BSN Exclusive: Inside Garrett Hampson's exhilarating first week in the big leagues

DENVER – When most people notice they have three missed calls from their boss, their anxiety may rise. When those phone calls come after midnight, the sweating begins.

If you are rookie Garrett Hampson drifting off to sleep in your Albuquerque home—or any minor league player on the brink of the major leagues—it may actually be good news coming your way.

Four hundred miles away and just hours earlier, Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu had exited the game in the third inning against the rival Diamondbacks.

The verdict for the two-time All-Star would be an oblique strain that will keep him out of action for a significant amount of time. GM Jeff Bridich decided his best option was Hampson, a player not even on the 40-man roster at the time.

With Hampson playing well in Triple-A Albuquerque for manager Glenallen Hill, the decision was made late in the evening to designate Daniel Castro for assignment in order to make room for the 2016 third-round pick.

“LeMahieu got hurt that night. They didn’t tell me after the game,” Hampson told BSN Denver. “I was about to fall asleep. It was 12:30 AM. I think it was kind of a late decision. I had three missed calls from G-Hill. So I called him back and I had a feeling it might be something. He tried to play a little joke on me saying my car was getting broken into.”

From there, it was a whirlwind experience for the kid from Reno, Nevada.

“I packed that night. First flight out in the morning. I didn’t get that much sleep that night. Maybe two hours.

Game one as a major league player came against the Arizona Diamondbacks and starting pitcher Zack Godley. His first base hit arrived in just his second at at-bat; an RBI double off the left-field wall at Chase Field.

Standing on second base after his first major league hit, the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to the sport looked to be paying off.

“I saw my parents and brother and girlfriend going wild in the stands,” he recalled with a smile. “I think that was probably when it sunk in. That was my favorite part. Seeing how excited they were to be there. Not only be there but see my first hit. A super special moment.”

After two games in Arizona, it was time to head to his new home in Denver, which he’s excited to explore.

“I got a chance to walk down to the 16th Street Mall,” he said. “Checked that out. Just walking around downtown Denver is pretty cool. I might have to go check out the mountains around here. Being from Reno, I love the mountains. I’ve gotta check out the Rocky Mountains.”

Hampson has been starting every day at second base during a stretch of games against teams with a .500 winning percentage or better.

“It’s super intense baseball right now. Every pitch matters. I’m just super pumped to be contributing to it in any way I can in meaningful games down the stretch, which have been really fun to play.”

During a recent two-game series, he held his own, going 2-for-6 with a triple against the World Series Champion Houston Astros.

“It was really cool seeing the defending champs in town. Jose Altuve was one of my favorites growing up. Those were two good games.”

The spectacle is far from over for Hampson, but he’s beginning to settle into the daily routine of the major leagues.

“I have a good understanding of where to be and when to be there and getting my routine down,” he noted. “These guys have made it really easy on me just to feel comfortable in here.”

Until LeMahieu returns, Garrett Hampson is fine with playing his brand of baseball.

“I’m not going to be DJ LeMahieu. I’m my own player. I’m just here to try to help the team win. I’m not trying to fill anybody’s shoes. I’m going to do whatever it takes.”