Billy Hamilton

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #2 prospect in 2014
  A year after he set the pro stolen base record with 155 steals, Hamilton finished second in the minors with 75 (nine behind leader Micah Johnson of the White Sox). Hamilton made his big league debut as a September callup and quickly became the story of baseball with 13 steals in just 13 games. Hamilton's speed is the stuff of legend. Multiple scouts describe him as the fastest player they've ever seen, with one noting that he and others have timed Hamilton at just under three seconds from first to second base on steals, faster than Rickey Henderson was in his prime. Hamilton made a quick transition from shortstop to center field. While his jumps and routes can continue to improve, he has the speed to outrun mistakes. He has an average arm. The questions about Hamilton revolve around his hitting. He will never have more than 30-grade power. Hamilton's game centers on slapping line drives and dropping bunts, though Triple-A pitchers were able to overpower him at times last year, especially when he hit lefthanded. If Shin-Soo Choo doesn't re-sign with the Reds, Hamilton is the heir apparent in center field. He's ready for the job defensively and on the basepaths, but his bat has not convinced scouts he is ready for the leadoff spot.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #1 prospect in 2013
  A few years ago, the Internet spawned a meme called Matt Wieters facts, where impossible feats were attributed to baseball's top prospect. (One sample: Matt Wieters draws intentional walks in batting practice.) Billy Hamilton facts seem equally overblown--except they're true. When a left fielder lost sight of a fly ball, Hamilton ran out from his shortstop position to catch it near the warning track. He scored a game-winning run on a sacrifice fly that didn't leave the infield. He scored from second on an infield grounder. And along the way, he set the professional baseball single-season stolen base record last year with 155, eclipsing Vince Coleman's 30-year-old mark of 145. After Hamilton had played shortstop and second base throughout his pro career, the Reds moved him to center field in the Arizona Fall League. The position change should speed his arrival to the big leagues, as concerns about his arm and hands at shortstop were the biggest knocks on him. The 57th overall pick in the 2009 draft, he turned down the chance to play wide receiver at Mississippi State for a $623,600 bonus. Every scouting report ever written about Hamilton has to start with his speed. There may be current players who can run a faster 60-yard dash, but no one is faster on a diamond. He turns in hard-to-comprehend 3.35-3.4 second times to first base on bunts from the left side. His aggressiveness makes his speed play up, if that's even possible. His ability to turn routine plays into nail-biters forces infielders to hurry, and he's a threat to take an extra base on any ball to the outfield. Hamilton has made more use of his speed as he has improved at the plate. A switch-hitter, he has smoothed out his less-natural lefthanded swing, which has left him less vulnerable to high fastballs that he used to chase and pop up. Pitchers with good fastballs can still bust him up and in at times. He's rail-thin and never will have home run power, but he does show some gap pop, especially from the right side. His speed also means that singles sometimes turn into doubles, while doubles can become triples or more. He has improved his pitch recognition and selectivity, with his 86 walks in 2012 nearly matching his previous career total from three pro seasons. The move to center field should fit Hamilton's aggressive approach. He still has some work to do on jumps and routes, but his quickness allows him to outrun mistakes and play shallower than most center fielders. He projects as a plus defender, perhaps even a Gold Glover, with an average arm. Hamilton is as durable as he is fast. Despite taking the pounding of countless steal attempts and dives back to the base on pickoffs, he never has spent a day on the disabled list. Hamilton's speed ensures him some sort of big league job, and his continued development at the plate will determine whether he ends up being an all-star or a bottom-of-the-order speedster. He might get a chance to unseat Drew Stubbs as Cincinnati's center fielder in spring training, but Hamilton could use some time at Triple-A Louisville to refine his game. When he arrives in the big leagues, he'll spur ticket sales with his style of play.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #2 prospect in 2012
  Hamilton became the first minor leaguer in a decade to top 100 steals, when he stole 103 bases in 2011. The former Mississippi State wide receiver recruit recovered from hitting .195 through late May to bat .316 afterward, and he moved to shortstop after playing second base in 2010. Hamilton's speed is one of the easiest 80 grades a scout will ever hand out. He regularly outruns pitchouts, slide steps and pickoff throws. He still has plenty of work to do on the rest of his game, however. He's a raw hitter with little power, and he needs to improve his bunting and plate discipline. At the Reds' insistence, he has stuck with switch-hitting and ended up hitting better as a lefty (.721 OPS) than from his natural right side (.648 OPS) in 2011. Hamilton shows excellent range at shortstop, but his hands aren't soft and he lacks the arm strength to make plays deep in the hole. His low arm slot makes many of his throws tail, costing him accuracy. Some scouts believe he'll eventually move to second or center field. Hamilton is an off-the-charts athlete who made significant improvements in the second half of 2011. He'll move up to high Class A Bakersfield and will need at least a couple of more years to develop before he's ready to unleash his speed on the majors.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #2 prospect in 2011
  Hamilton's hometown of Taylorsville, Miss., has produced four NFL players despite a population of less than 2,000, but he's the town's first-ever baseball draftee. He was headed to Mississippi State as a wide receiver until the Reds signed him for $623,000 as a secondrounder in 2009. He led the Rookie-level Pioneer League with 48 steals and rated as the circuit's top prospect last summer. Hamilton's speed ranks among the best in the minors. A switch-hitter, he has been timed in 3.9 seconds to first base on a swing from the right side, and in 3.5 seconds on a bunt from the left. Like Ichiro Suzuki, he'll run into his swing, slapping the ball the other way while racing down the line. He's already a dangerous basestealer, reading pitchers well and getting good jumps. Hamilton has well below-average power, but his speed allows him to accumulate doubles and triples. He has solid strike-zone awareness for his age. His quickness gives him plenty of range for either middle-infield position, but his average arm strength and low arm slots have some scouts questioning whether he throws well enough at shortstop. He spent most of his time in 2010 playing second base. Hamilton again will play mostly second base when he heads to low Class A Dayton in 2011. He could be the leadoff hitter Cincinnati has sought for years.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #11 prospect in 2010
  Four years ago, the Reds drafted raw but athletic outfielder Justin Reed out of Jackson, Miss., and convinced him to give up a Mississippi football scholarship to sign as a fourth-round pick. That hasn't worked out so well, as Reed hasn't made it out of Class A. Cincinnati believes Hamilton will outdo Reed's career track after convincing the raw but athletic shortstop to turn down a Mississippi State football scholarship in exchange for a $623,600 bonus as a second-round pick last June. One of the fastest players in a system with several speedsters, he can get to first base in less than 4.0 seconds from the right side of the plate. He has the instincts to take extra bases and accumulate a lot of steals. Hamilton alleviated concerns about whether he could stick at shortstop by showing above-average range and a strong arm as a pro, though he needs to refine his footwork. Hamilton struggled at the plate in his debut, in part because he's trying to learn to switch-hit to take full advantage of his speed. His stroke from the left side shows some promise--it's not just a slap-and-dash swing--but he shows more balance and power from his natural right side. He has enough speed to get infield hits from the right side of the plate, so his decision to switch-hit isn't set in stone yet. Like many raw teenagers, he needs to learn to work counts and lay off breaking balls out of the zone. Hamilton is a long way from the big leagues, but he profiles as a top-of-the-order shortstop. Considering how raw he is, he'll likely begin 2010 in extended spring before heading to Billings.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #10 prospect in 2013
  The Reds shifted Hamilton off shortstop last year in the Arizona Fall League and he quickly took to center field, where his extraordinary closing speed and solid arm make him a plus defender. His 80 speed allows him to play shallower than his peers. What makes him the IL?s most exciting player, however, is his basestealing derring-do. Hamilton succeeded on 75 of his 90 steal attempts at Louisville, swiping more bags than any IL player since Otis Nixon stole 94 bases for Columbus in 1983. Rising strikeout and falling walk rates may cut into Hamilton?s ability to profile as a first-division leadoff man, but his speed alone will make him a weapon. He stole four bases in four tries during his first big league start on Sept. 18, thwarting two pitchouts by the Astros? battery.
• 
  Ranked California League #1 prospect in 2012
  Hamilton's off-the-scale speed allows him to steal bases almost at will, beat out plenty of infield singles and get to balls few shortstops can, but there's more to his game too. He got stronger this year and opponents weren't able to knock the bat out of his hands as they could in the past. He knows the strike zone and can drive balls into the gaps. His arm is strong enough for shortstop, but Hamilton's hands are stiff at times and he needs to be more consistent with his arm slot and with making routine plays. His 25 errors ranked third most among Cal League shortstops despite his promotion to Double-A in July. The Reds eschewed calling him up in September to have him go to instructional league and focus on playing center field, another position where his speed can make an impact. "He can change the game and take over the game with his speed," Visalia manager Jason Hardtke said. "He just absolutely throws a wrench into everything that you're trying to do. And he's fearless. It doesn't matter what the pitcher's time is--1.1 (seconds) or even below 1.1 to the plate--he takes off."
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #10 prospect in 2012
  Fresh off breaking the minor league stolen base record (155) this summer, Hamilton continued his electric play this fall, showcasing his ability to change games from the top of the order. While the 6-foot-1, 160-pounder batted .234/.306/.328, the way he did it impressed scouts, showing an improved approach, proving capable from both sides of the plate and utilizing his speed on drag bunts--when he was consistently timed below 3.5 seconds to first base. Equally notable, however, were the improvements that the 22-year-old speedster made defensively. Sent to the AFL to work on his transition from shortstop to center field, Hamilton showed significant progress with his jumps, routes and wall awareness. With more reps, he projects to be an above-average center fielder with a solid-average arm.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #5 prospect in 2012
  Though Hamilton didn't arrived in Pensacola until July 11, that was enough time for him to lead the league with 51 steals. As had been the case at his previous stops in the minors, SL observers labeled his top-of-the-line speed as game-changing. He gets on base by beating out hits or drawing walks, then wastes no time taking off for second base and then third. Hamilton won't be a slugger, but he has enough strength to drive some balls into the gaps and keep pitchers honest. He understands his game and shows good patience and pitch recognition. Thanks to his speed and quickness, Hamilton has good range at shortstop, but his average arm remains erratic and his defense lacks polish. While he made just six errors in 48 games, he doesn't have the softest hands or a consistent arm slot. The Reds sent him to the Arizona Fall League to play center field, where his speed could be even more of a factor.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #2 prospect in 2011
  The MWL won't soon forget the legend of Billy Hamilton, who stole bases with ease against pitchouts and beat out choppers to the mound. The former Mississippi prep wide receiver can get to first base in 3.8 seconds from the left side of the plate and 3.9 seconds from the right, speed that merits a 90 or 100 on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale. "He's the most exciting guy I've ever seen in the Midwest League," an American League scout said. "He's the fastest guy I've ever seen. That kid can flat-out fly." Hamilton recognizes that he has little power and focuses on working counts, hitting the ball on the ground and getting on base. In his second year as a switch-hitter, he hit better lefthanded (.286) than from his natural right side (.259). More impressive, he made adjustments after batting .195 through late May and hit .316 the rest of the way. The biggest question with Hamilton is whether he can stay at shortstop, where he led the league with 39 errors, or has to move to second base or center field. The miscues aren't the concern, because many come on balls other shortstops can't get to and he'll learn to slow the game down defensively. But his average arm isn't enough to make plays from deep in the hole and his low slot leads his throws to tail and sink.
• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #1 prospect in 2010
  Hamilton's speed and instant acceleration left Pioneer League managers breathless. "I'm not sure I've seen a kid faster than Hamilton," Great Falls' Chris Cron said. Orem pitched out six times in an attempt to catch Hamilton stealing, but didn't get him. One scout clocked him at 3.65 seconds to first base from the left side, making him an easy 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale. A natural righthanded batter with wiry strength, Hamilton has been switch-hitting only for the past two years. He likes to put the ball in play and run, and with two strikes he'll begin running before finishing his swing, a la Ichiro Suzuki. Power won't be a factor with Hamilton's hitting approach, but he could develop into a Luis Castillo type who can hit for a high average, lead the league in steals and play elite defense. Though he played mostly second base in deference to Reds third-rounder Devin Lohman, Hamilton showed plus-plus range and a solid arm that might play at shortstop. He committed just six errors in 55 games at second.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #13 prospect in 2009
  A Mississippi State football recruit, Hamilton gave up the gridiron for a $623,600 bonus after the Reds popped him in the second round in June. He never was a full-time baseball player in high school, so his skills are raw, and he hasn't faced great competition. That was evident in the GCL, where he struggled with plate discipline and offspeed pitches. He's a true 70 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale and is learning to switch-hit to take advantage of his quickness. A natural righthander, he's gaining more confidence in his lefthanded swing. Not surprisingly, he does a better job of driving the ball from the right side. Defensively, Hamilton has plus range and arm strength. He doesn't always get the most out of his arm because he throws from different angles. He led GCL shortstops with a .955 fielding percentage. "He's trying to work on his footwork being more consistent," Reds manager Pat Kelly said. "He's made great strides and improved a lot. I've been impressed."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #43 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #20 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #48 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #50 prospect in 2011

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: A few years ago, the Internet spawned a meme called Matt Wieters facts, where impossible feats were attributed to baseball's top prospect. (One sample: Matt Wieters draws intentional walks in batting practice.) Billy Hamilton facts seem equally overblown--except they're true. When a left fielder lost sight of a fly ball, he ran out from his shortstop position to catch it near the warning track. He scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly that didn't leave the infield. He scored from second on an infield grounder. And along the way, he set the professional baseball single-season stolen base record last year with 155, eclipsing Vince Coleman's 30-year-old mark of 145. After Hamilton had played shortstop and second base throughout his pro career, the Reds moved him to center field in the Arizona Fall League. The position change should speed his arrival to the big leagues, as concerns about his arm and hands at shortstop were the biggest knocks on him. The 57th overall pick in the 2009 draft, he turned down the chance to play wide receiver at Mississippi State for a $623,600 bonus. Scouting Report: Every scouting report ever written about Hamilton has to start with his speed. There may be current players who can run a faster 60-yard dash, but no one is faster on a diamond. He turns in hard-to-comprehend 3.35-3.4 second times to first base on bunts from the left side. His aggressiveness makes his speed play up, if that's even possible. His ability to turn routine plays into nail-biters forces infielders to hurry, and he's a threat to take an extra base on any ball to the outfield. Hamilton has made more use of his speed as he has improved at the plate. A switch-hitter, he has smoothed out his less-natural lefthanded swing, which has left him less vulnerable to high fastballs that he used to chase and pop up. Pitchers with good fastballs can still bust him up and in at times. He's rail-thin and never will have home run power, but he does show some gap pop, especially from the right side. His speed also means that singles sometimes turn into doubles. He has improved his pitch recognition and selectivity, with his 86 walks in 2012 nearly matching his previous career total from three pro seasons. The move to center field should fit Hamilton's aggressive approach. He still has some work to do on jumps and routes, but his quickness allows him to outrun mistakes and play shallower than most. He projects as a plus defender, perhaps even a Gold Glover, with an average arm. Hamilton is as durable as he is fast. Despite taking the pounding of countless steal attempts, he never has spent a day on the disabled list. The Future: Hamilton's speed ensures him some sort of big league job, and his continued development at the plate will determine whether he ends up being an all-star or a bottom-of-the-order speedster. Cincinnati's trade for Shin-Soo Choo ended any chance Hamilton had of winning the center-field job in spring training, and he could use some time at Triple-A Louisville to refine his game. When he arrives in the big leagues, his style of play will draw immediate attention.
• August, 2012 Scouting Report
  Fresh off breaking the minor league stolen base record (155) this summer, Hamilton continued his electric play this fall, showcasing his ability to change games from the top of the order. While the 6-foot-1, 160-pounder batted .234/.306/.328, the way he did it impressed scouts, showing an improved approach, proving capable from both sides of the plate and utilizing his speed on drag bunts--when he was consistently timed below 3.5 seconds to first base. Equally notable, however, were the improvements that the 22-year-old speedster made defensively. Sent to the AFL to work on his transition from shortstop to center field, Hamilton showed significant progress with his jumps, routes and wall awareness. With more reps, he projects to be an above-average center fielder with a solid-average arm.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Hamilton became the first minor leaguer in a decade to top 100 steals in 2011. The former Mississippi State wide receiver recruit recovered from hitting .195 through late May to bat .316 afterward, and he moved to shortstop after playing second base in 2010. Scouting Report: Hamilton's speed is one of the easiest 80 grades a scout will ever hand out. He regularly outruns pitchouts, slide steps and pickoff throws. He still has plenty of work to do on the rest of his game, however. He's a raw hitter with little power, and he needs to improve his bunting and plate discipline. At the Reds' insistence, he has stuck with switch-hitting and ended up hitting better as a lefty (.721 OPS) than from his natural right side (.648 OPS) in 2011. Hamilton shows excellent range at shortstop, but his hands aren't soft and he lacks the arm strength to make plays deep in the hole. His low arm slot makes many of his throws tail, costing him accuracy. Some scouts believe he'll eventually move to second or center field. The Future: Hamilton is an off-the-charts athlete who made significant improvements in the second half of 2011. He'll move up to high Class A Bakersfield and will need at least a couple of more years to develop before he's ready to unleash his speed on the majors.