*Joshua Holt Hamilton’, who goes by Josh, was born on May 21, 1981 in Raleigh, North Carolina. He plays center field the Texas Rangers. High SchoolJosh attended Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, and was a star baseball player there. He was twice named North Carolina’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year. After his senior season, he was named High School Player of the Year by Baseball America and Amateur Player of the Year by USA Baseball.*Minor Leagues’Josh was chosen first pick overall by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. Josh signed with the Devil Rays and went into their minor league system.
Josh did not make it to the Major Leagues until the 2007 season. Beginning in 2001, he started abusing drugs, and almost ruined his career. He was out of baseball completely from 2004 to late in 2006. However, he got clean, and returned to the game in 2006 with the help of Roy Silver owner of a baseball academy in Florida, as well as the Devil Rays organization.
| Team |
Texas Rangers
|
| Position | Center Field |
| Born | 21 May 1981 |
| Nationality |
United States
|
| Team History | |
|
Texas Rangers
|
2008 - present |
Cincinnati Reds
|
2007 |
Josh was selected third in the MLB portion of the 2006 Rule 5 Draft by the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs then sold him to the Cincinnati Reds for $100,000.
Major LeaguesJosh made the roster for the Reds, and made his major league debut on opening day April 2, 2007, as a pinch-hitter. However, he had to spend two stints on the DL, first with gastroenteritis, then with a sprained wrist.
On December 21, 2007, Josh was traded to the Texas Rangers for Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera.
Josh made the starting roster for the Rangers out of spring training, and got off to an excelelnt start. Indeed, he was named American League Player of the Month in April, hitting .330 with 32 RBI. He also won it in May, becoming the first American League player in baseball history to be awarded Player of the Month for the first two months of the season.
Josh was selected to the All Star Game, and participated in the Home Run Derby, but came in second to Justin Morneau.
PersonalJosh is married to Katie (nee Chadwick) and has two daughters, Sierra and Michaela Grace, and a step-daughter, Julia.
Josh is a frequent speaker to community groups and fans, on how Christianity brought him back from the brink and helped him restore his life and career.
