David Hamilton Just Can't Seem to Get It Quite Right

If you wanted to sum up David Hamilton's 2026 season in one play, you could do much worse than the ground ball Sean Murphy hit during the Brewers' loss to the team from near(ish) Atlanta in MLB's Little League Classic Sunday night in Williamsport, Penn. It was a tricky play. With runners on the corners and two outs, the slow-footed catcher hit a slow bouncer toward third base. Hamilton had been playing deep and guarding the line, respecting Murphy's ability to hit the ball hard and the risk of a second run scoring should he hit a double into the corner. That left a lot of ground for the speedy infielder to cover, but because Murphy moves so poorly, it should have been a relatively easy play. Hamilton got to the ball in fine shape—but then, things crashed to an ugly halt.

Having taken a slightly errant angle on a ball that died faster than he'd expected on the soft turf of the Williamsport infield, Hamilton tried to come to a two-footed stop and pick the ball up with both hands. It was a late adjustment in response to that initial misread, but it made for an awkward stop—and his feet simply went out from under him. A big chunk of turf gave way, too, making clear that the player alone wasn't at fault. He'd had to adjust because of the field conditions; the conditions further betrayed him and put him on the seat of his pants. A run scored, and the inning continued.

The metaphor for Hamilton's season was almost overwhelming. He started in a position from which he had a chance to succeed, and it was undoubtedly the best position for the team, but it asked a lot of him. He didn't make the play correctly, but he also paid a heavier price than seemed fair. That's what it's been like to watch him all year. The Brewers brought him in with a role in mind, and he's filled that role. He hasn't thrived in it, though, partially because it's not a role in which anyone is likely to thrive; partially because he hasn't quite held up his end of the bargain; and partially because of some rotten luck.

While the Brewers have a tried-and-true system for the development and optimization of a certain type of player, Hamilton has proved not to be a perfect fit for that system. He's been left with some developmental whiplash, even at a phase of his career where 'development' ceases to be the word a player wants to associate with their progress. He's been asked to become more patient, hit more line drives, catch the ball deeper in the hitting zone and make more contact; he's managed that. However, he's lost what little pop he had in the process, and the gains in his plate discipline (on an outcome basis) haven't been what the Brewers surely hoped they would be. He's not walking enough to justify the way he's altered his swing itself. Part of the blame for that, though, falls on Hamilton, who has joined Team Swing Decisions and not made materially better ones.

Meanwhile, in the field, he's been a colossal disappointment. The play above encapsulates some of the issue. Yes, the ball slowed down more than he expected, and yes, the softness of the ground makes that diamond different from most big-league infields. Had he turned his body correctly and charged the ball straight-on, though, he would have been able to deal with both complications and get the out. Stopping that way and fielding that ball with two hands is precisely the wrong way to do it; that needs to be an on-the-run, one-handed pick, be it barehand or glove. Hamilton took an initial angle that left him a smaller window in which he could field the ball that way, so when it was slower than he thought, he had to change to a more difficult form of playmaking.

That's been his defense this year in a nutshell. You can see the special tools, but the fundamentals are often wrong by just enough to cause disaster. His throws are strong, but not always accurate. His range is excellent, but his hands aren't as quick or as soft as you would guess. 

The only place where Hamilton has come as advertised is on the bases, and even there, he hasn't been quite as aggressive or as efficient as the team might have hoped. Pat Murphy was effusive about Hamilton's potential in the spring, in a way that always seemed a bit too rosy for a player who had gotten so close to 30 without having a breakthrough. Sure enough, Hamilton hasn't delivered on that potential, even though you can still see it there, waiting to be tapped.

Not all of that is Hamilton's fault. Playing mostly as a platoon option at two different positions that are each demanding, he's been denied any easy routine. He also dealt with an elbow issue for much of the season, and then tried to manage and rehab both that injury and his hamstring strain once the latter force him onto the injured list. He's tough, and he's worked hard for the team. The results haven't been there, but the club hasn't been disappointed in his work ethic or willingness to do what they ask of him.

Still, one has to hope better days lie ahead for him. The Brewers need as many of their roster pieces functioning at a high level as is possible, come the postseason. Their patience with Hamilton could yet pay huge dividends, because the player Murphy described and envisioned earlier this year does peek out now and then, and he can be a game-wrecker—especially offensively. If he never takes to the difficult jobs he's been given, he could depart this winter, with the team sliding Joey Ortiz into that role next season as they make way for Jesús Made. For now, though, Hamilton remains in the medium-term plans. Thus, he needs to overcome the things the universe keeps putting in his way and make some good things happen.

Do you approve of the job Pat Murphy is doing as Brewers manager?

Do you approve of the job Pat Murphy is doing as Brewers manager?

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