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Good Saturday morning, Coug fans. When it comes to the WSU sports news well, it’s nearly dry. But we did find something of interest today.
Ian Hamiltion, the two-year pitcher at WSU who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2016, has rapidly climbed the minor league ladder and could soon be seen in a major league ballpark near you, if NBC Sports Chicago is correct in its handicapping.
Hamilton began is WSU career in the bullpen before being moved to the starting rotation. He struggled as a starter but the White Sox still grabbed him in the 11th round.
From NBC Sports Chicago:
The White Sox snapped him up and put him back in the bullpen. Since then he has done but get guys out while moving quickly through the minors. After posting a 1.78 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings in Double-A Birmingham this season, Hamilton was included in the mass promotions the Sox had at the halfway point of the minor league season.
On Wednesday, Hamilton, the 19th-ranked White Sox prospect by MLB Pipeline, picked up his third save in three tries for Triple-A Charlotte. It’s early, but the 23-year-old hasn’t given up a run for the Knights yet. In 5 2/3 innings he has nine strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one walk.
Currently, Adam Conley of the Miami Marlins is the only WSU alum in the majors. Conley’s been with the big club since 2015, ending a four year streak of a Coug-less MLB. If Hamilton joins him, it’ll be the first time that that two Cougs were in the majors at the same time since 2010, technically (Mark Hendrickson and Eddie Bonine, though Bonine only spent one year at WSU before transferring to Nevada).
Here are all the WSU alums who have played in the majors, via baseball-reference.
Best of luck to Hamilton. Cougs in the majors used to be a yearly thing, and it’d be nice to see more of them find success.
Baseball
Could relief prospect Ian Hamilton join the White Sox this season? | NBC Sports Chicago
Ian Hamilton has gone from under-the-radar relief prospect to on the verge of a potential big league debut this year.
Football
CTE found in Tyler Hilinski before suicide: Researcher reacts | SI.com
The co-founder and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation reacts to SI's story on Tyler Hilinski and the reveal that the QB who committed suicide in January had Stage I CTE.
Lastly, Ryan Leaf was on the Rich Eisen show to talk about Tyler Hilinski:
.@RyanDLeaf on the tragedy of former Washington St. QB Tyler Hilinski, who took his own life earlier this year: pic.twitter.com/s6F7ybIMQt
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) July 6, 2018