born march new_jersey american professional baseball player outfielder played baltimore_orioles cincinnati reds san_francisco_giants major_league_baseball mlb playing professionally played new_jersey stanford_university stanford named american selected fourth overall selection mlb draft seen best prospects baseball injuries limited performance baltimore traded cincinnati colorado emerged selected appear signed year million contract season continued struggle injuries resurgence giants released brewers struggled giants nationals retiring amateur career born new_jersey attended played school baseball team high school ninth round draft pick sign reported considered going professional point parents insisted attend college brother signed pittsburgh_pirates high school suffered career ending injury playing minor league baseball scholarship offers attend stanford_university play college baseball chose attend stanford_university played stanford cardinal baseball team competed conference national collegiate athletic association ncaa division stanford broke single season stolen base record freshman stealing bases career games awarded year voted college world series named american year season batted stolen bases games named american led cardinal college world series professional career draft indicated sign offered million signing bonus caused fall fourth overall selection baltimore_orioles selected round draft pick assistant general manager met year scouting advised pick regarded held hard line negotiations refusing signing bonus large million play professionally competed united_states national baseball team summer olympics barcelona faced month road trip sixteen states bus travel combined training employed professional team struggled national team initially agreed sign july receiving signing bonus largest player chosen draft signing hitting improved prospect baltimore_orioles having played single professional game rated 19th best prospect baseball professional debut batted point promoted class aaa international league batted received promotion june player chosen mlb draft reach majors debut greeted fanfare high expectations batted bats season suffered nerve neck injury august ended season prematurely allow recover thought potential candidate american_league rookie year award point rated best prospect baseball suffered knee injury season opted continue playing despite told needed knee surgery subsequent performances limited result needed reduce roster players started season batting optioned struggling early season batting games demoted rochester june included numerous trade proposals summer eventually held spell selective approach plate recalled injured knee august returned september left postseason roster asserted felt believed meant traded stopped short demanding trade searching success baltimore_orioles cincinnati reds considered prospect organization returned role organization unclear past spring practiced starters alternated starters practiced stadium minor non roster players practiced fields stadium near airport runway new didn deny trade didn maximize talent called potential trade resort despite successful season playing games season receiving bats scored runs hits including doubles triples home runs recorded rbi hoping achieve consistency threat facing salary arbitration hearing approached idea working agreement multi year contract extension agreed signed year million contract season felt strong commitment hierarchy including manager believed allow focus improving skills suffered injury returned disabled list year recovered traded cincinnati_reds august served backup outfielder reds batted home runs rbis games season home run game season reds traded million differences salaries reds believed slugging aid replacing star season contract batted home runs rbi stolen bases bats performance earned spot team roster trailed teammate batting average majority season eventually finishing fourth highest batting average league season declined offer salary arbitration making free agent concerns injury history including games missed injury season chose meet financial demands season signed year million contract largest contract organization approved date injuries prevented approaching star form shown suffered shoulder injury required surgery limited games played season returned hot start season batting june shoulder injury later season returned disabled list began season disabled list time high ankle struggles resurgence injuries san_francisco_giants brewers released june struggled games batting signed san_francisco_giants end june initially assigned class aaa promoting july batted home runs rbis games second half season selected giants postseason roster batted game granted free agency end season signed giants season million replacement left free agent unable sustain improved performance giants released june batted home runs rbis signed organization minor league contract started season recalled nationals batted rbi thirteen games nationals returning disabled list injured injury decided retire return minor leagues great natural talent injuries limited career announced retirement june thirteen year career mlb batted home runs hits rbis personal lives florida children currently scout san_diego_padres interest digital media aiding baseball prospects working february hired players union special assistant player program development older brother played minor league baseball organization reaching class aaa suffering career ending injury enrolled graduated aided contract negotiations
Jeffrey Hammonds