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By TYLER RALEY | Special to the Reporter

ARLINGTON, Tex. – After another successful season for the Thompson High School baseball program, the Warriors are adding another accolade to the school’s rich athletic resume.

Thompson outfielder, first baseman and pitcher D’Marion Terrell was taken by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 19th round on Tuesday, July 16 with the No. 577 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

“I’m super proud and not surprised,” Thompson head baseball coach Frankie Perez said. “That’s something that was a goal of his from the beginning, and I’m just proud that he was able to fulfill one of his dreams, which is to get drafted. Regardless of what happens, this moment, it’s a moment that he will remember the rest of his life getting his name called out by a professional baseball team because they feel like he’s good enough to play professional baseball. So, I’m super proud and excited for him.”

Terrell posted a phenomenal stat line to finish off his career as a Warrior, being a dual threat player both at the plate and on the mound.

His skills with the bat were the county’s best in 2024, earning the title of Shelby County Hitter of the Year for his efforts. He posted a .426 batting average to go along with his 42 RBI mark, being efficient in scoring his teammates all season long.

In his 129 at-bats, Terrell racked up 55 hits while also showing his power with an impressive .798 slugging percentage. As a result, he scored 41 runs of his own for the year.

His force carried over to the mound as a reliable option for Thompson to utilize each week.

The left-handed pitcher finished with a 6-3 record and a 2.12 earned run average. He threw for a total of 46.1 innings in his outings, striking out 38 opposing batters while walking 40.

Terrell gave up just 31 hits and 20 total runs, with 14 of them being earned, helping the Warriors limit the amount of runs that their opponents put up. He held opponents to a measly .143 batting average as well.

The work that Terrell put in during his career pushed Thompson to multiple Class 7A playoff appearances in his time on the varsity squad. During his senior season, he made huge plays that led the Warriors to a quarterfinal appearance, where they ultimately lost to eventual state champion Bob Jones.

Perez said that Terrell’s passion for baseball will carry him far in his quest to play in the major leagues.

“He breathes, sleeps, eats baseball,” Perez said. “I think something that he’s truly passionate about is the game of baseball.”

Perez also believes that Terrell’s intangibles and potential to improve helped him stand out in scouts’ eyes and give him the chance to play professionally.

“He’s already a big kid even though he’s so young, so I’m sure that the scouts like his frame,” Perez said. “They like the fact that he’s a power hitter from the left side of the plate, I’m sure they like that as well. And I just feel that as he continues to grow as a player, as a person, and obviously as he gets older, he’s going to continue to fill in and hopefully fulfill his dream to play professional baseball.”

Terrell committed his talents to Auburn University on May 21, but will now decide whether to take his talents to the Plains or head on to join the Blue Jays’ minor league system and start his professional career.

This is the second straight year that a Thompson alum was selected in the MLB Draft. 2020 THS graduate Carson Hobbs was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 after a college career with Samford.