Will the Red Sox protect speedy prospect David Hamilton from Rule 5 Draft?
The Red Sox have some roster decisions to make by Tuesday. Boston must decide which minor-leaguers to add to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
David Hamilton is an interesting player the Red Sox must make a decision on.
He was acquired with Alex Binelas in the trade that sent Hunter Renfroe to the Brewers last December.
Hamilton, 25, spent the entire season with Double-A Portland. The speedy left-hander batted .251/.338/.402, with 116 hits, 16 doubles, nine triples, 12 homers, 42 RBIs, 70 stolen bases and had a .740 OPS.
Hamilton earned the honors of 2022 Red Sox Minor League Baserunner of the Year.
Will Boston protect their lightning fast prospect in the Rule 5 Draft in December?
It’s an intriguing question considering his speed and the new MLB rule changes, he could be attractive to another club.
Next season, the league will debut bigger bases with the goal of providing player safety. The size of first, second, and third base will increase from the standard 15″ square to 18″ square.
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With the pitch timer in the minor leagues this past season, “stolen base attempts per game have increased from 2.23 in 2019, at a 68% success rate, to 2.83 in 2022, at a 77% success rate,” per MLB.
Hamilton’s speed alone could be the reason Boston adds him to the 40-man roster. Offensively, the Texas native had a down season, his bat may not stick at the big league level just yet.
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According to FanGraphs, Hamilton possesses 60-grade speed on the 20-80 scale. His 9.4 Speed Score with the Sea Dogs this season ranked first among qualified Double-A hitters.
For comparison the Red Sox selected them Astros prospect Jonathan Araúz in the 2019 Rule 5 Draft. Araúz had only played as high as the Double-A level. It’s not unheard of teams selecting Double-A players in the Rule 5 Draft.
If the Red Sox add Hamilton to the 40-man roster, they will ensure that he will not be available in the Rule 5 Draft. Hamilton should be in a position to possibly start with Triple-A Worcester next season.
If he is not added to the 40-man roster by November 15, another club could acquire him for $100,000 during next month’s Rule 5 Draft.
That team would then be responsible for keeping Hamilton on their major-league roster for the entire 2023 season.
If that clubs were unable to do so, Hamilton would have to be offered back to the Red Sox for $50,000.
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