Hammond attended
Wesleyan Christian Academy in
High Point, North Carolina. He played shortstop and was a pitcher in
high school. In 2023, he was named the MVP of the Prep Baseball Report All-American Game at
American Family Field. In Summer 2024, he played with the USA Baseball's 18U National Team. Hammond was drafted 28th overall by the
Kansas City Royals in the
2025 Major League Baseball draft. Despite being committed to play
college baseball at
Wake Forest University, Hammond signed with the Royals for a $3.19 million bonus on July 21, 2025. ==References==