The Cooper Hummel era in Seattle is officially over as the catcher/outfielder was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets on Friday.
Per Jeff Passan of ESPN:
Catcher/outfielder Cooper Hummel has been claimed off waivers by the New York Mets, sources tell ESPN. Hummel, 29, spent last season with Seattle after making his debut in 2022 with Arizona. He’ll be added to the Mets’ 40-man roster.
The 29-year-old switch-hitter was acquired in the 2023 offseason by the M's from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for former Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis.
He was supposed to give the M's lineup versatility and depth - and help them against left-handed pitching - but it never really materialized.
He played just 10 games for the M's in 2023, all at the beginning of the season. He hit just .087 for the year with no home runs and no RBI.
He fared better in the hitter-friendly PCL, hitting .262 with eight home runs and 47 RBI at Triple-A Tacoma. He had 27 doubles and six triples as well.
With the Mets, he'll get a chance to serve as organizational depth but could also find himself in contention for a roster spot at the major league level. The Mets are going through a mini-rebuild of their own and could have opportunity for him.
The Mariners undoubtedly put him on waivers in order to clear a roster spot on the 40-man. With the Winter Meetings coming, they now have a spot cleared for any signings or for any Rule-5 draft selections.
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