft pick.

Thompson’s playing career began early. By age seven he was on a travel baseball team. Being from Ocala, he saw it played at a high level, because baseball is a staple throughout the city and county.

“My baseball journey started very competitively,” Thompson said. “At age 7, I played up (above his age) on the Ocala Raptors for three years. Ocala has a lot of talented players to compete against and has good coaches to develop those players.”

On that same travel team were current Florida Gator teammate and centerfielder Jud Fabian and his brother, Deric Fabian.

“It’s nice because I’ve had a history of playing with them at a young age,” said Thompson. “I played with the Fabian brothers when we were young on that travel ball team. Hunter McMullen and I played together my freshman year of high school and we went to the regional semifinals. It’s crazy how we all ended up at the next level playing with the Gators.”

Sterlin and the Fabins provide spark as the #OcalaPowerCompany which has already pounded quite a few home runs — 37 total — and figures to add to that total substantially with the arrival of Deric’s strong bat. Jud leads with 32 of those, Sterlin five.

Sterlin has not always been all-baseball though. Growing up, Thompson loved playing all kinds of sports. He was the quarterback of his football team in middle school for the Marion County Youth Football League and led his team to a county championship.

Thompson also played basketball from middle school through his sophomore year of high school until he ultimately ended up taking on baseball full-time.

Sterlin spent his first two years of high school at Forest High School until ultimately finishing out his high school career at North Marion. He originally committed to Stetson his sophomore year before popping onto the scene his junior summer in a Perfect Game event where he gained national attention.

After performing impressively in these showcase events, Thompson was graded a perfect 10 and then committed to the Gators in November of 2019.

In high school, Thompson was mainly a middle infielder and did not see much time in right field, where he now plays for Florida.

Coming out of high school, there was speculation he may consider going straight to the MLB. Through the rumors, Thompson stuck to his guns and chose the Gators and has improved his draft stock as some MLB insiders have him as a top 20 prospect.

In his freshman year, Thompson was an everyday player for the Gators where he appeared in 55 games starting at right field. Throughout his freshman campaign, Thompson was able to pick up five home runs while batting .301 driving in 27 RBIs. He made the Freshman All-SEC team, SEC All-Tournament Team and SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Deric Fabian (seen here) and Thompson figured to hit a lot of balls out of the park. (UAA Photo)

Thompson talked about the transition from high school to college ball, his main mentors and the impact of playing with Ocala guys.

“Right when I stepped on campus Kirby McMullen, one of the leaders on the team, helped me adjust to college ball,” Thompson said. “Also playing with all these Ocala guys, I began to realize how exciting it was that there was a possibility that all three of us Ocala boys would be in the lineup and contribute to our goal of going to Omaha.”

Both Hunter and Kirby McMullen are Ocala guys who went on to play for the Gators as well. At Forest High School the McMullen brothers played big roles in deep playoff runs for the Wildcats

After a somewhat disappointing end to the 2021 season, the Gators look to get back on track and live up to the championship culture which they established.

“I want to help lead our team to host a regional/super-regional, to go to Omaha and win the College World Series,” Thompson said. “Some personal goals of mine for the year are first-team All-SEC and first-team All-American.”

Thompson looks to bring his red-hot from last year into the 2022 season. He gets help from home.

“My dad has always been the one to help me with my hitting, and my approach at the plate. To this day we still break down the videos of my at-bats after the game.”

Sterlin also was able to recall the longest home run ball he’s hit so far. Last year against Arkansas in Fayetteville, he smacked one off of the third deck of the new baseball facility in right field.

Jud Fabian: Another member of #TheOcalaPowerCompany (UAA photo)

Coach Kevin O'Sullivan has been one of Thompson’s biggest supporters during the offseason.

“Sterlin Thompson, in right field, in my opinion, is going to end up being one of the best hitters in the country,” O'Sullivan said. “He very well may be a first-round pick in a couple of months when it is all set and done.”

Sterlin Thompson has his goals ahead of him for the 2022 season in place, now it is time to execute. He has kept his eyes on the ball ever since he was a toddler.