Banter From The Bench: Garrett Hampson adds bulk to bag of tricks

As one of the younger players expected to make the Opening Day roster, Garrett Hampson has been around for a while.

He has more than three years of service time and is one of only eight Rockies who remain from the team’s last postseason appearance in 2018.

One could characterize a utility player like him as a man without a position, but he’s more like a man with several positions.

The 27-year-old was drafted as a shortstop in the 3rd round of the 2016 MLB Draft from Long Beach State and began to play some second base once Trevor Story emerged as a defensive heavyweight. 

Then just before making his debut in 2018, he started learning to play outfield, specifically center field, where he’s played more than any other position.

Hampson opened Spring Training with a leadoff home run on Thursday and, based on the following conversation, there could be a lot more of that in his future.