Hicks has thrown the eight fastest pitches of the season so far, MLB.com reports.
Hicks was a surprise addition to the Cardinals' major-league roster despite never throwing above High-A in his professional career. With the hardest fastball in the league, however, it's easy to see why the Cardinals wanted him on the team right away. He's peaked at 101.6 mph and has thrown eight pitches harder than the hardest one thrown by anyone else (100.8 mph by Aroldis Chapman). Oddly, that fastball has translated into a rather pedestrian 21.4 percent strikeout rate through his first four appearances, though hitters haven't been able to square him up, hitting just .154 so far, and he's yet to give up a run. His incredible velocity makes him look like a prime closer candidate down the road, though he's currently not near the top of the Cardinals' closer depth chart.