San Francisco Giants Acquire OF/C Cooper Hummel in Trade With New York Mets
The San Francisco Giants have acquired outfielder/catcher Cooper Hummel in a trade with the New York Mets, the team announced Tuesday evening.
The Giants are sending cash considerations back to the Mets in return.
New York designated Hummel for assignment on Jan. 12 in order to make room for right-handed pitcher Max Kranick, who they claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Mets initially picked Hummel up off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on Dec. 1.
Earlier Tuesday, New York signed former San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics catcher Austin Allen to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training.
Hummel got his start with the Milwaukee Brewers, who selected him in the 18th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He got dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, and he made his big league debut the following April.
After batting .176 with three home runs, 17 RBI, four stolen bases, a .580 OPS and a -0.3 WAR in 2022, Hummel was traded to the Mariners for 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis. Hummel made just 10 major league appearances for Seattle in 2023, batting .087 with a .323 OPS.
The 29-year-old may own a .166 batting average and .551 OPS in his MLB career, but he is a .264 hitter with an .843 OPS in the minors.
Hummel has played 276.1 innings of defense in his MLB career, 154.2 of which came in left field and 118.1 of which came at catcher. He took on 459.2 innings at first base in Triple-A this past season, though, giving the journeyman another position he can fill in at moving forward.
Given his status as a switch-hitter and utility man, Hummel has a shot to earn time on the Giants' major league roster in 2024 as an injury replacement.
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