Red Sox 33-Stolen Base Speedster Surprisingly Predicted To Be Traded By MLB Insider

Are the Red Sox open for business?

Aug 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman David Hamilton (70) bunts the ball during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

What's next for the Boston Red Sox with Alex Bregman on the roster?

It's a question with nearly infinite possible answers. The fascinating part, from the perspective of Red Sox fans and neutral observers alike, will be to witness which path the Red Sox choose to take.

Because Bregman is likely to become the full-time second baseman, there are others on the roster who are going to be out of playing time. If the Red Sox are feeling opportunistic, they can trade one or two of those players while their value is high and try to improve their minor-league depth.

A candidate to be traded that hasn't been discussed much throughout the winter is infielder David Hamilton. Coming off a rookie season where he stole 33 bases in 37 tries, Hamilton could have more opportunity to win a starting job elsewhere than he's likely to get in Boston.

To that end, an anonymous Major League Baseball insider who was polled for a recent article in The Athletic predicted that Hamilton would be traded before the 2025 season begins.

Of the 32 votes cast in the poll, which asked which player around MLB was most likely to be traded, three were for Red Sox players: one each for Hamilton, Triston Casas, and Masataka Yoshida.

Hamilton, 27, profiles as the ideal bench piece for the Red Sox this season if he doesn't get traded. Manager Alex Cora has confirmed he'll be practicing in the outfield during spring training to increase his versatility, and if Boston needs a stolen base, he's the best guy they can call upon.

However, there could be teams out there willing to offer the Red Sox a prospect or two that they can't turn down for a player who might get 200 at-bats or less this season. There's been no reporting that the Seattle Mariners are interested in Hamilton, for example, but he could walk into T-Mobile Park tomorrow and outperform anyone currently on the Mariners' second base depth chart.

Even if the odds are low that Hamilton is actually dealt, it's a possibility to stay aware of as spring training ramps up.

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