Kansas City Royals Sign Former Marlins, Rockies Utility Man Garrett Hampson

Dynamic defender Garrett Hampson is joining the Kansas City Royals after spending six years with the Colorado Rockies and one with the Miami Marlins.

The Kansas City Royals have signed utility man Garrett Hampson to a one-year contract, the team announced Wednesday evening.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the deal is worth $2 million.

Hampson spent last season with the Miami Marlins, hitting .276 with a .729 OPS and 1.3 WAR across 93 games. The 28-year-old split most of his time between shortstop and center field, but he also played right field, left field, second base, third base and designated hitter.

The Marlins non-tendered Hampson on November 17, making him a free agent. It marked the end of a one-year stint in South Beach for Hampson, who spent the prior five seasons with the Colorado Rockies.

We have signed INF/OF Garrett Hampson to a one-year contract.

Welcome to Kansas City, Garrett! pic.twitter.com/4t6EJTHzOC

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) November 29, 2023

Hampson is a .241 hitter since breaking into the big leagues in 2018, racking up 333 hits, 29 home runs, 113 RBI and a .676 OPS across 517 games.

Over the course of his career, Hampson is hitting .261 with a .746 OPS against left-handed pitchers, compared to his .231 batting average and .639 OPS against right-handed pitchers. In 2022, he hit .296 with an .836 OPS versus lefties while batting .164 with a .455 OPS versus righties.

In 2023, however, Hampson flipped his splits by batting .280 with a .736 OPS against righties and batting .264 with a .707 OPS against lefties.

Kansas City already has young, everyday players at two of Hampson's primary positions – Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop and MJ Melendez in the corner outfield – but he is typically best served as a bench player and flexible injury replacement regardless. Fangraphs is projecting Hampson to come off the Royals' bench in 2024, barring any other moves this offseason.

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