Cooper Hummel Bio
Cooper Everett Hummel is an American professional baseball outfielder and catcher for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, and Baltimore Orioles. A versatile player who can handle multiple positions behind the plate and in the outfield, Hummel has built his career on patience at the plate and a willingness to move between organizations.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Hummel developed his game through Oregon youth baseball before starring at the University of Portland. Across nearly a decade in professional baseball, he has suited up for organizations in the National League, American League, and now Japan, showing the kind of adaptability that has kept him in demand as a depth piece and pinch-hitting option.
Early Life and Background
Cooper Everett Hummel was born on November 28, 1994, in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He grew up in the same lakeside community just outside Portland that shaped much of his early athletic identity. The Pacific Northwest setting gave him year-round access to baseball, and he quickly immersed himself in the local game.
Hummel attended Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, where he played for the school’s baseball program and continued to sharpen his skills behind the plate and in the outfield. As a younger player, he was a member of the Lake Oswego Little League team that advanced to the U.S. semifinals of the 2007 Little League World Series, an early signal of the competitive stage he would later grow accustomed to.
After high school, Hummel enrolled at the University of Portland, where he played college baseball for the Portland Pilots across three seasons. His time in the West Coast Conference helped him refine his switch-hitting approach and his defensive versatility, two traits that would become central to his professional profile.
Path to Baseball
Hummel entered professional baseball in 2016 when the Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the 18th round of the MLB draft. He made his professional debut that summer with the rookie-level Helena Brewers, beginning a long climb through the Milwaukee farm system that would span several seasons and multiple levels.
In 2017, Hummel played for the High-A Carolina Mudcats and slashed .244/.368/.381 across 59 games, showing the on-base skills that have defined his career. He returned to Carolina the following year and posted a .260/.397/.410 line with eight home runs and 50 RBI in 103 games, establishing himself as a patient middle-of-the-order bat.
Hummel reached Double-A in 2019 with the Biloxi Shuckers, hitting .249/.384/.450 with career highs of 17 home runs and 56 RBI in 121 games. After the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he opened 2021 at Triple-A Nashville before a midseason trade changed the trajectory of his career.
Cooper Hummel Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Hummel’s early professional years were spent entirely within the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He progressed steadily from Helena to Carolina to Biloxi, and finally to Nashville, adjusting at each level while maintaining a patient approach at the plate. His strongest stretch came at Double-A Biloxi in 2019, when his 17 home runs and 56 RBI marked career highs that signaled he was ready for the upper minors.
On July 28, 2021, the Brewers traded Hummel and Alberto Ciprian to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Eduardo Escobar. He finished that year with the Triple-A Reno Aces, batting .353/.429/.575 with six home runs and 37 RBI in 46 games. Arizona then added Hummel to its 40-man roster on November 19, 2021, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2022)
Hummel made his Major League debut on Opening Day on April 7, 2022, appearing as a pinch hitter for Jake McCarthy. Three days later, on April 10, he recorded his first career hit and home run against San Diego Padres reliever Javy Guerra, a memorable early milestone in his rookie season.
Across 66 appearances for the Diamondbacks in 2022, Hummel slashed .176/.274/.307 with three home runs, 17 RBI, and four stolen bases. On November 17, 2022, Arizona traded him to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Kyle Lewis, ending his first chapter in the major leagues.
Seattle Mariners (2023)
With the Mariners, Hummel spent the bulk of 2023 at the Triple-A level with the Tacoma Rainiers. He hit .262/.409/.435 with eight home runs, 47 RBI, and 26 stolen bases, continuing to demonstrate the on-base ability and speed that had marked his minor league career.
His time at the major league level in Seattle was brief. In 10 games for the Mariners, Hummel went 2-for-23 with no home runs or RBI, and he was designated for assignment following the season.
Houston Astros and the Majors (2024–2025)
After a brief waiver stop with the New York Mets in late 2023 and a trade to the San Francisco Giants in January 2024, Hummel was claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros on April 4, 2024. He bounced between the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys and the Astros’ active roster, hitting .301/.423/.509 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 45 games at Sugar Land before appearing in six games for Houston.
Hummel’s 2025 season was unusually busy. After a short stint with the Astros to start the year, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees on April 7, then signed a major league contract with the Baltimore Orioles on May 25. He later returned to the Astros on June 6, where he slashed .172/.301/.276 with three home runs and seven RBI across 36 appearances. He closed the year with the Triple-A Durham Bulls in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, batting .312/.471/.731 with 11 home runs and 26 RBI in 28 games.
Yokohama DeNA BayStars Era (2026–Present)
On December 8, 2025, Hummel signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball, beginning his first chapter outside the United States. The move gave him a chance to take on a larger everyday role in Japan, where his versatility behind the plate and in the outfield fits the style of play in NPB.
Through the early portion of the 2026 NPB season, Hummel has settled into the BayStars’ lineup. Updated statistics reflect a .200 batting average with three home runs and 13 RBI through May 20, 2026, showing steady contributions as he adapts to a new league and a new country.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Hummel’s career are his MLB debut on Opening Day in 2022 with the Diamondbacks and his first major league home run against the Padres just three days later. His mid-2025 run, in which he appeared in the majors with three different organizations within a single calendar year, stands as one of the more unusual journeyman stretches in recent baseball memory.
Cooper Hummel Career Wins
Cooper Hummel’s professional career has been defined less by championship hardware and more by longevity, versatility, and steady production across multiple organizations. Across the Milwaukee, Arizona, Seattle, Houston, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and now Yokohama systems, he has accumulated hundreds of minor league games and added meaningful major league and NPB at-bats along the way.
Major League Highlights
Hummel’s most prominent MLB moments came during his 2022 rookie season with the Diamondbacks, when he collected his first hit and first home run within his first week in the league. Through the 2025 MLB season, his career major league line stood at .163 with six home runs and 24 RBI.
Nippon Professional Baseball Highlights
Through May 20, 2026, Hummel had posted a .200 batting average with three home runs and 13 RBI for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. His arrival in Japan marked a fresh opportunity to play an everyday role after years of shuttle time between Triple-A and the majors in the United States.
Cooper Hummel Family
Personal Life
Cooper Hummel married his wife, Ashley, in 2021. The couple has been a steady presence throughout his travels across professional baseball, supporting a career that has moved between cities and now continents.
2025 Season Performance
Hummel’s 2025 season was a study in roster churn. He opened the year with the Houston Astros before being designated for assignment on March 27, then signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees on April 7. A release clause in that contract led to his departure on May 24, opening the door for his next move.
On May 25, 2025, Hummel signed a major league contract with the Baltimore Orioles, only to be designated for assignment the following day. After clearing waivers, he re-signed with Baltimore on May 30, made one appearance, and was again designated for assignment on June 2. He returned to Houston on June 6 and spent the rest of his major league time with the Astros, slashing .172/.301/.276 with three home runs and seven RBI in 36 games before being designated for assignment again on August 11.
Hummel closed the year in the Tampa Bay Rays organization with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, where he hit .312/.471/.731 with 11 home runs and 26 RBI in 28 games. That strong finish helped set the stage for his December 2025 signing with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and his transition to NPB for the 2026 season.