The New York Mets will select the contract of outfielder Billy Hamilton from the team’s alternate training site in Coney Island ahead of Thursday’s series opener in Washington, per manager Luis Rojas.
Hamilton, 29, was acquired from the San Francisco Giants for right-handed prospect Jordan Humphreys on Sunday.
A defense-first player, Hamilton’s 73 defensive runs saved and 54.3 ultimate zone rating since 2013 both rank fifth in the majors over that span.
Over 353 plate appearances between the Royals and Braves last season, the speedster (29.5 feet-per-second sprint speed last season was 20th in MLB; 30.1 ft/s in 2018 was fourth) hit just .218/.289/.275 with 22 stolen bases.
In the absence of Yoenis Cespedes, who opted-out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns on Sunday, and Jake Marisnick, who’s been on the injured list since July 29 (hamstring strain), Hamilton is expected to help fill the gap.
No corresponding move has been announced yet. We’ll keep you posted as new information becomes available.
