Billy Hamilton (yes, that Billy Hamilton) is back in organized baseball.
A legendary stolen base artist who put up over 50 steals in four straight seasons for the mid-2010s Cincinnati Reds, Hamilton slowly faded from view over the last half-decade. But a playoff contender thinks he might still have something to offer.
According to the official Major League Baseball transactions log, Hamilton signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The timing is significant, because given that he signed before Monday’s cutoff date, he would be postseason-eligible if the Cubs decided to put him on the roster.
The signing was also confirmed on Wednesday by Tommy Birch, who covers the Cubs’ Triple-A team for the Des Moines Register.
Hamilton, 34, last appeared in the big leagues for three games with the Chicago White Sox in 2023. He has since played 132 games in various Mexican professional leagues, according to his Baseball Reference page.
In 951 major league games, Hamilton slashed .239/.292/.325, hitting only 24 home runs, but racking up 326 stolen bases.
The Cubs may very well be considering him for a specialized pinch-running role, similar to that of Terrance Gore over a few playoff runs with the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves.
Will we see Hamilton don a Cubs uniform at any point this season? In a league that values confusing the opposition, it certainly could make for some interesting postseason maneuvers.
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