Josh Hamilton

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #30 prospect in 2007
  The Reds electrified the major league Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings, paying the Cubs to move up into their slot and take Hamilton with the third overall pick in the draft. Cincinnati felt it needed to move up the board to select Hamilton before the Marlins could choose Hamilton with the sixth selection. For the Reds, selecting Hamilton is a low-risk throw at the dart board. In his brief stint in the New York-Penn league and during instructional league Hamilton showed that he still possesses the stellar raw tools that made him the No. 1 overall pick by the Devil Rays in the 1999 draft. He has above-average raw power that he showed off by putting on batting-practice shows again in 2006. He has exceptional arm strength in right field and he can still play all three outfield positions. He doesn't run as well as he did as a teenager, but he's still a plus runner. He has recovered from minor knee surgery that sidelined him during the New York-Penn League season. As Hamilton himself explained, his problems never have revolved around the baseball field. He was suspended for substance abuse for more than three years and will continue to be tested three times a week. The Reds believe that they can provide the support system Hamilton will need to succeed. Hamilton's baseball skills are undeniably rusty, but he'll have a legitimate chance to make the Reds if he shows signs of being able to harness the tools that once made him the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball--back when Homer Bailey was getting ready to enter high school. Cincinnati will have to keep him on its active roster all season, or else put him on waivers before offering him back to Tampa Bay for half his $50,000 draft price. The Reds face the same situation with their other big league Rule 5 pick, former Athletics righthanded reliever Jared Burton.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #16 prospect in 2004
  Hamilton entered the 2001 season as the top prospect in baseball but has played just 83 games since. Back problems related to a spring-training car accident short-circuited his 2001 season, while shoulder and elbow surgery cut short his 2002. He left the team last March after being sent down in spring training and took a year of personal leave to overcome undisclosed off-field problems. The Devil Rays, who have been tight-lipped regarding Hamilton's demons, aren't sure what will become of his career. He has five-tool potential and the ability to dominate in the majors if he can get his life and his career in order. Hamilton possesses a classic lefthanded swing and the size, strength and loft to hit for average with at least 30 homers annually. He also runs well for his size, and his lone offensive weakness is a lack of walks. Hamilton's defensive instincts and range are impressive in center field. He'd move to right field alongside Rocco Baldelli in Tampa Bay, and Hamilton's arm strength and accuracy easily will fit there. He threw 94 mph in high school and could have been a first-round pick as a pitcher. Hamilton's talent is unquestioned, but the Rays are in a wait-and-see mode regarding his future.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #2 prospect in 2003
  Hamilton has battled injuries and misfortune since entering the 2001 season as baseball's best prospect. He made three trips to the disabled list in 2002 before arthroscopic surgery in July to repair his left shoulder and remove a bone spur from his left elbow. When healthy, he showed why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft. Hamilton's instinctive ability to play the game is obvious. He has a classic lefthanded swing with the power to hit 30-plus home runs annually. A top pitching prospect in high school, he has one of the strongest outfield arms in the minors and the speed to handle any outfield position. His biggest improvement in 2002 came in making adjustments between at-bats. Injuries have kept Hamilton from playing a full season for three years. He would be in the major leagues otherwise. He showed better plate discipline but it still could get better. Hamilton is expected to be healthy for spring training. Though he's unproven above high Class A, Hamilton is close to receiving consideration for the majors if he stays on the field and could make the jump from Double-A at some point in 2003.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #1 prospect in 2002
  The No. 1 overall pick in 1999 and the South Atlantic League co-MVP in 2000, Hamilton had a lost season in 2001. A series of injuries that began with a car accident during spring training and continued with ailments to his back and legs cost him most of the campaign. After jumping past high Class A Bakersfield, Hamilton hit just .180 at Double-A Orlando in April before being sidelined. He tried to make up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League, only to have a sore shoulder slow him down during the first week. Then a recurring lower back strain shelved him for the remainder of the winter. In a rare bit of good news, he didn't require surgery. A five-tool player, Hamilton is expected to excel in all phases of the game. He has outstanding power potential with great leverage, a quick swing and an ideal body at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. Despite his large frame and size 19 feet, Hamilton has good speed and is graceful in the outfield. A pitcher in high school who attracted interest from several teams for his 94 mph fastball, he has a plus arm that will enable him to play either right or center. All the potential in the world doesn't mean anything if a player can't remain on the field, though. Before last year's injury woes, Hamilton hurt his right knee in June 2000 and missed most of that season's second half. Despite his unquestioned ability, he needs to fine-tune all aspects of his game. That was obvious last April, when Hamilton failed to show patience while Southern League hurlers fed him a steady diet of offspeed pitches. He needs to work deeper into counts and stay back on pitches in order to maximize his power. Tampa Bay was guilty of pushing Hamilton too fast last spring. The team flirted with the thought of having Hamilton jump all the way from low Class A to the big leagues, only to watch him fall victim to a lack of activity in between his various ailments. The Rays learned their lesson and want nothing more in 2002 than to see Hamilton stay healthy. While he should reach the majors in the not-too-distant future, he should spend most of this year sharpening his skills in Double-A.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #1 prospect in 2001
  The No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft and the recipient of a $3.96 million signing bonus, Hamilton built on a solid debut season with an impressive campaign at Class A Charleston. He had little difficulty adjusting to the South Atlantic League and was the league's top prospect by season's end. Hamilton shared the league's MVP award with Pirates catcher J.R. House and was voted as the best batting prospect, power prospect, outfield arm and most exciting player in a survey of Sally League managers. He was the youngest player in the Futures Game, where he went 3-for-4. The lone negative was a right knee injury he sustained after a misstep in pursuit of a fly ball. Hamilton missed the last month of the minor league season after having arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage. He recovered in time to participate in instructional league. Hamilton is a rare breed. He's one of the few players with five legitimate plus tools that continue to improve every time he takes the field. His power is increasing as his 19-year-old body matures. Anyone who saw his over-the-head catch, a la Willie Mays, in the 2000 SAL all-star game knows how much ground he covers in center field. His arm, which produced a mid-90s fastball while in high school, is one of the strongest among minor league outfielders. For all his tools, Hamilton's most important trait may be his baseball savvy. His knowledge of how to play the game far exceeds his experience. It's hard to find any aspect of Hamilton's game that could be deemed a weakness. He's sometimes too aggressive at the plate, resulting in 72 strikeouts against 26 walks in 2000. With less than two full seasons of professional experience, Hamilton simply needs to remain healthy and get as many at-bats as possible so he can learn to make adjustments against more talented competition. Hamilton showed during instructional league that there's no reason to expect him to be anything less than 100 percent by spring training. He was headed for a promotion at the time of his injury, and chances are he'll bypass high Class A Bakersfield and move to Double-A Orlando to open 2001. A promotion to the big leagues could come as soon as 2002.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked California League #9 prospect in 2002
  Hamilton was rated the top prospect in baseball entering the 2001 season and has battled physical problems ever since. Though 2002 will go in the books as another disappointing, injury-plagued year, scouts and managers still are convinced he'll be a prototypical major league right fielder. If he stays healthy, that is. Hamilton has suffered from back pain since a car accident in 2001 spring training, and also has had hamstring and ribcage pulls. He made three trips to the disabled list this year before being shut down with a torn left rotator cuff in July. That injury isn't a long-term concern and was corrected via arthroscopy. Relegated to DHing for much of the season, Hamilton still showed a power bat and above-average speed. When he was able to take the field, he also displayed plus arm strength and solid defensive skills.
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #1 prospect in 2000
  Hamilton did nothing to discourage the Devil Rays’ notion that he’ll become a major league star after they selected him with the first pick in the 1999 draft. The great arm and good speed were givens. Hamilton continued to progress with pitch selection and plate discipline, and he would have hit more homers had he played in a ballpark free of stiff winds blowing in off open water. "Definitely the No. 1 tools guy in the league," Piedmont manager Greg Legg said. "He has everything. When he didn’t hit that well against us, he hurt us with his defense. Then I got a taste of his clutch-hitting ability in the all-star game." If Hamilton doesn’t project as a center fielder, he did a fine job imitating one. And he also has the intangible. He was a great teammate, was described as "a sponge" of a student by Devil Rays instructor Wade Boggs and unquestionably led the SAL in autographs signed.
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  Ranked American League #1 prospect in 1999
  Hamilton lived up to all the hype. He homered in his first and last games in Princeton, and dazzled managers with all five tools in between. He earned a promotion to short-season Hudson Valley in mid-August and led that team to the New York-Penn League title. When you see how pretty Hamilton's swing is, it's easy to overlook his power--but it is there. Defensively, he did a sound job in center field and showed the arm strength one would expect of a former pitcher. He even showed he could run a little, stealing 18 bases. Most impressively, he made everything look easy and never appeared to get rattled. "He's a quality person to start with," Bristol manager Gary Pellant said. "He's got a chance to be the full package."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #33 prospect in 2003
• Ranked Baseball America's #18 prospect in 2002
• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2001
• Ranked Baseball America's #13 prospect in 2000

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  Hamilton did nothing to discourage the Devil Rays’ notion that he’ll become a major league star after they selected him with the first pick in the 1999 draft. The great arm and good speed were givens. Hamilton continued to progress with pitch selection and plate discipline, and he would have hit more homers had he played in a ballpark free of stiff winds blowing in off open water. "Definitely the No. 1 tools guy in the league," Piedmont manager Greg Legg said. "He has everything. When he didn’t hit that well against us, he hurt us with his defense. Then I got a taste of his clutch-hitting ability in the all-star game." If Hamilton doesn’t project as a center fielder, he did a fine job imitating one. And he also has the intangible. He was a great teammate, was described as "a sponge" of a student by Devil Rays instructor Wade Boggs and unquestionably led the SAL in autographs signed.