WALDORF, Md. – Daryl Thompson (W, 15-3) pitched a gem on Wednesday evening, notching his 75th career Atlantic League win, surpassing Tim Cain as the league’s all-time wins leader. Thompson, a Southern Maryland native, is now the ALPB wins and strikeouts king, having surpassed John Brownell for career strikeouts on June 9th, 2021. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the High Point Rockers on Wednesday evening by a score of 12-3.
Like a fine wine, Daryl Thompson has continued to get better with age. In his first seven seasons in the Atlantic League, Thompson compiled 45 wins. In 2019, Thompson posted career bests in wins (15), strikeouts (second most in a single season in ALPB history, 162), complete games, innings pitched, WHIP, and complete games, while holding two-thirds of the ALPB Triple Crown and winning the ALPB Pitcher of the Year award.
Now, having notched 30 wins since the beginning of the 2019 campaign with back-to-back 15-win seasons, Thompson has been crowned the all-time leader in Atlantic League wins and strikeouts. In 2021, Thompson once again holds two-thirds of the Atlantic League Triple Crown with 15 wins and a 3.17 ERA. After a year off in 2020, the 35-year-old Thompson was named the Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month in May/June of 2021.
Prior to his time in the Atlantic League, Thompson was drafted by the Montreal Expos out of La Plata High School in the 8th round of the 2003 MLB Draft. The right-hander would reach the MLB level in parts of two seasons, and made his MLB debut at Yankee Stadium for the Cincinnati Reds, tossing five shutout innings against a handful of future Hall of Famers.
For Thompson, who is playing the best baseball of his 18-year professional career, the best is yet to come.