At least according to one MLB scout, the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect has a future in the majors as a bottom-of-the-lineup batter playing solid defense.
“But that’s even stretching it for me,” the scout told Baseball Prospectus this week after Louisville Bats center fielder Hamilton went 1-for-4 in Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star game.
Hamilton, known for speed on the base paths, sports a .243 batting average and .300 on-base percentage in his first season with the Triple-A Bats. But if he gets aboard, watch out. Hamilton leads the International League in stolen bases with 52 – 21 more than any other player.
"The speed is absolutely fantastic,” the scout told Baseball Prospectus, which often protect scouts’ anonymity to ensure an honest evaluation. “He's fun to watch when he's on the bases, but I just don't see how it's going to work. There's nothing else that makes me believe he's an everyday big leaguer.
“You can knock the bat out of his hands with good velocity and he doesn't have the discerning eye to work counts and lay off spin. I just think the hit and on-base comes up short and he's a virtual zero offensively.”