Kyle Lewis traded to Arizona for OF/C Cooper Hummel
Kyle Lewis traded to Arizona for OF/C Cooper Hummel
In a very unsurprising move former Rookie of the Year was dealt to Arizona today for a surprising return. Let's take a look at Cooper Hummel.
Just two short years after winning the Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis has been dealt away to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lewis suffered a knee injury in his early minor league days and consistently has struggled to get back to his billing as a player with superstar potential.
This season he played in just 18 games and slashed .143/.226/.304 while struggling to string together consecutive days of playing time. In addition to this Lewis was reportedly frustrated with the organization after not being called up at the end of the season. I had heard sources close to the situation tell me that Lewis’s knee was never going to get better, and as frustrating as it is he will never be the player we saw in 2020.
This doesn’t mean however that Lewis has no value. He dealt with the knee issues in 2021 and was decent enough at the plate to warrant a roster spot, and with a full time DH scenario there is a chance Lewis succeeds.
Overall it was time for him to get a fresh start somewhere else, especially with the rift between him and the organization. Arizona is a nice landing spot for the Georgia native, with the Diamondbacks sending Cooper Hummel in return.
Hummel was an interesting return piece because he is a 27 year old who has just scratched the surface at the big league level. He struggled at the plate in his debut season but his minor league numbers show on-base ability and an interesting left handed bat, although he is likely a 4A type player.
His versatility is interesting however, Hummel has played both corner outfield spots and caught at the big league level. He will be an interesting depth piece for the Mariners, who may think they have found something here.
Ultimately I would have liked to see Seattle throw Lewis in as somewhat of a sweetener in a bigger deal, but I am happy he gets a fresh start. Lewis was as exciting as it gets in his rookie season and all the fans in Seattle should wish him nothing but the best. As for the return I would have liked to see more, but I am interested in what Hummel can become as a role player.