Report: Giants have shown interest in Reds' Hamilton

The San Francisco Giants may have a need for speed in the outfield.

The Giants have reportedly shown interest in speedy Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton, sources told Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

It's not clear if the Reds and Giants have engaged in trade talks, or what a suitable return might be from Cincinnati's perspective.

San Francisco's apparent interest in Hamilton stems from a desire to improve its outfield defense, per Morosi. Acquiring the 27-year-old would certainly do that, as Hamilton's proven himself to be an elite defensive outfielder whose speed would come in handy if he were asked to patrol AT&T Park's spacious center field.

Hamilton earned his second consecutive Gold Glove nomination in 2017 after recording nine defensive runs saved and a UZR of 7.6 that ranked fourth among all qualified center fielders, but once again lost out on the award to Atlanta's Ender Inciarte.

Offensively, Hamilton struggled in 2017. He posted a .247/.299/.335 slash line with four homers, 38 RBIs, and a 66 wRC+ while walking just 44 times to 133 strikeouts. But his speed - by some metrics Hamilton's considered the fastest man in baseball - continued to impress, as he stole a career-high 59 bases to finish one off Dee Gordon's league-leading mark of 60. Hamilton was caught stealing only 13 times, a success rate of nearly 82 percent.

In addition to their apparent interest in Hamilton, the Giants have also been reported as having interest in another elite defensive center fielder, Boston Red Sox star Jackie Bradley Jr.