CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Indians continued adding pieces to their outfield mix Thursday by agreeing to terms with veteran outfielder Billy Hamilton, according to a report by Venezuela-based journalist Daniel Álvarez Montes.
Montes tweeted that Hamilton and the Indians have a deal, pending a physical, on a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. The club is familiar with the switch-hitting Hamilton as the 30 year old played 36 games last year for the Cubs and Mets, but spent six seasons before that with Cleveland’s spring training partners from Cincinnati (2013-18).
The Indians were unable to confirm the signing late Thursday.
Earlier Thursday the club signed former Mariners and Brewers outfielder Ben Gamel to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite. The moves give Cleveland several outfield options heading into training camp, including Oscar Mercado and Bradley Zimmer in center along with Daniel Johnson, Jordan Luplow, Josh Naylor and Jake Bauers on the corners.
The club signed ex-Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario to a one-year contract last week worth a reported $8 million.
Hamilton is likely to serve as insurance in center field for Mercado, who ended spring training last March nursing a sore wrist before the COVID pandemic shuttered camps. Mercado appeared in just 34 games during the 60-game regular season, batting .128 with a .328 OPS.
Hamilton stole at least 56 bases every season from 2014-17 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting to Jacob deGrom in 2014. A second-round pick of Cincinnati in the 2009 draft, Hamilton’s most productive season was 2016 when he slashed .260/.321/.343 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 119 games as the club’s primary center fielder.
Hamilton was the No. 31 prospect in baseball back in 2012 when he stole a record 155 bases for Class A Macon and slashed .311/.410/.420, but since 2016 he has been unable to sustain any sort of consistency at the plate, batting a combined .234 with a .611 OPS for four clubs.
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