Jeffrey Hammonds facts for kids

Jeffrey Bryan Hammonds (born March 5, 1971) is a former American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder, which means he played in the part of the field farthest from home plate. Jeffrey played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). These teams included the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals.

Before becoming a professional, Jeffrey Hammonds played baseball in high school at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He also played college baseball for Stanford University. He was considered a top young player, but injuries often made it hard for him to play his best. In 2000, he was even chosen to play in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He retired from baseball in 2005.

Jeffrey's Early Baseball Days

Jeffrey Hammonds grew up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He played baseball for his high school team there. After high school, the Toronto Blue Jays picked him in the 1989 MLB Draft. However, Jeffrey decided not to sign with them. His parents wanted him to go to college first. His older brother had also played minor league baseball but had to stop due to an injury. This made college seem like a safer path.

Playing College Baseball at Stanford

Jeffrey received scholarship offers from several universities. He chose to attend Stanford University to play college baseball for the Stanford Cardinal baseball team. They played in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10). In his first year at Stanford, Jeffrey set a new record for stolen bases in the Pac-10. He stole 102 bases during his college career.

He was named the NCAA Freshman of the Year in 1990. He was also chosen for the All-College World Series team that year. In 1992, Jeffrey continued to play well, batting .380 and stealing 33 bases. He helped his team reach the 1992 College World Series again.

Becoming a Professional Player

The MLB Draft and Signing

Before the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft, Jeffrey Hammonds said he wanted a large signing bonus. A signing bonus is a payment given to a player when they sign their first professional contract. Because of this, he was picked fourth overall by the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles' assistant general manager, Frank Robinson, really wanted Jeffrey on the team.

Jeffrey did not play professionally in 1992. Instead, he played for the United States national baseball team in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He traveled a lot with the team. In July 1992, he signed with the Orioles. He received a $975,000 signing bonus, which was the biggest for any player chosen in that draft.

Starting with the Baltimore Orioles (1993–1996)

Even before playing a single professional game, Baseball America magazine called Jeffrey the 19th best young player in baseball. He started his professional career in 1993 with the Bowie Baysox. He played well there and was soon moved up to the Rochester Red Wings.

On June 25, Jeffrey was called up to the Orioles. He was the first player from the 1992 draft to reach the major leagues. People had very high hopes for him. He batted .305 in his first season with the Orioles. However, he had some injuries, including a pinched nerve and a neck injury. The Orioles ended his season early so he could recover.

In 1994, Jeffrey hurt his knee but kept playing. This limited how well he could perform. In 1995, he was sent back to the minor leagues for a short time. He also struggled in early 1996 and was sent back to Rochester. He worked on his hitting there and was called back to the Orioles. More injuries followed, and he was left off the team's postseason roster. Jeffrey felt this meant he should be traded to another team.

Moving to Other Teams (1997–1999)

In 1997, Jeffrey returned to the Orioles. His role on the team was not clear. Despite this, he had a good season. He played in 118 games, scored 71 runs, and hit 21 home runs. A home run is when a player hits the ball out of the field, allowing them to run around all the bases and score a point.

Before the 1998 season, Jeffrey signed a three-year contract with the Orioles. This showed the team's commitment to him. However, he suffered a back injury that year. In August 1998, the Orioles traded him to the Cincinnati Reds. He played as a backup outfielder for the Reds. In one game in May 1999, Jeffrey hit three home runs! After the 1999 season, the Reds traded him to the Colorado Rockies.

All-Star Season with the Colorado Rockies (2000)

The year 2000 was a great one for Jeffrey Hammonds with the Colorado Rockies. He batted .335, which means he got a hit in 33.5% of his turns at bat. He also hit 20 home runs and had 106 RBI. An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run. He also stole 14 bases.

Because of his excellent performance, he was chosen for the 2000 National League Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He finished the season with one of the highest batting averages in the league.

After this amazing season, the Rockies decided not to offer him a new contract. They were worried about his history of injuries.

Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers (2001–2003)

Before the 2001 season, the Milwaukee Brewers signed Jeffrey to a big three-year contract. It was the largest contract the Brewers had ever given a player at that time. However, injuries continued to bother him. In 2001, he had a shoulder injury that needed surgery. This limited him to playing only 49 games.

He started the 2002 season well, but his shoulder injury came back. He was placed on the disabled list again. The disabled list is where players go when they are too injured to play. He also started the 2003 season on the disabled list with an ankle injury.

Final Years in Baseball (2003–2005)

The Brewers released Jeffrey Hammonds in June 2003 because he was struggling. He then signed with the San Francisco Giants. He played well for the Giants in the second half of 2003. He even played in the postseason.

He re-signed with the Giants for the 2004 season. However, he could not keep up his good performance. The Giants released him in June 2004. Jeffrey then signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals organization. He played a few games for the Nationals in 2005. On May 22, he went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. While recovering, he decided to retire from baseball.

Jeffrey Hammonds announced his retirement on June 10, 2005. In his thirteen years in MLB, he had a batting average of .272. He hit 110 home runs and had 423 RBIs. Even though injuries limited him, he had a lot of natural talent.

Jeffrey's Life After Baseball

Jeffrey Hammonds lives in Weston, Florida, with his three children. As of 2012, he worked as a scout for the San Diego Padres. A scout finds and evaluates new baseball players. He is also interested in digital media and helping young baseball players. In 2014, he started working for the Major League Baseball Players Association. This group helps baseball players with their careers.

His older brother, Reginald, also played minor league baseball. He had to stop playing due to an injury. Reginald later went to college and became a stockbroker. He even helped Jeffrey with his contract talks in 1992.

See also

• 1992 College Baseball All-America Team