The Royals on Friday designated outfielder Billy Hamilton for assignment, which means he'll be removed from the 40-man roster and placed on waivers. 

Hamilton has bottomed out as a hitter, but remains a defensive asset in center and, most notably, a serious threat on the bases. While he's not the speed merchant he once was, the 28-year-old switch-hitter has 18 stolen bases in 93 games (and despite an OBP of .269). As well, Hamilton this season has taken the extra base a highly impressive 61 percent of the time , and he's hit into only one double play. Per Statcast, he's in the 97th percentile when it comes to sprint speed. 

Despite Hamilton's inability to produce at the plate, it's possible a playoff-bound team may have interest in him as a playoff roster pinch-runner (and late-inning defensive replacement). The Yankees made such a move recently when they picked up Terrance Gore. 

So which likely playoff squads might have interest in speed-only roster piece like Hamilton? Let's look at the 10 teams presently in playoff position and how they rank across all of MLB in stolen bases: 

Team

Stolen bases, MLB rank

Twins

25, 30th

Cubs

34, 27th 

Dodgers

37, 25th

Yankees

43, 22nd

Astros

51, 17th

Braves

64, 10th

Rays

72, 8th

Cardinals

82, T-5th

Indians

82, T-5th

Nationals

84, 4th


As you see, half of the current playoff teams rank 17th or worse in steals, and the Dodgers, Cubs, and Twins rank near or at the bottom. The Twins would seem like an obvious potential landing spot. The Dodgers are another. They actually ran a pinch-runner camp for a time, and they are of course managed by Dave Roberts, who in his playing days authored the most famous postseason pinch-running appearance ever: 

So you can see why the NL West leaders might be inclined to give Hamilton a look. 

As for the Cubs, they have Tony Kemp on the roster, but Albert Almora Jr.'s recent demotion means they could use another glove in center field. The other component of Hamilton's value could make him a fit on the North Side. 

The immediate question is whether a likely playoff team will place a waiver claim on Hamilton and thus assume the balance of his $5.25 million salary and his $1 million buyout for 2020. More than likely, Hamilton clears waivers and becomes a free agent after his release. At that point, a contender can sign him for far less.