The 26-year-old Hamilton just finished his third full season in the majors, and it was his best in terms of batting average (.260), .OBP (.321) and OPS (.664).
He also set a career high with 58 steals despite playing only 119 games, and he has drastically cut down he gets caught stealing over the past two seasons.
There are pros and cons to moving the former second-round pick.
On one hand, he is already an elite outfielder, and he may have turned the corner at the plate last season.
His speed and base-running ability make him a major weapon on the base paths – assuming he’s on base – but he’s also had a hard time staying healthy.
There’s no guarantee he won’t regress to his 2015 form at the plate when he stole 57 bases but posted an OBP of just .274.
He’s also due a raise prior to next season as he is eligible for arbitration for the first time, and the Reds have another young speedster who could play center field – Jose Peraza.
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