Clayton Hamilton
| IP | 492 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.171 |
| WHIP | 1.278 |
| BB/9 | 2.671 |
| SO/9 | 5.927 |
- Full name Clayton D. Hamilton
- Born 06/15/1982 in Beaver Falls, PA
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Penn State Erie
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Drafted in the 17th round (492nd overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2004.
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Penn State senior RHP Clay Hamilton is 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds and projects as a bullpen guy. He has a fastball that has been up to 92 mph this spring, and a good 12-to-6 curve.
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A Pittsburgh native, Hamilton was drafted by the Pirates after his junior year at Penn State but wasn't offered a contract. They finally landed him this offseason, when he came over from the Padres for the disappointing Bobby Hill. Hamilton never posted a winning record nor an ERA under 5.50 in college, though he did pitch well in the Valley League in the summer of 2003. He impressed San Diego enough with his maturity to earn an emergency start at Double-A just months after signing, and he continued to stand out last year. He creates good downward plane on a solid-average 89-91 mph fastball that maxes out at 94. He has developed an average slider after using a curveball until midway through his senior season. Hamilton is aggressive in the zone and pitches intelligently. He doesn't beat himself with walks or homers. His slider is still inconsistent and has a tendency to flatten out. He occasionally tips his changeup early by slowing down his delivery. He struggled with a groin injury late in 2005 that sapped his velocity, and pitching 100-plus innings for the first time also took its toll. Hamilton projects as a No. 5 starter or swingman, and should make the jump to Double-A this year.
