Giants trade center fielder Billy Hamilton to Mets, acquire pitching prospect

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants spent much of spring training thinking of creative ways to take advantage of center fielder Billy Hamilton’s elite speed.

Nine games into the 2020 season, Hamilton was traded to the Mets before ever making an appearance in a Giants uniform.

The Giants announced Sunday they traded Hamilton in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Jordan Humphreys, a 24-year-old who has never pitched above High-A in the minor leagues. Humphreys was designated for assignment earlier this week by New York, so he’ll be added to the Giants’ 40-man roster.

Hamilton, who signed a minor league deal with San Francisco this offseason, wasn’t on the 40-man roster, but the Giants had an open space after designating Rule 5 draft choice Dany Jimenez for assignment Thursday.

Hamilton’s chances of helping the Giants diminished when he was unable to report to summer camp on time due to a medical issue. He arrived at Oracle Park a week before the regular season and spent the early days of the schedule training at the team’s Sacramento alternate camp, but the Giants no longer have a need for another left-handed hitting option in center field.

Second-year outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has quickly established himself as a full-time starter at the position and leads the major leagues with a 1.0 WAR through nine games. Yastrzemski is hitting .400 with a 1.328 OPS and has received praise from manager Gabe Kapler for the way he’s handled center field while leading the club to a 5-4 record.

Humphreys was optioned to the team’s alternate camp in Sacramento and will practice with several other Giants prospects including catchers Joey Bart and Patrick Bailey.

The right-hander has a career 2.60 ERA in the minors, but has only appeared in two games since the 2017 season as he underwent Tommy John surgery to repair his UCL in his pitching elbow.