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Boston Red Sox prospect David Hamilton is lauded for his base-stealing ability, but the second baseman/shortstop is discovering a power stroke at Triple-A Worcester this season. The 25-year-old has blasted 11 home runs in only 183 at-bats after requiring 463 minor-league at-bats to launch 12 big flies in 2022. The speed merchant already has a blazing 25 stolen bases as well. Hamilton is slashing a productive .252/.340/.514 to go along with 25 RBI and 10 additional extra-base hits to his homers.
It's first worth mentioning that Boston's number-one prospect Marcelo Mayer was recently promoted to Double-A action. Even so, it should be deemed unlikely that the shortstop's major-league debut comes before 2024 despite embarking on the fast track.
Utility player Ceddanne Rafaela figures to be a call-up candidate this summer, but he still resides in Double-A. He pencils in a better fit in the outfield, where the Red Sox are fairly well off in the majors at this time. It leaves Hamilton as the most likely infield prospect to arrive to the major leagues at some point this season.
Can David Hamilton Get The Call To The Bigs?
The Red Sox have a depth-chart hole at second base. Fellow infield prospect Enmanuel Valdez had a revealing 20-game start in the bigs, belting three taters for 10 RBI on .293/.349/.517 hitting splits. He has gone just 1-for-16 over his last six games, however, to follow up. Valdez's roster spot could be in jeopardy if his slump prolongs, lending credence to the possibility of Boston soon considering a pivot to Hamilton.
Valdez is not likely perceived within the organization as the answer at the keystone regardless, but perhaps as more of a stopgap option with both Adalberto Mondesi (knee) and Trevor Story (elbow) still recovering on the 60-day injured list. It opens the door further for Hamilton’s potential call-up with neither veteran seeming particularly close to a return and Valdez not impressing defensively, either.
Answering the question as to whether or not Hamilton should be rostered in fantasy certainly depends on team composition and record. If you're ahead in the standings with a back-end roster spot to spare, Hamilton serves as a fine stash. He is only Boston's 27th-ranked prospect, though, per MLB.com. When Mondesi and Story come back, presumably in July, there will be little to no pathway in redraft settings to Hamilton’s playing time, but he about looks ready for a shot in the majors now.
It renders the former eighth-rounder's rest-of-season outlook as suspect; he is unlikely to be a factor during the fantasy playoffs while blocked by the vets, barring injuries. Hamilton would probably need an early-to-mid-June promotion for any chance at making an overall difference in fantasy, but it’s undeniable that second base reps are up for grabs right now in Beantown.
He would represent an obvious source of speed in fantasy, but Hamilton's career-high homer rate this year makes the left-handed hitter an intriguing power asset potentially at the cost of average.
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