BSN Exclusive: How Garrett Hampson became the most versatile member of the Rockies

Scottsdale – Garrett Hampson is a manager’s dream.

All the tools. All the positions. All the instincts. All the smarts.

Being able to consistently hit MLB pitching will always and forever be what makes or breaks a baseball player trying to establish himself at the most elite level in the world but when you can run, catch, throw, and think like Hampson, you’re going to find a way to be successful.

Combining elite speed with a well above-average glove and a mind with a deep understanding for the game is going to create some opportunities.

That’s not to say he hasn’t performed well with the bat either. Quite the contrary. He hit .275/.396/.400 in 48 plate appearances last year including getting some pivotal playing time down the stretch. His steadiness at the big leagues, in a year he began at High-A, earned him a spot on the postseason roster.

This spring, he has shown up locked in a battle with Ryan McMahon for the suddenly vacant second-base starting job and is slashing .313/.371/.625 with three home runs and six stolen bases.

McMahon seems destined to land the gig with his eye-popping .444/.490/.844 line but it may not be as simple as that.

When you can do what Hampson can do, you aren’t really blocked anywhere and we have seen the Colorado Rockies begin to make the most out of that dynamic this spring.

He has played 28 innings at second base, 27 innings at shortstop, nine innings in left field and nine innings in centerfield.

It may be that kind of 2019 for Hampson much to his own benefit and that of the team.

“I think it’s good to be versatile,” he told BSN Denver. “Especially in today’s game where it’s smart to mix and match hitters so I think it gives Buddy a good chance to get me on the diamond and I pride myself in getting good at all those positions and just being able to stay on the field.”

Playing in the outfield is still relatively new to him, something that dates back to just last year, but the superb athlete seems to be taking to the new spots exceptionally well.

“It’s getting better every day,” he says. “I’m getting as many reps as I can out there. I still have to get my reps in the infield, too, and I think more game reps is what I need. It’s getting there and that’s what spring training is for.”

Hampson is the perfect reminder that player development doesn’t stop when you reach the big leagues. His entire tenure thus far has been defined by trying to adapt to things he has never done before, including coming off the bench for just one at-bat at a time.

“Yeah, that was definitely an adjustment,” he says. “I think a lot of young hitters have that adjustment time, you see it a lot. I got a little taste of that last year and I think I’m better prepared for that this year. I just try to stay ready no matter what and be ready when my name’s called.”

Whether you are talking about versatility in terms of a guy who can move around the diamond or in his myriad of skills that can help Colorado win ballgames in all kinds of ways, Hampson is undoubtedly going to make his mark on the 2019 club.

And the realization that this is true for him and McMahon may end up being what drives them both to success.

“He’s a great dude,” Hampson says of McMahon. “He’s a good buddy of mine. He’s having a great spring obviously. We try not to talk about the competition. Both of us are just going about our business trying to help the team win. If that’s on different days or if it’s on the same day, doesn’t matter to us. I think we both have that same mentality of just trying to contribute when our opportunity is there.”