Speedy Crimson Sox rookie David Hamilton is already making his presence felt

Crimson Sox

He has a main alternative in entrance of him.

David Hamilton high-fives his teammates after scoring from second base on a throwing error. Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Picture

Within the third inning Friday, when the ball ricocheted off White Sox second baseman Tim Anderson’s glove on a pick-off try, Crimson Sox speedster David Hamilton knew precisely the place he was going.

Many gamers would have trotted to 3rd and stopped there, however Hamilton had different concepts. Because the ball squirted into the outfield, he sprinted all the way in which dwelling and scored standing up with none problem.

It was an enormous play in Boston’s 3-1 win, and in addition one which encapsulated Hamilton’s long-term potential.

He’s off to a blazing begin within the majors, already recording successful and a stroll, stealing two bases, and scoring two runs in simply three video games. With a significant gap at shortstop on the roster, the 5-foot-10, 188-pound, 25-year-old utility participant has a main alternative in entrance of him.

“Protection, just a little spark on offense, good baserunner,” Hamilton mentioned earlier than his debut. “So, I feel that may assist just a little bit. Something I can do to assist the crew, I’m right here.”

Proper now, his greatest asset – on high of his pace, in fact – is his availability. Hamilton is the sixth Crimson Sox beginning shortstop this season, and 5 have performed fewer than two weeks price of video games on the place.

The Kiké Hernández at shortstop experiment went sideways, and Pablo Reyes is on the 10-day injured record with an belly pressure, so Hamilton seems to be the man for not less than the time being.

Towards the Twins on Wednesday, he turned the primary Crimson Sox participant since Trot Nixon in 1996 to make his Main League debut as a pinch-runner and steal a base. Hamilton finally scored the game-tying run on a Triston Casas double to heart.

Hamilton stole 70 bases in 119 video games with Double-A Portland final 12 months and 27 by 52 video games with Triple-A Worcester this season. It’s clear already that he’s a menace each time he will get on base.

The subsequent day, he recorded his first Main League hit along with his mother and father watching from the stands.

“It was wonderful,” Hamilton advised reporters. “Most likely among the best emotions of my life.”

On Friday, he walked, stole second, then confirmed off simply how speedy he actually is.

“We noticed it proper there,” supervisor Alex Cora mentioned. “He put stress immediately.”