The ultimate goal of baseball players around the world is to make it to the Major Leagues.
Given the chance to sign with a major league franchise right out of high school, most would be inclined to take the bait.
Long Beach State freshman Garrett Hampson took the path less traveled, joining the Dirtbags after being drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 26th round in 2013.
Hampson, the team’s projected opening day shortstop, said the decision was easy given LBSU’s history of turning out quality middle-infielders.
“With the tradition that’s come through here, especially with middle-infielders, this was the school for me,” Hampson said. “I’m really happy to be here. It’s a blessing.”
The Beach has seen a number of talented infielders pass through on their way to the pros. The prestigious alumni include Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays), Danny Espinosa (Washington Nationals), and Bobby Crosby. All Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki tops that list for Hampson.
“He plays the game right every day,” he said. “He comes with that good attitude, plays hard, and obviously his talent is just one-of-kind so it’s hard not to look up to him.”
Hampson is on the verge of making history. If he starts at shortstop on Friday night against Vanderbilt, Hampson will become just the third freshman to start at that position in the last 15 years. Espinosa did it in 2006, and Crosby accomplished the feat in 1999.
The Dirtbags were excited about what they were getting from the beginning of the recruiting process. Hampson impressed scouts in high school in Reno, NV. He batted .469 over three seasons, and his team won two regional championships over that span.
Dirtbags manager Troy Buckley was first introduced to Hampson by Reno High coach Pete Savage. Buckley said the initial recruiting trip revealed all the tools to succeed, but the freshman has surprised the coaching staff with his baseball IQ.
“What we didn’t realize even though Pete told us about him is the instincts,” Buckley said, noting that Hampson understands the speed of the game and the internal clock that good base-runners have.
LBSU would like to use Hampson in a lead-off role to take advantage of his speed. Hampson stole 21 bases as a senior for Reno.
At 5-11, 165-pounds, Hampson does not possess the arm strength of Tulowitzki, but that did not stop Buckley from comparing his shortstop to two-time World Series champion David Eckstein.
“You look at those types of guys where you would say, ‘Gosh, I wish I could have more arm at that position,’ but (Hampson) does too many good things, and he takes care of the ball,” Buckley said.
The new kid on the block is a hit with his teammates, too.
First baseman Ino Patron said that Hampson is uncharacteristically quiet for a freshman, adding that he admires the shortstop’s commitment to becoming a better player.
“He’s really handled the expectations well so far,” Patron said. “He just keeps his head down and keeps working. Nothing seems to rattle him and it’s really impressive to see.”
Hampson has carried his quality work ethic through his academic career. He had a 4.0-plus GPA in high school and said education was a major factor in his decision to forgo a professional contract and come to LBSU.
“It really wasn’t that tough of a decision,” said Hampson, who is majoring in business. “Education and college is something that is really important to me and my family.”