Jeffrey Hammonds facts for kids

Jeffrey Bryan Hammonds (born March 5, 1971) is a former American baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals.

Before becoming a professional, Jeffrey played baseball in high school and college. He was known as a very promising player. However, injuries often made it hard for him to play his best. In 2000, he was chosen to play in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He retired from baseball in 2005.

Jeffrey Hammonds' Early Baseball Years

Playing in High School and College

Jeffrey Hammonds was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. He grew up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He played baseball for his high school team at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. After high school, the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team chose him in the 1989 MLB Draft. However, Jeffrey did not sign with them. His parents wanted him to go to college first. His older brother had signed with a professional team right after high school but got a career-ending injury.

Jeffrey received scholarships to play college baseball at several universities. He chose to go to Stanford University. There, he played for the Stanford Cardinal baseball team. This team was part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I.

College Achievements

At Stanford, Jeffrey was very good at stealing bases. He broke a record for stolen bases in his first year. He stole 102 bases in 174 games during his college career. He was named the NCAA Freshman of the Year in 1990. He was also chosen as an All-American player that year.

In 1992, Jeffrey continued to play well. He hit for a high batting average of .380. He also stole 33 bases in 47 games. He was again named an All-American. He helped his team reach the 1992 College World Series.

Jeffrey Hammonds' Professional Baseball Career

Getting Drafted and Starting Out

Before the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft, Jeffrey said he would sign with a team if they offered him a $1.8 million signing bonus. A signing bonus is extra money a player gets when they agree to join a team. Because of this, he was chosen as the fourth overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles.

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

Becoming a Top Prospect with the Orioles

Even before playing his first professional game, Jeffrey was seen as a top young player. Baseball America magazine rated him as the 19th best prospect in baseball. A prospect is a player who is expected to become very good in the future.

In 1993, Jeffrey started playing professionally. He played for the Bowie Baysox and then the Rochester Red Wings. He was promoted to the Orioles on June 25, 1993. He was the first player from the 1992 draft to reach the major leagues. He played well, hitting for a .305 batting average. However, he had a pinched nerve and a neck injury that season. The Orioles ended his season early so he could get better.

In 1994, Jeffrey was considered a possible candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award. Baseball America rated him as the third best prospect in all of baseball. But he hurt his knee that year. He kept playing even though he needed surgery. This limited how well he could play. In 1995, he was sent back to a minor league team for a short time.

In 1996, Jeffrey struggled early in the season. He was sent back to the Rochester Red Wings. While there, he worked on his hitting. He was called back to the Orioles later. However, he injured his knee again in August. The Orioles did not include him on their team for the postseason games. Jeffrey felt this meant he should be traded to another team.

Finding Success with New Teams

By 1997, Jeffrey's role with the Orioles was unclear. Despite this, he had a good season. He played in 118 games. He hit 21 home runs and had 55 RBI. RBI means he helped his teammates score runs.

In 1998, Jeffrey signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the Orioles. This showed the team's commitment to him. However, he suffered a back injury and was put on the disabled list. The disabled list is for players who are too injured to play.

When he recovered, the Orioles traded him to the Cincinnati Reds in August 1998. In 1999, he hit 17 home runs and had 41 RBIs in 123 games. After that season, the Reds traded him to the Colorado Rockies.

Becoming an All-Star Player

In 2000, Jeffrey had an amazing season with the Colorado Rockies. He hit for a .335 batting average. He also hit 20 home runs and had 106 RBIs. He stole 14 bases. Because of his great performance, he was chosen for the 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This is a special game where the best players from different teams play together. He finished the season with one of the highest batting averages in the league.

After this great season, the Rockies decided not to offer Jeffrey a new contract. This made him a free agent. A free agent is a player who can sign with any team. The Rockies were worried about his history of injuries.

Before the 2001 season, the Milwaukee Brewers signed Jeffrey to a large contract. It was for three years and $21.75 million. This was the biggest contract the Brewers had ever given a player at that time. However, injuries continued to bother him. He had a shoulder injury in 2001 that needed surgery. This limited him to only 49 games that season. He started well in 2002, but his shoulder injury came back. In 2003, he started the season on the disabled list with an ankle injury.

Later Years and Retirement

The Brewers released Jeffrey in June 2003. This means they let him go from their team. He then signed with the San Francisco Giants. He played well for the Giants in the second half of the 2003 season. He hit .277 with three home runs. He was even chosen for the Giants' postseason team.

He re-signed with the Giants for the 2004 season. But he struggled and was released again that June. Jeffrey then signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. He started the 2005 season in the minor leagues. He was called up to the Nationals in May. He played in 13 games before getting a hamstring injury. While recovering from this injury, Jeffrey decided to retire from baseball.

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

Jeffrey Hammonds' Life After Baseball

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

Jeffrey's older brother, Reginald, also played minor league baseball. He had a career-ending injury. He then 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