Jordan Hicks

Jordan Hicks

28-Year-Old PitcherSP
San Francisco Giants
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Eyebrows were raised when the Giants handed Hicks a four-year, $44 million contract last offseason with the intent of inserting him into their rotation after the hard-throwing righty had spent virtually all of his first five seasons in the bullpen. For the first two months, it was looking like a shrewd move, with Hicks collecting a 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 52:19 K:BB over 63.1 innings in 12 starts through the end of May. Then, the wheels fell off. Over his next eight starts, Hicks posted a 6.37 ERA while walking 22 over 35.1 frames. He was a little better after being moved to relief but then made two different trips to the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Hicks hitting a wall was predictable given that he set a new career high in innings before the All-Star break. Theoretically, he should be better equipped to handle a large workload in 2025 with an expected move back to the rotation. However, there are lots of unknowns, so fantasy managers might be wise to take a wait-and-see approach. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
From Preseason
$Signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Giants in January of 2024. Contract includes $83,333 in annual incentives for 100, 110, 120 and 130 innings, $166,667 for 140, 150, 160 and 170 innings, $333,333 for 180 and 190 innings and $333,334 for 200 innings.
Will rejoin rotation in 2025
PSan Francisco Giants
December 9, 2024
Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey confirmed Monday that Hicks will go back into the rotation in 2025, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
ANALYSIS
It had been the plan and the Giants will not deviate from it even as Hicks struggled to hold up both from a performance and health standpoint in 2024 while making 20 of 29 appearances as a starting pitcher. Hicks finished the year with a 4.01 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 90:41 K:BB over 98.2 frames during his time in the Giants' rotation. He did finish with 109.2 innings, theoretically better setting him up to handle a starter's workload in 2025.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
68
Last 10 Games
29
Last 5 Games
21
How many pitches does Jordan Hicks generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Jordan Hicks generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-12%
BAA vs RHP
2024
 
 
-15%
BAA vs RHP
2023
 
 
-4%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-15%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .260 434 87 65 92 19 1 8
Since 2022vs Right .230 594 153 49 123 23 3 13
2024vs Left .290 222 37 32 53 10 0 5
2024vs Right .246 258 59 15 59 13 2 7
2023vs Left .225 108 27 16 20 4 0 1
2023vs Right .234 177 54 16 37 7 1 3
2022vs Left .232 104 23 17 19 5 1 2
2022vs Right .197 159 40 18 27 3 0 3
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-21%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-2%
ERA at Home
2023
 
 
-84%
ERA on Road
2022
 
 
-21%
ERA at Home
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 4.51 1.36 127.2 6 12 5 8.1 3.9 1.0
Since 2022Away 3.55 1.42 109.0 4 10 8 10.3 4.8 0.6
2024Home 4.07 1.24 59.2 2 3 1 6.3 1.8 1.4
2024Away 4.14 1.70 50.0 2 4 0 9.7 6.3 0.5
2023Home 5.45 1.70 34.2 1 6 4 10.1 6.0 0.5
2023Away 0.87 0.97 31.0 2 3 8 12.2 2.6 0.6
2022Home 4.32 1.23 33.1 3 3 0 9.2 5.7 0.8
2022Away 5.46 1.43 28.0 0 3 0 9.3 4.5 0.6
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Jordan Hicks compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.04
 
K/9
7.9
 
BB/9
3.9
 
HR/9
1.0
 
Fastball
94.7 mph
 
ERA
4.10
 
WHIP
1.45
 
BABIP
.319
 
GB/FB
2.08
 
Left On Base
73.8%
 
Exit Velocity
82.6 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
5.7%
 
Spin Rate
1822 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
28.0%
 
Swinging Strike
10.4%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2017
Hicks finally stayed healthy all year after putting on some weight last offseason to help improve his durability. The hard-throwing right-hander pitched 65.2 innings across 65 appearances between St. Louis and Toronto, both being his most since 2018. Hicks racked up a career-high 81 strikeouts with a personal-best 28.4 K% thanks to his 100.1-mph sinker, devastating sweeper (59.5% whiff rate) and occasional four-seam fastball. The 27-year-old was second in the league with 470 pitches thrown at 100 mph or greater. He induced groundballs at a 58.3% clip, and while he improved his walk rate, it was still well below average at 11.1%. Hicks recorded 12 saves last season and now has 32 for his career. However, the Giants plan to try Hicks as a traditional starter after signing him to a four-year, $44 million deal this winter. A return to high-leverage relief duty is always on the table if it doesn't pan out.
St. Louis made the puzzling decision to experiment with Hicks as a starter. It didn't go well, as he walked 21 in 26.1 innings across eight starts, completing five innings only once. Hicks suffered a right forearm flexor injury in late May and missed over a month before returning as a multi-inning reliever. He fared better in shorter stints out of the bullpen, but still struggled with his control, finishing the season with 35 walks in 61.1 innings (his most since 2018). His slider was really good when he was able to locate it, as batters whiffed at the pitch at a near-50% rate. The contact he gave up was mostly groundballs (57.6%) thanks to a sinker that clocked in at 99.4 mph on average. Hicks still has some post-hype appeal and could re-enter the Cardinals' mix for saves if his walk and strikeout rates trend in the right direction.
Hicks, who opted out of the 2020 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of 2019, returned last spring and was eased into action once the season started. The plan was to eventually return to closing duties, but Alex Reyes performed well in the role early on and Hicks' performance was spotty in low-leverage situations. He strugged to throw strikes, walking 10 batters over 10 innings before elbow inflammation sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The injury required Hicks to get multiple opinions and an injection, but surgery was not necessary. Now the Cardinals may be rethinking his role, as he's expected to compete for a 2022 rotation spot during spring training. Without having to pitch at extreme velocities, the move could help Hicks avoid the recurring elbow problems that have stalled his career. Just be prepared for a workload restriction if he indeed enters 2022 as a starter.
Those who used a roster spot on Hicks in early 2019 drafts were hoping for the best, and never got it. He had Tommy John surgery in June of 2019, so while he could have pitched in 2020, it was highly unlikely he would have looked like the same guy as these recoveries never go off without a hitch. It turned out that Hicks had a setback in his recovery in June of 2020, which made the decision to opt out of the 2020 season even easier for the Type 1 diabetic. The good news here is he is closer to two full years removed from his surgery, so his command should be sharper than it would have been had he pitched in 2020. Walks were a problem for him prior to surgery, but velocity with his movement allows him to overcome some mistakes more than other pitchers. Keep an eye on health reports this winter to ensure the setback is behind him.
To say it's easy to fall in love with Hicks' stuff does not do Hicks' stuff justice. He throws the hardest fastball in the game -- clocking in at over 100 mph on average -- and can break off an impressive slider. Hicks even began experimenting with a nasty changeup, which got people talking in spring training and got the Rob Friedman aka "Pitching Ninja" treatment on Twitter. During his time on the mound in 2019, Hicks had a 28.2 K% and .163 BAA. Here's the problem: pitchers with this extreme velocity and violent arm whip are (in theory) more susceptible to injuries. Unfortunately, we saw this with Hicks, as the right-hander was diagnosed with a torn UCL and underwent Tommy John surgery in late June. Hicks will likely still be only 23 years old when he returns to the major leagues, so his future is extremely bright, but he should not be expected to immediately reclaim closer duties for St. Louis in 2020.
Rather than continue his development as a starter, the Cardinals decided to jump Hicks three levels straight to the big-league bullpen. It was easy to see why St. Louis thought Hicks could bypass Double- and Triple-A and help the team right away -- he throws absolute gas (100.5 mph average fastball). He peppered the Fastest Pitches leaderboard from Statcast, a leaderboard that used to consist almost exclusively of Aroldis Chapman. The right-hander enjoyed quite a bit of success and even got a chance to close out some games later in the year, though for a pitcher with his pure stuff, Hicks didn't generate many strikeouts early on. The Ks did finally tick up a bit over the final two months (22.7%), but so did the walks (17.3%). Hicks' future is bright and he has "future closer" written all over him, but given his inexperience and fits of wildness in his rookie season, it's not out of the question the Cardinals keep him confined to setup duty to start 2019.
Hicks was sidelined with shoulder inflammation after he was selected in the third round of the 2015 draft, so he did not make his professional debut until last season. His numbers in the Appalachian League were not particularly pretty, but his repertoire, which includes a low-90s fastball and a slider with wipeout potential, required a challenge in the form of a promotion to the New York-Penn League in late July. Hicks walked too many hitters at both stops, but his overall production started to match his stuff against short-season hitters, who hit just .217 against him. This allowed him post a 1.76 ERA despite walking 16 over 30.2 innings. The development of his changeup along with better fastball command/control will be paramount in his quest to remain a starter, as is the case with most lower-level arms. Hicks has the raw tools to someday pitch in the middle of a big league rotation, making him worth following as he moves up the ranks.
More Fantasy News
Back to IL with shoulder injury
PSan Francisco Giants
Shoulder
September 20, 2024
The Giants placed Hicks on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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Activated from IL
PSan Francisco Giants
September 14, 2024
The Giants activated Hicks (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
ANALYSIS
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Begins rehab assignment
PSan Francisco Giants
Shoulder
September 11, 2024
Hicks (shoulder) allowed two unearned runs over two innings in his first rehab appearance with Single-A San Jose on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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Lands on IL
PSan Francisco Giants
Shoulder
August 27, 2024
The Giants placed Hicks on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right shoulder inflammation.
ANALYSIS
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Nabs first save
PSan Francisco Giants
August 19, 2024
Hicks allowed two hits in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Monday's 5-3 win over the White Sox.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Five teams connected
PFree Agent
January 12, 2024
Hicks' market is heating up, with the Phillies, Cubs, Rangers, Astros and Yankees all representing potential landing spots, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
ANALYSIS
Heyman also adds that some teams are considering deploying Hicks as a starter. The flamethrowing righty has previously professed a desire to start again, but ultimately the odds of him getting that shot seem low. Hicks is just 27 and is arguably the best free-agent reliever available outside of Josh Hader, so it's no surprise his market is robust.
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