Chicago White Sox: 3 players to cut when Adam Engel returns

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.