Sources: Billy Hamilton agrees to 1-year deal with Kansas City

LAS VEGAS – Center fielder Billy Hamilton and the Kansas City Royals agreed on a one-year, $5.25 million deal Monday, sources told Yahoo Sports, cementing perhaps the best defensive outfield in baseball with perhaps the fastest man in the game.

The caveat with Hamilton, and what caused the Cincinnati Reds to cut him loose in late November, is his bat, which has produced a career .245/.298/.333 line. While Hamilton’s base-stealing acumen is clear – the 28-year-old has 277 steals in six seasons – his low on-base percentage and almost-nonexistent power mitigate his glove’s impact.

Hamilton is regarded as among the three best defensive center fielders in baseball, and he’ll join perennial Gold Glove left fielder Alex Gordon and Brett Phillips, an elite outfielder as well who’s favored to win the right-field job.

Like Hamilton, Phillips has struggled hitting, too, and while Gordon rebounded in 2018 from a career-worst season, he is no longer the middle-of-the-order hitter he once was. Kansas City had the fourth-lowest-scoring offense in baseball last season and, at least in its offseason thus far, is showing little concern for players who lack it. The Royals’ other free agent signing also was a player who had been non-tendered: utilityman Chris Owings, who they guaranteed $3 million.

Of course, Hamilton and Owings could find themselves trade bait in July, as Kansas City, in the middle of a rebuild, is likely to flip its valuable pending free agents near the trade deadline. The Royals’ farm system took a significant step forward last year, and they should be able to bolster it this summer as they hold the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.

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