Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks threw a pair of 20-pitch sets in a bullpen session at his home in Houston on Tuesday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak tells Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It’s the latest positive step in the rehab process for the flamethrowing Hicks, who underwent Tommy John surgery late last June.
The Cards aren’t putting a firm deadline on Hicks’ readiness to pitch in a big league game, but Mozeliak spoke in broad terms when he expressed “optimism that if we do have a season, he’ll have some way of being a key member of it.”
Under normal circumstances, the Cards would’ve been without Hicks for at least half the season, given the June 26 date of last year’s surgery. Now, with the season beginning no earlier than July 1 — and quite possibly later, depending on the input of government officials and health experts — Hicks could be in the ’pen for the majority of the shortened season. The right-hander is a Type 1 diabetic but recently expressed to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that his condition wouldn’t impact his willingness to play in 2020 amid coronavirus concerns.
Hicks, 23, is the hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball, averaging an outrageous 101.5 mph on a sinker that helped him post a gaudy 67.2 percent ground-ball rate in 2019. The right-hander quickly ascended to the role of closer in St. Louis and had collected 14 saves while pitching to a 3.14 ERA, 9.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 28 2/3 innings last year. Hicks made notable improvements in his ability to locate that blistering sinker last year, dropping his walk rate from a 5.2 BB/9 and 13.3 percent overall mark in 2018 to that 3.5 BB/9 and a 10 percent overall mark in 2019. His first-pitch strike rate jumped from 58.2 percent to 60.9 percent as well.
Hicks will be eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this winter and currently carries a 3.47 ERA, 20 saves and a 101-to-56 K/BB ratio in 106 1/3 career innings. He’s under club control through the 2023 season.
Good news.
Snell is a complete bozo
what a moronic comment
He ain’t wrong
Snell said he refused to pitch because he won’t be getting full salary. What a freaking crybaby.
Congrats, you just confirmed you cannot read
He said they had a deal and now are changing the terms. That’s his beef. Jeez
What article are you reading cause we must not be reading the same thing
I wonder if he is going to remain throwing 105 all the time, or if he is going to tone it down a bit and rely more on some off-speed this season, and then throw in the occasional 105 heater.
In Cards media and fandom minds it’s ok if Hicks throws heat, but when Josh Hader does it, he’s going to get hurt. Ummm, let’s see. What just happened?
I think there’s a level of concern that he might have a drop in velocity or hurt himself again. When you throw as hard as some of these guys you always wonder.
I just hope if the season starts he’s healthy and is eased back into a closing role not just thrown into the fire.
Hey 413 nice new name. Same old terrible nothing comments.
haders delivery has alot more moving parts compared to hicks’ motion.
Not as a reliever.
Hicks throwing smoke.
But Hicks has competition this year with Kopech.
Especially if Kopech ends up in the bullpen.
What does Kopech have to do with Hicks?
Hicks has the belt.
Kopech wants to take that away.
What belt?
It is like some of you don’t understand baseball…
Some pitchers take pride being known as the hardest thrower
Hicks is one.
Ultimately he isn’t going to slow down because he wants this title.
Wants the belt.
He’s an idiot if that’s what he’s in the game for. He’ll be gone before he’s 27 if he wants that stupid “belt.” Regards, Joel Zumaya.
Kopech will be a starter for Chicago. If they use him in the bullpen, it’s just to limit his innings coming off of TJS. But their LT plan is for him to remain a starting pitcher. Kopech generally tops out at 100, so I doubt he’s going to throw harder than Hicks no matter where he pitches from.
Q: What is it that Kopech and Hicks both have in common?
A: Both wear a “belt” with a Gold TJ buckle.
I hate it when the people commenting criticize the writers …… buuuuut I’d call 58% to 60% strikeout rate about even (and not a “jump”)
Great news that his arm is healing, let’s hope he learned that high 90’s with movement and location is better then overthrowing in the 100’s for the primary reason of staying off the IL and TJ operations. He would be a fool by hurting his arm again trying to impress with velocity readings.
I disagree. He needs to keep the 101 pitches flying in a closer role, but he should only be used in a save situation to prevent overusing his arm. That sinker is sick and the combination of speed and movement is what makes him potentially great for the club.
The guy he trains with in Houston is getting these pitchers to throw like that.
There are a few he works with and has added mph to their pitches.
Hicks isn’t slowing down
101.5 mph is fast
His fastballs are amazing. But, his sliders are more impressive in my opinion. If he comes back and needs to throw less fastballs to heal a little more for some of the season, I think he’d still get through batters pretty well.
While he throws heat, he’s not a Top 10 strike out guy (per 9 innings). Guys like Hader and Matt Barnes dominate him in that stat. The key to Hicks is all the ground balls he generates with that filthy sinker. A closer’s #1 job is to keep the ball in the park so keeping the ball on the ground is a huge advantage for him and the Cardinals.
Tell them, smart!
Goldschmidt needs a fast start this year. Short season and all.