Report: Cincinnati Reds moving on from Billy Hamilton

Club non-tenders outfielder, who becomes free agent

Billy Hamilton’s tenure in Cincinnati appears to be over.

The Reds did not tender a contract to the speedy center fielder, making him a free agent, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.

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The Reds explored trading Hamilton but found no suitors, Sheldon reports.

Hamilton, 28, struggled last season, hitting .236 with 34 stolen bases and a .299 on-base percentage. In five-plus seasons with the Reds, the defensive stalwart hit .245 with 277 stolen bases and a .298 on-base percentage.

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In 2014, Hamilton was the runner-up to Mets pitcher Jacob DeGrom in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Players on the 40-man roster with fewer than six years of Major League service time must be offered contracts by a set deadline — typically early December — or are released to free agency.

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