San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt has bolstered his coaching staff by adding Nick Punto and Robby Hammock, as reported by Dennis Lin of The Athletic on Monday via X.
Nick Punto, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and 2013, appeared in 138 games, hitting .258 with 16 doubles, two home runs, and 21 RBIs. After signing a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015, Punto chose to sit out the season and officially retired from baseball in 2016.
Drafted in the 21st round by the Phillies in 1998, Punto played with the team from 2001 to 2003 before being traded to the Minnesota Twins. Initially a utility player, he became their primary third baseman in 2006, delivering his best season with a .290/.352/.373 slash line and strong defensive play, helping the Twins reach the postseason. Punto also made four playoff appearances with Minnesota and won a World Series championship with the Cardinals in 2011. Over his career, he posted a .245/.323/.323 slash line in 3,734 plate appearances across stints with the Phillies, Twins, Cardinals, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Athletics.
Robby Hammock joins the Padres after managing the Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, during the 2024 season. A former MLB catcher, Hammock played 182 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks over six seasons (2003-04, 2006-08, and 2011). He debuted on April 11, 2003, with a single on the first pitch of his first at-bat and is best remembered for catching Randy Johnson’s perfect game in 2004. Over his career, Hammock hit .254 with 122 hits, 30 doubles, 12 home runs, and 48 RBIs.
After retiring in 2011, Hammock remained with the Diamondbacks, taking on roles as a hitting coach and manager at various minor league levels before joining Arizona’s Major League staff as a quality control/catching coach from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he worked as the Triple-A El Paso bench coach for the Padres and later managed High-A Greensboro for the Pirates in 2023.
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