By Bryce Kamin
Growing up in Atlanta, Jaylon Thompson rarely put the bat down.
Hence, Thompson fell in love with baseball at a young age, growing up as a Braves’ fan, a passion that only became stronger in time. Although he accepted the fact he wouldn’t be going pro, he knew he could stay around the game in other ways.
Thompson graduated from the University of Georgia, where he studied journalism and began shaping the path he’s still walking today. He went on to work for the Kansas City Star to cover the Kansas City Royals. He is currently preparing for his fourth season covering the Royals in 2026. He’s also nearing a personal milestone turning 31 years old, which will mark a full decade in journalism.
Growing up around diverse cultures and learning how other people operate helped Thompson with his beat reporting career. Thompson is a relationship builder who uses his hospitality, and respect to understand who athletes are not only on the field, but off the field as well. His days can be demanding.
Thompson is always attending Royals’ events, including press conferences and interviews amongst other things. “Your job is to be there,” Thompson said. “If the Royals have something going on, you have to have a story. It can be a lot, it gets tiring, but all of that goes away when you remember your love for the game and for reporting.”
For Thompson, this was always the plan. He understood what it would take to cover Major League Baseball. He hopes he can continue doing this, but he’s also constantly thinking about what’s next. He hopes to get national recognition one day in this field.
Driven by his faith and family, many people have encouraged him along the way. He’s learned to become proud of what he does, and pave the way for the next generation. Someone Thompson looked up to was Mark Bowman, a Braves reporter for mlb.com. “You’re always learning from other people, you create your own lane,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for all those who came before me.”
Though he covers the Royals daily, Thompson makes a very professional and respectable decision to keep his fandom out of his work for the purpose of objectivity. He loves what he does because it reminds him of his love for the game that he grew up with.
But what makes this worth it more than anything is what Thompson describes as the best part of his job. He covers the game for anyone who missed it. It makes them feel good when someone tells him they enjoyed his story. This way, he gets the beautiful experience of sharing deep emotions with other people.
His favorite memory of the last four years comes from the 2024 season when the Royals clinched a playoff spot at Truist Park in his hometown of Atlanta. He remembers walking into the clubhouse and getting hit with flying champagne while coming to the quick realization that everything is soaking wet. “It validated all the long days and hard nights,” he said.
Being recognized on the Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame website is something that Thompson doesn’t take lightly. Segregation is a moment in history Thompson will never forget. “At one point, you couldn’t do this as a Black man, so to be noticed and to display your talent, it means everything,” he said.
Thompson expressed his love for being a Black reporter and his motivation to become better. If he ever sees his name alongside other Hall of Fame writers, he would be honored.
His final message is this. “To anyone who wants to be a reporter, keep going,” he said. “Even when you don’t feel good, keep going, I knew I could do it through perseverance.”
Thompson has and is now thriving in the business.