Rays Sign Cooper Hummel To Minor League Contract

The Rays have signed outfielder Cooper Hummel to a minor league deal, according to KPRC 2’s Ari Alexander.  The Astros designated Hummel for assignment earlier this week, and he elected free agency on Friday after clearing waivers and declining an outright assignment to Houston’s Triple-A affiliate.

Tampa Bay will be Hummel’s fourth different organization of the 2025 season, as he has previously been with the Yankees and Astros (on minors deals) and the Orioles (on a guaranteed contract).  The outfielder has been bouncing on and off rosters all year in a flurry of DFAs, outrights, and trips to free agency, and through it all has appeared in 37 games at the big league level.  One of those games was with the O’s and the rest were with the Astros, as Houston’s swath of outfield injuries led to some playing time once Hummel’s minor league deal was selected to Houston’s roster in mid-June.

Over 105 plate appearances, Hummel has hit only .170/.298/.273 with three home runs.  This represents the most MLB exposure Hummel has received since his 2022 rookie season, when he had 201 PA over 66 games with the Diamondbacks.  In between those two seasons, Hummel got into 10 games with the Mariners in 2023 and six games with Houston last year.

Between his ability to decline outright assignments and his lack of minor league options, Hummel is one of those players who seems somewhat stuck in a perpetual transaction cycle.  Despite his lack of production in the Show, Hummel has a very impressive .284/.418/.480 slash line across 1487 career PA at the Triple-A level.  He has played only as a corner outfielder this season, but he has some experience at first base and even at catcher, though Hummel hasn’t suited up behind the plate since 2023.

There’s no risk for the Rays in bringing aboard a depth outfielder with big league experience, but the Hummel signing could be a hedge against a possible trip to the injured list for Josh Lowe.  Some oblique tightness kept Lowe out of the lineup today, and while the injury isn’t thought to be too serious, adding Hummel gives Tampa some cover if Lowe indeed has to miss time.