The Reds announced Friday that they’ve signed veteran utilityman Garrett Hampson to a one-year, major league contract. He’ll go directly onto Cincinnati’s big league roster. In a pair of corresponding moves, outfielder Rece Hinds was optioned to Triple-A Louisville, and righty Carson Spiers was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. The Reds also announced the reinstatement of ace Hunter Greene from the injured list, as expected. Righty Lyon Richardson had been optioned to Louisville on yesterday’s off-day to clear a spot on the roster for Greene.
Hampson, 30, opened the season with the D-backs. He’d signed a minor league deal with Arizona over the winter but broke camp with the team after nice spring performance. He received only 41 plate appearances in about six weeks with the Snakes, however, turning in only a .167/.359/.167 batting line. Hampson did draw 10 walks, but he was 5-for-30 with a quintet of singles in his official at-bats and produced poor batted-ball metrics when he made contact. The Diamondbacks designated Hampson for assignment and released him last week.
The Reds are Hampson’s fifth big league team in four years. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the club that originally selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft, the Rockies, but has since bounced to Miami, Kansas City, Arizona and now Cincinnati. Hampson hasn’t been productive with the bat over the course of that journey around the big leagues, hitting just .237/.308/.323 in 750 plate appearances since Opening Day 2022. He’s a plus runner who can handle just about any position on the diamond, however, which surely enhanced his appeal to a banged-up Reds club.
Cincinnati currently has Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, Jake Fraley and Tyler Callihan all on the injured list (the 60-day IL, in Callihan’s case). Those injuries, coupled with the offseason trade of Jonathan India, have thinned out what once appeared to be an extremely deep group of infielders. Presently, the Reds have Spencer Steer at first base, Matt McLain at second, Elly De La Cruz at shortstop and utilityman Santiago Espinal at third base. Gavin Lux can play all over the diamond but has been used much more as an outfielder than an infielder this season. The Reds are also carrying three catchers at the moment, which further creates a need for some versatility in the other players they decide to carry on the bench.
Hampson will provide some needed infield depth while Marte & Co. heal up in the weeks ahead. He’ll also give the Reds a righty-swinging option to plug into an outfield mix that currently includes Lux, Austin Hays, TJ Friedl and Will Benson.