He started his professional career in 1991 when he was drafted by the San Diego Padres, and pitched for three major league teams during his career. As a rookie with San Diego in 1994 he finished fifth in the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award voting for the National League. Following the 1998 season, San Diego traded Hamilton to the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2001, after two seasons with the Blue Jays, he was released. Hamilton signed with the Cincinnati Reds shortly afterward. Hamilton had stints in training camps and the minor leagues with some of the Padres and Reds affiliates. In March 2005, two days after signing with the New York Mets, the team released him.\n', '

Hamilton was born on September 9, 1970, in Statesboro, Georgia to Jack Hamilton and Helen Mathis. He attended Statesboro High School before the Baltimore Orioles drafted him in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft. Hamilton decided against signing with the Orioles, opting instead to play college baseball for Georgia Southern University.\n', '

As a sophomore at Georgia Southern in 1990, Hamilton had an 18–4 record with a 3.07 ERA. He was one of nine finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, and he earned Second Team All-American honors from The Sporting News and Baseball America. However, at the beginning of his junior season he went 1–3 with a 7.43 ERA after starting five games. It was soon discovered that Hamilton was suffering from an elbow injury, which forced him to have surgery in 1992.\n', '

Return to Joey Hamilton Autograph Profile