Adam Engel might be taking Billy Hamilton’s Chicago White Sox spot in the outfield.
Out of the three options, this is the least likely. Billy Hamilton can be a very useful weapon off the bench for a championship team. He has elite speed and can serve as a pinch-runner late in games. He is perfect 4-for-4 on stolen bases this season. With him on first base, he can turn a walk into a double and quickly manufacture a run. Tony La Russa also loves using him as a defensive replacement late in games.
It’s no secret that Andrew Vaughn is inexperienced in leftfield. Hamilton provides the White Sox with a tremendous range in the outfield. Mix him with Engel and Eaton, and you have good centerfielders roaming the outfield. It makes it very difficult for a hitter to find a spot to place a hit. Hamilton also has good arm strength. He made a game-saving throw against the Texas Rangers from leftfield earlier in the season.
The reason he is on the list is because of his sub-par offensive production. He is hitting just .205 with only five RBIs and a .552 OPS. Mendick and Lamb each have a higher offensive ceiling at the plate. In Hamilton’s last 13 at-bats he has just two hits. He also does not play any infiled. Lamb, Mendick, and Garcia can all play outfield and infield. For these reasons, there is a chance that Hamilton is the odd man out. That being said, with all the value he provides in other aspects of the game, it seems unlikely.