Jordan Hicks

Lore & Background

Hicks attended Klein Oak High School in Klein, Texas, before transferring to Cypress Creek High School in Houston, Texas, for his senior year. He signed with Tulane University to play college baseball. The Cardinals selected Hicks in the third round of the 2015 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut with them in 2018. The Cardinals traded him to the Blue Jays in 2023. On January 18, 2024, Hicks signed a four-year contract worth $44 million with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent. He was converted into a starting pitcher for the Giants. As of the latest update, Hicks remains with the Giants organization.

Reader's Guide

Hicks is one of the hardest throwers in the major leagues, having been measured as throwing as hard as 105 mph. His four-seam fastball and sinker had the second- and third-highest average speeds of any MLB pitcher's pitches in 2018, at 100.5 mph and 100.4 mph. In 2019, his four-seam fastball was, on average, the fastest in major league baseball, at 100.9 mph. His average pitch velocity was the highest in MLB, at 101.1 mph. He threw the fastest pitch of the season, at 104.3 mph. While transitioning into a starting role for the San Francisco Giants in 2024, his velocity fell as he worked on preserving his arm over multiple innings, rarely throwing above 96 mph. In 2025, Hicks's pitch velocity increased while playing in Spring Training and continued into the regular season.

Did You Know?

• Hicks has thrown the second-fastest pitch in MLB history at 105.0 mph, trailing only Aroldis Chapman's record of 105.1 mph.
• Hicks was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was a junior in high school.
• Hicks grew up a Houston Astros fan.