Clayton Hamilton

Clayton Hamilton

Baseball ∙ Blackhawk

Oftentimes the best stories are the most unlikely ones. After being cut from the baseball team in 8th grade, Clayton wasn't sure if his future was in baseball. Then, after suffering two knee injuries early in his senior year, baseball seemed like an afterthought. However, he overcame those obstacles and led the Blackhawk Legion team to the State championship game and National Tournament his senior summer.

After playing baseball at Blackhawk High School, the 6'5" right-hander was a walk-on turned 4-year starter for the Penn State Nittany Lions, winning Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on three occasions. After his junior year, Clayton was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 21st round of the 2003 Amateur Draft. Clayton decided to go back to PSU to finish his degree, and a year later was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 17th round.

In 2004 and 2005, Clayton pitched in the minor leagues with Padres affiliates in A and AA. He had a standout tenure with the Fort Wayne Wizards in 2005, compiling a 9-6 win-loss record with a 2.88 earned run average across 122.0 innings. That year, Clayton was named the Wizards Pitcher/Prospect of the Year and was selected for the Eastern Division's All-Star team in the Midwest League All-Star Game.
Clayton was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitched with their affiliates for two seasons. In December 2007, the Texas Rangers selected Clayton in the Rule 5 draft, and the next three years Clayton pitched in AA and AAA, posting a 4.06 ERA in 81 appearances within the Rangers organization.

In 2011, Clayton signed with the Yokohama BayStars of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan. Shortly after Clayton completed spring training in Okinawa and returned to Yokohama, he faced an unforeseen obstacle: the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami that struck Japan on March 11. American players were permitted to return to the United States while the league decided the fate of the season. Several players decided not to return, but, after discussing with his family, Clayton accepted the challenge and returned to Japan, making his debut appearance and tossing 3 innings for the BayStars on April 13. Clayton made 27 appearances for the BayStars over two seasons, including a 6-inning scoreless gem against the Nippon Ham Fighters on May 23, 2011. In 2012-13, Clayton finished his baseball career with the Leones de Ponce in the Puerto Rico Winter League, posting a 2.25 ERA in 11 appearances.

Clayton grew up in Chippewa Township. He married his wife Michelle just before they went to Japan, and they have three children: Cade, Elle, and Mila. They now live in Mars, PA, and Clayton owns and operates a medical device sales company in the greater Pittsburgh region.