Astros Designate Cooper Hummel for Assignment Amid Struggles

HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Astros have designated outfielder Cooper Hummel for assignment on Monday, following his struggles this season.

Hummel, 30, is out of minor league options. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, he can elect free agency instead of accepting a minor league assignment with the Astros. This season, he played 36 games, recording a batting line of .172/.301/.276 with three home runs and seven RBIs over 87 at-bats.

Defensively, Hummel participated in 28 games as a left fielder where he logged -4 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). His tenure with the Astros started when he was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants in April 2024.

In 2024, Hummel saw action in six big league games for the Astros and impressed at the Triple-A level, hitting .277/.419/.454 over 442 plate appearances with Sugar Land. He was subsequently signed to a minor league deal after being DFA’d by the Astros and choosing free agency.

During his time with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Hummel played 10 games and hit .258/.415/.290, delivering two RBIs in 41 plate appearances. Injuries limited his participation, as he was on the 7-day IL from April 14 before being activated on May 10. He signed a major league contract with the Baltimore Orioles on May 25, but was DFA’d the next day after just one game.

A former 18th-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2016 MLB Draft, Hummel’s career included a trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021. He made his MLB debut in 2022, batting .176/.274/.307 in 201 at-bats.

Subsequently, he was sent to the Seattle Mariners for Kyle Lewis in November 2022, and the New York Mets claimed him in December 2023 after Seattle waived him. The Mets later traded him to the Giants after designating him for assignment in January 2024.