Rising Red Sox Prospect Reportedly Could Debut With Boston As Club Deals With Injury Bug

The Boston Red Sox could have an exciting prospect in the lineup very shortly.

Boston certainly has been bitten by the injury bug this season. After losing longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency, Boston's middle infield depth already was thin but it has been tested even further. Infielder Trevor Story has yet to take the field, Enrique Hernandez has struggled at shortstop, Yu Chang has dealt with injuries of his own, and now Pablo Reyes may miss some time of his own. 

If Reyes is forced to have a stint on the injured list, one player who reportedly could see some time with the big league club is rising infield prospect David Hamilton, according to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo. 

"Speedy Red Sox prospect David Hamilton is en route to Minnesota as a potential candidate to replace the injured Pablo Reyes on Boston’s roster Wednesday, two sources said," Cotillo said. "Reyes, who was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with right abdominal soreness, is day-to-day and will be re-evaluated in the coming days."

Hamilton was acquired by the Red Sox from the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal centered around Jackie Bradley Jr. and Hunter Renfroe. The 25-year-old currently is Boston's 26th-ranked prospect and has impressed at the minor league level. Hamilton is slashing .255/.339/.486 to go along with 11 home runs and 25 RBIs in 52 games so far this season with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. Hamilton has seen time at second base, shortstop, and in center field so far this season so his flexibility certainly could help Boston who may need help at shortstop if Reyes needs to miss time. 

The 25-year-old already is on Boston's 40-man roster so a move wouldn't be too difficult for the club. Hopefully, Reyes is okay and doesn't need to miss any time, but if he does need to, hopefully, Hamilton can impress at the big-league level.