Printable Biography of Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton is an All Star outfielder for the Texas Rangers. Hamilton played baseball growing up in North Carolina. He was the first overall pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries and a drug addiction derailed his career in 2001. Prior to the 2007 season, Hamilton was selected by the Chicago Cubs (picking for the Cincinnati Reds) in the Rule 5 Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2007 with the Reds and had a successful rookie season. During the off-season he was traded to the Texas Rangers for Edinson Volquez and Daniel Ray Herrera.

In 2008 Hamilton was named to the American League All Star team, and made the All-Star team the next two seasons as well. He also participated in the Home Run Derby, where he hit a record 28 home runs in the opening round and finished with 35 home runs, which was second-most all-time in derby history.

Hamilton hit for a league-leading .359 average in 2010, winning his first batting title. This was the fourth-best batting average since the end of the 2004 season. He also finished fourth in Major League Baseball in On-Base Percentage (.411), first in Slugging Percentage (.633) and On-Base Plus Slugging (1.044), and tied for tenth in home runs (32), despite missing 29 games due to an injury. He was also one of just 25 players to have 100 RBIs.  On October 22, Hamilton and the Rangers won the 2010 ALCS. It was the first time in Rangers history they had gone to a World Series. To get there they had to beat the defending Champions the New York Yankees. With four home runs, 7 RBIs, and the recipient of several intentional walks in the AL Championship Series win against the Yankees, Hamilton was selected as the MVP of the 2010 ALCS. Hamilton also won the AL Players Choice Award for Outstanding Player in 2010.

Hamilton's struggles with drugs and alcohol are well documented. He finally got clean after being confronted by his grandmother. When giving a brief summary of his recovery, Hamilton says simply: "It's a God thing." He does not shy away from telling his story, speaking to community groups and fans at many functions. He frequently publicly tells stories of how Jesus brought him back from the brink and that faith is what keeps him going. His wife Katie sometimes accompanies him, offering her perspective on his struggles as well. A portion of his return to sobriety was shown on The Learning Channel's reality show "The Real Deal".