Attended Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas for his freshman-junior seasons...Transferred to Cypress Creek High School in Houston, Texas for his senior season where he graduated in 2015...Signed his letter of intent to play college baseball at Tulane University...Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 17 while in high school...Hicks still currently resides in Houston...Grew up a fan of the Houston Astros. His favorite players were Lance Berkman and Craig Biggio...Switched his uniform number from No. 49 to No. 12 after 2019. No. 12 is a meaningful family number to him. He told reporters he was gifted the No. 12 from former Giant Paul DeJong while they were with the Cardinals.
2024
Transitioned from his previous role as a reliever into a traditional starting role...Went 4-7 with a 4.01 ERA (44 ER, 98.2 IP), 90 strikeouts and a .255 opponents average in 20 games started...Moved to the bullpen on July 28 after throwing a career-high 98.2 innings and showing signs of fatigue...Made nine appearances as a reliever, posting a 4.91 ERA (6 ER, 11.0 IP) with a .340 opponents average...Went 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA (15 ER, 58.0 IP) and a 1.09 WHIP over his first 11 starts...During that stretch, his 2.33 ERA ranked as the seventh-best ERA in the NL, his 53% groundball rate was fifth-highest in the NL and his .603 opposing OPS ranked 12th...Became the seventh Giants starter since 1912 to pitch five-plus innings and allow one earned run or fewer in each of the first three starts with the team joining Carlos Rodón (2022), Al Worthington (1953), Anthony DeSclafani (2021), Bill Swift (1992), RHP Mike LaCoss (1986) and Sailor Stroud (1915) (Elias)...Pitched five-plus innings in 10 of his first 11 starts...In those starts he allowed one earned run or fewer in seven of the 11 outings...Over his next nine starts, Hicks posted a 0-6 record with a 6.42 ERA (29 ER, 40.2 IP) and a .315 opponents average...He pitched five-plus innings in just four of those nine starts...Threw 1,958 pitches overall, which was over 600 more pitches than his previous highest pitch total (1,274) in 2018 with St. Louis (77.2 IP). Became the first Giants pitcher to have both 20 starts and one save in a season since Tim Lincecum had 26 starts and a save in 2014...Entered 2024 having allowed just 13 home runs over 243.2 career innings (0.48 HR/9.0 IP)...Allowed 12 homers in 109.2 innings (1.0 HR/9.0 IP) in 2024 to raise his career mark to 0.6 HR/9.0 IP...Placed on the 15-day IL on Aug. 27 (right shoulder inflammation) and missed 18 games...Returned on Sept. 14 and pitched once before going back on 15-day IL on Sept. 20 (right shoulder inflammation)...Missed remainder of the season.
2023
Made 65 relief appearances between the Cardinals (40 games) and Blue Jays (25 games), posting a combined 3.29 ERA (24er, 65.2ip) with 12 saves...His 81 strikeouts, 11.1 K/9.0ip, and 28.4 strikeout percentage were all career bests...Posted a 0.87 ERA (3er, 31.0ip) over a combined 31 road games...Opponents combined to hit just .211 (16-for-76) off him with runners in scoring position and just .121 (4-for-33) with runners in scoring position and two outs...Traded from St...Louis to Toronto on July 30 for RHP Sem Robberse and RHP Adam Kloffenstein...Posted a 2.63 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP over 25 games for the Blue Jays...On Aug. 19 at CIN, he tossed a 1-2-3 8th inning with 2 strikeouts…he threw a 103.2 MPH sinker to Elly De La Cruz, becoming the first Toronto player to eclipse the 103 MPH-mark in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008)...Threw 470 pitches at 100+ MPH (42.2% off his total pitches) and 24 pitches at 103+ MPH, both second in MLB to Jhoan Duran.
2022
Ranked fifth on the team with 35 appearances in his first full season back from injury....Missed 52 games due to a strained right forearm flexor (5/26-7/1) and right arm fatigue/neck spasms (9/17-10/4)....Made eight starts in the rotation, primarily in the first half of the season, going 0-4 with a 5.47 ERA (26.1 IP), 25 strikeouts and 21 walks....Was 3-2 with a 4.37 ERA (35.0 IP), 38 strikeouts and 14 walks in 27 relief appearances....Limited opposing right-handers to .197/.302/.285 slash line with a .587 OPS....Pitched on consecutive days on three occasions....Stranded 17 of 21 inherited runners (23.5%)....Threw 274 of 1,051 total pitches at 100 MPH or faster, third-most in MLB behind Minnesota's Jhoan Duran (392) and Reds' Hunter Greene (337)....Hurled 133 pitches over 101 MPH, 46 over 102 MPH, and nine at 103 MPH or faster....Tied Ryan Helsley for second in MLB with nine pitches over 103 MPH.....Threw his fastest pitch clocking in at 103.8 MPH at Atlanta (7/7), striking out Marcell Ozuna....Averaged 99.4 MPH on his sinker, 4th-fastest average sinker speed in MLB behind Aroldis Chapman (100.2), Brusdar Graterol (99.7), and José Alvarado (99.6)....Recorded 47 of his 63 strikeouts with his slider (52.8%).
2021
Made his first appearances since undergoing Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow, June 2019... Recorded an injury-shortened season, beginning the year on the Opening Day roster and appearing in 10 games... Struck out or walked 20 of 44 batters faced... Hicks (one pitch) and Aroldis Chapman (2 pitches) each topped out at 103 MPH in 2021, fastest in the Majors... Threw 52 of 207 total pitches (25.1%) over 100 mph, 20 over 101 MPH, four over 102 MPH, and one at 103 MPH... Averaged 99.2 MPH on his sinker, 4th-fastest average sinker speed in MLB behind Aroldis Chapman (100.7), Brusdar Graterol (100.0), and José Alvarado (99.4)... Involved in the longest at-bat in terms of number of pitches (22) in Major League History during Spring Training at the Mets in Port St. Lucie (3/14)... Marking his first game appearance since 2019 Tommy John Surgery and only batter faced in the game that dodged the three-batter rule minimum, threw 22 pitches to shortstop Luis Guillorme that ultimately ended in a walk. Guillorme fouled off 16 pitches, including nine in a row with a full count... Exited 5/1 appearance at Pittsburgh in the 7th inning due to injury. Placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation (5/4). Transferred to the 60-day IL (5/14)... Split a 30-day injury rehab assignment between Memphis (AAA) and the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League (9/25-10/25)... Started three games with the Redbirds during the final week of the minor league season, logging pitch counts of 18, 12, and 31... For Glendale, recorded a 9.64 ERA with five strikeouts over two starts. Threw 40 pitches (2.0 IP) and 53 pitches (2.2 IP) in his two outings.
2020
Type 1 diabetic opted out of the 2020 season in accordance with Major League Baseball COVID-19 protocols. Received a full season of service time.
2019
Made 29 appearances recording 14 saves before an injury sidelined him from June 23 through the end of the season...Exited the game vs. LAA (6/22) originally diagnosed as a right triceps cramp after recording four outs. The injury was later revealed as a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament in his right elbow requiring Tommy John surgery and ending his season...At the time of his injury, ranked among National League relief leaders in saves (14, T9th), longest save streak (14, T3rd), games finished (21, T9th), opponent BA (.163, 9th), opponent slugging (.255, 6th), opponent OPS (.510, 4th), ground ball/fly ball ratio (5.00, 2nd), ground ball pct (67.2%, 3rd), inherited runners scored pct. (0.0%, T1st)...Recorded his 100th career strikeout by catching Mike Trout looking (6/22) with a 84.4 mph slider...Threw the fastest pitch of the MLB season for the second straight year, with a 104.3 MPH sinker against Victor Caratini vs. CHI (5/31), which resulted in a ground out...Threw 43 of the 50 fastest pitches in MLB during the season including the Top 21, all registering 103.0 MPH or faster...Led Major League Baseball with 206 pitches over 100 MPH, and 45.4% of all his pitches thrown. Tayvon Guerrero (MIA) finished 2nd in total pitches (178) and Andres Munoz (SD) in percentage (32.9%)...Had the highest average speed for a sinker at 101.1 MPH, outpacing Aroldis Chapman (NYY) at 100.1 MPH...Made three appearances of 30 or more pitches (4/1 at PIT, 5/19 at TEX & 5/31 vs. CHI)...Was leading all MLB relievers facing opposing right-handed batters in on-base percentage (.167), slugging (.161) and OPS (.328), at the time of his injury...Has only allowed one career Major League home run to a right-handed batter (232nd career RH batter faced), facing Justin Upton (6/22) on the day of his injury before exiting the game two batters later...Recorded eight saves in eight consecutive appearances from 4/7-4/27, the longest streak by a Cardinals pitcher since Trevor Rosenthal ran off 11 in 2015.
2018
Made Cardinals Opening Day roster out of Spring Training as a 21-year old, previously not pitching higher than Class-A (Palm Beach)...Made MLB debut on Opening Day at NYM (3/29) pitching a scoreless 7th, recording a double play and striking out Jay Bruce...Posted his first Major League victory vs. CIN (4/21) with a career-high 2.1 scoreless innings...Appeared in team-high 73 games, ranking T-8th among National League pitchers and was the 5th-most by a Cardinals rookie...Recorded 25 Holds, ranking T-5th among National League relief pitchers...Owned the highest average velocity in MLB with his fourseam fastball (100.5 MPH) & two-seam fastball (100.2 MPH), and 2nd-fastest sinker (100.4 MPH), according to Statcast rankings...Led MLB with 659 pitches thrown of 100 mph or faster (51.7% of pitches); with Miami's Tayron Guerrero ranking a distant 2nd with 197...Threw the three fastest pitches in MLB in 2018 (105.1 MPH sinker & 105.0 MPH sinker vs. PHI 5/20 facing Odúbel Herrera; 104.4 MPH sinker at ARI 7/4 facing A.J. Pollock) and 7-of-the-10 fastest pitches (all 104.1+ MPH)...Pitched on consecutive days 15 times and on three straight days only once (June 7-9)...Led the Cardinals with 34 inherited runners, allowing 10 to score (29.4%)...Faced 339 total batters, 2nd-most among National League relievers (Gsellman, NYM, 342) and most by a Cardinals rookie reliever since John Frascatore (348 in 1997)...Ranked among NL relief leaders in innings (77.2, T-6th), ground ball percentage (61.7%, 5th) and opponent GIDP's (12, 7th)...Held the opposition to a .257 slugging percentage with only nine extra base hits allowed...Surrendered only two home runs on the season (both to LHB; Jason Heyward 6/16 vs. CHI & Jeimer Candelario 9/7 at DET) averaging 0.23 home runs/9 IP, 4th-best total among N.L. relief pitchers...Limited opposing right-handed batters to just three extrabase hits (all doubles)...His .171 opponent slugging pct. vs. RHB was 2nd-lowest in the NL and the lowest all-time in Cardinals single-season history (min. 100 batters faced)...Led all Cardinals relief pitchers with 70 strikeouts; 6th-most by a Cardinals rookie relief pitcher...His seven blown save opportunities ranked T-3rd in the National League (Boxberger & Bradley - 8) and were 2nd-most by a Cardinals rookie trailing Todd Worrell (10 in 1986)...Made seven relief appearances of 2.0 or more innings, tied for the team lead...Blanked the Dodgers for 2.0 IP on 9/16, throwing single-game high 34 pitches in lone appearance of homestand. Did not pitch in the Pittsburgh series (9/10-9/12), the first time all season he did not appear in a 3-or 4-game series...His 102.1 MPH pitch to Jeimer Candelario (DET) was the fastest hit for a home run in MLB in 2018 ( Statcast )...Struck out a season-high four batters twice (5/29 at MIL & 6/12 vs. SD), tied for most by a Cardinals reliever in 2018...His six saves at age 22 or younger were the 2nd-most by a Cardinal trailing only 22-year old Chris Perez with seven in 2008...Began his career with 31 outings (35.0 IP) without allowing a home run before June 16, surrendering a two-run home run to Jason Heyward (first pitch of AB) in the 8th inning...longest streak by a Cardinal since Jason Motte (37 G, 33.2 IP)...Tied for the Major League lead with seven Holds in the month of August (Dakota Hudson, Steve Cishek, Taylor Rogers)...Appeared in a season-high 14 games in the month of May, T-4th most among National League pitchers...Struck out a season-high 18 batters in the month of June, T-6th most among National League relievers...Pitched 48.0 innings prior to the All-Star Break, T-7th among National League relievers with Josh Hader (MIL)...Became the 3rd-youngest Cardinal in franchise history and first since Rick Ankiel (20.076, 10/3/99 vs. CHI) to earn a save (at CIN, 6/9), the first of his career...Had a 101.5 MPH two-seam fastball fouled off the bat of Kris Bryant injuring Yadier Molina in the 9th vs. CHI (5/5)...Recognized as having the "Best Fastball" in the National League by managers, coaches, scouts and executives in Baseball America 's 2018 "Best Tools" survey following the season.
2017
Appeared in 22 games (19 starts) between Peoria (A) and Palm Beach (A). Last three appearances of the season all came in relief at Palm Beach (5.0 IP, 0 R, 8 K)... Named to the Midwest League Mid-Season All-Star Team. Pitched two-thirds of an inning (4th) for the West Squad and struck out both batters faced recording a Hold... Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July, going 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 25.0 IP... Struck out a career-high nine batters in his final start for Peoria (A) at Kane County (7/2), tossing a career-high 8.0 scoreless innings of four-hit ball in a win... Led Peoria by inducing 13 double plays despite not making a start past July 2... Ranked 2nd in the Midwest League in hit batsmen (13)... Did not allow a run in his last seven appearances of the season, including four starts, covering 22.0 innings... Did not surrender a home run in his last 51.2 innings pitched to finish the season... Recorded his first professional save vs. Bradenton (8/19)... Member of the 2017 Palm Beach Florida State League co-Champions team (Championship Series canceled due to Hurricane Irma), but did not pitch in the playoffs... Appeared in nine games for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League striking out 16 in 15.2 IP... Rated as the No. 6 prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America following the season.
