Billy Hamilton looked like he was finally ready to progress at the plate to the point where he would start to live up to his tremendous potential for the Cincinnati Reds.
Then a headfirst slide into third base led to a concussion that knocked Hamilton out of the Reds’ lineup.
Hamilton was hitting .417 in 24 at-bats to start June and had raised his average to .269 for the season after starting slow at a .218 clip to mark the end of the season’s first month.
Whether or not Hamilton picks up where he left off after he returns from the 7-day DL remains to be seen.
Combined with other injuries he has sustained this year, Hamilton has been limited to 44 starts in the Reds’ 67 games so far this season.
Last year, injuries helped reduce Hamilton’s workload to just 114 games. He played in 152 games during his rookie season of 2014.
Hamilton has also sustained hand injuries from sliding headfirst into a base. At some point, he may have to concede to sliding feet first to avoid further injuries to his hands and head.
But sliding headfirst isn’t the only activity that has led to injury for Hamilton. His unparalleled speed and range in center field has also led to injury for him from both diving catches and hits with walls.
Hamilton may learn how to play smarter and more under control in the future, but that could come at the expense of the sheer athletic ability that potentially makes him an impact game-changer.
Hamilton will be arbitration eligible starting next year and can expect a sizable increase in salary despite the injuries he has sustained and his struggles with reaching base.
The Reds should be concerned enough by Hamilton to prioritize a potential center fielder of the future when making decisions for the upcoming trade deadline.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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